What kind of material success and political progress the first decade Essay

What kind of material success and political progress the first decade of the Twentieth century brought to Europeans - Essay Example The first decade of the twentieth century was a very tumultuous period in European history. Prior to the First World War, that was to take place shortly after this decade, European powers had succumbed to several disputes. First, there was the Franco-Prussia war of 1870 which led to the unification of the Germans in 1871. The war saw a shift of power in Europe with the Prussians basking in the success of their military endeavors. After the war, German sought to secure its place among Europe’s elite in terms of power and military strength. This shift in power unsettled Britain, which begun to seek alliances with other European countries.As Germany increased its naval power to rival that of Britain, Britain allied with France to balance power in Europe. Britain also allied itself with Japan as Germany opened diplomatic ties with Austria-Hungary and Italy. These alliances increased tensions in the Europe as the fight for military power ensued in the continent. Art in pre-world wa r Europe began evolving as it embraced modernism that was rife during this period. The tensions between European countries were mostly due to the introduction of modernism in Europe. Artists were challenging the traditional role and production of art that thrived prior to this period. Artists were adapting methods such as cubism and futurism to capture the rapidly evolving world during this era. Society in the decade prior to the First World War expected a war due to the diplomatic tensions between European countries during this era.