NameInstitutionCourseInstructorJuly 15, 2010How did WWII change America and the World The World War II remains the bloodiest and deadliest crisis in world history.
It involved the best ever battle lines, enormous armed forces, along with the most destructive weapons in the history of the world (Martel 245). The worldwide disagreement that was regarded as or labelled World War II emanated from the 1930s great depression, a turmoil that undermined, destabilized and weakened economies, governments??™ and nations around the world. For instance, in Germany, the rise of Hitler occurred partially because he alleged to be capable of transforming a destabilized Germany by then to an autonomous economic and military power that could control its destiny not only in Europe, but in the world as well (Martel 240). This paper therefore explores how this global conflict (WWII) changed America and the entire world.
For US, World War II constituted the most significant fiscal event of the 20th century (Higgs 53). The war??™s consequences on the United States were diverse and far-reaching. It indomitably ended the great depression, and the US federal government came out from the war as a possible economic actor, capable of regulating fiscal activity and to partly control the world economy via spending and consumption. What??™s more, the wartime economic explosion spurred and promoted a number of social trends. First was the job creation that paralleled the growth of industrial production, in so doing, attained what Roosevelt??™s New Deal programs had been incapable to achieve (Rindfuss, Morgan & Swicegood 86). According to Higgs (58), in 1940, there were more than eight million unemployed Americans. However, by 1941, unemployment became a thing of the past.
There were in fact labour shortages in numerous industries. Consequently, federal inspectors did ignore laws deterring employment of women and children (Martel 250). With little or no public outcry, several high school dropouts escalated substantially. Also, several women were absorbed in the workforce to assist make implements and munitions of war. These women were later nicknamed ??? Rosie the Riveter??™ and were pivotal part of the US success in war (Martel 251). Additionally, the WWII revitalized American industries, and lot of sectors were by the end of the war (1945) either brusquely oriented to defence production (for instance, electronics and aerospace) or entirely dependent on atomic energy (Rindfuss, Morgan & Swicegood 82).
The organised labour unions were as well strengthened far beyond depression-period and became key counterbalance to both private and government industry. Given the fact that novel employment took place in unionized workplaces, plus industries funded by the American government, the continuance of membership decision during World War II was a magnificent advantage for organized labour (Rindfuss, Morgan & Swicegood 84). As a result, organized labour increased from ten million in 1941 to approximately fifteen million by 1945. Also, about thirty six percent of workforces in non-agricultural sector were unionized, recording the highest ever percent in American history. Similarly, the war??™s speedy technological and scientific changes continued and deepened trends commenced during the great depression and shaped lasting anticipation of continued novelty on the part of several engineers, citizens and government officials. Besides, the significant increases in individual income as well as quality of life throughout the war resulted in a number of Americans foreseeing permanent improvements to their material needs (Rindfuss, Morgan & Swicegood 85). That said, the World War II brought to an end the godless Nazi regime plus their murder machine. It as well wrecked Japan??™s control over Pacific, thereby ushering in the atomic age (Martel 255).
Europe that had been under authoritarian Nazi boot became under the Communist boot. Besides, the war led to medicine improvements in the world, particularly in the use of antibiotics. New-fangled forms of occupational and physical therapy to assist returning veterans and wounded soldiers were as well invented and used.
What??™s more, the work of individuals, such as von Braun in the Second World War greatly transformed world technology, especially rocket technology, which became a major focus during Cold War (Neufeld 164). The dramatic transformations in military technology resulted in changes to operational and tactical skills. Stanovov (1) asserted that all contemporary warfare grew from the concepts which first came from 1939-1945. The actions of pooled units, close relations of dissimilar armed services, the greatly escalated significance of radio-electronic warfare, strategic bombings, psychological and mass information warfare, to mention just some factors.
The World War II became in fact total in psychological, technical and informational senses, radically transforming the prerequisites to logistical support. Moreover, it spectacularly changed balance between small and large economies in the world platform. Whilst previously the disparity between the armed forces of a small and large country was largely quantitative, with WW2 it became qualitative, as a few nations in the world could manage to create fully-fledged nuclear-era armed forces (Stanovov 1). Finally, every great conflict, especially concerning great allies and axis, brings something unique to the art of warfare. But Second World War was outstanding in that respect. The changes in the hardware, equipment, structure and the way military forces were utilized were unique both in their significance and scope. Even WWI that first witnessed major use of war tanks, submarines and planes had never brought to fore such massive change to the world.
Works CitedHiggs, Robert. “ Wartime Prosperity A reassessment of U. S. Economy in 1940s. Economic History Journal, 52(1), 41-60, 1992Martel, Gordon. The World War Two Reader, New York, Routledge, 2004Neufeld, Michael. Von Braun; dreamer of space, engineer of war.
New York; Vintage, 2008. Rindfuss, Ronald., Morgan, Philip.
, & Swicegood, Gray. First births in America; changes of parenthood. London; California University Press, 1988. Stanovov, Alexander. WWII; the war that changed the world, May 05, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2010 from http://en. rian.
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