Category: War

Introduction

American women in World War II became engaged in numerous missions that they had not previously performed. Since war encompassed global conflict on an unintended scale, a significant mobilization of the entire population rendered an expanded role for women unavoidable. Their services were recruited through various methods, including mailers and other printed advertisements, and popular songs. At the same time, women played an essential role in the war, reducing the gap in the industrial labor force. More than 350,000 women operated in the U.S. Army during World War II, both in the United States and abroad. Hence, the importance of the role and objectives of American women in World War II should be investigated.

Work in the Community

It is significant to mention that after the mobilization of the male segment of the population, women were exposed to new roles that were formerly unavailable to them. Women learned new professions and abilities; for example, they attended courses to learn how to drive vehicles. This was essential not only to provide transportation for civilians but also to deliver food to the war zone. In general, ninety million American women filled vacant jobs in U.S. war factories and transportation, agriculture, and office work of all varieties. Moreover, during the war, females were included in senior administrative positions and the federal government. It should also be marked that women living in the United States made necessary goods, clothing, food, and medicine, which were distributed to the soldiers. It should also be underlined that female soldiers actively donated blood to save wounded soldiers who were transported from the battlefield. Indeed, women worked primarily as doctors and nurses who treated and cared for sick soldiers.

It is important to note that many women worked as military doctors and nurses in addition to providing a stable home front and treating soldiers on U.S. soil. More than 60,000 Army nurses served in the U.S. Army, although they were often captured by the enemy and made military prisoners of war. For example, nurses who moved from battlefields where they helped the wounded were at risk. Five were recaptured by the Japanese on the island of Guam and held as prisoners of war for five months before being exchanged. In 1943, Dr. Hat Craighill became the first woman physician commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. The U.S. Public Health Service established a cadet nursing corps that trained some 125,000 women for possible military service. Eight percent of them finally provided medical care in U.S. hospitals. Women were also employed in industries such as the metalworking industry, steelworks, and automobile manufacturing industry. In addition, females worked in factories that produced bombs, weapons, and airplanes. Thus, during the war, females provided a reliable rear and the American economy.

The Women are Involved in Espionage

To conduct combat operations, it was precious to obtain information about the state of troops and the enemys plans. Four American scouts were the Lame Lady, the White Mouse, the lovely Odette, and the eternally young Violetta. They participated in preparations for the largest amphibious landing operation in world history, Operation Neptune. The Allied landings in Normandy, also known as D-Day, occurred on June 6, 1944. Among the many organizations involved in its preparation was the British Special Operations Command (SOC). Established by Winston Churchill in 1940, his secret army was created to commit sabotage and subversion to weaken the German invaders. However, two years after its formation, the UDFs Baker Street headquarters could not boast of achieving its goals. Sarah Rose writes that in 1942 the Allied forces were in defeat. The German assault appeared impossible to stop, and all the men capable of holding arms were already at the front. Thus the USO leadership required a practical and, most significantly, unexpected solution for the enemy, which could assist in changing the situation.

The female spies were the obvious solution: brave, determined, fearless, and, most crucially, invisible to the enemy. At first, the Germans saw no danger in the girls, searched them seldom, and allowed them to move relatively freely through the occupied territories. Captain Selwyn Jepson suggested that women be included in the agent network, but the idea was not widely supported. However, later, Churchill personally empowered the captain to train female spies, unprecedented for his rank. Jepson noted that women did their jobs much better than men because they were psychologically adapted to working behind enemy lines. Almost all female scouts, according to Jepson, shared hatred of Nazism. They were willing and ready to do anything to complete the mission successfully. When they joined the USO, many of the girls were no more than 25 years old. Each had dreams and plans; some had managed to marry and have children, some had to flee the German occupation when they were still young. In this way, the war changed their lives, and they contributed to turning the wars course.

Women in the Air Force and Army

The women were also counted in the number of service members and nurses serving on the front lines. About four hundred thousand American females served in the armed forces during World War II. About 350,000 women served in the Womens Army Corps and the Navy Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). A total of five hundred and forty-three females died during the war, including sixty who were killed by fire. However, American political and military leaders decided not to use women in combat because they supported public opinion. President Harry Truman signed the Womens Armed Forces Integration Act on June 12, 1948, allowing women to become integral members of the armed forces in peacetime and wartime. American women also participated in defense of the native front.

In addition to the number of women serving in the federal army, an extensive range of females joined the various state guards organized by individual U.S. states and in part by the War Department to replace the National Guard. In September 1942, the Idaho State Guard became the first state-level military organization in the United States to introduce women into its command structure when Governor Chase A. Clark swore an oath of subordination to a group of female members of the Idaho Volunteer Reserves. In 1943, Davenport organized a unit composed entirely of women and girls and members trained in first aid, radio code, self-defense, intelligence, and patrolling. During World War II, American female pilots were preparing to fly outside combat zones to replace the men who had departed to the front.

