This unknown fact of American being neutral or not, ultimately lead to the United States needing to enter World War I. Although the United States President at the time, Woodrow Wilson, explained the reasoning for the U.S. entering WWI was because of Germany’s submarine warfare, the violence toll that Germany took on America relates back to the concealed matter of the nation of the United States actually being neutral throughout the time before war
The American culture began to change after World War II. Everyone wanted to settle down after the war, who wouldn't want to start a family after surviving a world war? “They wanted to settle down and start something of their own” says Bill Smith, a baby boomer and Vietnam veteran. This change of culture consisted of many men who had just gotten out of the war to move to suburban areas and have children. The veterans were seeking happiness.
After World War II, American society changed dramatically. One change was the GI Bill. This bill provided for veterans after the war. The benefits to this bill was low-cost mortgages, low-interest loans to start a business, cash payments for college, and one year of unemployment compensation. Another change was the population shift.
“In a moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” Those are some wise words said by the President during WWII…. Pres. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This quote can relate to a plethora of issues, when one may have to make an impossible choice and one does not know what to do.
World War Two managed to completely change American society in numerous ways. One of the aspects transformed was US’s foreign policy. Before the war, US was an isolationist. They had neutrality acts to keep them from engaging in Europeans armed hostilities, refused to join the League of Nations and the world court, and were overall not involved in world affairs. After WW2, the United States frequently intervenes, never retreats, they also have military bases all around the world, they joined the League of Nations (which they stationed in NY), and were overall more active in foreign policy.
The whole idea of going to war with the super power of these times was just inconceivable for many Americans. Many of them had different opinions of the war or they didn’t know which way to lean. Of course, they were also faced with uncertainty going against their
Americans came together than ever before and stood behind the nations decision and supported their fellow allies. During both WWI and WWII, America stood behind American neutrality; taking advantage of its peace and assurance to remain out of the war (text 867). However, the country took this opportunity to assist fellow ally, Britain, transporting necessary weapons and goods to get through the war (lecture 10/3). When the United States could no longer stay out due to the Lusitania sinking in 1915, it was important for American to come together as they are facing major issues with Germany, “make the world safe for democracy” (video 10/3). WWII was yet another power struggle for the Nazis of Germany wanting revenge from defeat.
Most Americans had thought that one day entering the war was inevitable, to some it was desirable. Those people thought that being apart of the war would benefit America. While the attack of Pearl Harbor occurred, Hitler's armies were in Russia working their way toward Moscow. They had already taken out France and drove Britain troops out of their lands so fast they left their equipment behind. Germany's biggest ally, Japan, had plans of world domination.
With the outbreak of World War II in Europe in 1939, Americans decided to draw from their experience in World War I and remain neutral. To reinforce the fact that the US would not be participating in the War, between 1935 and 1939 Congress passed Neutrality Acts to keep the US from ever being pulled into foreign affairs. Even though Americans were politically neutral, this did not stop many Americans from having opinions on the War. Many of the Americans who were European immigrants showed sympathies for their former countries and were not quiet in their support. In addition to this, the actions of the US were also not particularly isolationist as they proclaimed as it became clear that the United States quietly lended more support to the Allied Powers rather than the Axis.
The 21 years between 1920 and 1941 we have a period of change in the United states foreign policy. The policy changed from an isolationist policy that focused on the U.S. itself to on of fear of what would happen to the free world if we didn’t fight in the second world war. We were reluctant because we didn’t want things to end up the way the first world war had. The U.S. feared that the war would cause more European debt to the U.S., which they wouldn’t be able to pay back for a long time, and the fear that America would become even more isolationist. There was peace with America's european relations but everything changed when the Japanese attacked.
"But the war effort also had a darker side. Civil rights were compromised. After Pearl Harbor, Americans feared potential Japanese spies or supporters. " That quote explains how
At the beginning of World War II, America proclaimed neutrality due to the fact that the whole country was still in depression. American believed in isolationism. They did not care about the war and believed that it was a mistake to get involved in WWII. However, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt concerned about the war. He worried that the Japanese expansion would threaten democracy in the United States.
Before World War Two was a confusing time for Americans. Germans in World War One caused distrust by breaking treaties and killing innocent Americans. The war effort helped the Americans get out of the great depression. After the war Americans started becoming major isolationists.
World War I made an impact on American History, not only politically, but economically and culturally. Even though the United States join the war toward the end, it made an important move for the Triple Entente. Woodrow Wilson attempted to stay neutral during the "war to end all wars", tensions with Germany and the United States grew and made it impossible for them to not partake part of the war. The United States wanted to stay neutral during World War I. America had the right to trade with both nations, Britain and Germany; America decided not to trade with Germany, because they would had to defy British blockade.
World War 2 and its Effect on American Society The 1930’s witnessed the rise of aggressive, totalitarian regimes. After World War 1, Germany became a fascist state under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, Mussolini started to gain political control of Italy, and Imperial Japan became ever more aggressive to its Asian neighbors. This was all leading up to a global conflict. With Germany invading Poland in 1939, the world was again in a state war.
