Chapter 9: Questions to Think About
1. In what ways did World War II differ from World War I, and what were the consequences of these differences?
For World War I, The United States got involved to provide support with resources and reinforcements to the Allies, and the war was based on Europe. For World War II, The United States did not want to get involved, but they declared war on Japan, because the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. In document 2, a U.S Navy, Lenore Rickert documents about what happens during the attack of Pearl Harbor. “I was making rounds with the Medical Officer of the Day at the Pearl Harbor naval hospital when we heard a plane right overhead…I ran to the nurses’ quarters to sound the alert, and that’s when the actual bombing started” (Rickert). In World War II, The United States were going against Germany, and the Axis powers. In document 8, it’s about a soldier, it’s in his perspective, and it’s what he had experienced during World War II. “Our group leader was shot down and about a hundred and fifty or two hundred German fighters swarmed over us as we headed for home” (266). The consequences of these differences was losing a number of casualties, a number of soldiers had died during the World War. “The United States during the course of the war, 405,399 died” (275).
2. How did the second conflict change Americans’ expectations of their nation’s role?
After realizing that the United States had power, they tried to stop the spread of communism and wanted to keep out of the affairs of other nations. “The United States is like a gigantic boiler. Once the fire is lighted under it there is no limit to the power it can generate” (Document 3). Americans wanted a healthy and strong democracy, they wanted freedom. In document 4, Roosevelt identifies the Four Freedoms at stake in the War “The inner and abiding strength of our economic and political systems is dependent upon the degree to which they fulfill these expectations…The...