How did World War II impact the United States both internationally and domestically?

Since the end of the nineteenth century, it had been clear that the resource-rich and rapidly industrializing United States was the world's rising superpower, but the US was reluctant to adopt this mantle. This was rooted in history: the country took to heart George Washington's advice in his Farewell Address that it steer clear of involvement in European politics and conflicts.

The US did enter belatedly into World War I, but after that war, it retreated back into isolationism, stunningly refusing to enter the League of Nations, despite this organization being close to the heart of President Woodrow Wilson. The US was equally reluctant to join in World War II (though FDR knew this was inevitable) until the country was directly attacked at Pearl Harbor.

After the War ended in 1945, however, the US finally fully accepted its role as a world leader. This was an enormous change in its orientation to international politics. The US was at the forefront in establishing the UN, headquartering it in New York City, in creating NATO, and in crafting the post-war world order. It also acted aggressively as a global policeman trying to halt the spread of communism.

Domestically, the War jolted the country out of the Great Depression. During the war, a labor shortage gave unions a strong bargaining hand, as did sympathetic policies on the part of the Roosevelt administration. After the war, despite fears of a return to depression, the US became the world's greatest industrial engine, and business boomed.

High wages and good benefits, along with a robust economy, led to unprecedented levels of wealth flowing into the hands of ordinary Americans, leading to thirty or more years of prosperity and growth.

How did World War II impact the United States both internationally and domestically?

After World War II, the United States became the world's foremost superpower. Unlike many of the participants in this long and bloody conflict, the United States emerged from the War richer and more powerful than ever before. One of the main reasons for this is that mainland America was never invaded and so never had to suffer the kind of sustained damage to infrastructure seen in European countries such as France and the Netherlands.

A further reason for American dominance on the post-war international stage was the development of the atomic bomb, which had been unleashed to such devastating effect upon the Japanese cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. With such a powerful weapon in its arsenal, the United States could command the kind of fear and respect which makes for superpower status.

On the domestic front, the American economy was stronger than ever. Despite the best efforts of the New Deal, the US economy didn't achieve full employment until after the country entered the War. With the economy working at full capacity on a war footing, there was work available for anyone who wanted it. Even after the War ended, the Truman Administration remained firmly committed to pursuing a policy of full employment, and unemployment remained low for decades.

Furthermore, the return of so many American servicemen precipitated a massive housing and construction boom, as the returning heroes had to have somewhere to live. The auto industry also thrived in the immediate post-war period, helping to nudge GDP—the monetary value of all goods and services in an economy—to record levels. This in turn generated a large and growing middle class, which changed the face of American society forever.

How did World War II impact the United States both internationally and domestically?

World War II produced the United States as global superpower and defender of capitalism and democracy in the world. European nations that were world powers before the war (Germany, Italy, United Kingdom and France) were totally destroyed by warfare. Their infrastructures, homes, economic systems, and social systems were destroyed. While the United States suffered over a million casualties throughout the course of the war, its economy was robust and its military largely unscathed. Many in the American government felt that it was strategically important to help other countries to recover from the war. Internationally, the United States offered billions of dollars of aid to the countries of Europe and established an alliance of countries through NATO to ensure their security. There was a shift in thinking about America's role in global politics. The newly formed United Nations was located in New York City and the U.S. became a major player in the organization. Because of the Allied victory in World War II, there were only two superpowers that survived, and the United States was one of them.

World War II also had a dramatic effect on the United States domestically. The sense of confidence that existed cannot be quantified, but was very evident. There was a sense of prosperity as Americans moved to the suburbs and an interstate highway system was born. Nuclear power, which was developed for military use, was applied for a more peaceful purpose as electric companies built nuclear reactors to produce electricity. Many social changes were on the horizon in the United States. As an example, African-Americans, who had fought so valiantly in the Allied victory, pressed for their rights at on the homefront. The prosperity of the 1950's allowed the growth of popular culture as many Americans bought a television and listened to rock and roll on their radios.

While World War II had the effect of destroying many countries, the United States matured into a political and economic superpower because of it.

How did World War II change the United States?

World War II changed the United States in many ways.  The economy had not yet fully recovered from the Great Depression by 1941.  After the United States entered World War II in December of 1941, the economy dramatically improved.  Workers were needed to create the weaponry, uniforms, parachutes, and military vehicles needed to support a large army and navy.  Military jobs were also plentiful, as millions of men and women were needed to serve in the United States armed forces.  In the late 1930s, the U.S. armed forces had under 400,000 military personnel.  By 1945, there were over twelve million.

Every day life changed in the United States.  Women who had always been housewives were required to work jobs in munitions factories and other manufacturing plants.  Most able-bodied men left to fight in the war, and this meant that many families were temporarily separated.  Women in the workplace meant that more young children required childcare.  There was rationing, which impacted many types of food.  These foods, such as sugar and canned goods, were unavailable or had limited access.  Tires and gasoline were also rationed, meaning that travel by car was limited.

Newfound fears plagued people living in the United States.  Many feared that there might be air raids by the Germans or the Japanese.  Blackouts were required along the coasts of the United States because of German submarines offshore.

How did WWII change America's social, cultural, political, and economic landscape?

The United States emerged from World War II as an economic powerhouse. While the economies of Europe, Japan, and other countries were in shambles, the United States became an economic and political superpower, as it built on the defense industries and technologies it had developed during the war. In addition, pent-up consumer demand gave rise to a burgeoning economic climate that lasted, albeit with occasional blips, well into the 1960s. Politically, the United States became a superpower embroiled in the Cold War with the Soviet Union and other communist states, and the United States practiced a policy of containing the spread of communism in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere. At home, McCarthyism, named after the anti-communist crusader, Senator Joseph McCarthy, involved crushing communism or anything that seemed to resemble estrangement from the American form of government.

The country also underwent social and cultural change in the postwar years. African American veterans returned after the war to fight the "Double Victory" campaign, including not only victory abroad, but also victory at home in the form of civil rights. The Civil Rights movement was reinvigorated both during and after the war. Defense plants were integrated during the war, and the military was integrated in 1948. The war brought about a retrenchment in women's rights, as women who had fought in war plants were encouraged to return home to make jobs available for returning servicemen. The "baby boom" of the postwar years celebrated domesticity, brought about suburbanization (or the growth of the suburbs), and resulted in a boom in the birth rate in the years following the war. 

How did WWII change America's social, cultural, political, and economic landscape?

World War II had tremendous impacts on the United States.  Of course, the biggest impacts were on the people whose families experienced losses during the war.  The families of those who were killed and those who were badly wounded were affected profoundly by the war.  Let us look, however, at some other ways that the war made a difference.

It helped make the US rich.  After World War II, the US was by far the most prosperous country in the world.  All of its competitors had been physically devastated by the war.  Their cities had been bombed and, in cases like that of Germany, had served as battlegrounds in the war.  This severely reduced their economic potential while the US was physically unscathed.  This helped make the US the richest country.

It helped begin to change the role of women in society.  During the war, women famously had to (or had the chance to) go to work in many jobs that had previously been reserved for men.  After the war, they generally lost those jobs.  Even so, these experiences had helped instill in many women the idea that they should not be relegated to life as housewives.

It helped pave the way for racial integration.  The war had been partly cast as a war against Hitler’s horrible racist regime.  Many, many African Americans had served in the war.  These facts made it harder for African Americans to accept being treated in a racist way at home.  Soon after the war, President Truman ordered the integration of the military.  These things helped to pave the way for the Civil Rights Movement, which got going in earnest about ten years after the war ended.