World War II and Its Impact - Coursework Example

1 Part one The Second World War began in 1939 and ended in 1945. In this second global conflict, Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, the United States, China, and other allies formed into one group known as the Allies and defeated the other group known as the Axis consisting of Germany, Italy, and Japan. The US joined the World War II on December 8, 1941 for several reasons. They can be classified into long range, medium range and short range causes. The long range causes: Fascist tendencies After the First World War, a disappointed Italy, defeated Germany, and an ambitious Japan had adopted dictatorial tendencies annexing nations and provoking the US. The latter seriously wanted to put a full stop to their expansionism. Unfortunately, the growth of fascist attitudes in these nations had stemmed as a chain reaction from the wounded feelings and humiliation meted out to Germany by the US and its friendly nations at the end of the First World War. The First World War had resulted in wounded feelings among Germany and its friendly nations. The greatest combine of US, Britain and France had forced on Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria several peace treaties as soon as the first global war ended. At the height of anti-German hatred in 1919, the Big Three 1 had forced ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Clemenceau, Prime Minister of France, Lloyd George, Prime Minister of Britain, and Woodrow Wilson, President of the U.S.A were referred to as the Big Three in those days. 2 the wounded Germany to sign the Treaty of Versailles. Finding no alternative, Germany had obliged bowing to the dictates of the Big Three. Neither America nor its friendly countries had imagined that the Germany’s humiliation at their hands would arouse in course of time national feelings in that country leading to the emergence of dictatorial, highly powerful and ambitious leadership. As per the treaty, Germany had agreed to the principle of self-determination of different nationalities. Under the famous 14-point formula 2 proposed by Woodrow Wilson and ably supported by Clemenceau and George, old pre-war European empires were broken, and the map of Europe was redrawn to ensure that each nationality lived with in its own borders, independent of foreign powers. It had resulted in Germany losing 13.5% of its land and 12.5% of its population (1). This was the main reason for much of the heart- burn caused to the Germans. Obviously and ironically, US had never abided by the 14 points proposed by its President Woodrow Wilson. Later it became clear that the US proposed this formula with a view to cornering Germany only. As the years went by, Germany had come to know of the tricks of trade adopted by the US and thought that the latter proposed this 14-point formula to suit only the American interests. Germany was not wrong in this assessment as President Woodrow Wilson had backed out of his own propositions. Germany, already wounded and bruised after the First World War, had nurtured this grouse against US and it helped in strengthening the nationalistic feelings among Germans, which helped Adolph Hitler come to power. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 President Wilson had proposed, under this formula, to establish the League of Nations to promote international cooperation and peace, although the United States never joined the League. Essentially powerless, it was officially dissolved in 1946. 3 Hitler’s rise to power in Germany Because of the humiliation meted out to Germany, it had witnessed an upward trend in patriotic fervor and nationalism after the peace settlements. In the name of National Socialism or Nazism, National Socialist German Workers party had gradually established popularity among the German masses under the leadership of Adolph Hitler. He had reorganized and reoriented the party stamping it with his own personality cult. Advancing further under the theme of nationalist expansion, Hitler aided and abetted the racial system classifying Jews and blacks as the lowest category in the hierarchy of races. Aryans were considered as the top class.(2) Hitler fully succeeded in his designs and came to power in 1933 elections after years of campaigning for restoring the German pride. This was certainly not to the liking of US, which had several times objected to the fascist approach of the party led by Hitler and his followers. Simultaneously, Italy had also adopted a totalitarian attitude under the Fascism movement founded by Benito Mussolini in 1919. In the 1922 elections, Mussolini’s party came to power providing fresh inputs of inspiration to Hitler and his followers in Germany. Gradually, a good rapport and understanding had developed between the leaders of these two countries. The change of guard in Italy so early after the First World War and simultaneously the powerful emergence of Hitler into the Germany’s hottest political horizon could be classified as the two main long range causes that had hardened 4 US stance against these countries in course of time. It was true that the US, as a democracy-loving country, never liked the policies of Mussolini in Italy and those of Hitler in Germany. Medium range causes On the sidelines of the Nazism and fascism waves in Germany and Italy respectively, Japan had adopted an expansionist policy in Asia. Coincidentally, Japan had also nurtured same ambitions as those of German and Italy. On September 18, 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria in China and on February 18, 1932, it set up a puppet regime there but failed to seek its recognition from the League of Nations. This development had paved the way for Japan’s exit from the world body. Not surprisingly, Germany, developing a grudge against the US and its friendly countries, had accorded its recognition to the Manchurian Government. On the other hand, Italy, facing opposition to its war in Abyssinia from the League of Nations, had also recognized the Japan controlled state boosting up the morale of Japanese leadership.