The document summarizes major events in the 20th century related to empires and world wars. In the early 20th century, major European empires like British, French and German held power across Asia, Africa and the Pacific. World War I resulted in the defeat of the Axis powers and collapse of empires, leaving Europe in ruin. World War II caused even greater devastation across Europe. Germany and Japan were defeated, leaving the US and Soviet Union as superpowers and marking the beginning of the Cold War.