The Culture of Defeat The First World War and Ukraine

On war's eve, Ukraine was not a political entity, nor was there a Ukrainian national movement. Ethnic Ukrainians fought in two armies. Ukrainian areas of settlement became central theatres of operations for the great powers. The experiences of war and occupation facilitated the emergence of a Ukrainian national consciousness. The First World War served as a catalyst for Ukrainian nation building. However, the attempt to found a Ukrainian nation-state on the rubble of empire failed. As a result of this political defeat, Ukrainian national thinking gained in resilience and militancy and failed initially to connect with democratic political culture.