[A Sip of Books] World War I: The Turning Point for America's Rise as a Global Power

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This is a story of European history delivered by 'Justice,' a history YouTuber with 140,000 subscribers. The book explores ancient European history from the Sumerian civilization, the Greek civilization, and the Roman Empire, the clash between Christianity and Islam during the Crusades, and the pivotal moments of early modern Europe such as the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Age of Exploration.

The 'Great Migration of the Germanic Peoples' was a historical event that lasted from the 4th to the 7th century. It refers to the period when the Germanic peoples, who had lived outside the Roman Empire, moved into the empire, brought about its collapse, and established their own states. The main cause of the migration was the pressure from the Huns. The Huns, a nomadic people from Central Asia, suddenly appeared north of the Black Sea in the mid-4th century and moved westward, causing destruction and fear throughout Europe. In addition to the pressure from the Huns, climate change that swept across Northern and Eastern Europe after the 4th century made agriculture difficult, which also triggered the migration of the Germanic peoples. Seeking a better life away from the cold northern regions, the Germanic peoples set their sights on the Roman Empire's territories, which offered a warmer climate and abundant resources. <page 59>

During the 9th and 10th centuries, Western Europe experienced a period of chaos and disorder. Centralized rule weakened in many regions of Western Europe, and Viking invasions and civil wars occurred frequently. Amid this turmoil, the feudal system took root, transforming Western Europe into an era in which local lords expanded their power and competed with one another. In contrast, relatively stable authority continued in Eastern Europe. The Eastern Roman Empire, which ruled this region, maintained Roman traditions and Christian culture and continued a strong centralized system even after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. However, in the 11th century, the Eastern Roman Empire faced a serious crisis due to the rise of the Turkic Seljuk Empire from Central Asia. <pages 78-79>

The Crusades were a series of wars fought from the late 11th century to the late 13th century between the Christian coalition forces of Europe and the Islamic powers over control of Jerusalem and its surrounding areas. At the time, people did not call the Crusades a 'war,' but rather 'the road to the Holy Land.' Participants were called 'pilgrims.' They set out on a unique form of pilgrimage, armed with weapons. Western Europe witnessed the Eastern Roman Empire being threatened by Islamic forces after its defeat to the Seljuk Empire at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. This event revealed that the Eastern Roman Empire was no longer a strong defensive line for Europe. Recognizing the threat of Islam, Pope Gregory VII formulated a strategy to lead an army eastward himself, even without a request from the Eastern Roman Empire. <pages 92-93>

The Renaissance movement began in Italy in the late 14th century and continued until the early 17th century. The term 'Renaissance' comes from French, meaning 'rebirth,' and in English, it corresponds to 'Rebirth' or 'Renewal.' However, it carries a deeper meaning than simply 'renewal.' The Renaissance was an intellectual, artistic, and social movement that rediscovered the culture, knowledge, and philosophy of ancient Greece and Rome and sought to revive them in opposition to the Christian-centered worldview of the Middle Ages. It marked the dawn of a new era that emphasized individual creativity, human dignity, and reason in all fields of scholarship and art. <page 132>

World War I left Europe in ruins. However, after the war, the United States invested in Europe's reconstruction and accumulated enormous wealth. Amid Europe's economic turmoil and destruction, the United States emerged as a new global economic powerhouse. The center of world history shifted across the Atlantic to the United States. The New York Stock Exchange became a symbol of the prosperity of the American economy, which now stood at the center of world history. The stock market continued to rise, and the exchange was crowded with investors eager to buy shares. The 1920s were the golden age of the American economy, and it seemed as if the country's growth and prosperity would last forever. However, prosperity cannot continue indefinitely. From 1925, the construction industry began to decline, which had a serious impact on the overall economy. The slump in construction led to a decrease in industrial production, and consumer demand also began to fall. Companies started to accumulate inventory, which resulted in a slowdown in production. <pages 274-275>

In 1947, the United States announced the Truman Doctrine, providing military and economic aid to Europe to prevent the spread of communism. This was prompted by concerns over Soviet expansion after World War II. The Truman Doctrine expressed America's determination to intervene directly to protect free democratic nations from communism, and as a concrete implementation, the Marshall Plan was introduced. The Marshall Plan was a program in which the United States provided large-scale economic aid to support Europe's postwar reconstruction. America's goal was to revive the European economy, centered on Germany, to prevent the spread of communism and stabilize Western Europe. The United States also aimed to create a federal system in Europe to prevent German rearmament and to defend Central Europe from the Soviet Union. <pages 290-291>

A Deeper Glimpse into World History by Justice: Europe Edition | Written by Justice (Yoon Kyungrok) | 300 pages | Mixcoffee | 22,000 won