This group was called WASP, Women Air Force Pilots. Newspapers in the U.S. reported disturbing news at a difficult time, and American females were not indifferent. Those who could fly the plane applied to assist the country. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Public Act 689 to develop the Navys Ladies Reserve Program on July 30, 1942. In 1943, the Women Pilots Association, or WASP, was created; its members were not part of the U.S. armed forces, staying as civilian employees. Out of 25,000 applications, 1,800 were accepted, and of these, only 1,000 women were further selected. These qualified pilots were the first female pilots to fly U.S. military aircraft. They flew from airfields at 126 bases across the United States to logistically transport fifty percent of the combat aircraft during the war. One of them was Bernice Gowdy expressing, we flew at night, too, for spotters to practice, we towed targets that were shot at with live ammunition. I think it was one of the most dangerous jobs. In addition, thirty-eight female pilots died in the performance of their duty. Hence, females executed important military missions that contributed to winning the war.

The Manhattan Project

It is essential to mention that several hundred women were recruited from colleges to participate in the Manhattan Atomic Bomb Project during World War II. On August 13, 1942, the headquarters of the North Atlantic Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, codenamed the Manhattan Engineering District, was formed in New York City. Its primary objective was to produce nuclear weapons. Women worked as engineers, technicians, and mathematicians throughout the project, but females could not hold leadership positions. It should be emphasized that Leona Woods was the only woman working at the Hanford site who assisted John Wheeler in determining the reason for the reactor shutdown in xenon poisoning.

Along with Leona Woods, Jiang-Shung Wu helped identify the cause of the Hanford reactor toxicity. Wu also disproved the law of parity in a nuclear physics experiment known as the Wu Experiment. Maria Geppert Maye was another accomplished woman who worked to strengthen the U.S. military. She developed a theory of nuclear envelope structure and investigated the thermodynamic properties of uranium, which made it possible to separate its isotopes U-238 and U-235 in the process of gas diffusion. At the same time, Isabella Carle was a chemist at Hanford who succeeded in synthesizing plutonium chloride from plutonium oxide; this work was crucial because the plutonium isotopes were isolated next to uranium. In this way, females were also developing nuclear weapons to privilege the U.S. military.

Conclusion

Therefore, the contribution of American women to the victory in World War II is difficult to overestimate. They provided a reliable rear, supported the economy, and produced essential goods and even machinery. At the same time, many females offered medical care to men wounded at the front and earned the title of military medic. Although women were directly involved in military operations, specifically in the navy, in guarding the borders of the United States, they proved to be talented aviators. It is significant to mention that females even obtained valuable information from the enemy through espionage in order to change the course of the war. At the same time, women also worked to develop nuclear weapons in order to enhance the nations armament. Accordingly, womens missions during World War II were multifaceted but extremely crucial to victory.

References

Angelini, Eileen. 2020. D-Day Girls: The Spies Who Armed the Resistance, Sabotaged the Nazis, and Helped Win World War II by Sarah Rose. The French Review 94 (2): 249-250. Web.

Committee on Military Affairs.1942. Naval Reserve Act. Public Law No. 689. Web.

Jeffries, John. 2018. Wartime America: The World War II Home Front. London: Rowman & Littlefield.

Maddox, Robert. 2018.The United States and World War II. New York: Routledge.

Merryman, Molly.2020. Clipped Wings: The Rise and Fall of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) of World War II. New York: New York University Press.

The U.S. Department of Energy. 1939. Manhattan Project. Web.

U.S. Congress.1948. The Womens Armed Services Integration Act. Public Law No. 625. Web.

The Indian Wars brought disastrous consequences to the native people of America, who suffered from discriminatory practices on a large scale. At that time, Jackson wrote that Indians were considered to have no legal rights to any lands after refusing to settle in specified locations (101). Such hostile behavior turned peoples lives into horror, causing numerous casualties and forcing them to resign from their ways of living due to the United States continuous growth.

The nations economy was the driving force behind this persecution of the native population. The primary motivation for the conflict was the fact that Native Americans controlled a significant part of lands that were essential for the United States economy and expansion (American Yawp). While the encounters turned negative once settlers began to look for prospects in the West, the fights broke mainly between different forces. The American military groups that were sent to move Native Americans from their lands forcefully became their main combat opponents, as the refusal to leave was met with weaponized coercion (American Yawp). The outcome was disastrous for the Indians, who lacked the firepower to match their opponents. After many defeats on the battlefield, tribe leaders agreed to peace, which limited their rights significantly (American Yawp). Native Americans culture, freedom, and social structures took a substantial hit as a consequence of this event.

In conclusion, the Indian Wars that were started out of Americans strive for expansion led to a massive loss of life for many native tribes. Settlers who sought to explore the West did not plan on sharing the land with the existing communities, asking the government to send the Army for assistance. As an outcome, Native Americans have driven off their lands into reservations, while those refusing to accept such a fate were destined to be hunted by the U.S. military forces.

