The First World War and the Great Depression both had a significant impact on the United States’ decision to join the fight in World War II.
The United States entered World War I in 1917, after Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare. However, the US public was initially reluctant to get involved in the war, and President Woodrow Wilson had to campaign hard to build support for the war effort.
One of the factors that contributed to the US public’s reluctance to join the war was the experience of World War I. The war had been a costly and bloody conflict, and many Americans did not want to see their country go through that again. Additionally, the US had been isolationist for most of its history, and many Americans believed that the country should stay out of European affairs.
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However, the sinking of the Lusitania, a British passenger liner that was carrying US citizens, helped to change public opinion. The sinking of the Lusitania led to widespread outrage in the United States, and many Americans began to believe that the US had to join the war to protect its interests.
The Great Depression
The Great Depression also had a significant impact on the US decision to join World War II. The Depression led to high unemployment and poverty, and many Americans were looking for a way to escape their economic woes. Additionally, the rise of fascism in Europe posed a threat to democracy and freedom, and many Americans believed that the US had to do something to stop it.
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, was the final straw that led the United States to join the war. The attack was a direct act of aggression against the US, and it showed that the Japanese were willing to attack even a neutral country.
In the end, the combination of the First World War, the Great Depression, and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor led the United States to join the fight in World War II. The war was a costly and bloody conflict, but it ultimately led to the defeat of fascism and the preservation of democracy.
Here are some of the specific ways in which World War I and the Great Depression led to the United States joining the fight in World War II:
- World War I created a sense of obligation in the United States to help its allies. The United States had entered World War I to help its allies, Britain and France, defeat Germany. After the war, many Americans felt that the US had a moral obligation to help those same allies if they were attacked again.
- The Great Depression made the US more vulnerable to attack. The Great Depression weakened the US economy and made it more difficult for the US to defend itself. This made the US more likely to be attacked by a foreign power, such as Japan.
- The rise of fascism in Europe threatened US interests. The rise of fascism in Europe posed a threat to democracy and freedom, which were core American values. The US was concerned that if fascism were allowed to spread, it would eventually threaten the US itself.
In conclusion, World War I and the Great Depression both played a significant role in the United States’ decision to join the fight in World War II. The combination of these two events created a sense of obligation, vulnerability, and fear in the US that led to its involvement in the war.
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