WWII COMPARISON |essay

The United States military involvement in Europe was very different than the United States

military involvement in Asia during WWII. Though they were both WWII, they were essentially

two different wars. From the start of the War, the United States wanted no part of it. When they

actually did decide to intervene, they entered the war with Europe slowly and gradually. Where

as in Japan, it began abruptly overnight. Once they Joined WWII, it improved the lives of many

Americans. Later, when the US went to war with japan, it interrupted the lives of many

Americans.

At first the United States wanted to stay out of World War II with Germany. The American

people mostly agreed that this was best. In a poll taken in 1939, after the outbreak of war,

showed 94% as being against going to war. As the war intensified and numerous lives were

being lost, America tried to help from afar. They created something called the Lend and Lease

Act, in which, they sent supplies and weapons. Similarly to Europe, The US tried to find

peaceful solutions with Japan and tried to avoid war. However, “The Japanese government

also decided that if no peaceful resolution could be reached by the end of November 1941,

then the nation would have to go to war against the United States.”(US History Textbook, pg

803) In an effort to stop the war in Europe, the US cut off the oil supply to Japan, who was an

ally of Germany. Japan reacted immediately with Pearl Harbor. This attack on the American

Military posed a frightening threat to United States civilians. The next day, FDR requested to go

to war with Japan, without hesitation.

Although the war was fought overseas, the war changed the way of life of many Americans

back home. With Europe, World War II actually helped create jobs. Factories needed people in

assembly lines to make supplies to help Britain. “World War II forced the United States to
involve itself once again in European affairs. It also helped to relieve the unemployment of the

1930s and stir industrial growth.”(US History Textbook, pg 798) In contrast the involvement in

WWII with Japan ruined the lives of a lot of people in the US; the Asian Americans. The US

Government decided the because Japan attacked them, all of the Japanese people of the

United States must be spies. As a result, anyone who looked remotely Japanese or was of over

66% Japanese descent was taken from their home and locked in a camp. On the other hand,

when most of the young, white, working men got deployed to the warfront, women and African

American men had new opportunities for real jobs.

When the US won the war against Germany, they tried to help Europe recover from the war.

They created The European Recovery program, The Marshall Plan, “provided more than $15

billion to help finance rebuilding efforts on the continent.” (History, par.1) Over the course of 4

years, the US tried to rebuild cities and damaged structures from the war as well as to remove

trade barriers. The main goal, however, was to stop the spread of communism to the European

countries. The Marshall Plan led to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) which allied

the North American and European countries. The fight against Japan became very much about

pride. Neither country wanted the humiliation of backing down. However, after the US dropped

two atomic bombs in rural Japan. Japan reluctantly surrendered. With this victory, the United

States was able to overthrow the Emperor and gain power of the Japanese military. Like with

Europe, the US tried to aid in Japan’s recovery from the war. “The occupation of Japan can be

divided into three phases: the initial effort to punish and reform Japan, the work to revive the

Japanese economy, and the conclusion of a formal peace treaty and alliance.”(Office of the

Historian par.3)

Ultimately, America’s intervention in both WWII with Nazi Germany and WWII with The

Japanese Empire changed the course of the war. This showed the world how truly powerful

and influential the US is. Even after the war, America tried to maintain that sense of power by
“saving” both countrie after all that damage of the war. Although the beginnings of the wars

with Europe were very different, they both resulted in a US Victory and a newly formed alliance

with their opposing country.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

“Why Didn't America Join the War Sooner?” Visit Pearl Harbor, Pearl Harbor Visitors Bureau, 24

Jan. 2017, visitpearlharbor.org/didnt-american-initially-join-war/.

Bohanon, Cecil. “Economic Recovery: Lessons from the Post-World War II Period.” Mercatus

Center, Georgetown Mason University, 30 Jan. 2018, www.mercatus.org/publication/economic-

recovery-lessons-post-world-war-ii-period.

“CHAPTER 27: Fighting the Good Fight in World War II, 1941-1945.” U.S. History, Rice

University, 2017, pp. 796–825.

Editors, History.com. “Marshall Plan.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 16 Dec. 2009,

www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/marshall-plan-1.

“Occupation and Reconstruction of Japan, 1945–52.” U.S. Department of State, Office of the

Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs, history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/japan-

reconstruction.