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The Overarching Impact of World War II

The Overarching Impact of World War II. Focus Question:. Describe some of the positive and negative effects of winning a war. International. U.S. the only true world superpower Much of the rest of the world in ruins United Nations developed. The Cold War.

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The Overarching Impact of World War II

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  1. The Overarching Impact of World War II

  2. Focus Question: • Describe some of the positive and negative effects of winning a war.

  3. International • U.S. the only true world superpower • Much of the rest of the world in ruins • United Nations developed

  4. The Cold War • Tensions grew between the U.S. and the Soviet Union • Differences in government • Differences in economics • Differences in war aims

  5. Conflicting War Aims United States • Promote democracy • Gain access to markets • Rebuild Europe for stability • Reunite Germany for peace Soviet Union • Encourage Communism • Rebuild the USSR • Establish a buffer zone of satellite states • Keep Germany weak and divided

  6. Political Differences United States • Democratic Republic • Rule of law • Respect for civic rights Soviet Union • Totalitarian Dictatorship • Ruthless legal system • Little regard for rights

  7. Economic Differences United States • Capitalist system • Free Market • Private ownership • Profit motive Soviet Union • Communist system • Command Economy • State ownership

  8. “Iron Curtain” • Open split occurs in Eastern Europe • Allies agreed to hold free elections to be held in Poland • Soviet Union refused to allow these elections • Churchill announces “an Iron Curtain has descended upon Europe”

  9. Formation of NATO • Developed as the Soviet threat grew • Defensive alliance • Key component of the “containment” policy • Keep the Communist sphere from spreading • U.S.S.R. would eventually collapse

  10. Domestic Changes • World War II transformed the U.S. • Large numbers of returning soldiers • Large scale movement throughout the country • Changes in industrial workforce

  11. G.I. Bill • Serviceman’s Adjustment Act of 1944 • Provided funds for discharged veterans to: • Purchase a home • Start a business • Go to college • Provided for a massive expansion of the economy

  12. Growth of the Suburbs • G.I. Bill typically used for housing • Severe housing crisis in the U.S. after the war • Massive expansion of housing • Spread to the suburbs

  13. Levittown • Planned community • Pre-fabricated houses • Designed to provide inexpensive housing fast! • Catered to veterans • Started in New Jersey • Expanded throughout the U.S.

  14. Baby Boom Generation • Birth rate in the U.S. exploded after the war • New births 1945: 2.8 million • New births 1946: 3.47 million • Peaked between 1957-1961: 4.3 million per year • Some 79 million born between 1946 and 1964

  15. African-Americans • Increased power of the Black community • Economic: • Black veterans qualified for the G.I. Bill • Political • U.S. government took a more liberal view to Civil Rights • Nurtured the seeds of the Civil Rights Movement

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