One of the greatest lasting social changes of the development of mass armies was the
A. breakup of aristocracies.
B. creation of national identities.
C. complete militarization of European society.
D. development of the idea of "total war."
How about B?
To find the answer to this question, we can analyze each option and see which one best fits the described social change resulting from the development of mass armies.
A. Breakup of aristocracies: This option suggests that the development of mass armies led to the dissolution of aristocracies. While the development of mass armies did have an impact on the power structure in some countries, it was not the primary social change resulting from this development.
B. Creation of national identities: This option suggests that the development of mass armies led to the formation of national identities. This is a plausible outcome because mass armies often brought together people from various regions within a country and created a sense of collective identity based on shared military service.
C. Complete militarization of European society: This option suggests that the development of mass armies resulted in the complete militarization of European society. While the development of mass armies did increase the military focus and influence in society, it did not result in the complete militarization of European society.
D. Development of the idea of "total war": This option suggests that the development of mass armies led to the concept of "total war." "Total war" refers to the idea of utilizing all available resources and strategies, as well as targeting not only military forces but also civilian populations, in a war effort. This concept emerged during the development of mass armies, as the scale of conflict increased, and nations sought to mobilize all aspects of their society to gain an advantage.
Based on the analysis, the most fitting social change resulting from the development of mass armies is D. Development of the idea of "total war."