In the 20th century, there were many great empires in the world. These empires were once vast and influential in the world, but in the 20th century, due to the impact of two world wars. There have been five great empires that have gone into history, so which ones have disappeared?
1. The Tsarist Russian Empire, which was once very vast
Tsarist Russia's territory once reached more than 22 million square kilometers, which was the absolute largest in the world. However, Tsarist Russia lagged behind the Western countries in terms of economy, and although it had a strong army, it was repeatedly defeated in the face of the German army. In World War I, Tsarist Russia lost more than 4 million troops, which caused heavy damage to this huge empire. In 1917, the February Revolution and the October Revolution broke out in succession. In the end, the Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, took control of the political situation, and Tsarist Russia became history, and Soviet Russia began to appear. After the fall of Tsarist Russia, the surrounding countries of Tsarist Russia breathed a sigh of relief for the time being.
2. The German Empire, once unbeatable in Europe
The German Empire was and was invincible, and in the Franco-Prussian War, Germany's predecessor, Prussia, defeated the European power France in one fell swoop. After the establishment of Germany, it became one of the few great powers in the world. In 1906, Germany's economy surpassed that of Great Britain, and Germany began to be second only to the United States economically. But after the outbreak of World War I, Germany was caught in a two-front war. In the east, it was necessary to deal with Tsarist Russia, and in the west, it was necessary to deal with Britain and France. After the United States entered the war, the chances of Germany winning became less and less. In November 1918, an uprising broke out in Berlin, the capital of Germany. Kaiser Wilhelm II fled to the Netherlands, and the German Empire collapsed.
3. The Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was once a great power in Western Europe
Before the outbreak of World War I, Austria-Hungary was also a great power in Western Europe. In terms of territory, it even surpasses France. However, Austria-Hungary was not good at military affairs, so it was called ragdoll imperialism by its peers. In July 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, which was the beginning of World War I. In the course of the First World War, the performance of the Austro-Hungarian ** team was average. By the end of the war, it was completely dependent on Germany for support. After World War I, Austria-Hungary was severely sanctioned. The former Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed, Austria and Czechoslovakia became independent, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire degenerated into Austria.
4. The Ottoman Empire, which once had a territory of more than 10 million square kilometers
At its peak, the Ottoman Turkish Empire was comparable in size to that of the Ming Dynasty. But it is also a country that is closed to the rest of the world, and the former West Asian power has become the sick man of West Asia. Before the outbreak of World War I, the Ottoman Empire was a large country, although its national power was already very limited. After the outbreak of World War I, the Ottoman Empire mistakenly joined the German camp and ended up in a crushing defeat. After the end of World War I, the Ottoman Empire lost almost all of its European territory. The empire could no longer hold on, and then the Ottoman Revolution broke out, and Kemal came to power.
5. Japan, which once had the world's second navy
After the end of World War I, Germany, Tsarist Russia and Austria-Hungary had declined. Japan has gradually become a world power second only to the United States, Britain and France, and in addition to the military field, it is more manifested in political influence. After the Washington Conference, Japan gradually built up a naval force second only to the United States. Traditional powers such as Britain and France had to pay attention to Japan, and the re-emerging Germany had to pay attention to Japan. However, after the end of World War II, Japan became a defeated country. To this day, Japan has not been able to have an army, and can only be called the Self-Defense Forces. Although the strength of such a team is very strong, Japan's political influence is limited.