(3) In 1932 Japan and in 1933 Germany had withdrawn from the League of Nations. These developments had resulted in Germany and Italy forging a friendship alliance on October 25, 1936 and drawing into it the Asian power Japan on November 25. The US and its allies keenly observed the joining of hands together by these three nations that began calling themselves as Axis powers. With the other European countries like Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary also joining the Axis powers, the world divided into two groups, one led by the US and the other led by Germany. These developments, though not 5 particularly seen as a prelude to the coming of another war by the US and its allies, had certainly laid out the ground for another possible global war and possible intervention by the US too. Short range causes The Second World War began on September 1, 1939 with the German invasion of Poland or the British and French declarations of war two days later against Germany. (4) In the beginning, US did not interfere but was closely watching the war developments. However, very soon it found itself dragged into the war front. The immediate and short-range provocation for its entrance into the war had emanated from Japan. Attack on Pearl Harbor While the war has been raging on the European war front, Japan had made its moves shrewdly. Pearl Harbor, on the Oahu Island, had been under the control of US Navy since the early 20th century. The US had sent its war fleet to this harbor in April 1940 to deter the possible aggressive moves by Japan in the Pacific. However, tensions had begun mounting in September 1940 with the Allied forces discovering that the Axis powers had been planning to attack the USA interests, and not the Soviet ones. As everyone feared, Japan attacked the Pearl Harbor on Sunday, December 7, 1941 with a superior force of 105 high-level bombers, 135 dive-bombers and 81 fighter aircraft instantly destroying and sinking the US war ships Arizona, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and California. Totally, 18 war ships, 188 aircraft and 2403 service personnel were lost in the two Japanese raids conducted in a gap of 45 minutes. The next day, US entered the Second World War declaring war on Japan. (5) 6 Part two The war impact on US economy The impact of the Second World War on US was multi fold. The war had certainly imposed a heavy burden on the American economy. However, it had resulted in a strong realization on part of the US citizens who worked hard and struggled to revive the economy and recreate the country’s wealth in a short period. In post war period, US saw the return of prosperity to the nation amidst cold war with USSR once again consolidating its position as the richest country. The gross national product (GNP), rocketed from $ 200 thousand million in 1940 to $ 300 thousand million in 1950 and to more than $ 500 thousand million in 1960. Housing and real estate boom, the speed of automobile industry, growth of new corporatism and expansion of services sector all contributed to turn the US in to a country of people with white-collar jobs by1956. Farming had become big business and urbanization improved. New highways, emergence of big showrooms, growth of television industry and commercial complexes had turned the face of the US economy. (6) The war impact on US society As a first thing, it had raised the consciousness of blacks in the US society who were being subjected to racial discrimination until then. No one can deny the fact that more than one million black soldiers fought for the US in the Second World War and most of the US native whites had recognized this fact. In fact, during the war, US had tried to 7 seek the support of some African and Asian countries to its efforts in the war but the racial discrimination at home had come as obstructions to win friends. The greatest achievement of the American society after the second global conflict was that it had annihilated the racial feelings in educational field. Blacks had continued their struggle under the leadership of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP) and took the battle to legal courts. The US Supreme Court in 1954, presided over by Chief Justice Earl Warren, unanimously upheld the NAACP arguments that the segregation of black and white students in schools, even with the provision of equal opportunities, was unconstitutional. From then onwards, the US society had begun running on balance treating everyone with equal opportunities. (7) The war impact on polity During and after the World War II, the US was rocked by espionage scandals resulting in the Soviet Union exploding its own atomic device in 1949. This had sent shock waves in US strengthening the fear that a strong communist spy network had infected the body politic. With this, the country leadership was alerted and stronger efforts were made to root out communism from the US. As part of its efforts to break the spy network, the US uncovered in 1950 a British-American spy network that transferred to the Soviet Union raw materials to develop the atomic bomb (8). Overall, the Second World War had taught the US some key lessons on reviving the economy, protecting its secrets, strengthening its defenses, and utilizing all races of people for the wealth and health of the country. 8 Works Cited: (1) The treaty of Versailles 1919. 19 Nov. 2005 < http://pmaci.customer.netspace.net.au/versailles.htm> (2) Ideology, national socialism. 19 Nov.2005 (3) Manchukuo (Manchuria), Axis powers. History. 20 Nov.2005 (4) Summary, World War II. 19 Nov.2005 (5) Pearl Harbor. 19 Nov.2005 (6) The Postwar Economy: 1945-1960 (9 /14), Chapter 11.An outline of American history (1994).20 Nov.2005 (7) Desegregation (14/14). Chapter 11.An outline of American history (1994). 20 Nov.2005 (8) The Cold War at Home (8/14). An outline of American history (1994). 20 Nov.2005 Read More