Works Cited

Jackson, Helen H. A Century of Dishonor. Digital Scanning, Inc., 2001.

The American Yawp. Stanford University Press, 2019.

The first video is a presentation of the events that lead to the war and the occurrences during the period of war. From the video, Iran and Iraq have an agreement to maintain peace. According to Iraq, Iran broke the deal by getting involved with the Zionists and the Americans. These events led to the declaration of war on Iraq on September 17^th, 1980, by Saddam Hussein (Guardia, 2021). Both nations reiterated by force leading to a full military invasion. The simple happenings of that war marked the start of a fatal eight-year-long conflict. Though Iran could conquer a section of Iraq, they faced various challenges, such as logistics issues leading to their small failure and loss of the already captured cities.

The defeat sustained at Khorramshahr was the primary discouragement that made the Iraq leader, Saddam, withdraw his soldiers from Iran to the borders. This was mainly due to the troops financial constrictions and lack of morale. Saddam made an offer for peace rejected by the Iran leader, leading to further fights and massive loss of lives. In 1983, the Ira-Soviet arms treaty was signed in Moscow (Guardia, 2021). These signings made Iran to better equipped though Iran was advantaged following their large number of troops. The empowerment led to another phase of the war with more focus on the northern region of Iraq. The fighting intensified in 1984 following the introduction of missile attacks by Saddam on the Major cities of Iran.

The war advanced to the tankers, with Iraq attacking Iranian oil tankers. Iran responded similarly by destroying Iraq tankers. The tanker war was specifically Saddams tactic of making the Western countries feel the effect of the war and force them to intervene. Following these effects, the United States of America threatened to attack Iran if those attacks did not stop. Such an intervention from the USA made Iran soften. Saddam finally resolved to use chemical attacks on civilians and soldiers of Iran. This move led to massive deaths and environmental effects. The war ended in 1988 with about one and a half million deaths.

The second video tells of the role of the media in selling the war. In 2003 the Iraq invasion was aired through all media, including TV, radio and the Internet. The sharing of the war events through TV was to bring in the American people. However, it can be argued that the media was just but one of the war weapons. Some thought the enemy could be compelled to surrender if they viewed the full force waged against them on TV (Journeyman Pictures, 2014). The American government recruited reporters who could cover live pictures of the wear process. At times of war, the government seeks to wage an effective attack with the full support of its citizens. To achieve this goal, it has to marshal a persuasive force to attain the goal. In the Iraq war, the media was used to sell the war by enhancing the individual patriotic fervor to make people support the troops and the course of the war irrespective of its rights and wrongs.

America, for instance, amassed great support from its people. The media was explicitly used to show their soldiers successes. The American government shared a positive cause of their war strives through the TVs, radios and the internet. They also portrayed the enemy as a monster who deserved to be destroyed for the better good making the fight against her just and necessary. The countrys leadership could boost the civilians morale and support through the media by sharing their military capabilities and strength. Such doings entrapped the citizens into the experiences of the war (Journeyman Pictures, 2014). The press could generally be termed as a tool of war that specifically was meant to show the enemy how might the US military was and the reason why they should surrender.

During the Iran-Iraq war, the United States of America had no natural partners. However, it was evident that in their interests, the country was unwilling to allow either Saddam nor Khomeini to govern the region and dominate the global energy supply. At the beginning of the war, Iran held some American diplomats hostage and tortured them for over 444 days (Chitsazian & Taghavi, 2019). Iran seemed to be on the verge of victory for the better part of the war. The tanker war approach attracted the attention of the USA in an effort to control energy. The USA, therefore, had no option but to public support Iraq. At some point, it threatened to attack the nation. Their differences in views lay in the fact that America seemed to believe that, unlike Khomeini, the Iraq leader was redeemable. The United States of America tilted support to Iraq, hoping that Iran could not gain control of the oil reserves.

The relations between Iran and USA deteriorated completely to date, with Pakistan being the sole protector of Iran in the USA. Switzerland, on the other hand, serves to protect the interests of the USA in Iran. Iran and the United States of America have had no diplomatic relationships since 1980 (Chitsazian & Taghavi, 2019). Efforts to re-establish a stable relationship have failed, with both counties condemning each other for various reasons. The United States of America attributes its poor state to the Iran hostage crisis during the war and the continued abuse of human rights. On the other hand, Iran blames the United States for taking sides with Iraq and supporting its course during the war. According to Iran, it was unfair for them to be held responsible for a war that Iraq started. The Iranian people also blame the United States and the United Nations for not condemning the abuse of human rights and the destruction of innocent lives caused by the Iraq chemical attacks.

The third video describes the stereotype held against the Arab people. The video can be termed a cry of the Arabic nationalists. According to them, the world has not been fair to them as it has failed to unlearn its prejudices against them as it has done with others, such as the blacks and the Jews (Challengingmedia, 2007). As per the video, it is evident that Arabs are the blindest and most stubborn people. Their desire for war, blood and death is uncontrollable. The Hollywood images, for instance, portray all the held theories of the Arabs. According to them, the Arabic people are wealthy enough but stupid and cannot determine the value of money. Their desire for women is outrageous, and, in some instances, they can kill without a legitimate cause.

