Category: World War 2

Introduction

The nuclear weapon is the most powerful and destructive weapon ever invented by mankind. This weapon played a role in ending the Second World War since the Japanese forces surrendered when atomic bombs were dropped on their cities. The impact of these bombs was devastating and mass casualties were experienced at the sites of the attacks.

For the first time in history, the world was introduced to the nuclear bomb and its destructive capabilities. Following this spectacular display of the annihilating capability of the nuclear weapon, the major world powers saw nuclear armament as being integral to their military strength.

Due to the immense military power that ownership of nuclear weapons gave to a particular country, the post WWII years were followed by a global nuclear arms race. The two main countries in competition for nuclear superiority were the US and the Soviet Union. This paper will set out to discuss the nuclear arms race with a focus on what caused this phenomenon and the impacts that it had.

The Nuclear Bomb

Research into nuclear weapons was conducted by scientists from the US during the 1930s. In 1939, the US government commissioned a project that was aimed at producing the worlds first atomic bomb. This project, known as the Manhattan Project took place with the support of Canada and the US and it was able to produce two types of atomic bombs utilizing uranium and plutonium.

The first successful detonation of a nuclear device was the Trinity Test conducted on 16 July 1945 in New Mexico (Carnesale et al., 52). This test demonstrated that the nuclear bomb could be deployed in battle and the US President Harry S. Truman authorized the weapons use against Japan.

In the years immediately following WWII, the US was the sole world nuclear superpower. This country had a monopoly on the knowledge of nuclear weapon production and it had already successfully tested its nuclear weapons and perfected its delivery system as could be witnessed from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. The US hoped to maintain its exclusivity as the only nuclear capable nation in the world.

While the US and the Soviet Union had been allies during the war, they had great differences and the two countries did not trust each other. The adversity between the US and the Soviet Union began in the late 1940s and the US took steps to protect itself from any Soviet aggression.

Carnesale et al. explain that by 1949, the US had a number of strategic bombers carrying targeting critical Soviet installations located in the UK (78).

These bombers were equipped with nuclear warheads capable of causing significant damage to the Soviet Union. To counter US nuclear superiority, the Soviet Union maintained a strong military presence in Europe and its conventional army was capable of overwhelming the whole of Europe.

Well aware of the superiority that nuclear weapons gave the US, the Soviets engaged in intensive efforts to develop their own nuclear weapons. These efforts were aided by reports from Soviet spies who had been following the progress of US scientists during the Manhattan Project.

The Soviets achieved nuclear capability in 1949 and they demonstrated their capability by detonating a test bomb on August of the same year. This bomb, named First Lightning closely resembled the American bomb dropped on Nagasaki. These similarities were because the bomb was built using details obtained from the infamous nuclear spies Theodore Hall and Klaus Fuchs.

This demonstration of Soviet nuclear capacity effectively started the nuclear arms race. Buzan and Herring explain that while the US was previously confident in its position as the global nuclear power, the advances by the Soviets proved that other nations were taking steps to develop nuclear weaponry (81).

The Nuclear Arms Race

Buzan and Herring define an arms race as the most extreme manifestation of an arms dynamic between the militaries of different states (81). For an arms race to occur there must be at least two parties engaged in a conscious rivalry with each other. In the post WWII years, the US and the Soviet Union were the main antagonists. The two powers were aware of each others nuclear ambitions and sought to outdo each other.

The nuclear arms race began in full force following the detonation of the atomic bomb First Lightning by the Soviet Union (Carnesale et al. 77). This development brought the Soviets closer to matching the nuclear strength of the US. However, the Truman administration wanted to ensure that it was the major nuclear power in the world.

Therefore, in response to the development of an Atomic bomb by the Soviet Union, the US administration approved research into the development of a hydrogen bomb in 1949 and increased funding for nuclear research and development.

In 1952, the US had successfully created the powerful hydrogen bomb and this weapon was tested on November 1952. Another hydrogen bomb of a 14.8 megaton yield was made and tested by the US in 1954 firmly reinforcing the nuclear superiority of the US in the world.

Up until the mid 1950s, the US nuclear superiority was unchallenged as the US demonstrated qualitative and quantitative superiority to its nearest rival, the Soviet Union.

This unchallenged nuclear superiority status was offset in 1955 when the Soviet Union detonated a 1.6 megaton hydrogen bomb (Holloway 131). Before this detonation, the US had been the only nuclear weapon state in possession of the immensely powerful hydrogen bombs.

Nuclear weapons started to take priority over conventional weapons from 1955. Before this period, the Soviet Union has relied on its conventional forces in Europe to counterbalance US military strength. However, the two sides started to increase their reliance on tactical nuclear weapons between 1955 and 1965.

Tactical nuclear weapons were low-yield nuclear weapons that could be employed on the battlefield in relatively close proximity to friendly forces (French 199). The US administration hoped to reduce its military spending in Europe by using nuclear weapons in the European theatre as a deterrent to Soviet aggression.

Tactical nuclear weapons presented the best means through which NATO could counter the Soviets superiority in conventional forces (Holloway 54). For the Soviets, tactical nuclear weapons would deter attacks from the US since deployment of these weapons would cause the destruction of Europe.

In addition to this, the Soviet Union did not have the capability to successfully attack the US due to the geographical distance between the two countries and the strong air defenses implemented by the US.

By 1965, Europe had thousands of tactical nuclear weapons, the majority of which were owned by NATO. Buzan and Herring state that NATO forces engaged in widespread use of nuclear artillery to strengthen its position in Europe (34).

A variety of delivery systems including cannons and tanks were to be used to deliver the nuclear payloads. The smallest tactical nuclear weapons could be carried and delivered through recoilless rifles placed on light armored vehicles.

By the end of the 1950s, there were a number of nuclear-capable tactical aircraft in operation all over Europe. In addition to the aircrafts, both sides introduced surface-to-surface missiles that could be used for tactical offence or defense purposes.

Arms races are characterized by a competition in terms of weapon quantity with each party trying to outnumber other others. During the nuclear arms race, the nations involved were engaged in intense competition to increase their nuclear stockpiles and produce nuclear warheads.

This was the case in the nuclear arms race with both super powers increasing their nuclear stockpiles with the aim of superseding the rival. At the peak of weapons proliferation, the USSR had 45,000 nuclear warheads while the US had about 30,000 nuclear warheads (Buzan and Herring 54). The countries also looked for the most effective ways of delivering their nuclear payloads to an enemy.

The two major rivals in the nuclear arms race tried to obtain the same or higher technological capabilities to their rival. Holloway reveals that the Soviet Union looked for means to equal US qualitative advancement in nuclear weapon development (148). Each technological advancement demonstrated by the US was shortly followed by similar achievements by the Soviets ensuring that the two states were at equal power.

For example, by 1965, the US had succeeded in successfully building and deploying an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) that was capable of delivering nuclear payloads to distant targets (Oelrich 81).

