Powerhouse of World War II, United States and Great Britain Essay

The year was 1940; the world’s second great World War was in full swing, with Britain and Germany at the forefront. The fall of Britain’s closest ally, France, stunned the British Empire and threw it into disarray. Through the chaos, Winston Churchill emerged. Churchill would be an inspiring leader who was able to rally the entire nation in times of hardship. Through his leadership, the “British Bulldog” would face the Axis powers and come out victorious, as well as become a public hero for the British people. Yet, immediately after the war, Churchill did not return to the prime minister seat because of a shocking defeat in his re-election, despite his immense reputation he gained from the war. Though lauded by the British population for his prowess as a wartime leader, Churchill’s conservative politics were out of touch with a population ready for post-war relief and led to his defeat in the 1945 election.

Many people found ways around rationing through the black market. Even though the black markets were not hidden and many people knew about them and used them regularly, the government’s attempts to suppress them were unsuccessful.

World War II is generally viewed to be a moral war, or, as Howard Zinn would put it, “a good war.” This conventional impression of World War II results from American propaganda, along with misinterpretations of related events. Quite the contrary, the United States’ foreign policy, especially during World War II, was driven by imperialist goals rather than humanitarian concern. These foreign interventions are usually justified using political ideologies that advocate the spread of democracy but the United States government fails to act in the interests of the common people in other countries; instead, the US government intervened in foreign countries to protect its own needs and those of its private corporations. In addition, the

The Best War Ever, written by Michael C. C. Adams, is a book focusing on the balanced history of the experience from America’s view during World War II. It neither glorifies nor vilifies the U.S. participation but discusses the real horrors of the war by using glorifying aspects that could have been deceptive or even misleading. World War II defined and transformed the rest of our lives. Americans viewed World War II as the “Good War” or “The Best War Ever”. After the end of the war, Americans had a positive outlook after overcoming the past years. German fascism and the Japanese were defeated but were also encouraged to resume roles of our world responsibility in our image of democracy. It is generally agreed that World War II was a necessary war.

From the earliest times, war has existed as a painful reality. Stories are passed down from generation to generation about brave men fighting epic battles in ancient civilizations. Occasionally a different type of legend emerges: the homefront hero. In Ancient Greece and Rome, elderly statesmen prevented famine and raised supplies for their distant armies in wartime. From then on through history, those left behind, from the leaders of countries tested in resolve and commitment by wars to the ordinary citizens who rise above their routines to serve their countries, are powerful forces behind victories. World War II was no exception. While the soldiers abroad were undoubtedly true heroes of the war, the parents, siblings, and children they left behind also assisted in the war effort. No one remained truly unaffected by the war. Without the labors of women, the efforts of schoolchildren, and the institution of rationing, World War II could not have been won.

For the United States the event of WWII was most likely the single largest factor in determining the nation’s financial, political, and social prowess in the 20th century. Where most have knowledge of the war itself, few understand the sheer reach it had and the massive effects it produced globally. At home, it ended the great depression and strengthened our government’s ability to manage the economy. Leading up to the war virtually all industry in the country was majorly crippled if not dead, a problem that may not have ever been fixed were it not for increased demands via the defense industries.

From 1939 through 1941 millions were faced with the violence and devastation of World War II. Life on the Homefront in the United States and Great Britain was difficult and overwhelming.World War II was one of the most bloody battles in history, and most of whom were civilians.In this paper, we will explore what life is like for people during a terrifying war.

The United States truly showed that we were coming together as a nation to become one of the most dominant countries in the world. The United States was brought into World War II when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. This event took Americans by surprise and soon would lead to bigger problems. The United States did not take the bombing lightly, and we gave Japan exactly what they deserved. On August 6th and 9th in the year of 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I believe this was a message to the rest of the world to show them the kind of power that we had.

Roosevelt involved businessmen into war by organizing their efforts to mobilize economy and enhance productive capacity. Surprisingly, by 1942, American production was equal to the combined production of Japan, Italy and Germany which ended depression.

By mid-1942, World War II was looking bleak for the Allied powers. The German Wehrmacht was blitzing through Soviet Russia, the Luftwaffe had laid waste to much of London, Rommel was about to take Africa, and the Japanese nearly had control of the Pacific. Fortunately, as the Axis started running low on materiel, America was increasing the Allied supply dramatically. This enormous production capacity displayed by the U.S. was the product of their new military-industrial complex, as plants across the country geared up production of weapons and combat vehicles and the government began pumping resources into the creation of new military-oriented production facilities. The American

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”1 This quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt marks the address to congress concerning one of the most impacting events in the history of the United States: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Twentieth century American history was filled with monumental events. From the assassination of William McKinley and subsequent presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, to Black Thursday in 1929, to the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965; numerous events throughout the last century helped mold the landscape of the United States for decades to

One of the most immediate effects upon entrance of WW II was the recovery of the economy. WW II created approximately 17 million new jobs for Americans on the home front in addition to the 16 million men who were drafted as soldiers in the war. Industrial production in America thus increased by 96% (Freathy, O’Connell). This massive workforce was able to completely focus on helping America mobilize (Harper 8). Without a doubt, this event helped boost America’s economy because everyone in the country was contributing. In addition, by 1947, American exports reached $12 billion (Allen).This high level production promoted a rise in consumerism as the new trend was to spend money instead of save. At the same time, the cost of living was decreasing as wages were increasing (From

History showed that the United States and its Allies triumphantly fought back against the Axis Powers to end the Second World War. While headlines and credits for the ultimate triumph centered around the politicians and generals, no successful war effort would come to light without the heroic figures in the civilian world and the companies they ran, who produced the ships, tanks, airplanes, weapons and ammunition more quickly, to higher standards and in greater quantities, than the enemy did. In center stage was the U.S. automobile industry, whose participants had mastered the industrial production process to churn out 50 million units in 35 years since the turn of the 19th century. These industrial builders helped the American industry go from negligible arms output to building an arsenal of weaponry then unmatched in human history. Their out-production was an epic achievement of American business and directly helped the United States and its allies win World War II. They empowered the United States to become the world’s "arsenal of democracy," a term coined by President Franklin Roosevelt.

No one anticipated the international chaos that would emerge during the twentieth century, especially the devastation caused by World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. World War II was the most destructive war in human history and changed the history of the world forever, engaging the world’s most influential superpowers in the largest international event of the era. World War II was fought not only by the armed forces, but also by the home fronts of every belligerent nation, exhausting the economy, the industry, and the morale of those living at home, escalating the conflict into a total war that was larger and fought more expansively than any other conflict in history. The use of American propaganda in the World War II war effort

     One of the most important wars ever fought was World War II. In the midst, the Nazis