Generally, it can be concluded that the videos describe the chaotic nature of Arabic nations such as Iran and Iraq. These nations are portrayed as aggressive and irrational. Their cause of war cannot be determined, and, in most cases, they fight with no real purpose. The Iran-Iraq war, for instance, lasted for eight years. At the end of the war, neither of the nations achieved any set goal. The only result of the war was the massive destruction of infrastructure and the loss of more them one and a half million deaths.

References

Challengingmedia. (2007). Reel bad Arabs: How Hollywood vilifies a people [Video]. YouTube.

Chitsazian, M. R., & Taghavi, S. M. A. (2019). An Iranian Perspective on IranUS Relations: Idealists Versus Materialists. Strategic Analysis, 43(1), 28-41.

Guardia, M. (2021). The Iran-Iraq war in HD [Video]. YouTube.

Journeyman Pictures. (2014). The propaganda war waged over the Iraq invasion (2003) [Video]. YouTube.

World War I became an arena of the bloody confrontation between two major armed camps of the era  the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente. The former consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, which later switched sides and joined the Entente, while the latter was formed by Great Britain, France, and Russia (Wilde, 2020). Ironically enough, the process of Europes division into two hostile military alliances began with the intention of creating a balance of powers that would prevent a full-scale continental war.

The chain of events leading Europe toward World War I started in the 1870s when unified Germany emerged as a new empire. Otto von Bismarck, the famous German chancellor, feared that rivals like France and Austria-Hungary might attempt to destroy their ambitious neighbor. Consequently, Bismarck decided to form a powerful alliance in order to protect Germany and prevent large-scale wars in Europe. In the beginning, the chancellor improved relationships with Austria-Hungary and Russia by establishing the Three Emperors League. When Russia withdrew from the league, Germany proceeded to form the Dual Alliance with Austria-Hungary in 1878. Finally, in 1882 two empires persuaded Italy to join the union, thus forming the Triple Alliance (Wilde, 2020). As such, Central Europe turned into one of the armed camps for future war.

At the same time, Great Britain, France, and Russia were becoming concerned about the actions of German diplomacy. In particular, Great Britain felt that the rise of the Triple Alliance might threaten its colonies (Wilde, 2020). Therefore, the British government decided to form a union to deal with a new danger. In particular, Great Britain reached out to France and Russia, other great powers that had reasons to beware Germany. Worried by Kaisers Wilhelm II aggressive foreign policy, Great Britain formed Entente Coridale with France in 1904 and signed a similar agreement with Russia in 1907 (Wilde, 2020). The Triple Entente, the mighty counter to the German threat, was officially born. However, as time has shown, the military alliances failed to secure peace and prevent the unprecedented war between the great powers.

Reference

Wilde, R. (2020). The major alliances of World War I. ThoughtCo.

After realizing that Germany would lose World War 1 on November 9, 1918, Keiser Wilhelm 11 was abdicated as the British Emperor and King of Prussia. The news spread through London in the evening when people returned home from watching the Lord Mayors show. Keisers administration led to unrest in Britain and a naval mutiny that convinced the population he had to be abdicated. The news was expected to be astonishing to the German people, and it was well planned to trigger enthusiasm. Contrastingly, the British people responded with a quiet and restrained demeanor.

The newspaper article by the New York Times published two days after the event describes the non-excitement London displayed after the announcement of Keisers abduction. However, London applauded the allies, particularly the American flying men. Americans participated in the Lord Mayors procession led by stars and stripes. American dignitaries marched along the route from Guildhall to the Royal Courts of Justice to take the oath of office and back. They were welcomed with warm greetings to appeal to the national spirit potentially. The event planned to be a civic function turned into a war show with a display of captured German guns. There was an atmosphere of victory as war crafts displayed their majestic airplane stunts in the sky to signify victory.

They also cheered when the cooperation of American Navy with the British. However, the crowds remained dull while Floyd George was announcing Kaisers abduction in Guildhall, and only laughter and jests could be heard. The subtitle of the article reads, Airmen Carrying Stars and Stripes Proved a Feature of the Great Pageant. The publication hypothetically implies that London people were very excited by the American soldiers. The second paragraph of the article is composed of one paragraph explaining the role American flying men played in the Lord Mayors procession. The article compares the happiness of London people during the Lord Mayors event as they watched military craft stunts with July 7, 1917, when German airplanes paraded their superiority by dropping bombs on them. The citizens are described in the article that they were too astonished to be afraid of seeing German airplanes launching bombs on their land. This indicates that airplanes were a new invention at the beginning of the 20^th century and experienced exemplary development during World War 1. Therefore, crowds would be impressed by the sight of airplane stunts regardless of their cause.

