Map of Europe, 1918

This map illustrates European borders prior to the start of WWI in 1914 with black lines and new states formed by the First World War in red. As the map illustrates, a number of states became independent from Tsarist Russia. What new states were these? Do you think that newly found independence had an affect on nationalist movements in these areas? Take a look at this source, which is a map of European borders after WWII. Do you think the borders after WWI helped to prevent nationalist movements and tensions between neighbors in the interwar years? For states that lost territory, do you think independence was accepted by the former controlling empire? For states that remained independent for only a fraction of time or the duration of the interwar years, do you think that they voluntarily became incorporated into new states? Might these two periods of rapid and substantial border changes have had lasting consequences to the present day? 

This source is part of the teaching module on border changes of the Soviet Union.