This was a threat to the Soviet Union since it meant that the US could launch a nuclear warhead into Soviet States from the US. To counter this, the Soviets also set out to develop the same capabilities. The Soviet Union built rockets that could carry the heavier and less effective nuclear warheads in the Soviet stockpiles halfway around the world.

An important note concerning the US-Soviet rivalry was that in addition to reacting to each others advancement, each superpower was also reacting to what it estimated that the other would do in the future (Buzan and Herring 95). This mutual suspicion led each nation to assume that its opponent was carrying out additional research and development in its nuclear weaponry.

Impacts of the Arms Race

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

In two and a half decades after the end of the Second World War, the nuclear arms race had become so prevalent that the international community acknowledged that action needed to be taken to prevent future spread of nuclear weapons.

To legally limit the proliferation of nuclear weapons and technology, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was established in 1968 and ratified in 1970 (Bluth 84). This treaty named the five nuclear capable countries of the time, which were the US, the Soviet Union, China, Britain, and France, as the primary owners of nuclear weapons and technology.

The nuclear capable signatories of the NPT agreed not to sell weapons to the non-nuclear capable states. In addition to this, the treaty required the nuclear weapons states to avoid providing technical aid that could help the non-nuclear capable states to manufacture nuclear weapons. This would ensure that the nuclear weapons were restricted to only a few states.

The other binding commitment of the NPT was to encourage nuclear disarmament (Bluth 88). The nuclear-weapon States were required to make positive steps towards reducing their nuclear weapons stockpiles and eventually achieve complete disarmament.

The NPT recognized that nuclear technology could be used for peaceful means. This treaty therefore allowed for the transfer of nuclear technology and material among nations for use in peaceful purposes such as power generation.

Deterrence

The nuclear arms race was used for deterrence purposes by the two United States and the Soviet Union. After the Second World War, these two former allies emerged as the great global powers. However, the two had sharp political and ideological differences that made them bitter rivals. In the years following the Second World War, the US and its allies were pitted against the Soviet Union and its allies.

The ideological conflict between the two led to threats of war and great antagonism between the Soviets and the Americans. The arsenal of nuclear weapons maintained by both the US and the Soviet Union ensured that the two superpowers were never engaged in a direct military confrontation since both powers were aware that such an action could lead to devastating losses (Oelrich 80).

The arms race introduced the concept of Mutual Assured Destruction. Both the US and the Soviet Union had amassed nuclear weapons that were capable of completely destroying each other (French 56). An important strategy employed by both sides was the second strike capability.

This capability meant that either side could strike back even after it had been hit by a devastating attack from the opposite side. As such, neither side could attack the other since each was assured that it would suffer catastrophic destruction even if it carried out a preemptive attack.

Costs

The nuclear arms race led to a monumental increase in the military expenditure of the US and the Soviet Union. The US increased its military spending to finance research and development into nuclear weapons and efficient delivery systems. By the year 1986, the US had a defense budget of $367 billion, a 200% increase from the previous decade (French 163).

However, the military expenditure was low compared to the countrys GDP and Americans did not feel the negative economic impact of the nuclear weapons program. The Soviet Union was more affected by the financial strain caused by the arms race since the country had a lower GDP.

In addition to this, the arms race strained the countrys economy since significant resources were dedicated to the Soviet military research at the expense of the civilian sector. Some scholars argue that the financial burden imposed by the nuclear arms race contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent end of the arms race (Kort 1973).

This argument holds some merit considering the fact that the Soviets dedicated between 30 and 40% of their GDP to military efforts while the US only used 8 to 10%. This difference in economic costs made it hard for the Soviet Union to keep up with the US in the arms race.

Decline in the Arms Race

Haslam reveals that by the beginning of the 1960s, it was clear that the US and the Soviet had equal nuclear power (43). While the US has begun as the global nuclear leader, the Soviet has increased its weapons number and sophistication to match that of the US.

Both sides realized that it would be important to stop or reduce the race of the arms race. In 1972, the first treaty aimed at limiting nuclear weapons was implemented. This treaty, known as the strategic arms limitations talks (SALT) put temporary limits on intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched missiles. It also imposed strict limits on defensive antiballistic missile systems.

However, this treaty did not limit efforts at modernizing the available missile systems of both nations. As such, both countries continued to modernize their offensive missiles and developed missiles capable of carrying more than one nuclear warhead.

Kort documents that these missiles known as MIRVs (multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles) rendered the SALT agreements ineffective since each country could still deliver missiles to numerous targets in spite of the limitation on delivery vehicles (1971). A second agreement, SALT II was proposed to address the inadequacies of the first treaty.

The end of the arms race started with the appointment of Mikhail Gorbachev as the first secretary of the powerful Communist Part of the Soviet Union. This Soviet leader advocated for a reduction in the nuclear and conventional forces of the Soviet Union.

Bluth reports that the Soviets made a series of concessions that led to the ratification of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) treaty, which required a large reduction in the nuclear stockpiles of the US and the Soviet Union (215). The treaty also called for an elimination of short and medium range nuclear missiles and this requirement was fulfilled in 1991 when both the US and the Soviet Union destroyed their arsenals.

The end of the cold in 1991 war marked the end of the nuclear arms race that had been in play for almost four decades. With the dissolution of the USSR, the US was the dominant military power in the world.

During the early 1990s, the US and the Soviet Union reduced their tactical nuclear weapons in Europe following the withdrawal of Russian troops from Eastern Europe (French 74). From then on, the US and Russia have engaged in a policy of continuous nuclear disarmament.

Discussion

In spite of the end of the Soviet Union and the Cold War, the US and Russia still retain a considerable number of nuclear weapons. Oelrich states that the two countries are capable of launching devastating nuclear attacks against each other (79). The primary reason for maintaining a nuclear arsenal in the post-Cold War era is deterrence.

Oelrich agrees that the nuclear weapons are able to support broad deterrence objectives therefore ensuring that neither country takes aggressive military action against its rival (81). It can be assumed that nuclear weapons will continue to fulfill this role since as opposed to leading to a war, the nuclear arms race served as a substitute for war since none of the nuclear weapon states have every used their weapons against an adversary.

Conclusion

This paper set out to discuss the nuclear arms race that took place between the US and the Soviet Union after the Second World War. It began by highlighting the introduction of nuclear weapons into modern warfare by the US. The paper then showed how the Soviet Union made efforts to obtain nuclear capabilities during the first 5 years following the end of WWII.

Following the acquisition of nuclear weapons by the Soviet Union, the US took measures to increase its nuclear superiority and this created the arms race. The paper has revealed that the nuclear arms race was aimed at increasing the global power of the nuclear weapons states and serve a deterrence purpose to the other arms race participants.

The arms race came to an end following the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Even so, nuclear weapons continue to play a major role in the defense strategy of the US and Russia.

Works Cited

Bluth, Christopher. The Collapse of Soviet Military Power. London: Dartmouth Publishing Company Limited, 1995. Print.

Buzan, Barry, and Herring Eric. The Arms Dynamic in World Politics. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1998. Print.

