The effects of WWI and the global economic depression were the events that caused WWII. WWI and left large scale destruction all over Europe and the global depression made people desperate. Militaristic and nationalist leaders were able to come to power because they offered hope to desperate people. The United States became involved in WWII because german u-boats attacked american ships and the japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
After WWII America became a global superpower and the leader in the world's global economy. African americans gained a renewed vigor to fight for civil rights. The russian's controlled and dominated eastern europe. The cold war began between the US and Russia.
What were the causes, main events, and effects of the Cold War?
The US and Soviet union were two superpowers with different ideas. The Soviet union planned for world conquest under communism and the US was the complete opposite (capitalist and democratic). The cold war got worse because of events that challenged each of the two countries. The spread of communism was countered with the Truman Doctrine, formation of NATO and Marshall plan. The russian's adding the atomic bomb to their arsenal caused america to respond with a arms race to expand their military and produce more weapons then their adversary. America formed NASA to compete with the russian success of launching satellites into orbit.
How did social and economic changes after World War II affect Americans?
The service economy and growth of suburbs are affects of social and economic changes after WWII. There was a baby boom after WWII and many americans were looking to start a family and looked for a place to live. New affordable housing was available in the suburbs. Many americans in this time earned a living working in a service sector, information industry, businesses and multinational corporations. This showed that america was moving into a postindustrial society.
Key Terms/People/Events:
totalitarianism, A government system that has one party or leader controlling economic, social and cultural lives of people.
anti-Semitic, Prejudice and discrimination towards jewish people.
appeasement, Policy of granting concessions to keep the peace.
Lend Lease Act, A act that allowed FDR to lend or sell war supplies to any country that he considered important to the safety of the US.
blitzkrieg, A military tactic that required speed and firepower to penetrate deep into the enemy's territory.
Pearl Harbor, US naval base in Hawaii.
WAC, (Woman's army corps) allowed woman to serve in non-combat roles.
Joseph Stalin, Communist/totalitarian leader of Russia during WW2.
Benito Mussolini, Communist/totalitarian leader of Italy during WW2.
Axis, Alliance between Germany, Italy and Japan.
Allies, Alliance between Britain, France, China, Russia and United States.
Churchill, Prime minister of Britain during WW2.
Douglas MacArthur, United states armed forces commander in Asia
Hideki Tojo, Japanese prime minister during WW2.
unconditional surrender, To give up completely without concessions.
strategic bombing, Military tactic of dropping bombs on important political and industrial targets.
bracero program, A program that brought Mexicans to America to work on farms.
internment, Temporary imprisonment of people of a specific race.
rationing, The government controls limits on the amounts of certain goods that civilians could buy during wartime.
D-Day, June 6, 1944, Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France.
kamikaze, Japanese pilots that crashed their planes into American ships.
Manhattan Project, The name of the project that developed the atomic bomb.
Holocaust, Mass murder of the jewish people during WW2.
genocide, Forcefully kill off a whole racial, political, or cultural group.
death camp, Nazi camp made for extermination of prisoners.
concentration camp, Nazi camps used to imprison unwanted members of society.
Kristallnacht, Germany november 9, 1938, organized attacks on jewish communities.
superpower, Powerful country that plays a dominant economic, political and military role in the world.
Nuremberg Trials, Trails held to charge nazi leaders with war crimes.
Chester Nimitz, Admiral of the United states navy in the Pacific.
George Patton, US tank commander.
Tuskegee Airmen, African american pilots.
A. Phillip Randolph, Leader of a group that fought for fair employment for african americans.
Albert Einstein, The worlds most famous scientist.
Harry Truman, The president of the United States after FDR's death.
United Nations, A organization formed to promote peace.
satellite state, A independent nation under control of a more powerful nation.
iron curtain, A border between the Soviet satellite states and western europe.
Berlin airlift, US and British pilots delivering supplies to west Berlin during a soviet blockade.
Truman Doctrine, President Trumans promise to help nations that struggle with communism.
limited War, A war that is fought to achieve specific goals.
38th parallel, A dividing line between north and south Korea.
arms race, A contest between nations that compete to make a more powerful weapons.
Suez Crisis, France and Britain trying to take control of the Suez canal.
CIA, (Central Intelligence Agency) US intelligence gathering organization.
brinkmanship, A belief that the only way the US could protect itself against communist aggression was to go to the brink of war.
HUAC, (House Un-American Activities Committee) A Committee that investigated possible subversive activities in the US.
Red Scare, A fear that communists were working to destroy the American way of life.
demobilization, Send soliders home.
GI Bill of Rights, A bill that provided education and employment aide to veterans.
Fair Deal, President Truman's program to expand New Deal reforms.
baby boom, A increase of births between 1945 and 1964.
AFL-CIO, American Federation Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization united.
information industry, Businesses that provide informational services.
service sector, Businesses that provide services instead of manufactured goods.
consumerism, Large scale buying, mostly on credit.
rock and roll, Music that came from the gospel and blues traditions of african americans.
nuclear family, Ideal family made up of a father, mother and children.
inner city, Older/central area of a city.
beatnik, Small group of writers and artists during the 50's and 60's.
Connection to today
The United States is still a superpower and it's government plays a large role in the economy.
