These types of historical differences have had lasting impacts on everything from the settlement patterns in these territories to the structure of agriculture and the socio-economic characteristics of the population. There were attempts for inter-regional integration during the interwar period (1918-39), however, these were short-lived (Hathaway and Hathaway, 1997). Post-World War II, the Polish border shifted west and efforts were made to integrate these new areas. In general, one can characterise the first half of the 20th centuiy as one of shifting empires, borders and, in general, tumult.