Carnesale, Albert, Paul Doty, Stanley Hoffman, Samuel Huntington and Scott Sagan. Living with Nuclear Weapons. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1983. Print.

French, David. Army, Empire, and Cold War: The British Army and Military Policy, 1945-1971. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2012. Print.

Haslam, Jonathan. The Soviet Union and the Politics of Nuclear Weapons in Europe, 1969-1987. London: MacMillan Press, 1989.

Holloway, David. The Soviet Union and the Arms Race. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984.

Kort, Michael. The Columbia Guide to the Cold War. NY: Columbia University Press, 2013. Print.

Oelrich, Ivan. The next step in arms control: Eliminate the counterforce mission. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 68.1 (2012): 7985. Print.

Asia has a long and rich history and it has seen its share of wars for territory and dominance in the region. China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan have signed several treaties after World War II, which specifically outline the circumstances between the countries. The unique relationship that each nation has with the other can be seen by the conditions that are set out in each individual and unique agreement.

When the Second World War finished, Japan and Allied Powers signed A Treaty of San Francisco. This took place in 1951 when the war was officially over but there were two more treaties that were signed in the later years. Because the end of Second World War was made official, the nations felt that they must acknowledge the unified goal towards better relations and as such have included points that were same for all nations.

Even though these were peace treaties, the content was affected by the historical relationship among nations. The reason for treaties was in answer to Japans damaging treatment of China and its people. The treaty that was signed by Japan and Taiwan and the one between Japan and Korea had the same specificity.

Article II of Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea states that it is confirmed that all treaties or agreements concluded between the Empire of Japan and the Empire of Korea on or before August 22, 1910 are already null and void (Radtke, 1990). A unique fact is that the third treaty did not have the same point of nullification which makes a distinct statement about the relationship of the two nations.

The date is of importance as this was the time when Japan overtook Korea and did it in a forceful way. It was necessary for the peace treaty to contain this acknowledgement of Japanese aggression in the past, so that such matter would not repeat itself in the future. There was much animosity between the two nations because a number of trade agreements were unfair and damaging to the whole country (Wang, 2000).

After the first Sino-Japanese War, Taiwan, Penghu and some territory of the islands went under Japans rule, ending in 1895 (Radtke, 1990). In relation to the matter, Sino-Japanese Peace Treaty between Japan and the Republic of China was signed in 1952 which put an end to the Second Sino-Japanese War. It has been known that Japan has treated Korea and Taiwan in an abusive way, using residents harshly and aggressively.

The peace treaty emphasized the fact to prevent any future occurrences. One of the most important differences in the treaties was the territorial ownership and domination (Oros, 2010). Those agreements signed between Japan and Korea, and Japan and Taiwan did not have any mention of regional dominance, whereas the treaty between Japan and the Peoples Republic of China stated that neither had plans or goals to become dominant in the region.

This happened because in the late 19^th century Japanese military had more advancement over China and has taken possession of parts of Chinese land and some islands in the area. The two Sino-Japanese wars were proof that Japan was actively seeking domination and so, this was an important factor to include in the peace treaty (Hook, 2013).

The way Japanese behaved towards Korean and Taiwanese people was extremely detrimental and was qualified as many years of oppression and abuse. Historically, the relationship Japan had with the surrounding nations has been very violent and torn by wars, so the treaty between Japan and Peoples Republic of China had to definitely mention the past treatment.

At the same time, a later treaty was signed on August 12^th, 1978 and had a linkage to the San Francisco Peace Treaty in relation to the Senkaku Islands. The problem was that there was no mention thereof and so, it was unclear how the matter will be resolved. Taiwan has made a claim regarding the islands with the reference to the previous peace treaty but Japanese response was that Taiwan was not in possession of the islands prior to the signage of any treaties and so, no references could be made to any previous agreements.

A common principle that was binding towards all nations was that All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered (Lee, 2002). Because many conflicts between Asian nations were enrooted in the past, the evidence that was brought forth had such unique character.

Even though the treaties were signed in good nature and reassurance of peace, some territory has stayed under questionable possession, leaving out details that were crucial in making a fair decision. Treaties signed between Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Peoples Republic of China each have unique characteristics that are specific to the historical relationship amongst nations. The agreements have ended a part of the conflict but further actions were needed to completely resolve all problems.

References

Hook, G. (2013). Japans International Relations: Politics, Economics and Security. New York, United States: Routledge.

Lee, S. (2002). Territorial Disputes among Japan, China and Taiwan concerning the Senkaku Islands. Durham, United Kingdom: IBRU.

Oros, A. (2010). Global Security WatchJapan. Santa Barbara, United States: ABC-CLIO.

Radtke, K. (1990). Chinas Relations With Japan 1945-83. New York, United States: Manchester University Press.

Wang, Q. (2000). Hegemonic Cooperation and Conflict. Westport, United States: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Asia has a long and rich history and it has seen its share of wars for territory and dominance in the region. China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan have signed several treaties after World War II, which specifically outline the circumstances between the countries. The unique relationship that each nation has with the other can be seen by the conditions that are set out in each individual and unique agreement.

When the Second World War finished, Japan and Allied Powers signed A Treaty of San Francisco. This took place in 1951 when the war was officially over but there were two more treaties that were signed in the later years. Because the end of Second World War was made official, the nations felt that they must acknowledge the unified goal towards better relations and as such have included points that were same for all nations.

Even though these were peace treaties, the content was affected by the historical relationship among nations. The reason for treaties was in answer to Japans damaging treatment of China and its people. The treaty that was signed by Japan and Taiwan and the one between Japan and Korea had the same specificity.

Article II of Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea states that it is confirmed that all treaties or agreements concluded between the Empire of Japan and the Empire of Korea on or before August 22, 1910 are already null and void (Radtke, 1990). A unique fact is that the third treaty did not have the same point of nullification which makes a distinct statement about the relationship of the two nations.

The date is of importance as this was the time when Japan overtook Korea and did it in a forceful way. It was necessary for the peace treaty to contain this acknowledgement of Japanese aggression in the past, so that such matter would not repeat itself in the future. There was much animosity between the two nations because a number of trade agreements were unfair and damaging to the whole country (Wang, 2000).

After the first Sino-Japanese War, Taiwan, Penghu and some territory of the islands went under Japans rule, ending in 1895 (Radtke, 1990). In relation to the matter, Sino-Japanese Peace Treaty between Japan and the Republic of China was signed in 1952 which put an end to the Second Sino-Japanese War. It has been known that Japan has treated Korea and Taiwan in an abusive way, using residents harshly and aggressively.

The peace treaty emphasized the fact to prevent any future occurrences. One of the most important differences in the treaties was the territorial ownership and domination (Oros, 2010). Those agreements signed between Japan and Korea, and Japan and Taiwan did not have any mention of regional dominance, whereas the treaty between Japan and the Peoples Republic of China stated that neither had plans or goals to become dominant in the region.

