Premium Essay

History of World War 2

In: Historical Events

Submitted By bluey
Words 1572
Pages 7
When war broke out, there was no way the world could possibly know the levels of severity that the war would escalate also. Fortunately one country saw and understood that Germany and its allies would have to be stopped. America's involvement in World War 2 not only contributed in the eventual downfall of the insane Adolph Hitler and his Third Reich, but had also came at the precise time and moment. Had the United States entered the war any later the consequences might have been worse. Over the years, it has been an often heated and debated issue on whether the United States could have entered the war sooner and thus saved many lives. To try to understand this we must look both at the people and at government's point of view.

Just after war broke out in Europe, President Roosevelt hurriedly called his cabinet and military advisors together. There it was agreed that the United States stay neutral in these affairs. One of the reasons given was that unless America was directly threatened, they had no reason to be involved. Thus, the provisional neutrality act passed the senate by seventy-nine votes to two in 1935. On August 31, Roosevelt signed it into law. In 1936, the law was renewed, and in 1937, a comprehensive and permanent neutrality act was passed. The desire to avoid "foreign entanglements" of all kinds had been an American foreign policy for more than a century. Even if Roosevelt had wanted to do more in the European crisis (which he did not), there was a factor too often ignored by critics of American policy/American military weakness. When asked to evaluate how many troops were available if and when the United States would get involved, the army could only gather a mere one hundred thousand, when the French, Russian and Japanese armies numbered in millions. Its weapons dated from the First World War and were no match compared to the new artillery that

Similar Documents

Free Essay

History of World War 2

...Name Class Date Professor A History of World War 2 World War 2 was a very interest time period, and there were a lot of different factors that helped to contribute to the war. Many different nations got involved in this war, with each of them choosing a different side, this led to many rivalries. It also caused hard feelings between many nations, because before the war they may have had a close friendship between the countries, but after the war started that friendship ceased to exist because of the strain of war. There were many important details in World War 2, that helped to create what it became, and I’m going to discuss some of those details. Within World War 2, many different things occurred, such as concentration camps, and those issues are very important to many today, even though this event happened so many years ago. That is why I’m going to discuss the historical key points during World War 2, and explain why they were important. The beginning of World War 2 did not happen immediately as some might think, but it took time to develop. It all began when Hitler withdrew himself from the League of Nations in the year 1933, he did not believe the League would come after him because of their previous actions with Japan. That is why he left them and began to arm his country heavily with weapons and other things; in the meanwhile he was forming deals with many different nations for various things. The power of the League took another hit when Mussolini was able to...

Words: 2730 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

All About World War Ii

...about World War II Brian Johnson 4201689 HIST102 D001 Dr. Reginald Jayne April 15, 2012 World War II was a part of the effect of World War I. According to World War 2 Info, “the origins of the Second World War are generally viewed as being traced back to the First World War.” (World War 2 2012) World War 2 happened between 1930s to the mid 1940s in Europe and Asia. In Europe, the war began on September 1, 1939 when the Nazi Germans led by Hitler invaded Poland. On September 2, 1945; the war ended with the relinquishing of Japan. In the early 1930s in Asia, World War 2 started in China and ended on May 8, 1945 with the surrender of Germany. World War II was the biggest armed disagreement in history involving most of the world and it involved using nuclear weapons to win (World War 2 2012) This war went from Europe to Asia and battles even occur in Africa and the Americas. They were also naval battles upon the waters. Within this war, there were millions of civilians that were killed by the Nazis and others. (World War 2 2012) Approximately fifty million people died as a result of World War II. Events Leading Up to World War II There were many events led to World War II. In Germany, on January 30, 1933; President von Hindenburg selected Adolf Hitler as Chancellor for Germany. (World War 2 History 2012) When the President died, Hitler assumed the office of President temporarily and all of its powers according to the Weimar Constitution. (World War 2 History 2012)...

