World War I dramatically altered political boundaries, especially in Europe and the Middle East. The Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, German, and Russian empires collapsed, giving rise to new nations like Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Poland. The Treaty of Versailles and related treaties redrew borders based on ethnic lines, often ignoring complex regional dynamics.
In the Middle East, former Ottoman lands were divided into British and French mandates, sowing seeds for future conflicts. The League of Nations was formed to prevent future wars, though it ultimately failed.