This happened because in the late 19^th century Japanese military had more advancement over China and has taken possession of parts of Chinese land and some islands in the area. The two Sino-Japanese wars were proof that Japan was actively seeking domination and so, this was an important factor to include in the peace treaty (Hook, 2013).

The way Japanese behaved towards Korean and Taiwanese people was extremely detrimental and was qualified as many years of oppression and abuse. Historically, the relationship Japan had with the surrounding nations has been very violent and torn by wars, so the treaty between Japan and Peoples Republic of China had to definitely mention the past treatment.

At the same time, a later treaty was signed on August 12^th, 1978 and had a linkage to the San Francisco Peace Treaty in relation to the Senkaku Islands. The problem was that there was no mention thereof and so, it was unclear how the matter will be resolved. Taiwan has made a claim regarding the islands with the reference to the previous peace treaty but Japanese response was that Taiwan was not in possession of the islands prior to the signage of any treaties and so, no references could be made to any previous agreements.

A common principle that was binding towards all nations was that All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered (Lee, 2002). Because many conflicts between Asian nations were enrooted in the past, the evidence that was brought forth had such unique character.

Even though the treaties were signed in good nature and reassurance of peace, some territory has stayed under questionable possession, leaving out details that were crucial in making a fair decision. Treaties signed between Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Peoples Republic of China each have unique characteristics that are specific to the historical relationship amongst nations. The agreements have ended a part of the conflict but further actions were needed to completely resolve all problems.

References

Hook, G. (2013). Japans International Relations: Politics, Economics and Security. New York, United States: Routledge.

Lee, S. (2002). Territorial Disputes among Japan, China and Taiwan concerning the Senkaku Islands. Durham, United Kingdom: IBRU.

Oros, A. (2010). Global Security WatchJapan. Santa Barbara, United States: ABC-CLIO.

Radtke, K. (1990). Chinas Relations With Japan 1945-83. New York, United States: Manchester University Press.

Wang, Q. (2000). Hegemonic Cooperation and Conflict. Westport, United States: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Introduction

Art can be defined as the deliberate arrangement of things in a manner that influences an individuals senses, emotions and intellect (Stokstad, 1995). Art has long been used as a form of universal communication. In politics, art is mainly used to advance propaganda.

Political art may refer to human creations that create a visual or hearing experience with the intension of presenting a political view (Rhodes, 1996). The term propaganda has no universally agreed meaning as it may be used to refer to a variety of persuasions. However, it can be generally described as the art of communicating with the aim of influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position in order to benefit oneself or ones group (Rhodes, 1996, p. 45).

Propaganda has long been used to advance political agenda, and this is responsible for its negative connotation. Propaganda as its known today, relates to the techniques that were employed by Nazi during the Second World War.

This paper seeks to establish the use of art in politics and especially its use to advance propaganda. The paper will mainly focus on how Nazi used art/propaganda during the Second World War.

Use of art in politics

Art has been used to advance political agenda since the advent of human civilization ad development of complex societies. There are many instances where literature, films, songs and visual art are used to communicate political views. Depending on the political system, artists can either be paid or ordered to create works that are used to advance political agenda. The success of political art is measured by how the message influences the intended audience.

Use of Art/propaganda by Nazi before and during the Second World War

Nazi officials formulated a propaganda strategy long before the Second World War. A ministry of public enlightenment and propaganda was created in 1937 with a mandate of using several themes to create external and internal enemies (Hitler, 1999). The external enemies in this sense comprised countries that had played a part in getting Germany to sign the treaty of Versailles. The internal enemies mostly comprised Jews and other immigrant groups.

Media

The media was very much used to spread the Nazi Propaganda. Below is a description of the different types of media that were used and how.

Newspapers

The NSDAP has its official newspaper identified as the Volkischer Beobachter (Peoples ob) which was launched in 1920 (Lighgtboy, 2004). It was mainly used to spread Nazi ideology by mainly writing scathing articles that were directed towards the weakness of parliamentary systems, Jewish evil behaviors and the national humiliation of the Versailles treaty among other topics (Rhodes, 1996).

The newspapers main role was attack opponents in the political arena and the Jewish community. The Volkischer Beobachter was later merged with the Der Angriff, a daily Newspaper run by joseph Goebbels (Rhodes, 1996). The Der Angriff attacked political opponents and Jews through disgusting cartoons. The paper also glorified Nazi heroes such as Adolf Hitler.

When Hitler assumed power in 1933, all media laterally came under complete Nazi control. Propaganda Newspapers were also established in the Nazi occupied states. In Ukraine, all the existing newspapers were ordered to print articles sourced from German agencies. This was intended to spread an anti-American and anti-British ideology.

Speeches

Hitler and the Nazi party relied heavily on the spoken word to pass their ideology to the masses. In the mein kampf, Hitler alleged that the he had discovered that speaking was a much more convenient way communicating to the people. People did not read things readily but would strive to hear speakers.

Speakers would get the appropriate feedback and adjust appropriately to keep in touch with the masses. Hitler was well known for his oratory and this played a major role in his ascend to power. Speakers were also vital for passing information that was intended specifically for the German population as this was not easily accessible in comparison to other forms of media. The speakers were under the ministry of propaganda and were provided with the specific information to say to different groups of people.

Posters

Posters were central to the Nazi propaganda ideology. They were not only used to gain popular support in Germany but also in the occupied territories. Posters were advantageous in several ways. They could easily be manipulated to have a strong visual effect so as to attract attention easily. Unlike other forms of propaganda, posters could not be avoided by the targeted audience.

Imagery was used to show Nazi youth and the SS as heroes with illumination to produce opulence (Rhodes, 1996).

Posters were placed in several strategic areas including schools. For instance, school posters would show an institution for the feeble-minded on the other hand and houses on the other, to inform students that the annual cost of the institution would build 17 homes for healthier families (Lighgtboy, 2004, p. 68).

Films

The Nazi party produced a lot of films to promote their agenda. The films featured several themes such as the virtue of the Nordic or Aryan, the strength of the military and the German industry, and the evils of those who were perceived to be enemies (Rhodes, 1996). Film was part of the strategies employed by the ministry of propaganda and was allocated a fully functional department.

The department controlled filming activities including the issuance of licenses prior to film production. In some instances, the government would handpick actors for a film, provide financial support and offer tax breaks to the producers (Rhodes, 1996, p.87). Self censorship was encouraged among film producers through schemes such as awards for films that were seen as valuable to the Nazi regime.

Under Nazi rule, almost all filming activities were nationalized by controlling the filming agencies. Some agencies however managed to escape by providing a certain version to the director of film department and producing a completely different version (Lighgtboy, 2004).

Under the Nazi rule, most schools were installed with motion picture projectors to act as a propaganda tool. The films that were specifically produced to influence school going children were termed military education (Hitler, 1999, p. 102).

Books

Nazi party and its supporters wrote many books. Its important to note that the beliefs and ideas of Nazi had existed in Germany as early as 19^th century. Most of the beliefs that were to be associated with Nazi such as German nationalism, eugenics and anti-Semitism had existed in form of books since the 19^th century (Rhodes, 1996,p. 37). Nazis own publications borrowed a lot from this existing works.