By comparing the impression made when Keisers abduction was announced and major national events, the article distinguishes the values of the London people. It seems the public did not require the abdication of Keiser since it could weaken Britain during a critical time of war. London citizens celebrated military victory in World War 1 and its alliance with America. By comparing the crowds response during the announcement of Keisers abdication with other major events, the article highlights the major values of the London people at the time. Events that would make victory certain for the British such as collaboration with America and superior military equipment, excited people in London.

When Loyd George spoke during the Lord Mayors event, he indirectly criticized the people of London for not celebrating the abdication of Weimer. He said, I have no news for you, to express disappointment in how the public embraced a military show rather than abdication news. The crowd responded with a burst of loud laughter, indicating they deliberately chose not to celebrate Keisers abduction. It seems London people appreciated military dominance and victory in World War 1 more than the abdication.

Work Cited

The New York Times. Keisers Fall Fail to Excite London. (1918).

Introduction

From the beginning of the First World War in 1914, the United States did not interfere in the course of events, taking a neutral position. President Woodrow Wilson combined legalism, moralism, and idealism to argue for US entry into World War I. In the beginning, Wilson was against the entry of the States into the war, even though many Americans were killed in Europe. However, his opinion later changed due to the more aggressive behavior of Germany, which began to attack American merchant ships frequently. The President was able to achieve entry into the war thanks to his policy of legalism, moralism, and idealism.

Legalism

The primary tool of legalism that Woodrow Wilson used to facilitate the entry of the United States into the war was censorship. In every possible way, the authorities limited the freedom of speech, especially those who spoke out against the war. Thus, people who opposed the war turned out to be violators of the rules, condemned and punished. This later led to the birth of the National Civil Liberties Bureau, whose activists advocated the observance of civil rights, The American Yawp. (n.d.). Legalism can also be considered already during the war when a law was passed to send more soldiers to war.

Moralism

The moral aspect of Woodrow Wilsons activities during the First World War can be described as a compromise between morality and authoritarian politics. Wilson used morality primarily to explain why America should go to war and why it was the right thing to do. When the President decided to go to war, he did not do so for any particular pragmatic reason but because he wanted to protect democracy (Papagaryfallou, 2020). Thus, the idea was imposed on the people that the entry of the United States into the war was the only correct moral decision. This ultimately served as the factor due to which America, according to Wilson, could not stand aside.

Idealism

Woodrow Wilsons idealism was that he believed that it was not enough just to win the war but to destroy the very causes of the war and stop its repetition. One of the main theses of the President at the time was the assertion that only peace between equals can last long (National Archives, n.d.). According to Wilson, all countries should unite to achieve common goals in unison. Wilsons speeches reflected idealism in that he always wanted to achieve a result that would be better than what was available. For Wilsons idealism, the war seriously disrupted the world order and showed numerous flaws in the international system. The idealistic vision prompted the President to rebuild the world immediately after the war.

Consequences of Idealism

One of its main findings of Wilson was the proposal to form an international organization called the League of Nations. To bring his plan to life, the President even developed the Fourteen Points of Peace steps, which were announced on 8 January 1918 in front of Congress (Phelps & Wallach, 2022). Wilsons principles were based on the fact that all countries must act together to prevent further wars. However, this theory did not consider that each nation will want to stick to its interests, some will want to maintain the status quo, and some will not. Wilsons rules were silent on the resolution of the conflict and the interests of each country. Ultimately, Wilsons idealism led to disappointment both in America itself and in other countries because the resident promised more than it was objectively possible to do. Every politics needs an idealistic vision of the future and realism in relation to the present.

Conclusion

In any international and domestic politics, an essential aspect of maintaining order is to maintain balance. Woodrow Wilson could not fully adhere to this rule, and everything he did was oversaturated with excessive zeal and optimism. Ultimately, this led to the fact that the people experienced some kind of small shock when the Presidents plans did not come true, and the promised peace could not be maintained for a long time.

References

National Archives. (n.d.). President Woodrow Wilsons 14 Points (1918). Web.

Papagaryfallou, I. (2020) The Moralist: Woodrow Wilson and The World He Made, Diplomacy & Statecraft, 31:2, 391-393. Web.

Phelps, W. & Wallach, J. (Eds). (2022). Containing Multitudes: A Documentary Reader of US History volume II since 1865. University of Arkansas Press.

The American Yawp. (n.d.). The progressive era. Web.

World War II is one of the most studied conflicts in human history. There are many works considering the causes of the conflict, as well as various aspects of its course. However, rather limited attention is paid to the consideration of social aspects, as well as the attitude of citizens of countries to the Second World War. Japan is considered by researchers in different ways within the framework of this conflict. Some view it as an imperialist aggressor, while others tend to think of Japan as a victim. In fact, the history of Japan in the Second World War is ambiguous, which is what the researchers emphasize. The main debate in this area is the position of Japan in the conflict, the attitude of the Japanese to the American occupation, as well as to the countrys militaristic activities in Asia.