Words: 1085 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Professor

...University. Professor Mishra’s main area of research lies in history , international relations and Asian studies. After retirement from Sambalpur University, Orissa, India; as a Professor in 2011, he took up assignment as visiting Professor at Northern University of Malaysia(UUM). CURRENT DESIGNATION Visiting Professor, UUM College of Law, Government and International Studies (COLGIS) Universiti Utara Malaysia 06010 UUM Sintok, Kedah DA, Malaysia. Malaysian phone numbers are , +60149344425, +60108049347. E-mail, ppmishra7@yahoo.com and/or patit@uum.edu.my ACADEMIC/RESEARCH/TEACHING INTEREST History, international relations and Asian studies. ------------------------------------------------- EDUCATION ------------------------------------------------- D. Litt.(1998) Rabindra Bharati University, Calcutta, Orissa in Trans-National Migration: A Study of Culture in Transit. ------------------------------------------------- Ph.D.(1979)Centre for South, Southeast and Central Asian Studies, J.N.U., New Delhi, ------------------------------------------------- The Problem of Laos: Its international dimensions since the Geneva Conference respectively. ------------------------------------------------- M.Phil (1972) Centre for South, Southeast and Central Asian Studies, J.N.U., New Delhi, The Pathet Lao Movement ------------------------------------------------- MA. (1972) History, Department of History, Delhi University, Delhi. Second Class. ------------------------------------------------- ...

Words: 2765 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

History

...UNIT 2 INDIVIDUAL PROJECT HIST105-1202A – U.S. HISTORY by Chakeithdria McCray AIU Online 1 April 2012 Abstract The focus of this paper is on the wars in the world. World War II was a global armed conflict. There were many consequences that resulted from this war. The focus is on the outcome of the war and the impact that it had on the United States. UNIT 2 IP Introduction World War II was a global armed conflict that was underway by 1939 and ended in 1945. It was the most under spread war in history. The war consisted of more than 100 million serving in military units. In the war there was the mass death of civilians, including the Holocaust and the only use of nuclear weapons in warfare. It resulted in 50 million to 70 million fatalities. These deaths make the war the deadliest conflict in human history Davidson 2010). World War II had a great impact on the United States. The Cold War emerged due to World War II. The timeframe of the Cold War was in 1945-1948. The Cold War was the most important and diplomatic issue of the latter half of the 20th century. The emerge of nuclear weapons also came from World War II. The first bombing occurred on August 6, 1945, and then three days later the second occurred on August 9, 1945(WWII). The outcome of the war could be stated to have a positive affect n the United States. The United States economy was greatly stimulated by the war. The depression was brought decisively to an end, and new industrial...

Words: 470 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

History of American Women

...Final Paper Prep: History of American Women in World War II Marilyn Thorsted HIS 204 American History Since 1865 (BUH1028C) Instructor: Dana Logan July 26, 2010 Topic The topic that I chose to write on is the History of American Women during World War II. What I would like to focus on is how these women lived and what impact they had on the American society at home or on the battlefront. Thesis: Women in World War II played an important role in defending our country at home and away. They were helpful when it came to filling the much needed jobs that were left behind by the men, and they provided much support on the battlefield as many of them recruited in the arm forces. Sources: Carter, R (2005). Blacks in America’s military: A legacy of war time heroism. New York Amsterdam News, 96 (24), 10-166 Retrieved July 26, 2007 from Academic Search Premier Database This source reports on contributions made by African Americans as they served in military and how valiantly throughout history. Many of these women sacrifice their way of live to protect the life and freedoms of the nation. Eisenmann, L. (2002). Educating the Female Citizen in a Post-war World: competing ideologies for American women, 1945–1965. Educational Review, 54(2), 133- 141. doi:10.1080/00131910220133220. Retrieved July 20, 2010, from Academic Search Premier Database This source gives information about Women in the post-World War II that found themselves caught between patriotisms...

