Introduction
World War II helped the United States recover from the Great Depression and secure economic leadership for many years to come. At a time when Europe and Asia were ravaged by war, the United States, by contrast, experienced economic growth. The industrial power of the United States grew by leaps and bounds, while the Allies destroyed the industrial potential of Europe and Asia during World War II. Thus, the Second World War succeeded in eliminating any economic rivalry or challenge to American corporations that had arisen during the Great Depression.
The Great Depression and World War II for the US
Governmental Efforts
After the Great Depression crisis began, the American government tried to take anti-crisis measures to protect its own industrial production. It has used its power to influence the country’s economy. In 1930, the Smoot-Hall Act was passed, which increased customs duties on foreign goods (“How the Korean War Started”). However, these protectionist measures have backfired. American exports suffered as other countries began to impose similar retaliatory duties on American goods.
Many American companies, having lost strong foreign competitors due to this law, began raising prices on their products. This eroded the purchasing power of American consumers (“The Big Three Conferences”). Thus, the state could directly affect the lives of individual Americans. However, the government was willing to improve the citizens’ situation through its influence. Therefore, one effective measure was the organization of labor camps for young people (“The Big Three Conferences”). By pulling young workers out of the labor market, Roosevelt helped raise workers’ average wages slowly, thereby benefiting individual Americans.
African American and Female Experiences
The experiences of women and of African Americans after the Great Depression were similar. Women worked the hardest and dirtiest jobs because they replaced the 6 million US men who fought on the fronts of World War II (“Cold War Espionage”). African Americans fought at the front along with white men. In the 50s, after the Great Depression and World War II ended, the country developed rapidly, but people of color and women were limited in their rights (“What is a Liberal?”). White men received decent salaries, while racism and sexism flourished against other citizens.
Expectations of African Americans and women regarding their rights and opportunities differed from the established order. They considered racism and sexism to be a historical relic, incompatible with the goals for which the peoples fought against fascism (“How the Korean War Started”). In order to obtain equal rights and opportunities with white men, both African Americans and women attempted their first active efforts to restore their rights in a non-violent way.
Foreign Policy
However, the United States’ policy was more focused on foreign affairs than on human rights. The position of the US as a world leader was to actively oppose fascism. With a powerful navy, the country could safely restrain Japan and Germany for years, adhering to a policy of non-interference (“Ideological Differences”). However, as a world leader, the United States could not stand aside without showing a political position (“The Truman Doctrine”). Therefore, the country’s contribution to the Pacific Theater has become the main and significant one in the Western one (“Cold War Espionage”). Successful actions during the war secured the US’s status as a strong world leader.
The United States provided substantial assistance to the Soviet Union during the war years. To assist the Soviet Union and other countries fighting against Germany, the US President Franklin Roosevelt developed a special lend-lease state program (“How the Korean War Started”). Through this initiative, America provided food, fuel, medical supplies, weapons, ammunition, and medications to its allies in World War II, as well as key raw materials such as petroleum products (Corbett et al. 560). The supplies of military equipment and food agreed upon by the governments of the United States and the USSR significantly strengthened the Red Army and supported the rear.
Conclusion
Thus, the United States consolidated its leadership status during the Second World War. This was done by demonstrating an active anti-fascist position and financing the states opposing it. During the Great Depression, the United States managed to restore the economy through labor camps, and it was ready for this new challenge. The end of the war and the advent of peacetime exposed the problems of racism and sexism, marking the beginning of the ongoing struggle for the rights of women and African Americans.
Works Cited
“Cold War Espionage: The Secret War Between the CIA and KGB.” YouTube, uploaded by Criminals and Crime, 2023.
Corbett, Scott, et al. U.S. History. Houston, Texas: OpenStax, 2014.
“How the Korean War Started and Ended.” YouTube, uploaded by Captivating History, 2023.
“Ideological Differences Between East and West.” YouTube, uploaded by History Blast, 2020.
“The Big Three Conferences: Tehran, Yalta, Potsdam.” YouTube, uploaded by History Blast, 2020.
“The Truman Doctrine & The Marshall Plan.” YouTube, uploaded by History Blast, 2020.
“What is a Liberal? Ideology Explained.” YouTube, uploaded by Hip Hughes, 2014.