Even decades after the end of World War II, there is debate about the activities of imperialist Japan in this conflict. The countrys defeat in the war marked the end of the militaristic pressure that fueled Japans invasion of other countries in Asia. The aggressive policy of the imperialist government during the Second World War led to many war crimes and cruelty towards other peoples. At the same time, Japan experienced the catastrophic consequences of a world war, including nuclear strikes. This fact largely determined the outlook of the Japanese in the post-war period.

The main debate in this area remains the question of positioning Japan as a party to the conflict in the Second World War. In particular, after the defeat of the Japanese militaristic government in the war, America began a large-scale occupation of the country (Jacob 12).

In particular, the main goal after the end of the war was the demilitarization and democratization of Japan (Jacob 12). Researchers look at this process differently, assessing it as a violation of Japans sovereignty or as forced actions to prevent the conflict from escalating (Porter and Porter 66). Machida emphasizes that the occupation of Japan by the United States caused discontent among the Japanese and increased confidence in self-defense policies (29). Jacob, on the contrary, interprets these events as forced actions to maintain peace, which were considered by Imperialist Japan as a threat (76). Thus, there are different opinions in the scientific community regarding the motives of Japans activities in the framework of the Second World War.

Additionally, researchers do not give an unequivocal opinion on the attitude of the Japanese people and members of the government to the military activities of the state. In particular, Porter and Porter emphasize that the Japanese government used extensive propaganda to maintain approval of military aggression (67). They also report that most of the people of Japan during that period were unaware of the military occupation of other countries in Asia by Japan.

The invasion of American troops and the defeat of Japan in the war was a certain shock for them, which was not expected (Porter and Porter 69). Hinnershitz supports these views by pointing out that throughout World War II, US soldiers were particularly cruel to the Japanese (124). In particular, there is a history of long-term use of American Japanese labor in the United States (Hinnershitz 125). This factor emphasizes the position of Japan and in particular its citizens as victims in this conflict.

Researchers also view Japans motivation and decision to participate in the war not as imperialist ambitions but as a response to US suppression. In particular, Record emphasizes that the Japanese government was aware that it had an illusory chance of winning the conflict (46). However, Japan saw no other way out of this situation, as it feared the loss of its own sovereignty. Although this partially happened after the end of the Second World War, Japan managed to reach more favorable agreements. Researchers also motivate the general approval of the actions of the Japanese government in the conflict by the general sense of national integrity experienced by Japanese citizens (Record 46). In this regard, the opinions of researchers also differ, as they are considered from different perspectives.

One element of the current debate in the area is the ambiguous attitude of researchers towards the opinions of Japanese citizens regarding the Second World War and military operations. In particular, Seo reports that during the Second World War, there was widespread approval of the governments actions in the mass media in Japan (52). Additionally, active propaganda supported the generally positive attitude of Japanese citizens towards participation in the war. However, after the defeat of Japan and, in particular, episodes of nuclear strikes on the country, approval began to decline sharply, growing into general dissatisfaction with the activities of the government.

This view of the attitude of the Japanese to the Second World War does not give a complete understanding of both the motives of the state and the opinions of citizens. Jacob, for example, does not emphasize that the Japanese government and people experienced exclusively imperialist aspirations within the framework of the conflict (78). This view is contrary to the assumptions made by other researchers, who tend to view Japan as a victim of the conflict (Porter and Porter 114; Record 65; Seo 52). In this situation, there is no consensus on the assessment of Japans activities in the framework of the Second World War.

However, it should be noted that researchers pay limited attention to the influence of propaganda on the formation of Japanese attitudes towards war. In particular, research mainly focuses on the political aspects of the conflict, as well as the imperialist and militaristic activities of Japan. At the same time, the authors rarely turn to the study of the reasons for Japans participation in the war and aggression against other Asian countries. Consideration of social factors that were relevant at that time in the country play an even smaller role in this area. Thus, it is quite difficult to assess what position Japan took in any world war, as well as what attitude the Japanese had towards this conflict.

The Japanese government used propaganda to create a certain positive attitude among Japanese citizens towards World War II. However, researchers are not clear on how the Japanese government itself viewed itself within the conflict. There is no consensus as to what goals Japan pursued. Some researchers believe that the country has become a victim in the imperialist race of the West. Others believe that Japan wanted to seize the moment to expand its influence in Asia. One way or another, the attitude of the Japanese towards this conflict is ambiguous and is shaped by many different factors that the authors point to.

Works Cited

Hinnershitz, Stephanie. Japanese American Incarceration The Camps and Coerced Labor During World War II. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2021.

Jacob, Frank. Japanese War Crimes during World War II: Atrocity and the Psychology of Collective Violence. ABC-CLIO, 2018.

Machida, Satoshi. War Memories and Japanese Citizens Views Toward the Self-Defense Forces. Contemporary Japan, vol. 33, no. 1, 2021, pp. 24-40.