Words: 745 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

History

...COURSE DESCRIPTION Surveys U.S. history from the end of the Civil War. Traces socioeconomic developments following the First World War and their impact on present American attitudes and policies toward domestic as well as international affairs. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS Required Resources Schultz, Kevin M. (2014) HIST: Volume 2: U.S. history since 1865 (3rd ed.). University of Illinois at Chicago: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. (Note: This is a textbook uniquely created for Strayer and can only be purchased through the Strayer Bookstore. The contents of the book differ from the national title.) Supplemental Resources Alpha History. Retrieved from http://alphahistory.com American Experience. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org American Rhetoric. Retrieved from http://americanrhetoric.com A Multimedia History of World War One. Retrieved from http://www.firstworldwar.com Calisphere: University of California. Retrieved from http://www.calisphere.universityofcalifornia.edu/ Miller Center: University of Virginia. Retrieved from http://millercenter.org Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching. Retrieved from http://www.merlot.org COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES 1. Identify and discuss the different ways that the heritage of slavery, the Civil War, the Reconstruction, and segregation have shaped America’s history. 2. Summarize and discuss the ways that formal policies of government have influenced the direction of historical and social development...

Words: 810 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Assess the Aims of Two Countries Entering the First World War. to What Extent Were They Successful in Achieving Their Aims?

...Labeled as the Great War, World War I was the first War in which all of the major Powers of Europe took part in. This conflict led to the destruction of two of Europe's oldest Empires, namely Russia and Austria-Hungary and brought about terrible hardships to countries which in turn led to the rise of fascism and socialism. This historic event in human history started on the 28th of July, 1914, when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia as a result of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the Austria-Hungarian throne. Unlike the Great Powers, specifically France, Russia and Germany who joined World War I as a result of the alliances they had in place, what lured Bulgaria and Italy to take up arms was the promise of new territories if victorious. Unfortunately this greed would lead to both nations suffering as a result of their participation in War. Italy, although victorious in the end, had to endure economic hardships and Bulgaria ended up with even less territory compared to when they joined the War. Bulgaria officially entered World War I on the 14th of October, 1915 by declaring war on Serbia, thereby joining the fight on the Central Power's side. Although Bulgaria and Serbia - once members of the Balkan League, fought side by side during the first Balkan War, which resulted in the end of Ottoman Rule in Europe, Bulgarians were dissatisfied about how the former Ottoman Territories, the most coveted one being Macedonia, were divided. This led to a...

Words: 1854 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

The American Soldier 1860-1920

...HS 383 Dr. Geib March 8, 2011 Paper 2 The American Soldier, 1860-1920 The philosophy and makeup of the United States military underwent more drastic changes during the sixty years between the outbreak of the Civil War and the conclusion of World War I. During this time period, the military went from small, localized, unprofessional and poorly trained groups to large, centralized, professional military units that rivaled the best militaries in the world. The transition of the U.S. Military started when the United States’ foreign policy increased their interests worldwide following the Civil War, engaging in conflicts in both the Caribbean and in Asia, culminating when the United States entered World War I not in their own interest, but rather in the interest of protecting European allies. This signaled the U.S.’s new role as a world power that has interests in global stability and maintaining strong alliances. However, none of these military advancements would have been likely to take place had the initial priority to increase military operations hadn’t occurred solely to preserve the Union. The Civil War began with the bombardment of Fort Sumter in April 1861, but both the Union and Confederate armies were not prepared to fight a ground war at that time, as armies had to be raised, mobilized, trained, and supplied for the upcoming war. The first ground battle of the war, the Battle of Bull Run, was not fought until more than three months after the attack on...

Words: 1795 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

America History

...Running head: WOMEN IN AMERICA 1 ! Women In America Katarina Davison HIS204: American History Since 1985 Laverne Peralta February 2nd , 2015 WOMEN IN AMERICA 2 ! In the history of the world, women have ruled the world, shaped the world, and changed the world and in the United States, women have had a storied and grand history that has evolved the role of women from typical housewife to leaders of women's rights movements and has shown their true worth and true potential to their male counterparts. In this paper, I will be talking about six key events and time periods that have changed not just women's history but the overall history a nation. Three of these events and time periods will be before 1930 and three of them will be after 1930 to give the reader an overall sense of the evolution of the role women have played. The events that I will be talking about are the roles that women played in World War One beginning in 1914, the second historic event is the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, the third time period I will be talking about before 1930 is that of the roaring 1920s. After 1930, the changes were still happening for women and World War II was a major point in the evolution of what it means to be a woman, this time period was quickly followed by the baby boom. The final time period I will discuss is the Feminist Movement in the 1960s and how those efforts have led to a lasting impression of who women are in today's modern era. WOMEN IN...

