France, with approximately 1.400.000 deaths and disappeared people, lost 10,5% of active population ,more then that 100.000 deaths because of gassing or serious injury and 1.100.000 invalids. Germany had 1.850.000 deaths .which represents 9,8% of active population, Austria-Hungary lost 1.540.000 people, so it`s an average of 9,5%,but the most affected country was Russia, totally it lost 5.000.000 people.
The consequences of long term time were disastrous ,the deficit of natality in the period of the war increase to 770.000 in Great Britain, 911.000 in France, 1.348.000 in Italy and 3.705.000 in Germany. This deficit was caused by the decrease of male population number.
France and Great Britain were first who noted the phenomenon of aging population, from 1911-1921 the average of aged population who overcame 60 years increased in France from 12,6%- 13,7% and in Great Britain from 8%-9,4%.
Because of the defiency (deficit) of work force created by the war, the government involve the female part and the children. Because the lost of the skilled labour and the utilisation of these work force caused the decreased in quality , productivity and the efficiency of the production.
The social integration of invalid people who had the right of compensation from the government, like the orphans and widows had, determined a big financial need, as the budgets were poor enough after the loses of the war.
The material losses were enormous. The places which served as a battle fields as: N-E France, Belgium, N-E Italy, Serbia, Romania, European Russia were completely destroyed. The houses,the streets,the fields were ruined.
The geographer Albert Demangeon said :”Europe is a death zone, long by 500 km, wide of 10 km to 25 km which was transformed into a dessert”. To restore everything what was made in 4 years it needed 16 years.
The totally cost of the war was different, is starts from 273 milliard to 338 milliard dollars. The biggest destruction were in France , Belgium, Romania, Serbia and Poland. The fourth years of war caused in France the decrease of production with 30 % and 50% of enterprises closed. Germany lost her rich economics areas and the usage of all existent material.From 1913-1919 the production of coal decrease from 190-108 tones and half of potatoes production. In Russia the decrease of the production achieve 71% of coal production,66% of oil,97% of iron.
The most important consequence of the war is the change of the world leaders, Europe lost her position of economic leader and USA and Japan took its place.
Cristina Gherasim
