World War 2 : A Powerful Impact On America

At the same time, the outbreak of the Second World War threatened to devastate Hollywood’s vital overseas trade. The studios’ exports to the Axis nations (Germany, Italy, and Japan) declined to almost nothing in 1937-38, but still Hollywood borrowed roughly one-third of its total revenues from overseas markets. The primary oversees client was Europe, which supplied about 75 percent if the studio 's foreign income in 1939. However, the European markets were severely disrupted by the outbreak of war in September 1939 and continued to decline as fighting continued in Europe. The war in Europe resulted in the US government to initiate a massive military and defense buildup, which had tremendous effects on the movie industry. Hollywood played it safe by producing a few war-related features in 1940, however, focused mostly on newsreels and documentary shorts of the war. Hollywood, in order to increase demand on top featured films, turned to independent producers in the early 1940s. The most aggressive studio to adopt major independent productions was RKO. RKO had over a dozen independent unit productions under way in 1940.

It is quiet impossible to think about the American film industry without the name of Hollywood. While you are thinking about Hollywood and the American film industry you will find that the effect of Hollywood has given rise to several periods of American Cinema. From silent films to movies made by modern technology and

The changes of post-World War II were drastic because of the spike in population. The population boosted suburban housing which brought in the sales of cars because a car was necessary to get around to the city. Television really influenced people to buy certain products and encouraged them to buy products because the media is excellent at portraying a false image of a perfect life. It can make something look amazing or

The 1920's also saw the growth of the motion picture industry. It was highly influential and helped shape popular culture by promoting the diffusion of common values and attitudes nationwide. Soon movie studios began building elaborate movie palaces in cities, and by 1930, the movie attendance grew to about 115 million. Movies performed many purposes. It created national trends in clothing and hairstyles and even served as a form of sex education.

This further demonstrates how the affluence of that period enabled people to support this industry and help its enormous growth. It was during the roaring 20s that the first real celebrities began to appear, with the ever-increasing role of cinema having a huge role to play. Similarly their fame contributed to the growing status of Hollywood and the American film industry. (Source J). Charlie Chaplin is one example of an actor that gained worldwide recognition in the twenties; he was particularly famous for his ‘highly visual style of acting’ (Soucre J). The 1920s was often referred to as “The Golden Age of Hollywood” (Source G) emphasizing how this period represents the era of greatest output in the United States movie market [an average of 800 films were produced annually]. ‘The cinema came of age in the 1920s and Hollywood confirmed its position as the “dream factory” of the English- speaking world. It was there that fame and fortune could be found.’ (Source J) This also highlights the growing image of Hollywood ‘throughout the roaring 20s, which started to represent wealth and achievement. ‘The establishment of the Academy Awards showed the maturing cinema as an industry confident of its own technical and artistic standards.’ (Source J) This further shows how there were many other expansions and transformations from this industry that occurred during this period. Artists, directors and other personalities of the film making industry received acknowledgement and recognition of their work in this industry. ‘The awards soon acquired international status’ (Source J) showing how Hollywood’s film industry developed into a global sensation that was supported by people all over

World War 2 didn't just only affect the US, but it affected the whole world. However, even though the whole world was affected, the US was really the only country to prosper from the horrific event. Many positive changes had occurred during the time after the war. The most important postive aspects were that the US economy didn't go into debt due to the war, like other countries; also the US power on the world and its military grew and developed. Another postive changed was that many acts were passed in the US because of what happened during the war, also the United States grew relationships with other countries, The US then ended up creating a group called the United Nations, which was a peaceful way to settle conflicts amognst countries.

Arguably the most epic war that has ever happened in history, World War 2 (WW2) constituted very important economic events throughout the twentieth century. The Second World War can be credited in centralizing the American economy. It changed the American Economy from being mostly involved in small. locally run businesses to big business, big unions. Because of the change in the way the economy was managed, businesses wanted to hire any qualified worker willing to work. WW2 demanded a national effort in production to provide weapons and other fighting necessities to aid in the fight against the enemy. In 1942, the War Advertising Council was formed to conduct campaigns to sell war bonds, conduct/secure blood donations, and conserve food. As the United States produced the weapons, the country reassembled the economy.