Porter, Edgar A., and Ran Ying Porter. Japanese Reflections on World War II and the American Occupation. Amsterdam University Press, 2018.

Record, Jeffrey. Japans Decision For War In 1941: Some Enduring Lessons. Lucknow Books, 2015.

Seo, Gijae. Shonen Kurabu and the Japanese Attitude Toward War. Childrens Literature in Education, vol. 52, 2021, pp. 49-67.

WWII is one of the most controversial events in history because of the damage and development it caused. Millions of people died on the front, but numerous scientific and technological advancements were also discovered. One of the initial reasons for the conflict originated in the tension between the countries for dominance and control over the worlds politics. Thus, the political and economic state of the world also changed since the dominance shifted from superpowers like the European alliance and the Soviet Union to the United States. One of the topics around the second World War that provokes questions about whether the world would have been entirely different today is the entrance of the US into the conflict. Despite the reservations from the US to join the war and Germanys original intentions to change the worlds order, it was the USs involvement that changed the course of international politics.

One of the biggest drivers in the pro-war dichotomy in the US is its views on labor. The war required an excessive amount of labor and capital that the US had in abundance at that time. Moreover, excessive demand in the labor force endorsed the beginning of gender and racial equality in the United States. This fact only boosted USs capabilities, making it easier for the US to justify joining the war. This process forced the US government to send the countrys male population to serve in military forces on fronts in Japan, Europe, and other parts of the world. Due to the labor force shortage, women were forced to step up not only on routine jobs but also take up male-dominated professions. According to Rose, around 6.7 million women were newly employed during wartime, increasing the female labor force by 50% (Rose 2018). The figures show that female involvement in construction and engineering grew significantly, and in the manufacturing industry alone, the percentage rose by 13% within four years from 1940 to 1944 (Rose 2018). This proves USs potential for contribution to the war that drove its decision to join.

This idea of more radical equality is contrasted with the Nazi project. According to Rattansi, the Nazi project is one of the stages and causes of antisemitism, one of the oldest forms of racism (Rattansi 2020). Consequently, the USs domination after WWII led to the spread of democratic values and almost eliminated one of racisms forms. However, while female labor force participation (FLFP) rapidly grew during the war years, it returned almost to the same numbers after the war in the US (Rose 2018). Moreover, the official end of the slave trade took place 20 years later after the war ended, which also shows that participation in the war did not significantly influence the end of racism. Despite this fact, the precedent of thought was established that led to modern progress in social issues, as the US was solidified as a superpower. In other words, the advantage of the US, which drove it to join the war, influenced the world to adopt a similar ideology.

Other actions from the US government due to WWII further influenced the world in a beneficial way. For instance, a large share of the federal budget was spent on opening research centers at top universities, and general spending on education increased (McMahon 2021). This led to significant technological advancement, space exploration, scientific discoveries, and the establishment of the nuclear program. Moreover, according to Gross and Sampat, the US government Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) received the most extensive sponsorship in US history during World War II, which in turn took off the whole US innovation path (Gross and Sampat 2020). These innovations benefited the international community and led to more discoveries around the globe. Consequently, all the mentioned factors resulted in the US becoming a superpower and significant country in the politics and economy of the world.

The show of force during WWII was considered at first to bear more negative consequences, which can be later seen in US involvement in the Cold War. According to McMahon, the cold war was so essential in that period of history that it left hardly any aspect of American life untouched (McMahon 2021, p. 130). The government started making annual spending on national security, and many manufacturing and industrial complexes took a military-related direction. More and more citizens started living in stress and fear, most of them being involved in the war. Furthermore, many people from other countries suffered from the effects of proxy wars. Nevertheless, it shows the extent of US influence on international order.

Overall, the participation of the United States in WWII caused a change in the international order, making the US a superpower. It was not the intended result, as Germany sought this position, and the US hesitated to join the war at first. The war brought benefits, such as higher gender and racial equality, as USs democratic values continued to spread. They brought a more considerable percentage of female involvement in the labor force and the elimination of antisemitism. Both WWII and the cold war brought long-term benefits, such as the technological and scientific advancement launch of the nuclear program, which gave the US the right to be claimed as a superpower. Moreover, it boosted progress in these fields across the globe.

References

Gross, Daniel. P., and Sampat, Bhaven. N. 2020. Inventing The Endless Frontier: The Effects of the World War II Research Effort on Post-War Innovation. National Bureau of Economic Research. Web.

McMahon, Robert. J. 2021. The Cold War: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.

Rattansi, Ali. 2020. Racism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.

Rose, Evan K. 2018. The Rise and Fall of Female Labor Force Participation During World War II in the United States. The Journal of Economic History 78(3). Cambridge University Press: 673711. Web.

Russett, Bruce. M. 2018. No Clear and Present Danger: A Skeptical View of the United States Entry into World War II. Routledge.

