Name a country that emerged as a new or expanded state in Europe following World War I.

• A. Germany regained all lost territories
• B. Italy annexed Bulgaria
• C. Poland emerged as a new or expanded state
• D. Japan took over Western Europe

Answer: (C)

After World War I, collapsing empires and the principle of self-determination led to new or expanded states across Europe. Poland is the clear example: after more than a century of partitions, it reappeared as an independent nation in 1918 and then gained territory through the postwar settlements, reshaping its borders. The other statements don’t fit what happened: Germany did not regain all lost lands, Italy did not annex Bulgaria, and Japan did not take over Western Europe. The key idea is that the postwar period created new nations or enlarged ones in Europe, with Poland being the prominent case here.