Two Main Things: The World After WWII

Post-War AmericaCapitalism v Communism

Post-War Outcomes• U. S. becomes a world leader– Attitude develops that safety depends on working with

other nations– Desire to prevent future wars

• The World Bank– Created by 44 countries– Provide money to countries to recover from the war– International Monetary Fund developed to stabilize the

world’s monetary system and establish uniform exchange rates

– General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade created to lower tariffs and eliminate trade barriers

Post-War Outcomes

• United Nations: The New League of Nations– Developed by the U. S., Great Britain, China, and

the Soviet Union– Roosevelt remembered Wilson’s struggle with

the League of Nations and worked with the public and Senate Republicans for approval

– 50 nations signed off in 1945, four months after Roosevelt’s death

United Nations• Roosevelt’s “four essential human freedoms”– Freedom of speech and expression– Freedom of worship– Freedom from want– Freedom from fear– Part of Allies post-war goals

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights– Created in 1948– Lays out the structure of the United Nations– Affirms basic human rights

United Nations• United Nations structure– General Assembly: main body and consists of all

member states.– Security Council: fifteen member states, five

permanent (U. S., Britain, France, Russia, and China); can veto any Security Council resolution; focuses on peace and security issues and can use military power to enforce decisions

– Palestine: first challenge to the U. N.; creation of the state of Israel

Peace Talks• Terms less harsh than after WWI– Germany and Japan give up territory– Pay reparations in the form of industrial equipment

and other goods and services• War crimes trials• European trials took place in Nuremberg, Germany,

in front of an international military tribunal; judges and prosecutors from the U. S., Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France

• 22 Nazi Party defendants tried on war crimes and crimes against humanity

• Japanese trials took place in Tokyo; seven high command defendants were hanged

Rebuilding• Rebuilding Germany – Germany broken into four sectors; monitored by

the U. S., Soviet Union, France, and Britain– Berlin, the capital, also divided into four parts– U. S. was slow to rebuild Germany, focus on

dismantling its war-making capability• Rebuilding Japan– Country occupied by Allied forces but less

controlled than Germany– Creation of a new government/Constitution;

emperor is just ceremonial, no more war– U. S. slow to rebuild industry at first

At Home• Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (GI Bill)– Provided federal funds for education; middle class

expanded due to better jobs– Provided federal funds for home ownership; increased

suburban living• African-Americans – Discrimination and segregation stopped many blacks

from fully using the GI Bill– Continued migration from the South to the North– Average pay rose 45%– Continued support for Democrats although voting

discrimination continues

At Home• Women– Felt compelled to give up jobs to men– New jobs in the service sector – jobs providing

services – at much lower pay than men