One of the most conspicuous books is the Mein Kampf, a book that was authored by Adolf Hitler about his own beliefs (Rhodes, 1996). The book gave a detailed account of ideas that would later spark the Second World War. Hitlers book borrowed a lot from The Crowd: A study of the Popular Mind a book that was written by Gustave Le Bon in 1895 (Hitler, 1999, p. 33). The book must have been of interest to Hitler as it described how irrational crowds could be controlled using propaganda.

Many other books such as Rassenkunde des deutschen Volkes written by Hans Gunther and Rasse und Seele by Dr Ludwig Clauss, tried to show the superiority of the Nordic or Aryan while identifying other communities as inferior (Rhodes, 1996). As a strategy to spread its propaganda, the Nazi regime ensured the use of such books as teaching texts in all schools.

Geopolitical atlases stressed the schemes advanced by the Nazi party; they showed Germany as an encircled country that was at risk of being overrun. The atlases showed the dangers posed by the Slav nations, depicted as being sympathetic to ideologies of enemy countries (Lighgtboy, 2004). Germany was shown to have a dense population compared to the Eastern regions of Europe; they emphasized the need for Germany to expand to these regions.

Math text books had so many military applications and employed the use of military words in problem solving. Other subjects such as physics and chemistry also concentrated on military applications, and grammar lessons were heavily made of propaganda sentences (Lighgtboy, 2004, p. 150).

In the occupied areas of France, German agencies ensured that German works were translated and made available. English books were banned, except for the classics (Lighgtboy, 2004). Majority of works done by the Jewish were banned, except for important scientific works (Rhodes, 1996).

Comics

Comics were used to spread propaganda both in Germany and the Nazi occupied countries. One notable comic book was the Vica series that was produced during the Second World War. The Vica was produced in the occupied territory France territory. The Vica series were primarily intended to act as a propaganda tool against the allied forces (Rhodes, 1996). The series were published by Vincent Krassousky and they showed how the Nazi influenced and thought about the French society (Lighgtboy, 2004).

Magazines

In 1939 and the period after, a representatives of the Nazi regime provided guidelines on what topics magazines were to write on (Lighgtboy, 2004). There were several other publications that were owned by Nazi and were used to propagandize the German society.

Neues Volk was published by the office of racial policy and contained racial propaganda (Rhodes, 1996). The magazine was mainly composed of articles criticizing the Jews and other races while praising Aryan types and portraying them as ideal.

The Signal magazine was one of the main propaganda magazines published during the Second World War. The magazine was made available in all occupied and neutral countries. The magazine was in circulation from April 1940 to March 1945 (Rhodes, 1996). The magazine was published in up to twenty different languages and was the highest selling war time magazine. The magazine was well budgeted for by the ministry of propaganda.

It was intended to create an illusion in the mind of the reader that Germany under the rule of Nazi as the greatest model of western civilization. The paper talked of Germany and its allies as the humane liberators of occupied states (Stokstad, 1995). The magazine would sometimes carry articles with pictures showing intense battle scenes. Unlike other magazines, Jews were hardly depicted in the Signal.

The NS-Frauen-Warte was a womans magazine (Rhodes, 1996). The magazine had several topics that stipulated the roles that women were required to play by the Nazi regime. The magazine carried articles that attacked intellectualism and encouraged women to have more children (Hitler, 1999).

They discussed what Nazi had done or would do for women and urged them to play bigger roles in the war. Other ladies magazines such as the Das deustche Madel recommended masculine activities for the girl child. The Das deutsche Madel, propagandized German women to be more active and masculine (Rhodes, 1996).

Radio

Many scholars have argued that Nazi pioneered the use of radio as a genocide tool. Indeed it can be established that Nazi officials relied a lot on radio broadcasts to spread propaganda even before they came to power. During the Second World War, Nazi radio broadcasts were mainly divided into internal and external broadcasts. Millions of cheap radios were manufactured under a program subsidized by the government and sold to the masses at affordable prices.

By the beginning of the Second World War, more that 70% of German households had radios, mainly the cheaper models that was limited in range so as to deny the citizens a chance of listening to foreign broadcast (Lighgtboy, 2004). Loudspeakers were employed to play radio broadcasts in public places and places of work (Rhodes, 1996).

Different non propaganda elements were introduced by Nazi so as to ensure that citizens continually listened to the radio. Music, advices and tips were the main form of entertainment used by Nazi.

The Nazi regime employed the use of radio to send messages to occupied territories and enemy countries (Lighgtboy, 2004, p. 45). The UK was one the main countries targeted by Nazi broadcasts. William Joyce was one of the broadcasters used by the German government to air propaganda views in English.

He went to Germany in 1939 where he initially read the News in English but later played a major role in broadcasting propaganda during the Second World War (Rhodes, 1996). He was captured after the world war and executed in 1946 for treason charges (Lighgtboy, 2004,p. 167).

Several other countries such as the US and France were victims of propaganda broadcasts. Radio Paris and radio Vichy were the main tools of propaganda in France (Rhodes, 1996).

Fine arts

The Nazi used fine arts as symbols of creating ideals. Sculptures were used to basically to represent Nazis racial theories where common nude male sculptures were used to portray the ideal Aryan race (Rhodes, 1996). There were landscaping paintings that were mainly displayed in the art Exhibitions that were carried even during the war. Explicitly political paintings and anti-Semitic paintings were rare.

Conclusion

This paper sought to define political art, identify how its used in politics and give a detailed account of how it was used by Nazi during the Second World War. Indeed it has been established that art has been used in politics for a very long time to spread propaganda. The paper has also established that Nazi used art intensively to influence people both in Germany and elsewhere. Nazi used different forms of art to spread their propaganda. The most notable ones include Newspapers, speeches, radio, magazines, films, posters and fine arts.

References

Hitler, A. (1999). Mein Kampf. Boston: Houghton Miffin.

Lighgtboy, B. (2004). The Second World War: Ambitions to Nemesis. New york: Routledge.

Rhodes, A. (1996). Propaganda: The art of persuasion: World War II. New York: Chelsea House Publishers.

Stokstad, M. (1995). Art History. New York: Harry N. Abrahams Inc.

This paper examines experiences and impacts of the World War II. Second world war was a moment when United States and there allies like China, Soviet Union, United Kingdom and France battle against Japan, Germany and Italy. Actually, this paper is significant to the social and historical context in human progress.

Indeed, what contributed to this mess was the fact that Adolf Hitler wanted to unite Germans to dominate other races in the world. In order attain such policy, Hitler and Nazi party opposes the Treaty of Versailles. In response, United States and other allies reacted against Germanys intention to oppose treaty of Versailles (Johnson 187).

Johnson (2001) asserted that:

Other several issues that contributed to World War II were bitterness, nationalistic tautness and unresolved cases that aroused from the First World War. Moreover, the causes of the Second World War were led by intrusion of Germany to Poland and infringement of Japan in China. Such aggressions were decision reached by both Japanese authority and Nazi regime of Germany led to the Second World War (193).