Beginning as an Allied attack on German troops throughout the Western Front of World War I, close to the Somme River, the Battle of the Somme lasted between July and November 1916. British troops had more than 57,000 fatalities, along with more than 19,000 people killed, on the opening day of the conflict alone (Patarino, n.d.). It was one of the bloodiest, deadliest, and most expensive confrontations in the history of mankind. More than 3 million men on both sides participated in the Battle, also known as the First Battle of the Somme, which finished almost five months later (Patarino, n.d.). Over 1 million men on both sides were murdered or injured.

During the offensive on Flers Courcelette, 12 battalions of infantry and 48 Mark I tanks, which were making their debut entrance on the battleground, advanced after the British artillery bombardment. More than any other battle in World War I, the Battle of the Somme had come to symbolize the mindless bloodshed and utter brutality of trench warfare (Patarino, n.d.). Given such severe casualties, British commanders would face criticism for maintaining the attack.

The historical significance of the event may be formulated as follows. From the strategic perspective, the German defenses in France suffered significant damage as a result of the Allied victory at the River. This state of affairs led the Germans to withdraw tactically to the Hindenburg Line instead of keeping on fighting for the same territory that spring. Then, the utilization of tanks, chemical weapons, and unhumanitarian ways of conducting a war was a notable factor that made the global community  along with other similar precedents  regulate this dimension with international law. Even today, such laws that forbid the use of, for instance, chemical weapons are still relevant and signed by the representatives of the civilized world.

Reference

Patarino, V. (n.d.). Western civilization 102: Online supplemental primary source packet, ultra short version. Google Drive. Web.

Introduction

It is important to note that During World War II, the United States government launched a campaign to recruit women to work in factories and other industries to support the war effort. This campaign, known as Rosie the Riveter, led to a significant increase in the number of women entering the workforce and challenged traditional gender roles in American society. The need for more workers in the factories and other industries was driven by the fact that the men were sent to fight in the war, leaving a shortage of labor. Thus, the Rosie the Riveter campaign during World War II played a pivotal role in shaping the future of womens rights and opportunities in the workforce and had both short-term and long-term impacts on American society.

Who Was Involved and Who Was Affected?

The Rosie the Riveter campaign involved and was primarily directed towards women, who were encouraged to take on jobs that had traditionally been reserved for men. Many of these women were married and had children, and some were minorities as well (Cookmeyer 18). The given campaign affected all of American society, especially the female population. The women who participated in the campaign were able to gain new skills and experiences and were able to contribute to the war effort in a meaningful way (Freeman 17). Families were affected, as many women had to balance their responsibilities at home with their new jobs.

What, When, Where, and Why

The government launched a propaganda campaign that encouraged women to take on jobs in factories and other industries to support the war effort. This campaign was called Rosie the Riveter, and it featured a fictional character named Rosie who was depicted as a strong, capable woman who could do a mans job (History.com Editors par. 4). The campaign took place primarily in the United States, but similar campaigns were launched in other countries, such as Great Britain and Canada (Jeffery par. 3). The campaign began in the early 1940s and lasted until the end of the war (Jamero 111). The campaign was launched in response to the need for more workers in the factories and other industries that were producing goods to support the war effort. With many men being sent to fight in the war, there was a shortage of labor.

Importance and Historical Impact

The Rosie the Riveter campaign had a significant impact on the future of womens rights and opportunities in the workforce. It helped to break down traditional gender roles and paved the way for women to enter previously male-dominated fields. Additionally, it helped to break down barriers for minority women. It changed history by challenging traditional gender roles and opening up new opportunities for women in the workforce. In addition, the campaign helped to pave the way for the feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s (Pham 324). After the war, many women were able to continue working and pursue careers that had previously been off-limits to them.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Rosie the Riveter campaign during World War II played a pivotal role in shaping the future of womens rights and opportunities in the workforce. It helped to break down traditional gender roles and opened up new opportunities for women, both in the short term and in the long term. The campaign had a significant impact on American society and helped to pave the way for future advancements in womens rights.

Works Cited

Cookmeyer, V. What Happened to Rosie the Riveter?: Media Portrayals of Women in the Workforce, 1942-1946. Mass Communication and Journalism, vol. 846, 2022, pp. 1-47. Web.

Freeman, Hannah E. Coveralls or Coverless: Rosie the Riveters and Pin-Up Girls on the World War II Home Front. University of Nebraska at Kearney, vol. 1, no. 27668340, 2019, pp. 1-24. Web.

History.com Editors. Rosie the Riveter. History, Web.

Jamero, Monica. The Chico Historian. California State University, 2018.

Jeffery, Pamela. A New Rosie the Riveter-Inspired Movement for The Women in Canadas Workforce Today. Toronto Star, Web.

Pham, Minh-Ha T. How to Make a Mask: Quarantine Feminism and Global Supply Chains. Feminist Studies, vol. 46, no. 2, 2020, pp. 316-326.