Skip to main content

What were the long-term effects of World War II?

The long-term effects of World War II were many, and as we discuss them, it is important to remember that the most important effect of the war was the over 50 million people, mostly civilians, who died during it. 


Long-term effects included the emergence of the United States and the Soviet Union as the world's two predominant superpowers. With Europe in ruins, these nations did much to shape the postwar order. Disputes between the United...

The long-term effects of World War II were many, and as we discuss them, it is important to remember that the most important effect of the war was the over 50 million people, mostly civilians, who died during it. 


Long-term effects included the emergence of the United States and the Soviet Union as the world's two predominant superpowers. With Europe in ruins, these nations did much to shape the postwar order. Disputes between the United States and the communist Soviet Union over what this postwar order would look like fairly quickly escalated into what was known as the "Cold War," a struggle that spanned most of the rest of the twentieth century. This conflict saw the emergence of a Communist bloc in Eastern Europe and the division of Germany (and its old capital Berlin).


Another effect of World War II was the emergence of international institutions like the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund that were intended to maintain international law and stabilize the global economy. These institutions had been an aim of Woodrow Wilson and other leaders after World War I, but the new internationalist stance of the United States (another long-term effect of WWII) made it possible to establish them.


World War II led to the destabilization of the empires held by many European nations, including Great Britain. Many former colonies gained their independence, either in the face of European resistance or with European acquiescence. The independence of such nations as India, Indochina (Vietnam) and many former African colonies was a direct result of this trend. 


Within the United States, the war's end brought a significant demographic change known as the "baby boom" that changed the next half-century of American history. It ushered in unprecedented economic expansion and served as a starting point for major social change, including the civil rights movement for African-Americans.


These are only a few of many changes that emerged in the aftermath of World War II, many of which still have ramifications today.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

What are some external and internal conflicts that Montag has in Fahrenheit 451?

 Montag, the protagonist of Fahrenheit 451, faces both external and internal conflicts throughout the novel. Some examples of these conflicts are: External Conflicts: Conflict with the society: Montag lives in a society that prohibits books and critical thinking. He faces opposition from the government and the people who enforce this law. Montag struggles to come to terms with the fact that his society is based on censorship and control. Conflict with his wife: Montag's wife, Mildred, is completely absorbed in the shallow and meaningless entertainment provided by the government. Montag's growing dissatisfaction with his marriage adds to his external conflict. Conflict with the fire captain: Montag's superior, Captain Beatty, is the personification of the oppressive regime that Montag is fighting against. Montag's struggle against Beatty represents his external conflict with the government. Internal Conflicts: Conflict with his own beliefs: Montag, at the beginning of th...

In A People's History of the United States, why does Howard Zinn feel that Wilson made a flimsy argument for entering World War I?

"War is the health of the state," the radical writer Randolph Bourne said, in the midst of the First World War. Indeed, as the nations of Europe went to war in 1914, the governments flourished, patriotism bloomed, class struggle was stilled, and young men died in frightful numbers on the battlefields-often for a hundred yards of land, a line of trenches. -- Chapter 14, Page 350, A People's History of the United States Howard Zinn outlines his arguments for why World War I was fought in the opening paragraph of Chapter 14 (referenced above). The nationalism that was created by the Great War benefited the elite political and financial leadership of the various countries involved. Socialism, which was gaining momentum in Europe, as was class struggle, took a backseat to mobilizing for war. Zinn believes that World War I was fought for the gain of the industrial capitalists of Europe in a competition for capital and resources. He states that humanity itself was punished by t...

Where did Atticus take the light and extension cord in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Atticus brings the light to the courthouse jail so that he can protect Tom Robinson.  Atticus learns that Tom Robinson, his client, is in danger.  A group of white men want to prevent the trial and lynch Robinson. He is warned by a small group of men that appear at his house.  He refuses to back down.  Atticus knows that the Cunninghams will target his client, so he plans to sit up all night with... Atticus brings the light to the courthouse jail so that he can protect Tom Robinson.  Atticus learns that Tom Robinson, his client, is in danger.  A group of white men want to prevent the trial and lynch Robinson. He is warned by a small group of men that appear at his house.  He refuses to back down.  Atticus knows that the Cunninghams will target his client, so he plans to sit up all night with Jim if that’s what it takes to protect him.  Atticus tells the men that he will make sure his client gets his fair shake at the law.  “Link, that boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going till ...