A Paper 2 comparative topic. You study the causes, practices and effects of two 20th-century wars from different regions.
This mini-lesson gives you the analytical framework — types of war, long- and short-term causes, and consequences — with verified examples from the World Wars, the Spanish Civil War and beyond. Collect ⭐ stars, then press Start.
The topic asks you to analyse types of war: total wars (whole societies mobilised, e.g. the World Wars), civil wars (e.g. the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939), and guerrilla or limited wars. Comparing different types across regions is exactly what Paper 2 rewards.
Long-term (underlying) causes build over years: the pre-1914 alliance system, militarism, imperial rivalry and nationalism before the First World War; unresolved grievances from the Treaty of Versailles (1919) before the Second.
Short-term causes and triggers light the fuse. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on 28 June 1914 triggered the First World War through the alliance system; the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 triggered the Second.
Analytical habit: always separate underlying causes from the trigger — and argue about their relative weight.
"Practices" covers technology, strategy, the home front, propaganda and the treatment of civilians. Total war meant mobilising entire economies and populations, blurring the line between soldier and civilian and producing mass civilian casualties.
Sort each item as a long-term cause, a short-term trigger, or an effect of 20th-century wars.
Wars redraw maps and topple regimes. The First World War ended four empires and produced the Treaty of Versailles (1919) and the League of Nations (1920). The Second World War led to the United Nations (founded 24 October 1945), the division of Europe and the onset of the Cold War.
Tap an item on the left, then its match on the right.
Wars accelerate social change: shifts in the role of women, in technology, and in the economy (debt, reconstruction, inflation). They also leave demographic scars and shape memory and politics for generations.
Choose two wars from different regions — for instance the Second World War (Europe/Asia) and the Chinese Civil War (which ended in Communist victory in 1949) or the Korean War (1950-1953). Compare their causes, character and consequences thematically.
Tap the events in sequence, earliest first.
Set out a clear line of argument, use a thematic structure (long-term vs short-term causes; political vs social effects), and support every claim with specific, dated evidence from two regions. Weigh factors against one another rather than listing them.
Paper 2: compare two 20th-century wars from different regions across causes, practices, effects
Causes: separate long-term causes (alliances, nationalism) from the trigger
Practices: technology, home front, propaganda, total war
Effects: Versailles (1919), League (1920), UN (1945), the Cold War
Essay craft: thematic structure, dated evidence, weigh factors and judge
You can now analyse and compare the causes and effects of 20th-century wars. Press Finish to see your score.
You’ve worked through Causes & Effects of 20th-Century Wars for IB Diploma History SL. 🎉
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Next: test yourself in the Evaluate stage, then lock it in with Verify.