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About Tom
Expertise
While it is a huge topic, I am well-versed in World War II generally. There is a huge wealth of information available on the internet, HOWEVER, one has to know the trash from the gems. Many sites which are not obviously credible (govt, university, and museum sites, for ex.), provide erroneous information (intentionally or otherwise).
Experience
BA in history, and been reading and studying WW2 as my 'hobby' for 30 years. Regular contributor to several online forums in military history, WW2, and related areas and topics.
Organizations
None relevant to this topic.
Education/Credentials
BA, History (Secondary Education), with minor in Geography
US Army Engineer Officer (Officer Basic and Advanced Courses)
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You are here: Experts > Homework Help > 20th Century History > 20th Century History > U.S. international status after WW2
Expert: Tom
Date: 3/31/2008
Subject: U.S. international status after WW2
Question
What did the end of the war mean for the international status of the United States?
Answer
If this answer isn't sufficient, you can post a new one or a followup, but basically here's the run-down.
The US, more than any other nation, came out "ahead" after WW2 - we not only were on the winning side, but our nation had received almost no war damage. Thus, we built up in safety an enormous industrial machine that was truly "the Arsenal of Democracy" that Franklin Roosevelt talked about.
Unlike Germany and Japan, our cities were not bombed to rubble, our factories were modern and undamaged. Unlike the USSR (Russia), we hadn't suffered horrific loss of people, esp. men (USSR lost on order of 27 MILLION people, while US lost just over 400,000 military plus civilians who died in industrial accidents). Unlike Britain, we ended the war actually richer than when we started it, and had debts owed to us from nations across the globe. France had been defeated in 1940 and occupied for 4 years, suffering under German occupation and allied bombing. We had an enormous merchant fleet and also the confidence to do anything.
The US pushed the United Nations on a world tired of war, and had great influence in that body. We were the occupier of Japan, and were one of the occupiers of Germany and Austria, and so had great influence in those nations.
Put simply - the US was at the top of the heap in 1945, with a strong military, including the largest navy and merchant fleet ever seen in history and the largest air force in existence. We had cash, resources, factories, merchant fleet, and the moral and political prestige that came from defeating the Axis Powers.
In the years following WW2, we formed anti-communist alliances such as NATO, stood up South Korea and then defended it against North Korea, and organized the Marshall Plan to help Europe recover from WW2. For decades after WW2 we were truly the leader of the free world.
Tom
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