The Effects of World War II on Modern History

Introduction
World War II, often abbreviated as either WWII or WW2, was the second global war that
took place from 1939-1945. The conflict involved a significant number of the world nations
including all the great powers. Notably, the war began as the result of Hitler’s invasion of Poland
which instigated France and Great Britain to declare war on Germany. WWII witnessed a battle
amongst countries that were divided in two fronts referred to as Allied powers and Axis powers.
Additionally, the war was marked with major events such as the Holocaust led to the deaths of
millions and adverse destruction of property on much of Europe and Asia. Subsequently, WWII
was a transformative conflict which resulted to numerous alterations in the society and the globe.
For instance, it led to the formation of the United Nations, and facilitated the United States to
become a superpower which was complimented by becoming a powerful force in global politics.
Overall,
Background
Globally and in the US, the years that preceded the Great Depression were characterized
by significant economic growth and technological advancement. According to Benmelech et al
(2019), The Great Depression was the most severe economic downturn of the modern
industrialized world. This is because the period instigated a severe increase in unemployment,
and drastic declines for most nations worldwide. Notably, the United States’ situation before the
Great depression was quite productive because it was a time of prosperity and economic growth.
This was evident as the nation experienced an economic boom that saw numerous industries such
as automobiles, and radio swiftly develop. Often referred to as the Roaring Twenties, this period
was a time of cultural and social change that complimented the rising consumer culture. Despite

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the progressive development, there was significant inequality in the country that saw many
individuals experiencing poverty and economic challenges. This was because of the economic
wealth gap between the rich and the poor that was instigated by the unfair distribution of
financial opportunities thus befitting the elite. Subsequently, during this period there was a rapid
rise of authoritarian regimes and political chaos that affected the international standing. This was
majorly because of the World War aftermath that left many of the countries worldwide
politically and economically unstable. For instance, Germany was left with an extreme debt
problem that led to amplified rates of hyperinflation and eventual economic collapse.
Americans employed the isolationism approach to avoid getting involved in further
conflict that could harm the country’s way of life. Essentially, the US was willing to implement
all effective measures to avoid a destructive occurrence as the one witnessed during the World
War I. In all this, President Franklin D. Roosevelt played a significant role in shaping America’s
response to Europe’s’ rising fascism. Roosevelt acknowledged that the war was an inevitability
due to the aggressive approach employed by nations such as Germany and thus initiated steps to
sufficiently prepare the US. This was accompanied by his signing of various essential laws such
as that Neutrality Act in 1939 which minimized arms trade involvement with belligerent nations.
Moreover, the president launched a program that focused on military preparedness, and
expansion that significantly built up the country’s defence. Roosevelt would take a more active
role and get engaged in diplomacy processes that sought to negotiate peace agreements between
the nations in conflict. Consequently, the culmination point was when an attack was carried out
on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese in 1941 thus leading FDR to declare war on Japan and joining
the Allied forces. Roosevelt would become a symbol of American leadership during the war
which saw his Four Freedoms speech articulate the nation’s reason to battle.

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Argument for Joining the War Effort
The United States entered World War II predominantly due to the attack on Pearl Harbor
by the Japanese. Suzuki (2021), identifies that on 7 December 1941 Japan launched a surprise
attack on the naval base of Pearl Harbor in Honolulu Hawaii, triggering war with the US. Before
the attack, both the Americans and the Japanese had avoided any conflict with the US through
diplomatic approaches and neutrality policy. Notably, several factors instigated America to join
up in the war effort against the other nations. Other than the moral obligation to support the
Allied powers in fighting the aggressive countries, President Roosevelt believed in the need to
protect human rights that he felt were threatened by Japans and the Nazis. Despite gaining
territorial advantages due to the war that included control of various pacific islands, this was not
the principle reason for their entry into the fight. This is because America’s aim and main
intention was to actualize democracy and global stability and defend the interests of all the
nations in the Allied powers.
Subsequently, mobilization of industry instigated a significant, economic growth and
increased employment possibilities for American citizens. The main intention of this
mobilization was not mainly based on economic growth. Essentially, it was a vital element for
US’s war strides to assist both its military forces and that of its allies in their fight against their
enemies. Before the attack, there was increasing debate and different views on American
people’s position in the country’s involvement in the war. This was evident from the numerous
Americans who supported isolationism that instigated the country to avoid engaging in foreign
clashes. On the other hand, there were American citizens who supported interventionism that
implored the country to offer aid to the Allied powers to promote democracy and freedom
worldwide. The differing viewpoints would significantly alter after the Pearl Harbor attack that

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led to the destruction of property and loss of lives of many Americans. This would instigate a
widespread agreement amongst every citizen that the US should immediately enter the war.
Argument of the US Going To War with Japan and Why Japan Invaded US
Japan’s decision to attack the US was instigated by economic and geopolitical aspects that
comprised the country’s desire to establish itself as a dominant force in the Asia-Pacific area.
The United States retaliated by proclaiming war on the Asian nation and entering World War II
which would ultimately result in Japan’s defeat and the culmination of the war. Despite the
adverse effects of the Pearl Harbor’s invasion, the United States emerged from the shambles as a
global and outstanding military power. Moreover, the attack extensively unified the American
people and instigated them to showcase enhanced patriotism towards the country. Military
conscription, predominantly known as the draft played a significant role in the American
economy and on the lives of numerous American men.