1)Compare WWI to WWII from an Americanperspective, especially how the lessons learned varied. 2)Explain how WWII ended the Great Depressionand set us up for the post-war economy. 3)Describe the...

Question 1: Compare WWI to WWII from an American perspective, especially how
the lessons learned varied.
Overall, from all the evidence, sources and ideas that have been interpreted, it
seems clear that the main and most important cause to World War One was Militarism.
Militarism led to, linked to and included the Arms Race and the Schlieffen Plan. The
Arms Race was a race to build the biggest Army, Navy and Airforce by the great
powers of Europe.
All countries, except Britain and Germany, were trying to build the biggest army
the world had ever seen while Britain and Germany were competing to build up the
biggest navy. In Germany, they had a small army but people said that it, even though
one of the smallest, was the best trained and most powerful out of all armies involved
in World War One. In 1900, Russia had the biggest army with 1.1 million but by 1914 it
had been reduced to a mere army of 0.8 million, at a time when other countries, except
Britain, had built a bigger army.
Count Alfred von Schlieffen created the infamous Schlieffen plan. It was a plan
that was supposed to protect Germany from fighting the war on two fronts. People
were told that 'Under this plan they would quickly attack and defeat France, then turn
their forces on Russia which would be slow to get its troops ready for war'. This Plan
was a failure to Germany for it suffered many flaws. Firstly, Britain was not brought
into the equation and France was stronger than they had expected.
Secondly, they also did not expect Belgium, who was a neutral country at the
time, to fight back against Germany with its natural flood defenses - when Germany
passed through Belgium to attack France. The third and perhaps the biggest flaw of all
was that General von Schlieffen died before the plan even took place, and General von
Montke took his place. As a result of pressure and intensive worry, von Montke
strengthened the Southern faction of the German army, which almost certainly ruined
its chance of success. The execution and the resulting failure of the Schlieffen plan
clearly showed that Germany was willing to take very high risks to dismember France -
or any other country for the matter. It led to Britain, Russia and France becoming much
more alert, unsure and suspicious of the intentions of their future opponents.
The beginning for the Cold War was important consequence of World War Two.
The Cold War was born of the conflict of ideologies of capitalism and communism.
Communism was born out of the Communist Manifesto that said the masses of people
with no other resources then their labor should unite and fight to overthrow the
capitalist nations (Schaefer, 2009, p. 12). Communism believes that everyone is equal
and the government should control industry and all people get and equal share. In the
United States the free market dictates who gets what. It is a belief that industry should
be private and promote competition, that will provide lower costs and better quality
and in the end there will be a class divison in the market. The basic ideaologies clash
between these two super powers but the Cold War has its roots in the mistrust of World
War Two.
When America decided to join in the war Russia was taking heavy losses and
need the allies to open up another front to ease the pressure. There was some dispute
between America and Great Britain about where they should invade Europe. The
British believed that the invasion should go through Italy, but it was believed that it
was in Britain‟s own colonial interest to head through Italy not a sound military
decision. The Americans wanted to invade through France because it seemed the most
logical choice and it would help ease the pressure on Russia.
Question 2: Explain how WWII ended the Great Depression and set us up for the
post-war economy.
World War Two had many different consequences and impact on the world long
after it ended. The war shifted the world stage and had an immediate impact on the
world powers some in good ways and some in bad. At the beginning of the war
America, like most of the country, was in a depression. Other then the tragedy of war is
horrific it could not have come at a better time economically.
The United States did not enter the war right away but after the Battle of Britain
stepped up the aid sent to Europe. As a prerequisite for aid the United States forced
Britain liquidate all assets before they would send aid. This did two things, first it
dropped Britain from a position of power in the world and it made Britain in debt to
America. Before the war Britain‟s economy was in trouble the German attacks did not
help. They were forced to give up...