Why Us Hegemony Was Inevitable in the 20th Century

Why U.S. hegemony was inevitable in the 20th century.

The beginning of the 20th Century saw the British Empire as the undisputed hegemonic power. Europe was finally starting to recover from a worldwide economic crisis, which last from 1873-1896. Though the United States of America was considered a rising economic power by some in Europe, there was sign the U.S. would soon challenge Britain for hegemony. Europeans looked to expand in Africa, building upon their trade, as well as, expanding their empire. Spain and China were no longer considered a major power. Germany had united in 1871, still in its infancy, and headed toward an unforeseen destruction. This medley of events, the decline of every major competitor, greatly assisted the U.S. in becoming the only modern hegemon.

After the collapse of the Vienna Austria stock exchange in 1873, a worldwide economic crisis ensued. European stockholders hastily began to sell their stocks, decimating the continental European economy; unemployment increased and the banks collapsed. The U.S. economy was not affected as severely. Britain, the undisputed hegemonic power, also suffered due to a decreasing trade market worldwide, and other countries developing new policies to specifically to protect their economies. The decreasing trade market led to Britain's desire to increase their colonial territories, taking advantage of the fact that their overseas investments were still producing profit. The economic crisis, and Britain's intentions to expand in South Africa and the Suez Canal in order to establish ports for their naval fleet, initiated the world's ‘Scramble for Africa'.

The continent of Africa was the victim of colonization, from 1880 to WWI, leaving only Liberia (which was protected by the U.S.) not colonized. In an effort to improve their financial situation, Britain, Germany, and France competed for land and material goods. Portugal, Belgium, and Italy also competed for these African assets. These colonies were traded among international powers, as a means to influence "Balance of Power". Africa was strategically located territory, providing competing nations with key terrain for their military assets. Often the indigenous people of Africa were used to man their European armies, such as the French did with the Algerians. These military bases provided conquering nations with the ability to impose the power internationally. This scramble for Africa led to distrust among competing nations. World War 1 would be soon on the horizon, precipitated by conflicts among the competing nations in the ‘Scramble for Africa'. The colonization of Africa, and the conflicts that ensued because of it, directly resulted in alliances formed to take part in WWI. Occupations executed by Britain and France, led Italy to join the Triple Alliance with Hungary-Austria and Germany. Diplomatic relations between