The War Is Over!

Promise and Peril in Post-War AmericaThe War Is Over!The War is Over: Celebration!The worlds most costly war (men and materials) was over!Germany was defeated in May and the dreaded planned invasion of Japan did not have to happenRationing of consumer goods was phased out.The global nightmare seemed to be over

The War Is Over: TrepidationThe war left the nations of the world with much to worry aboutWhat will happen to Japan and Germany?The Holocaust revealed the possibilities of modern brutality in warThe atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki exhibited the possibility of annihilation of an entire city with a single bombThe main Allies of the war were seriously split on their vision of a post-war worldAmericans and western Europe- free enterprise democracySoviets and their allies- communist socialism

And Americans Had Much to Worry AboutWill another even more terrible war follow WW II?Will the Depression that lifted after the war began return to America and the world?Will returning veterans find work when the orders for war materials stopped? What about Rosie Riveter?What is Americas place in the World after World War II is over

Occupation: Germany and JapanProblem: How will Germany and Japan be governed if their existing government is removed by the allies? How will its leaders be held accountable for war-time atrocities like Nanjing and the Holocaust?This is similar to the problem that America faced following the defeat of Saddam Hussein in 2003Fortunately, the people of Japan and Germany were cooperative with the process of occupation unlike Iraq that would generate a bloody warOccupation of Japan 1945-1952Japan surrendered with one condition- maintenance of the emperorEmperor coordinated the cooperation of the Japanese people with the American occupying forceWar criminals were tried and put to deathIndustrial reforms- zaibatsu dissolvedNew constitutionLimited role of militaryDemocratic orientationThe spread of communism in east Asia would lead America to support an economically strong Japan

Occupation of GermanyUnlike Japan, Germany was jointly occupied by the four victorious AlliesUS- France- USSR and G.BritainNazi party destroyed- war criminals tired at NurembergSoviets looted their zone to rebuild what they lost in the warPoland gained German territory

The Founding of the United NationsThe World War II allies took on the name United Nations by 1942President Roosevelt was a strong believer in the need for an effective world governing body to settle international disputesThe League of Nations formed after WWI proved to be too weakFifty Nations met in San Francisco in April 1945 (before the end of the war) to draw up the UN CharterGeneral Assembly- all nationsThe Security Council- major allied powers and 10 rotating membersDeals with international security issues

The United Nations and World PoliticsThe United Nations has moderated numerous international disputes since its foundingFor all of its shortcomings, we have avoided WWIII (for the time being!)Following World War II, many regions under European rule would seek independence setting up disputes requiring UN InterventionThe UN today is involved in mediating a Civil War in Congo and trying to keep the peaceThe UN Declaration on Human Rights proclaims universal Human RightsFirst major test of UN: PalestinePalestine, Israel and the United NationsJewish settlers had been moving to Palestine and calling for a modern Jewish state since the early 1900sConflicted with the Arab Palestinians who were largely Muslim with some ChristiansSeen as the ancestral homeland of HebrewsPalestine ruled by Britain after WWIDiscrimination against Jews in Europe would support more Jewish immigrants to PalestineWhen British left Palestine in 1948, Jews proclaimed the state of IsraelArab neighbors united in war against the new state

The United Nations IntervenesWith determination and modern technology, Israel defends itself against its neighborsUnited Nations attempts to split Palestine between Israel and Arabs- Arab states rejectAmerican UN mediator works out a cease fire in 1949Fighting stops for a timeIsrael survivesArab-Israeli war would restart in 1956, 1967 and 1973Relations between Israel and its neighbors continue to be shakeyPalestinian Arabs continue to protest the government of Israel- most of the Muslim world is untied against IsraelThe Post War Era in a NutshellWhat was settledAxis defeated and neutralized- war criminals brought to justiceAn international organization was set up to help settle world disputesWhat is not settledThe Soviet vision of the post-war world will clash with that of America more in 28.2The American economy will suffer some adjustment problems but would take off and lead the world more in chapter 29