Roosevelt Franklin was the American president during that world war experience and economic downfall in America. Indeed, President Roosevelt Franklin worked with other allies to battle against Japan and Germany during World War II (Johnson, 194).

In 1939, President Roosevelt Franklin provided both financial and diplomatic collaboration to United Kingdom and China as a joint effort to defeat Japan and Germany. For sure, President Roosevelt remained neutral but ensured to promote democracy in United States while working with allies to defeat their enemy.

Indeed, together with allies, President Roosevelt battle against Nazi party of Germany. In fact, it was a moment after Japanese invaded Pearl Harbor in 1941, when United Kingdom and America battled aggressively against Germany and Japan (Johnson 195). Furthermore, President Roosevelt supervised American economy to contribute aides that ensured defeat against intention of Japan and Germany.

America organized active military and effective war strategy in inventing the initial atom bombs that led to defeat of Japan and Germany. Indeed, President Roosevelt was determined to embrace peace and negotiation; he formed effective strategies to form alliance with other nations as a way to defeat mischievous deeds of Italy, Japan and Germany.

In Germany, holocaust happened when Jews community was persecuted and killed by the Nazi party of Germany. For sure, according to Johnson, holocaust was a term that meant sacrifice when Jews were sacrificed and persecuted by the Nazi party (193). Johnson (2001) explained that:

The Nazi party, who came into power through support from Adolf Hitler, perceived that Germans were superior to other communities. Indeed, the Nazi party sacrificed other inferior communities like Jews and gypsies. In fact, other communities were condemned on ideological and political factors such as socialists and communists (191).

During the World War II, aggression of Adolf Hitler and Nazi party led to persecution of Jews who lived in Germany. This was due to the fact that Nazi party felt that Jews community was a threat in their nation.

Moreover, the Germans continued to condemn many other people when Nazi tyranny developed in entire Europe. For example, the Germans persecuted Soviet and Polish citizens for slavery (Johnson 194). Furthermore, the Nazi party condemned homosexuals who did not act according to expected social norms.

Johnson reflected that the Nazi regime, also, persecuted religious repels (Jehovahs Witness) and political dissidents; like, trade unionists, socialists and communists (196). In fact, several condemned people died because of human abuse and detention. Nazi regime formed slavery and detention camps to incarcerate the Jews and other dissident groups. The World War II was contributed by hostility of the Nazi party and Japanese intrusion against China.

Works Cited

Johnson, Michael, P. Reading the American Past: Selected Historical Documents. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2001. Print.

The two-volume compilation by Jonson Michael offers a varied collection of voices from the countrys past. Documents 25-1 and 25-3 provide important information regarding the position of the US in the Second World War. The articles accentuate significant issues as regards to social, political, and economic themes of the US during the Second World War.

In article 25-1, Johnson claims that the US was forced to join the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Consequently, Germany declared war on the US after four days. The Japanese officials had been taking American officials on a ride by claiming that there was no need of diplomatic relations between the two states. After analysis, it was discovered that the Japanese had planned the attack even before tricking Americans to believe that they were not willing to attack American residents.

The head of state, Roosevelt, expressed his disappointments by claiming that the attack would always remain in the American faces. Document 25-3 summarizes some of the tribulations that the Jews experienced under Hitler. The Nazi anti-Semitism was felt in the American public. The Nazi regime had persecuted many Jews since 1930s according to Varian Fry.

The articles present a clear understanding of what was happening at the time America was attacked by the Japanese. According to article 25-1, the attack on the Pearl Harbor was one of the reasons that forced the US to join the war. The American constitution stipulates that the congress should approve the budget to provide the government with funds to respond to external aggression.

The head of state has powers to declare war as per the prerogative powers granted to him or her by the law. This is according to the John Lockes theory of emergency powers. Roosevelt had to declare war in order to safeguard the integrity and sovereignty of the American people.

Japan could have utilized the chance to interfere with American activities in case the president decided to keep quiet. Furthermore, the US could have lost its position in the international system if it had not responded militarily. The articles explain the interests of any sovereign state in the international system. In the international system, states exist according to the Hobbestian state of nature. In the state of nature, human beings are brutal and nasty.

There is no Leviathan in the international system that is charged with the responsibility of ensuring peace. Germany under Hitler advocated for atrocities in order to achieve state interests. Japan decided to attack the US to achieve its national interests that is, greatness. The US on the other hand could not sit back and watch Japan intimidate its citizens. It had to act immediately to restore its glory. The articles can therefore be applied to understand the position of the US during the Second World War.

Conversely, article 25-1 suggests that the US attacked Japan mainly because of the Pearl Harbor attack. This is not true since there were other underlying issues that encouraged the US to assault Japan. The main issue was related to ideological difference. Article 25-1 claims that Germany declared war on the US as one way of showing solidarity to its allies. The truth is that Germany was not happy with the way the US related with Britain and France.

The US had granted $14,281 to European powers, including Britain and France. Furthermore, President Roosevelt had declared that the US had to attack German ship seen in the eastern Atlantic. Technically, the US had already entered the Atlantic War. As regards to article 25-1, the US could have attacked Japan or any other communist state as one way of showing military and technological strength. The US was against communist ideologies propagated by Japan and its allies.

Introduction

Japanese attack to the Pearl Harbor made the USA government fight back. This consequently led to the Second World War. President Roosevelt criticized the attack the following day promising to protect his people. The USA was deliberately pout under attack by air forces and naval of the empire of Japan.

The Speech was enlisting to the Americans to support him in that declared war As commander, in chief of the army and navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for self defense. The attack mainly left the navy and military unstable.

American history during world war two

The Nazi under the leadership of Hitler is ready to kill all the Jews as witnessed in the atrocities against them. European countries especially America is ready to use its wealth and strong army to retreat. This strong deposit of wealth and material helps the citizens to remain calm since they have trust in their security.

A journalist report reveals the Massacres of the Jews led by the one anti-Semitism Hitler. Variant Fry reports the increasing numbers of the Nazis in Germany who did no other than to persecute the Jews. A social journalist helped the Jews escape from France. This shows how he sympathizes with the Jews. The anti-Hitler joined hands to destroy this movement by the Nazis.

It is believed, that the white European would not join in atrocities aimed at destroying other peoples lives. People describe them as heirs of the humanist tradition making it impossible for them to do anything dirty. The US government had confidence in their defense that they even ignored the threats coming from the Nazis. The result of this was a massacre that would be prevented earlier.

The nuns were raped, forced prostitution in Belgium and many more atrocities due to the ignorance. This lead to change of mind since the Nazis had taken power. Everywhere the Jews were dealt with; from cafes to buses where their blood was flowing. A song was even composed. The same people in the 20th century would never allow such barbarism to take place in their view.

