Final answer:
World War I resulted in a political revolution in Russia, culminating in the end of the tsarist government and the rise of the Bolsheviks. Western European countries, on the other hand, faced severe economic instability and large debts, which the reparations from Germany were unable to fully resolve. Therefore, the correct option is D.
Step-by-step explanation:
World War I impacted Russia differently than it did Western European countries in several major ways. While Western European economies such as Britain, France, and Germany faced massive economic instability and the burden of reparations, Russia experienced a political revolution. The distress of World War I and further issues like food shortages and lackluster leadership catalyzed the end of the tsarist government and the rise of the Bolsheviks, leading to the formation of the Soviet Union.
Moreover, unlike Western European nations that initiated a process of rebuilding and reparations, Russia dealt with massive casualties and material shortages. Industrial production and agricultural output significantly dropped. To combat this, the Bolsheviks introduced new economic policies and some degree of capitalism, which was a major shift from the previous system.
In contrast, Western European countries like Germany and Austria faced economic free fall and stubborn postwar instability with reparations intensifying their problems. On the other hand, victors like Britain and France had significant debts to repay, largely to the United States. Though they planned to use reparations from Germany to deal with their debts, it didn’t fully resolve the financial crisis.
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