Words: 1613 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Butt

...1 The Foundations of International Society 2013-2014 Part I: Politics 2 (International Relations I) Paper organiser: Professor Christopher Hill (POLIS): Room 105, Alison Richard Building Email: cjh68@cam.ac.uk Lecturers: Professor Hill (CH), Dr Elisabetta Brighi (EB), Dr Aaron Rapport (AR) and Dr Stefano Recchia (SR). Aims and Objectives The course aims to introduce students to the subject of International Relations (IR), whose main focus is the nature of politics at the international level. Students will acquire the empirical and conceptual foundations needed to understand a world political system which cannot be accurately described as either pure anarchy or a coherent form of ‘global governance’. The starting point is the notion of ‘international society’, which refers to the set of institutions and common procedures generated by states over the last three and a half centuries in their attempts to achieve some minimal form of co-existence, but which has gradually evolved to include many non-state actors and different levels of activity – diplomatic, economic and cultural, as well as that of military competition. By the end of the course you should be able to have an informed discussion about: the historical origins of the present system; what is distinctive about international politics as opposed to politics inside the state; and the main challenges which confront humanity in the twenty-first century. You will also acquire a basic familiarity with the main theories needed...

Words: 12326 - Pages: 50

Premium Essay

Decades

...States, but also for the whole world. This time period did include ups and downs, though. Many problems had erupted and many obstacles were ran into. This was a time period where these problems and obstacles had to be overcome. So, what was done? The 90s is an important decade in history because many of those obstacles have been tamed and controlled. Although, there were many problems, George Herbert Walker Bush, The Persian Gulf War, and the World Wide Web changed the fate of this world. The 90s brought former president of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush. George H. W. Bush was born on June 12, 1924 in Milton, Massachusetts. He grew up in New York City. During World War ll, Bush became the youngest navy flying pilot. In 1945, he married Barbara Pierce and attended Yale. There, he majored in economics, was captain of the baseball team, and graduated with Phi Beta Kappa Honors in 1948. During his presidency, Bush worked very much in the White House for eight years. “Bush traveled more than a million and a half kilometers and visited some 75 nations as a special emissary for the president…” (Grolier 1) Bush was then elected for president of the United States in 1988. He was cautious when it came down to domestic affairs. “He negotiated a treaty with the USSR to reduce nuclear and conventional arms, and in 1989 he intervened military in Panama to depose its president, Manuel Noriega.” (Grolier 2) People around the world supported Bush when he set more...

Words: 929 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

World War Ii Ressearch Report

...World War II Research Report The Soviet Union Danny Buck History 114 Dr. Murphy November 24, 2014 World War II Research Report The Soviet Union Totalitarianism came about in Russia during the time of Stalin. Before doing research I had thought that it would have started with Lenin, but it did not. “Why did Russia, in its enlarged incarnation as the Soviet Union under Stalin, become one of the three most repressive and brutal totalitarian states of the 20th century (the other two being Nazi Germany and China under Mao)? The urge to modernize rapidly is often put forward to explain the character of the Soviet Union. But what equally needs to be explained is the very backwardness that created such an urge. And the Russian intelligentsia had long been preoccupied both with modernization and resistance to it.” (Hollander, 2006). It was a brutal way of life where the people existed to serve the state. The Rise of Totalitarianism In the late 1910’s the czar was over thrown and he and his family were murdered. Lenin came to power and communism took over the country, but it was not totally repressive until Stalin came into power. Stalin’s goal was to modernize the Soviet Union. He wanted to industrialize the Soviet Union and increase the production of products. He thought that if he could make the Soviet Union a manufacturing giant that it could be a super power. He also wanted to maintain complete and absolute control and to not allow any interference from anyone...

