American History

And Why Did It Eventually Become Involved in It

The United States tried to avoid any kind of involvement in World War II because isolationism was a key element of its foreign policy at the time. Isolationism is a political attitude based on the opposition to having any form of relations political, economic, or military with other countries. Isolationism had been a part of the United States foreign policy since the foundation of the country. The main purpose of espousing this ideology in the first place was to preserve the nations freedom of choice ( Isolationism,  2010, p. 1).       After the outbreak of World War II in Europe in 1939 and the foundation of the Axis alliance Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and the Japanese Empire in 1940, U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt believed that the United States must try to protect Great Britains mother-land and colonies (in Southeast Asia) from Germany and Japan respectively. He believed that without responding the British Empire would inevitably collapse and the United States would be in serious danger (Arima, 2003, p. 1  Isolationism,  2010, p. 1). Despite all those events, Americans werent ready for accepting the United States involvement in any military conflict, especially with the rigors of the Great Depression. Isolationism had been the dominating attitude regarding the war until Japans attack on U.S. naval base, Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941. Americans were outraged by the attack and believed that its time to adopt interventionism as a part of the U.S. foreign policy instead of isolationism. The following day, the U.S. Congress issued the declaration of war against Japan, which was signed by president Roosevelt and, thus, the United States decided to join the Allied Powers Britain and the Soviet Union in their war against the Axis ( Isolationism,  2010, p. 1).                
What Was the Cold War and How Did It Affect the American Life       The Cold War was a long-term state of tension and rivalry that developed between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II and lasted until the early 1990s. After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union found themselves the two surviving great powers, each power found in this situation an opportunity for becoming the leading superpower in the world (Prakash et al., 2002, p. 854). What nurtured the rivalry between the two powers was that the economic and political ideologies of each power contradicted those of the other. One one hand, the Soviet Union wanted to spread its economic ideology, Communism, across new territories in different regions around the world. One the other hand, the United States main goal was to halt the spread of Communism by sustaining the appeal of its ideology, Capitalism, in those regions. This clash of views caused a number of indirect military conflicts between the two powers including the Korean War and Vietnam War. The Cold War ended by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 ( Cold War,  2010, p. 1).    

The Cold War left a huge impact on the American life because it resulted in boosting the U.S. economy. The U.S. Department of Defenses growing need for supplies required the expansion of military investment. In the 1950s, the number of suppliers working for the U.S. federal government exceeded 40,000, which resulted in (a) increasing the countrys Gross National Product (GNP) by more than 51, and (b) increasing factory workers wages by more than 50. By the 1960s, military spending grew considerably and became the main element of the U.S. federal budget (over 50 of total expenditures). Moreover, the middle class grew to include about 30 of the total U.S. population after including only 9 in the 1940s (Schultz  Tishler, 1999, p. 1).                                  

Why Was Vietnam War Difficult to Win What                                      
Effect Did It Have on American Society       In Vietnam War, the United States and its anti-Communist ally, South Vietnam, were fighting against Communist North Vietnam which was backed by the Soviet Union. What made the war difficult for the U.S. Army was that North Vietnam was cooperating with a Communist guerrilla force called the Viet Cong which was based in the South ( Vietnam War,  2010, p. 1). The strategies and tactics of the Viet Cong included (a) surprising raids, (b) sabotage, and (c) using ambushes ( Guerrilla,  2010, p. 1).      

The war began to affect American society in a notable way after the 1968 Tet Offensive. On January 31 that year and during the celebrations of the Vietnamese lunar New Year (1 February), North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces attacked wide areas in South Vietnam to weaken the power of South Vietnamese and U.S. forces. The attack shocked Americans and, as a result, the public opinion turned against the war. Another major event that sparked fierce protests across the nation was the revelation of the secret U.S. bombing of Cambodia in 1970, many of the protests against that action ended with tragedies. After that, the war began to become more difficult for the United States ( Vietnam War,  2010, p. 1).                  

Do You Believe That the War on Terror Has Been Successful in                        
Keeping Americans More Safe at Home Why or Why Not       I dont believe that the War on Terror has been successful in protecting Americans from terrorism. I totally reject the common belief among policymakers that the most proper strategy for protecting Americans at home is to fight the sources of threat abroad to exterminate terrorism before it can grow and spread worldwide. U.S. military leadership must remember that the Department of Defense isnt supposed to be a Department of Offense. The strategies that the United States adopts in that war wont be effective in the long run because they leave the U.S. boarders open for nearly everyone regardless of how much danger he can pose to Americans. The United States must withdraw all its forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and stop all forms of military conflicts because fighting abroad wont solve any problem. Instead, policymakers must think about improving national security and immigration policies to ensure that terrorist groups wont find any opportunity to commit attacks inside the United States. With this strategy, God will protect our homeland because then we will be adherent to what Jesus teaches us about peace. Jesus wants us to live our lives and achieve our goals through peace, not through fighting and killing, he says  Blessed are the peacemakers For they shall be called sons of God  (Matthew 59 King James Version).            

How Has Your Understanding of American History Improved as a Result              
of This Class What Are Some Significant Things You Have Learned       This class has made me realize how much Americas successes and failures are defined by its relationship with God. Ive learned that God always helps and protects America as long as it pursues noble goals and adopts proper methods to achieve them, but when it ignores what God chose for humanity it suffers. Ive notice this in all the wars discussed in this class       1. World War II After becoming involved in the war, the United States obliged itself to            fight the suppressive regimes that intended to spread evil all over the world. The            United States goal was noble and its methods for achieving it were proper. Therefore,            God helped the nation defeat its enemies and put an end to their domination forever.       2. Cold War The United States was aware of the Soviet Unions intentions to spread the            humanity-degrading ideology, Communism, around the world. As a response, the            United States worked on countering the Soviets strategies by spreading the prosperity-           ensuring ideology, Capitalism. Therefore, God helped America throughout the years of           the Cold War and eventually made the Soviet Union collapse.       3. Vietnam War This war was important for the United States because it was a part of its           strategy of halting the spread of Communism across East Asia. The war was difficult,            but there was a possibility of winning because God was helping America. When the            U.S. Army began attacking innocent people, a long chapter of suffering was opened.        4. War on Terror The goal of protecting Americans from being attacked by terrorists is a           noble one, but the United States strategies for achieving that goal are sinful. Invading            other counties and attacking innocent people is against what Jesus teaches us about            peace. Committing those sins is what makes this war a big failure.