The Nazis did not respect the holy places either and social ones too. This anti-social and unacceptable behavior even by the culture left over two million European Jews dead and over five million under Nazis control. They were starved, deported, poisoned, burned and machine gunned. The richness in material by the Nazis enabled them to execute these atrocities comfortably. This shows how richness in the material can be destructive to the social life even to the historical context.

President Roosevelt was advised to speak out against the ordeal, Catholic Church to excommunicate those in the barbaric acts, US to offer asylum and donate food to the Jews being starved by the Nazis. Richness in material possession can also be of considerable importance as demonstrated by USA.

The USA also used propaganda in their skepticism to capture the attention of the citizens that what they heard was not the truth. The richness in material possession had the citizens believe in demonstrating the power of resources. This demonstrates the high significance that materials fit into social and historical context.

Conclusion

The Second World War left indelible marks in the hearts and memory of the people of the time. Lack of love for one another, life and greed for power and control led to the war. Hitler demonstrates and represents the people without value for life. The Second World War was, therefore, as a result of personal interests.

Works Cited

MICHAEL, JOHNSON. Reading the American past. Selected Historical Documents. 1865. Print.

Many events are hidden beyond two particular documents, President Franklin Roosevelts Speech to Congress on December 8, 1941 called the Declaration of War of Japan and journalist report on Nazi massacres of Jews. Being devoted the period of the World War II, these two events are closely connected and have significant value for the history of the USA even though they seem to be devoted to various events from the first sight.

The declaration of war of Japan led to the declaration of war of all Japans allies, Germany and Italy on the United States and the country had nothing to do but to declare the war in return. All the further events including the Nazi massacres of Jews on the territory of the USA connected to the war were the outcomes of that declaration.

The first document under consideration is the President Franklin Roosevelts Speech to Congress on December 8, 1941 called the Declaration of War of Japan. The main idea of this document is the relationships between Japan and the USA and the reasons for the war declaration. The importance of this speech is in the statement of the reasons of the war, the development of the USA before its intrusion in the war and the betrayal of Japan which attacked the USA without any visible aggression.

The document just states the position of the ISA, its desire but inability to remain isolated from the war events. The most striking phrase in the speech is the first paragraph where Franklin Roosevelt said the following Yesterday, December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan (Johnson 187).

The infamy of the USA is explained by the inability of such great country to protect themselves. It showed how unprepared the USA was to the war as being captured by unawares, they could not react. The speech was extremely important in the historic content of the USA as the government recognized their mistakes.

The second considered document is the journalist report on Nazi massacres of Jews. The importance of this document is not in the facts of the horrible aspects of the war as it is possible to read about them in many different sources, the document is crucial for the desire of the USA to make the information silent or the lack of desire to do anything to protect Jews. The journalist is shocked with the actions which were done and the inability of the soldiers to protect their citizens.

Reading the reports about violence it becomes obvious why the modern world is that cruel, why the police forces are unable to maintain discipline, they just cannot control the aggression, even though they have all the means for this. Moreover, trying to hide the information about the Nazi massacres of Jews during the World War II the government does not give an opportunity to battle for their rights for those who suffered from those events.

The document is concluded with the words which sum up the whole discussion and point at the difficulties the USA is to face, the little country of Switzerland will contribute more to the cause of humanity than the great and wealthy United States, its loud declamations about the rights of the people and the defense of liberty notwithstanding (Johnson 196). Thus, the USA can do a lot but due to the politics of information protection they do nothing.

Works Cited

Johnson, Michael. Reading the American past: Selected historical documents: Volume II: From 1865. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. Print.

No doubt, war is an awful tragedy in the life of society; however, such atrocities occur and leave a painful wound on the body of society and in the soul of every individual involved in it. The analysis of the role of Canadian women in the most devastating war of the century presents special interest for us due to nontrivial results concerning the place of women in history that can be drawn from the analysis of sources. In the articles by Epp and Sugerman, the authors suggest their interpretation of the role of Canadian women in WW II. The articles novelty consists in the emphasis that is made on the invisible layer of the population, non-English-speaking refugees and Japanese Canadians. Both articles make the audience reconsider their point of view concerning female emigrants in Canada during the war. The life stories of heroines may be seen in two dimensions: as individual tragedies and the parts of large-scale tragedies of mankind.

Epps article suggests an account of the life tragedies of five refugees who represent the fate of all Mennonite women during the war. The authors describe the atrocities that the women had to suffer during the war period in the territory of Ukraine. Epp stresses frequent cases of sexual abuse of women exercised by Soviet soldiers. The results of these cases of violence were deaths and unsuccessful abortions.

The possibility of emigration was the way out for people, Canada was the preferred destination but the immigration criteria were very strict. In Canada, Mennonites faced poor living conditions, hard work, and bad nutrition. Many of them were helped by distant relatives, but this factor sometimes added difficulties, like sexual misconduct on the part of the employer; humiliation, and exploitation. Thus, the refugees had to earn their living, recover from past humiliation, and adjust themselves to Canadian society. The most frequently faced problem was the language that prevented women from appropriate jobs, forcing them to take up hard jobs. Women often tried to find refuge in marriage, but the outcomes were frequently unsuccessful, including abuse and violence in the family, reunited families faced the problem of incompatibility.

Epp illustrates the life of the refugees in Canada as hard and complicated by numerous challenges, but rather stable in comparison with the period of war. The life of these five women is described as a heroic experience, especially if we take into account that all hardships were experienced by the representatives of the fair sex who have proved to be strong and heroic personalities.

The article by Sugiman is also built based on the individual experience of women, but it analyses the personal experience of the author, the letters of Japanese Canadian women, and interviews. In short, the article focuses on the loss of property, the indignities of Hastings Park, expulsion to ghost towns, and violation of human rights and principles of democracy. The article suggests the description of political violence exercised by the Canadian government towards Japanese Canadians, it mentions repatriating to Japan that meant forced exile, though the native country for the majority of people was Canada. Besides, people were deprived of the right to vote and to return to protected zone until 1949.

It should be stated that Sugimans main merit is the involvement of various sources, which gather together like shreds of the image that create the full picture is complex. The authoress has shown emotions of Nisei women, their resistance and powerlessness. She managed to show the injustice of the situation in its full. In this matter the analyzed works have common features: both describe not only material and physical damage caused by the war period, not only lost property and dwelling, the stench of Hastings Park, but also ruined relationships, wounded souls, intimidation, lost dreams, and undeserved death.

The analyzed articles prove the idea that Japanese Canadian women and Mennonite refugees were active participants in the war. The analysis of real-life experience suggests that the fair sex had to survive not the horror of war, but the prejudices and discrimination as well. On the whole, the articles are useful for the study of the Canadian history of the period.

Bibliography

Epp, Marlene. Victims of the Times, Heroes of Their Lives: Five Mennonite Refugee Women. In Rethinking Canada: The Promise of Womens History. 5^th edition. Edited by Mona Gleason and Adele Perry. 287-301. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2006.

Sugiman, Pamela. Passing Time, Moving Memories: Interpreting Wartime Narratives of Japanese Canadian Women. Histoire Sociale/Social History 36(73): 51-79, 2004.

