Freeland Legacy of World Wars 1

Running head: LEGACY OF WORLD WARS I & II

Legacy of World Wars I & II

Sandra Freeland

Baker College

January 12, 2011

 Freeland Legacy of World Wars 2

Legacy of World Wars I & II

There have been many important wars that have occurred in the histories of nation-states

throughout the world, but none has been quite as important to so many as World War II. World

War II left a legacy of new innovations in science, technology, and economic theories and

principles. It saw the deaths of hundreds of Jews. It changed the way that many people looked at

war and international politics. World War II united many allies, and created many enemies. This

paper will discuss: (a) how World War II can be seen as a continuation of World War I, (b) the

major political, economic, and technological growths and defeats brought about by World War

II, (c) the impact that World War II had on the idea and reality of state sovereignty, and (d) how

the consequences of the World Wars continue to be experienced today.

In many ways the conflicts and outcomes of World War I paved the way for World War

II. The occurrence of another world war was inevitable. One of the reasons for this inevitability

was because of the harsh conditions that were laid upon Germany and its people. Germany, a

country not solely responsible for the World War I, was solely responsible for making

reparations to Great Britain and France, two of the three major decision makers in the Treaty of

Versailles in 1919. The treaty that Germany signed was an agreement for $2 billion in

reparations. Even this amount was a difficult amount to achieve for the battered government. By

the time Great Britain and France totaled all of the losses up, Germany was in for $33 billion in

reparations (The Coming of WWII, 2007). That amount was absolutely undoable for the Germany

government. The government had to borrow money from the United States just to pay back Great

Britain and France. That did not allow any extra monies to help the Germany people recover

from the war that their government took place in. Germany had very few resources available

after using up so much during World War I. Inflation rose and stifled any growth that might have
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occurred to help the German people rise out of the ashes of World War I. This caused hostile

attitudes to grow among the public and helped pave the way for Hitler and his regime to come

into power. Hitler’s views and goals would help lead to the start of World War II.

Another way that World War I paved the way for another world war was through hard

feelings, uncertainties, and conflicts that remained after the end to the war. Many nations-states

did not feel as “safe” as they had felt prior to World War I. World War I demonstrated how large

powers could unite and cause destruction to governments because of greed for more power and

more land. Though some nations agreed to a moratorium to building ships and increasing navy

potentials, this agreement eventually fell apart as many nations increased their munitions

potentials in order to protect themselves from a possible invasion by rivals as well as the

possibility of another war breaking out (World History for All, n.d.). It also demonstrated to

nation-states that were not geographically located near the European powers whose ground the

war was fought on that it might be wise to stay out of the fight. Nation-states like the United

States took on a view of Americanism, which caused the United States government to turn a

blind eye to conflicts such as the racial attack on the Jews by Nazi forces and Hitler’s Third

Reich. The racial hatred felt by the German’s in Hitler’s council caused the creation of

concentration camps and the destruction of Jews in Germany. The United States government

denied access to Jewish children and families fleeing Germany and the Holocaust, trying to

avoid becoming entangled in the problems of other countries (The Holocaust, 2007).

The tensions that caused World War I and World War II created much destruction, but at

the culmination of World War II the world saw many innovations in technology, and growth in

economic conditions for many nation-states, as well as shifting political alliances and

government politics. Technological growth helped shape the landscape of World War II. The
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technology that aided in warfare went on to be used in civilian life. One result of war technology

was the use of radar. Radar was first used during World War II to “see” incoming attacks by

enemy air forces from short distances. Radar evolved during World War II to include larger areas

of “viewing”, navigation, and usage in weather prediction and forecasting (The National World

War II Museum, n.d., p. 2). Another technology that was born of World War II warfare was

plastic. Plastic was used in plastic wrap as a replacement for aluminum foil, which was a scarcity

during the rationing of metals in World War II. Plastic was also used to wrap guns to keep them

dry and protected while they were being transported (The National World War II Museum, n.d.,

p. 3). One of the biggest technological devices to come from World War II was the atomic bomb,

which the United States dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end the Japanese offensive. The

atomic bomb was created using two different elements. The Hiroshima bomb was a uranium-

type bomb, while the Nagasaki bomb was a plutonium type bomb (The National World War II

Museum, n.d., p. 4).

