Outcomes of World War II
- The outcomes of building of the first nuclear bomb and the impact on Japan
The production of the first nuclear bomb was motivated by a series of wars that the United States faces with totalitarian regimes in both Europe and Japan. Although the war in Germany was beginning to deescalate, it was the aggressive resistance of the Japanese army in the pacific that led to the application of the first nuclear bomb developed by the United States. The high human cost of the war with Japan forced the United States president to drop two nuclear bombs in Japan’s industrial cities, Nagasaki and Hiroshima. According to the accounts of the legacy of World War II, the nuclear bombs dropped in Hiroshima in August 1945 by the United States the region into a complete atomic wasteland in 0.3 seconds (The Legacy Of World War II, 2020). Therefore, the outcome of the construction of the first nuclear bomb was the total destruction of two of Japan’s commercial cities.
- The Causes for the Cold War and outcomes in the Korean War and the building of the Berlin wall.
The ideological difference between the United States and the Soviet Union led to the critical outcomes of the Korean War and the building of the Berlin wall. The United States and its western allies were suspicious of the East’s totalitarianism, an aspect that escalated towards arms race and the red scare. Based on the analysis of the documentary Superpowers Collide, the expansion of the Soviet Union in Europe and Korea escalated the tension between the Soviet Union and the United States, leading to the Korea war and the construction of the Berlin war in Germany (Frost, 1998). The Soviet Union saw the challenge of the West to its dominance as a threat, thus forcing North Korea to invade the South.
- Importance of the Marshal Plan and the Establishment of International organizations.
The introduction of the Marshal Plan in 1947 in western Europe was to help elevate war-torn countries into economic recovery. The Marshal Plan was a strategy used by the United States and its western allies to create peace in Europe by promoting economic growth for European states. Conversely, it always helped western European powers to keep communism at bay by reducing their expansion into European countries. According to the accounts of the West After World War II, the Marshal Plan enabled the western European government to focus on economic growth as their basic objective (The West After World War II, 2020). Therefore, the Marshal plan created a path for the formation of the International Organization, an aspect that propelled western countries past the cold war.
- Outcomes of Decolonization
The decolonization brought forth modern nationalism and self-determination as well as racial equality to post-colonial territories. Most colonial empires were forced to focus on their economy and let go of their colonies. Accounts from the “The West After World War II” reveals that European powers were more concerned in rebuilding their country after the post-war, which led to Europeans losing their prestige and Japanese losing their victories (The West After World War II, 2020). Therefore, decolonization not only created an opportunity for the formation of new nations but also gave the new nations the power and influence to build the societies. (The West After World War II, 2020)
References
Frost, D. (Director). (1998). Superpowers collide [Motion Picture].
The Legacy Of World War II. (2020). Power Point, 1 – 6.
The West After World War II. (2020). Economic Recovery and the End of European Empire. Power Point, 1 – 22.