Final answer:
The statement is false; the concept and recognition of global trade and interconnectedness existed long before the aftermath of WWII, with historical examples dating back to the Roman Empire and ancient Silk Roads.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that the network of global linkages as a result of world trade were first recognized during the rebuilding of Europe after WWII is false. The phenomenon of globalization and international trade dates back centuries, with its origins observable in ancient trade activities such as those along the Silk Roads connecting Europe and Asia. Although World Wars I and II, as well as the Great Depression, severely disrupted this process, they were not the beginning of global trade recognition.
After World War II, the rebuilding of economic connections and global flows of goods and financial capital was indeed a slow process. It was not until the early 1980s that global economic forces regained their pre-World War I importance. Historical events such as the spread of the Black Death through trade routes, the European colonization, and technological advancements in the 19th century further demonstrate that the recognition and impact of globalization was well established before the 20th century.