Clark, Nancy L. Gendering production in wartime South Africa. The American Historical Review 106, no. 4 (2001): 1181-1213.

Clarks topic is the impact of World War II on the independence of South Africa. The thesis is that historians are limited in their understanding of the relationship between the Second World War and African independence. The methodology is the analysis of historic documents describing the period of World War II. This is a paper on history with a substantial addition of womens studies. The author relies on statements, memorandums, and other papers to show factual information. The main point of the author is that South Africas history during and immediately after World War II is underresearched. The authors goal is to show the uniqueness of South Africas economic and political development among African countries. There is a definite bias against political forces that instituted apartheid.

The article is noteworthy for its attention to details found in old documents. Clark herself acknowledges the limitation that little research exists that supports her viewpoint. Nevertheless, the article is helpful in that it showcases the ambiguity of South Africas social trends as opposed to The Impact of World War II and Mwanikiis article, which are notably one-sided. The article will help answer the research question by accentuating the uniqueness of South Africas post war years in comparison to other African nations.

Grundlingh, Albert. The Kings Afrikaners? Enlistment and ethnic identity in the Union of South Africas Defence Force during the Second World War, 193945. The Journal of African History 40, no. 3 (1999): 351-365.

Grundlinghs topic is the role of South Africa in World War II. His thesis is that South Africas historiography does not properly describe the countrys efforts during the war. Grundlinghs work is a paper on history, with a definite military focus. The author analyzes previous historic books, articles, and military reports. The main idea of the text is that Afrikaners who joined the Allied effort during World War II had a significant impact on Afrikaner ethnicity. Grundlinghs goal is to dispel the public misconception that South Africa did not participate in the Second World War due to nationalistic opposition. Some prejudice against Western historians can be observed in Grundlinghs description of current assumptions about South Africa in the early forties.

The papers strength is the abundance of evidence of Afrikaners participation in military effort. The articles weakness is that the author does not propose any other way of confirming his hypothesis other than accepting his interpretation. The article is helpful because it showcases military efforts of Afrikaners, which are not covered by any other sources. The articles detailed description of South Africas military participation in World War II will provide invaluable insight for answering the research question.

Smith, Jean P. Race and hospitality: Allied troops of colour on the South African home front during the Second World War. War & Society 39, no. 3 (2020): 155-170.

Smiths topic is the importance of South Africa during World War II as a transport hub for Allies. The thesis is that South Africa served as an important node for training and transportation, which contributed significantly to the military effort. The article is a work on history, with some insight from social science. Smith uses evidence from memoirs, governments reports, and books depicting South Africa during World War II. The main idea of the article is that South Africas hospitality of the Allies forces indicated substantial complexity regarding racial segregation in the country. The goal of the paper is to identify social nuances, which became particularly noteworthy while South Africa hosted the Allies military forces. It can be argued that the author is biased by the modern understanding of racial issues.

The papers strength is the relatively new perspective on the relationship between Afrikaners and Allied military. The papers weak point is that the author assumes the positive nature of the relationship by labeling it as hospitality, which was likely more nuanced. The article further continues Clarks and Grundlinghs trend of highlighting South Africas role in World War II, which directly relates to the research question.

Teer-Tomaselli, Ruth. In service of empire: The South African broadcasting corporation during World War II. Critical Arts 28, no. 6 (2014): 879-904.

Teer-Tomasellis topic is the changes in the mass media rhetoric during World War II in South Africa. The authors thesis is that World War II changed the messages conveyed my mass media, which would eventually lead to social, economic, and political transformation if South Africa. The methodology used by the author is comprised of the analysis of news companies reports and Debates of the House of the Assembly. The paper is primarily a study of mass media in the context of World War II. The main idea that Teer-Tomaselli promotes is that news coverage of World War II brought about changes in public perception, which would eventually lead to the demise of British rule in South Africa.

The authors intent is to showcase the power of mass media in tipping the narrative. No clear biases are evident as Teer-Tomaselli outlays facts with little personal opinion. The texts strength is its reliance on state documents to prove the authors point. The papers disadvantage is that no real interpretation of qualitative is given. This piece is valuable because it is the only source that addresses the role of mass media. Understanding the role of the mass media is helpful in answering the overall research question.

Mwanikii. The Unspoken Contributions of South Africa in WWII, Medium.

The topic is the necessity of recognition of South Africas contribution the Allies during World War II. The authors thesis is that the acknowledgement of the role of Western powers in World War II should also include South Africas contribution. The author analyzes excerpts from a history book and scholarly journal article, both of which are dedicated to South Africas involvement in the World War II. Although the articles focus is history, it is in reality an opinion piece. The main idea is that South Africas contribution allowed Western nations to secure victory, which is not properly acknowledged by modern historiography.

The authors goal is to acquaint the audience with the basic facts known about Afrikaners involvement in the World War II. The author openly expresses his bias against Western historiographys coverage of the World War II. This opinion piece is valuable because it succinctly highlights basic facts about South Africa during the World War II. The main weakness is that the author is biased and does not acknowledge the numerous nuances evident in the works of other researchers. This article is helpful in answering the research question because it serves as an overview of all important knowledge gaps about South Africas role in the World War II.

The Impact of World War II, Country Studies.

The Impact of World War II is an entry from a South Africa: A Country Study by Rita M. Byrnes. The title is self-explanatory  it details the aftermath of the World War II in South Africa. No clear thesis is presented as the entry is an account of events. Byrnes relies on the sources approved by the US Library of Congress to convey her ideas. The work itself is a mix of history with social sciences with an emphasis on racial controversies. Byrnes main point is that the World War II has accentuated social and economic issues in South Africa, which would lead to the emergence of black workers protests.

The goal is to identify the origins of the racism-related protests in the aftermath of the World War II. This source is important because it showcases the US view of South Africa during the World War II, which is limited compared to other sources. The main limitation of the study is the absence of any references to the actual South African documents. This source also ignores the complexity of South Africas contributions to the war effort accentuated by Mwanikii, Clark, Grundlingh, Smith, and Teer-Tomaselli. This entry is invaluable to answering the research question as it showcases the gaps in Western historiography regarding South Africa during and after the World War II.

Bibliography

Clark, Nancy L. Gendering production in wartime South Africa. The American historical review 106, no. 4 (2001): 1181-1213.

Grundlingh, Albert. The Kings Afrikaners? Enlistment and ethnic identity in the Union of South Africas Defence Force during the Second World War, 193945. The Journal of African History 40, no. 3 (1999): 351-365.

Mwanikii. The Unspoken Contributions of South Africa in WWII,Medium.

Smith, Jean P. Race and hospitality: Allied troops of colour on the South African home front during the Second World War. War & Society 39, no. 3 (2020): 155-170.

Teer-Tomaselli, Ruth. In service of empire: The South African broadcasting corporation during World War II. Critical Arts 28, no. 6 (2014): 879-904.

The Impact of World War II,Country Studies.