Technological growths from World War II also helped to stimulate economic conditions

in many nation-states. The increase in arms to prepare for the war, as well as during the war,

stimulated job markets in the United States (World History for All, n.d.). Japan and Germany

had declared intentions to increase building of ships and air forces, and those jobs stimulated the

economic conditions there. While the war was going on, production of war-time necessities, such

as tanks, guns, airplanes, bombs, rations, shoes, and clothes for soldiers increased, creating jobs

for the civilians left behind, especially women. This was wonderful news for the United States as

it crawled its way out of the Great Depression (Mobilizing for War, 2007).
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The tumultuous times of World War II saw changes in political alliances and views.

Russia, which had made an agreement with Germany at the beginning of World War II, fell

victim to German invasion after a thwarted attempt to invade Great Britain. The traitorous acts

by Hitler against his agreement with the Russian government would see the Russian making an

alliance with the Allied forces. Great Britain witnessed the resignation of its Prime Minister,

Neville Chamberlain, who had unfortunately taken Hitler at his word. He was replaced by

Winston Churchill, who had been calling for caution when dealing with Hitler long before the

war broke out (War Begins, 2007). World War II saw the first time that a United States president

was elected to his fourth term in office, something that would never happen again.

The changes that occurred during World War II changed the way that some looked at

state sovereignty. The Treaty of Westphalia recognized the sovereignty of nations and gave

states the right to be free of interference from other states (Ray & Kaarbo, 2008). The outbreak

of World War I and World War II challenged the idea of sovereignty that the Treaty of

Westphalia outlined. Now sovereignty is less about freedom from interference and more an idea

that states have the right to make laws within their borders, but they do not have the right to try

and seize more power than they should (Joffe, 1999). The creation of the League of Nations after

World War I demonstrated this idea. The United Nations today continues to demonstrate that

while states in the global political arena are sovereign, they still have to be willing to be team

players. States seek approval from participating states before declaring war on other nations.

This was not the case when Germany declared instigated war against France and Great Britain in

World War II (Joffe, 1999).

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World War I and World War II have brought about changes that are still felt today. The

advances in science, medicine, technology, and media are all borne from the seeds planted

during World War II. Mass production of medicine was invented during World War II (The

National World War II Museum, n.d., p. 2). Without mass production capabilities, we would

have many people in desperate need of vaccinations without the means of receiving them in time

to fight off disease. Technology that introduces calculating machines and computer devices

during the war has lead to the computer that is being used to research materials for this paper and

the internet resources available for said research (The National World War II Museum, n.d., p.

1). The state of the global political area today was laid in the ashes of World War II war sites and

loss of lives. The creation of the United Nations and the European Union has grown out of the

necessity that was created by the circumstances of World War I and World War II. The many

facets of our daily lives and interactions with people and technology are all directly descended

from World War II.

In closing, the hostilities and circumstances that resulted from World War I directly lead

to the beginning of World War II. Though there was so much loss and destruction during World

War II, the seeds of change were planted on the fertile soil of destruction. Technology, economic

conditions and policies, and global politics saw many changes during this time. These are

changes that people are still living with today. The idea of sovereign states, once thought to be

free from interference and free to rule, changed due to the circumstances and causes of World

War II. World War II showed everyone in the world that it is easy to destroy, but it takes courage

and strength to turn the destruction to growth.

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References

Joffe, J. (1999). Rethinking the Nation-State: the Many Meanings of Sovereignty. Retrieved

January 12, 2011, from Council on Foreign Relations, Inc. Web site:

http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/55618/josef-joffe/rethinking-the-nation-state-the-

many-meanings-of-sovereignty

Mintz, S. (2007). America at War: World War II-Mobilizing for War. Retrieved January 12,

2011, from Digital History Web site:

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=543

Mintz, S. (2007). America at War: World War II-The Coming of WWII. January 12, 2011, from

Digital History Web site: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?

HHID=536

Mintz, S. (2007). America at War: World War II-The Holocaust. Retrieved January 12, 2011,

from Digital History Web site:

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=533

Mintz, S. (2007). America at War: World War II-War Begins. Retrieved January 12, 2011, from

Digital History Web site: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?

HHID=534

The National World War II Museum. (n.d.). The War That Changed Your World: the Science

and Technology of WWII. Retrieved January 12, 2011, from The National World War II

Museum Web site: http://www.ww2sci-tech.org/essays/essay2.html

Ray, J. L., & Kaarbo, J. (Eds.). (2008). Global Politics (9th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin

Company.
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World History for All. (n.d.). Big Era Eight: A Half Century of Crisis 1900-1950 CE. Retrieved

January 12, 2011, from San Diego State University Web site:

http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/eras/era8.php