Words: 3575 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

War Analysis

...War Name Course Date War is defined as an organized and prolonged conflict carried out by countries or individuals within or outside a country. War is generally characterized by brutal or extreme violence, displacements of populations and both social and economic disruption or destruction. War is an actual, widespread and intentional armed conflict between countries. War is regarded as a form of political violence because countries are political creations or entities. When war is absent piece prevails. There are several types of war, namely; civil war, asymmetrical, conventional, chemical, unconventional, nuclear warfare among others. In civil war the warring sides are from the same country or political entity and what is at stake is either the control of the nation and instruments of power or one side is trying to break away or secede. In asymmetrical war, the combatants or feuding sides are not evenly marched in terms of military capability and therefore the weaker side engages in guerilla tactics in order to counter the huge disadvantage it is faced with. Conventional war is defined as a war whose main aim is to reduce or minimize the enemy’s capability mostly through battles. It is a war mostly fought by states and their allies. Unconventional war on the other side refers to a war whose main purpose is to attain military victory through use of clandestine activities such as supporting secretly one side in a...

Words: 1897 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Why Study Thucydides

...important to study Thucydides because Thucydides can help us to understand the way politics work in the world today.This should come later – it is not an introduction to a whole paper – always assume your reader is not familiar with your topic In his book titled, The History of the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides brings to light, some of the causes of the war, as well as some of the consequences of the war. (This is a good opening sentence. It introduces the reader to the topic) Thucydides analyzed the Peloponnesian War on a deeper level (what do you mean?) to help us understand why and how things occur in the world. The world has a better understanding of war and politics in general because of Thucydides. Thucydides’ account of The History of the Peloponnesian War has taught us many things about how politics work in the modern world. (These last three sentences are a little repetitive and do not give a lot of information) One thing that Thucydides’ work on the Peloponnesian War has taught us is that states are only concerned with their own interests, and how their interests can benefit them (repetitive). Good! This is demonstrated in the conflict between Melos and Athens. Good! The Melians wanted to avoid conflict with Athens by trying to persuade them that the Athenians should not attack them because they were neutral and not allies to either side (Thucydides Book VI, p. 2). The Athenians did not comply with the Melians plea to maintain their territory. Instead, the Athenians...

Words: 994 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Nothing

...HISTORY 1500 WINTER 2014 RESEARCH ESSAY TOPICS 1. Select a crusade and discuss the extent to which it accomplished its objectives. Why did it succeed or fail? Jonathan Riley-Smith, The Crusades: A Short History; Carole Hillenbrand, The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives; Christopher Tyerman, God’s War: A New History of the Crusades 2. How did anti-Semitism manifest itself in medieval Europe? Kenneth R. Stow, Alienated Minority: The Jews of Medieval Latin Europe; Mark R. Cohen, Under Crescent and Cross: The Jews in the Middle Ages; Solomon Grayzel, The Church and the Jews in the Thirteenth Century 3. What was the position of prostitutes in medieval society? Ruth Mazo Karras, Common Women; Leah Otis, Prostitution in Medieval Society; Margaret Wade Labarge, A Small Sound of the Trumpet: Women in Medieval Life 4. Why did the French choose to follow Joan of Arc during the the Hundred Years War? Kelly DeVries, Joan of Arc: A Military Leader; Bonnie Wheeler, ed., Fresh Verdicts on Joan of Arc; Margaret Wade Labarge, A Small Sound of the Trumpet: Women in Medieval Life 5. Discuss the significance of siege warfare during the crusades. You may narrow this question down to a single crusade if you wish. Jim Bradbury, The Medieval Siege; Randall Rogers, Latin Siege Warfare in the Twelfth Century; John France, Victory in the East: A Military History of the First Crusade 6. Why did the persecution...

Words: 5531 - Pages: 23