Knowledge Paper

Knowledge Paper

Donna Cascone

His/145

Paul Riley

June 15, 2008

For the United States, World War II and the Great Depression constitute the most important economic event of the Twentieth Century. The war is what helped to end the depression and help the American people to get back up on their feet. WWII created much needed jobs in factories involving the production of war supplies. The war also helped to boost the stock market. Although it was a time of hardship and heartbreak and war usually promotes poverty, World War II had some positive effects for Americans. One positive point was on the economy, many American products went overseas by 1943, more than half of our countries products went overseas. Americans then began spending their money on newspapers, movies and promotion toward the war because of the shortage of supplies in the United States. From 1941- 1944 newspapers sales increased, Hollywood made over 2500 films during the war. In 1942 the War advertising Council was formed. It conducted more 100 campaigns to see war bonds, secure

blood donations, conserve food and inspire enlistments. Women also began working outside of the home and the average family rose over 25%., people started to make money and become prosperous. “The Government relied on large firms such as Ford and General Motors because they had experience with large scale production. Thus, war contracts helped large corporations increase their dominance over the economy.” (Chapter 26 pg 767) the number of workers increased from 13% in 1939 to 30% in 1944, there was also a 30 % increase in farm productivity.

So the war did have its positive effects on our economy.

The conflict in ideologies between capitalism and communism resulted in one of the greatest conflicts of the twentieth century. The belief that freedom and democracy would die under communist rule caused the United States to start a conflict that would last for decades. The decisions made by the United States in WWII caused tension to rise between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Fear of communism in Capitalist Nations, caused the United Sates Government to use propaganda to raise cold war anxieties. Furthermore, the American media influences the attitudes of Americans making a hatred of communism spread through the nation. The United States caused the conflict known as the Cold War through its political policy and propaganda. The political relations going on in Europe during and after World War II had an enormous effect on laying the foundation for the Cold War.

In the post World War II era a war arose between the Soviet Union and the United States, but in reality there was never really any documented fighting between the two nations, thus creating the catch name “Cold War”. Even though both countries were ready to go to war at the blink of an eye and almost did, the powers that be never had the nerve to authorize a nuclear war that would have made World War II look like child’s play.

While the precise dates that marked the beginning and the end of the Cold War remain the subjects of scholarly