On december 7th 1941 the Japanese attacked Pear Harbor which offically caused the United states to join the war. Meanwhile in American, due to paranoia the United States took all of the Japanese Americans and placed them in camps also. Since the United States men had to go over seas and fight in the war women had to take their jobs back home. The United States became very absorbed in the war. Hollywood made war-related progams and radio brodcasts.

Drawn by the cheap land and abundant California sunshine, filmmakers such as Griffith followed the lead of Nestor Studios, which built the first Hollywood movie studio in 1911. According to the Fort Lee Film Commission, the year 1918 proved a death knell to the New Jersey movie industry. A coal shortage imposed by World War I combined with the coldest winter in decades caused motion picture companies, unable to heat their large studios, to curtail filming. The ensuing influenza epidemic after the end of the war forced studios to shutter for weeks on end. The exodus to Hollywood took full flight. The major studios abandoned New Jersey, and the curtain came down on Fort Lee’s tinseltown

One of the many industries that were radically changed by World War II was the film industry. This change altered the content and style of films that were produced in Hollywood. A long period of decline was seen after experiencing boom years from 1939 to 1946. Within several years, attendance and box receipts fell. This was partly caused by reasons that were external to the industry. Veterans returning from the war got married, started families, attended college ( Due to the GI Bill), and bought homes in suburban areas. A toll was taken on box office receipts due to these activities. It was preferable for families that had children to listen to the radio rather than going to the

Through the 1920´s 30s and 40s Hollywood was dominated by the studio system. This system gave studios unparalleled control over film production and the people who worked on them. However, this level of control was not to last as several important events in the late 1940s would dramatically influence the film business. These events were the Paramount decision of 1948 and the Hollywood blacklists in the late 1940s. Both of these events would profoundly reshape the filmmaking business and the way it operated, with effects that last to this very day.

Hollywood has influenced American history since it began. It boosted and shaped the morale of a nation for almost a century. But Hollywood has not only been the influencing American society, it has been influenced by American society. In the 1920s, American society was booming; people were getting rich, spending and borrowing money, and they thought life was looking good. Then in October of 1929 the stock market crashed. Many people lost all they owned. People had invested all their money into the banks before the Crash. After the Crash, the banks had nothing. People were destitute. They had no money to pay for their houses, electrical bills, and food. It became the Great Depression. Likewise, Hollywood was impacted by the Great

7. Hollywood made large-scale epic films during this period because television created competition, so hollywood wanted to compete with that competition.

The Asia-Pacific War was like many other wars; it had an enormous impact on the world, but in Japan and the United States it affected the way of life. Japanese American soldiers had to overcome and withstand racism and hostility during this time from the Americans. People were wary of Japanese Americans fighting for the United States, because it was the Japanese of whom the Americans were fighting against. After the war, propaganda films were made to convince people of a specific political point of influence throughout the war. Two propaganda films that were made about the Asia-Pacific War were Go for Broke and Know Your Enemy.

It can also be seen as a downfall as seen in the 1950s. Communism was beginning to become a threat for the United States, as coined ‘The Red Scare’. Wisconsin Senator, Joseph McCarthy, established The House Un-American Activities Committee to get rid of any existence of Communism within the United States. The committee heavily focused on Hollywood during this time. Since the film industry was a big part of the pop culture it was widely publicized within every home. An effort to get rid of anyone who had ties or an involvement with communism due to their beliefs in poltics was put on the blacklist. The list included: Alvah Bessie (screenwriter), Herbert Biberman (screenwriter and director), Lester Cole (screenwriter), Edward Dmytryk (director), Ring Lardner, Jr. (journalist and screenwriter), John Howard Lawson (writer), Albert Maltz (author and screenwriter), Samuel Ornitz (screenwriter), Adrian Scott (screenwriter and film producer) and Dalton Trumbo (screenwriter and novelist). The films of the 1960s were no longer considered part of Hollywood as more and more films were shot on location in different countries as well as far off studio facilities. The 60s also saw the rise of foreign language films, paranoia films of the Cold War, and direct cinema, a type of documentary. The 1980s were all about the creation of the sequels and prequels. This can be seen with the Indiana Jones Series