Re: getting better there were absolutely industrial and scientific advancements. But for the common man it was pretty grim for an entire generation. My recollection is the production & availability of food and basic goods (eg clothing, shoes) per person remained at or below 1910 levels through the 50s.

Personally saw a lot of parallels to the bolshevik/menshevik/socialist divide in recent US history.

PS: you have a typo of 2018 instead of 1918