WWII Aftermath
Introduction When Japan surrendered, the world rejoiced The U.S. soldiers abroad and the people back home celebrated Uncertainty faced the nation as it now had to adjust to the postwar world The war fixed the depression, but what would happen to the economy now? WWI led to an economic collapse, increase in crime and turmoil….would the same happen now? How would America and the world learn from their mistakes after WWI?
Isolation or Intervention????? When WWI ended America entrenched itself as an isolationist America learned its lesson and began to establish itself as a world leader for peace In July 1944 America and 43 other nations founded the World Bank Provided loans to help countries recover from war and develop economies Same group created the International Monetary Fund: IMF: stabilize the worlds monetary systems and exchange rates U.S. worked to replace the League of Nations with a more efficient and capable organization
The U.S., Britain, China and the USSR met to begin to charter the United Nations In June of 1945, 50 nations signed the UN Charter and established the UN Roosevelt helped champion the UN before he passed away Did not only rely on one parties support (Wilson) and helped get public approval The UN was ratified by the senate 89-2
The United Nations UN included Roosevelts “Four Freedoms” All people have freedom of speech Freedom of worship Freedom from want Freedom from fear UN’s Declaration of Human Rights: people have basic human rights to life, liberty, equality, religion, expression and assembly UN Structure: General Assembly: All members Security Council: 15 members, 5 permanent (USA, Britain, France, Russia and China)
What to do with Axis Power? Wanted to avoid Treaty of Versailles like “peace” Allies demanded the Axis Powers return their taken land Demanded reparations but a much smaller amount and mostly through equipment Did not want to punish everyone from these countries War Crime Trials: Nuremberg Trials: Nazi war criminals would be tried in Nuremberg, Germany Would be judged by a military tribunal or court Nazi leaders were charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity All 22 pleaded not guilty 12 sentenced to death, 7 received prison terms, 3 were acquitted Other trials followed that condemned many other Nazi leaders
Found 25 guilty of war crimes Japan War Crime Trials Met in Tokyo in 1946 Found 25 guilty of war crimes 16 life sentences 7 sentenced to death, including Hideki Tojo 2 received prison terms
Rebuilding German and Japan Yalta Conference: Allied leaders met to discuss what to do with Germany and the Axis powers Decided to divide Germany into 4 military occupation zones, one for each major Allied power US, France, GB and the USSR Germany laid in ruins from Allied bombing raids Citizens suffered through famine and disease Japan: General Douglas MacArthur was put in charge of the country American soldiers occupied Japan MacArthur set up democratic parliamentary government that carried out his political reforms Still had emperor in ceremonial role New Bill of Rights Worked for women’s rights By 1951 Japan’s new gov. was so successful that America withdrew and gave them sovereignty
American Postwar Life Remember WWI? Gov. contracts were cancelledthousands out of work + soldiers came home=mass unemployment GI Bill: gave federal funds to help returning GI’s make their transition back to civilian life Made it easier to go to college, buy a home, find a job 2.3 million vets attended college after the war 7 million received job training Middle class grew from influx of vet jobs By 1955 the gov. had given 4.3 million home loans to GI’s Led to mass migration from cities into the suburbs
Returning vets received unemployment through the GI Bill “I’m not sure whether I could ever have gone to college without the GI Bill….It set a whole new standard of improved education for a large # of people, a whole new standard of improved housing…I think the GI Bill gave the whole country an upward boost economically and in every other way.”—Ex. GI Don Condren
African American’s GI Bill gave African American’s hope for equality and opportunity on the homefront after the war as well Discrimination prevented Af. Am. vets from buying homes, getting jobs, and going to college even with GI Bill help Still, more African American’s went to college, bought homes and started businesses than ever before African American’s continued to move out of the south to the North 2.5 million from 1940-1960 In general, life improved for African American’s after the war but still faced discrimination especially in the south
Women Back Home By 1947 most war related industries had been shut down Women who stepped up to work these industries now stepped back Millions of GI’s returned to take jobs Men and women now faced off for the same jobs Most women stepped aside to allow men to take jobs However, some women fought for their right to work Most women now worked in the booming service sector Do not produce goods, but provide a service Ex. Nurses, teachers, librarians, bankers, social workers