History: World War I and II - Assignment Example

WWI World War I is believed to have commenced in 1914 by most historians. The causes of this war are believedto have taken place a long time prior to the war. Just several years before WWI the vastness of the spirit, better known as nationalism, was being felt. This spirit led to nations’ concentration on their own interests rather than those of Europe in its entirety. Ethnic groups in the then nations had the urge to secure their independence. A policy known as militarism was taken by many countries as they sought to protect their own interests. Some of the countries practicing militarism were Russia, France, Germany, Great Britain and Australia-Hungary. For the purpose of self protection nations further, formed alliances. Thus, if a member of a given alliance was to be attacked all the allied countries would feel as being attacked as well. Therefore, many nations would be dragged into war due to the domino impact. By the year 1914 almost the entire Europe was allied. (Kindred and Pintozzi, 2006 p 155,156) What triggered the WWI in Europe was the issue of disagreements over territory as well as boundaries. Another issue that led to the Great War was the assassination of Austria’s Archduke Ferdinand which was carried out by a zealot from Serbia in mid 1914. After the assassination it did not last more than a month before the war started. In 1915, there was the sinking of a passenger liner belonging to the British. This passenger liner killed 128 U.S. citizens which further increased tension levels. In 1917 USA made an entry to the Great War to join its allies. The allies of the US included France, Britain and Russia. About 2 million soldiers from the U.S took part in the war under the leadership and command of Pershing, their Major General. (America’s Library, 2009) The U-boat campaign of Germany in the Great War was the first time in a modern war that submarines took a great part. For the first three years after 1914, the U.S. remained neutral. Germany didn’t want to provoke other parties into the war but continued to sink the ships of the Allied countries in the Western side of Atlantic. It didn’t at any one time during these events dare sink a vessel with an American flag. However, the U.S couldn’t remain neutral since Germany took part in several provoking incidents. One of them was the sinking of RMS Lusitania, which was a luxury liner of Britain just off the Irish coast. It killed about 1,200 individuals and among them were the aforementioned 128 American citizens. This action was carried out on 7th May 1915. Later, Germany withdrew for a while. As this battle in Europe turned a stalemate in early 1917, Germany returned to the submarine warfare. Its aim was to make Britain surrender. British made many losses in terms of shipping. U.S made an entry to the war in July 1917. (Offley and Offley, 2007 p 100) Germany made a formal surrender and on 11th November 1918 after which the war was over. Years subsequent to WWI served as an important ‘U’ turn for America. The nation put aside the predicaments of Europe. From then it would concentrate on solving own problems. After the war in 1920 there was an election between two candidates. The Democrat, Cox James and Republican, Harding Warren. Cox was for a similar view with President Woodrow Wilson who supported US’s taking part in foreign affairs while Harding was so much against the idea of internationalism. Harding Warren emerged victorious after the election and thus, America concentrated on solving domestic problems than sacrificing to solve foreign issues. (Beardsley, 2006) WWII The fascist response towards the unresolved predicaments of WWI are largely seen to be seen to be major cause of the World going into yet another war, WWII. The phobia that the right-wing would take over the European continent, the devastating 1930’s economic depression across the globe, the treaty of Versailles that was viewed as ill-meant, and the weaknesses in the achievement of democracy by the governments of member countries of Europe are all also seen as other causes of the WWII. The leadership of Europe in 1930’s is seen to have driven the world into WWII. The then leaders were the likes of Italy’s Benito Mussolini, Germany’s Adolf Hitler and Spain’s Franco Francisco. The major responsibility of triggering the war is, however, seen as Adolf Hitler’s. (Hoffmeister, et al 1992 p 41) Vietnam and China were the main American interests in Asia and foreign policy concerns in the same continent. From a point of view, Vietnam is usually seen as the first step to the U.S.A entry to WWII. The imperial Army of Japan made an entry to Vietnam in year 1941. Immediately the then U.S president Roosevelt Franklin made a ban of oil on Japan. In reaction, Tokyo resolved to attack the harbor of Pearl. On the other hand China served a great deal on the strategizing and policy formulations for US during WWII. China was a vantage point for US bombers especially aiming Tokyo in the year 1942. It was yet another front for US soldiers against the imperial Army of Japan. (Kenny, 2002 p 8) On 8th December 1941 the congress approved the entry of US to WWII, and on the same day Italy together with Germany declared war on USA. In 1939 Germany made an invasion on Poland after which France and England declared war on Germany. The Soviet Union invaded Poland. Just before US’ entry into the war Germany made bombings on British cities so that Britain could surrender in 1940. Towards the end of 1940 USA started to give military equipment to Britain which was now trapped due to lack of funds. Germany, on two battle fronts started aiming at attacking Russia in early 1941. Later, in the same year, Japan released war planes on its mission to attack shipyards and airfields of the U.S. 200 planes and 19 ships are ruined in the process. Worse still, U.S lost 2,300 of its citizens. On the following day U.S entered the war. Allies and the Axis which were the two main powers up against each other in the WWII made attacks on each other until 1945.U.S was in the Allied side together with Russia. In August 6th and 9th of 1945, U.S made bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively, in the process killing about 260,000 people. Scores were also injured and in which the biggest impact was on Hiroshima. On the 2nd of September 1945, Japan had to surrender. The WWII was formally over. (Earthlink.net, 1998) The definition of the function of security by American fluctuated every now and then after 1945.US.was in fear of a triggered war that would come after WWII.US made contractions as an outcome of Vietnam’s war. It took about ten years for U.S.A. to expand gradually. On its policies on foreign issues U.S, thus took a common pattern with other players in WWII. The expectation of the situation after the war was that USA would concentrate on local affairs. This was in line with the united Nation’s views and to which US became a member. However, U.S.A. still continued to put in check their relations with the Soviet Union and hoped that they could be partners against Germany. (Mandelbaum, 1988 p 143) Work cited: Americaslibrary.gov . U.S. Entered World War I April 6, 1917. (2009). Retrieved March 25, 2009 http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/jazz/wwi_3 Beardsley, F. America Turns Inward After World War One. (2006). Retrieved March 25, 2009 http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2006-05/2006- 05-03- voa5.cfm Earthlink.net. American Involvement in World War II. (1998). Retrieved March 25, 2009 http://home.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/chart.ww2.html Hoffmeister, G. et al. Germany: 2000 years. Continuum International Publishing Group. (1992). p 41. Howard, K and Pintozzi, D. American Book Companys Passing the North Carolina Us History End-Of-Course Test. American Book Company, Inc. (2006). pp 155, 156. Kenny, H.J. Shadow of the dragon: Vietnams continuing struggle with China and its implications for U.S. foreign policy. Brasseys. (2002). p 8. Mandelbaum, M. The fate of nations: the search for national security in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Cambridge University Press. (1988). pp 143. Offley, Edward and Offley, Ed. Scorpion Down: Sunk by the Soviets, Buried by the Pentagon : the Untold Story of the USS Scorpion. Westview Press. (2007). p 100. Read More