History
Question 1
The points of tension between Japan and the US before World War Two include Japanese expansion needs, naval supremacy, and the import blockade. Firstly, Japan felt a need to expand into British, American, French, and Dutch East Asian Territories. Therefore, it began preparing large forces to attack these territories. Secondly, the American increase naval supremacy and the relocation of the Pacific fleet from the coast of California to Hawaii increased distrust within the militaristic Japanese regime, which feared an American attack (Pacific War Center par 2). Finally, after Japan’s continued aggressiveness on China and Britain’s agreement to stop the sale of weapons to china nationalists, the US imposed a naval blockade and embargo on Japan’s oil imports, therefore increasing the tension between itself and Japan.
Question 2
The first aspect of culture that the 1920s described as modern was the evolving clothing. Women evolved into short silk dresses and skirts. To contemporary individuals, this was modern. As per dressing, long dresses were considered conservative. This behavior was influence by the “sex free” nature of the period (Ferguson 74). Society began having open conversations on sexuality and shying out from such conversations and act was seen as conservative. Jazz became the new normal music of the period. While the older generation saw it as containing so much vulgarity, the newer generation found it favorable to listen. Music changed from beatboxes to use of instrumental (Weiberson par 5). With the advancements in mass production and purchases, radios were mass sold and became vital parts of the day to day activities. Individuals who could not afford a radio were named poor or backdated.
The great depression and world war one effects saw severe consequences develop in the economy. Massive lay off occurred before the depression. To resuscitate the economy from depression, the government developed the New Deal. Transition involves increased mechanization, which resulted in massive layoffs and increased government involvement in business and policies. The government promoted mechanization in industries while creating advanced systems to protect workers before implementing the New Deal. However, the greatest influential factor in the transition was the massive government investments and subsidies (Ferguson 59). These platforms cushioned businesses and individuals from the negative effects of the Great Depression.
Essay Question
Question 2
Communism brought fear within the US, never experienced before in any nation across the world. The lives and processes of individuals changed to greater extents. However, with it came the dangers of the war with both sides of the cold war actively prepared for full-scale nuclear war (Wall 15). Anticommunism increase fear within the mass populace, which affected the opinion of Americans on pro-Russia politics and politicians and pro-Russia policies.
Firstly, anticommunism sentiments increased the military preparedness to the Russian or any communist aggression. At the end of his terms and having won the World War, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared that the threat was no longer Germany and its allies but the Union of Sovereign Socialist Russia (USSR) (Agha Khan Institute par 5). Truman took office to request a complete modernization of the US Armed Forces and increase the military preparedness capacity of the US forces. As a result, the government invested in Nuclear Strike Back and deterrence capabilities and offered great stress on mutually assured destruction (MAD) policies in international meetings with communist nations.
Termed as the “red menace,” communist supporters were prosecuted and jailed for unknown crimes due to the anticommunism sentiments. Politics with America focused on the arrest and prosecution of communist supporters surviving in the US (Wall 17). Several leaders were arrested while Hollywood fired communist sympathizers. University defrocked communist research scholars and expelled communist sympathizers. Several researchers, such as William Mackford, have shown that the anticommunism sentiments propelled the government to implement political measures against its citizens that violated the American Constitution and the rights and freedoms of Americans.
Anticommunist sentiments increased American involvement in worldwide confrontations with communist states. The most common method of interaction in the international fields was through proxy wars, assassinations, and attempted overthrow of the government. When the US began implementing the Marshall Project, the USSR viewed it as a direct attack on its sovereignty (Wall 25). The Manhattan Project further propelled these sentiments. The USSR began its own nuclear and military proliferation programs. Overall, the American population support for military action against any USSR aggression increased by more than thirty percent within this period (Agha Khan Institute par 6). Besides, American politicians such as Joseph McCarthy fueled animosity against the USSR through the USSR’s spy purges.
The periods after 1954 did not calm the US-USSR tensions. However, the circumstances were not as tense as before. This period was a turning point in the relations of these two nations that were allies in the world war. While the USSR feared American domination, the US feared the spread of communism.
Works Cited
Agha Khan Institute. Anticommunism in the 1950s. 2019. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/1950s-america/a/anticommunism-in-the-1950s. 02 July 2020.
Ferguson, Thomas. “From Normalcy to New Deal: Industrial Structure, Party Competition, and American Public Policy in the Great Depression.” International Organization (2015): 41-94.
Pacific War Center. Increasing Tensions Between The United States And Japan. 2020. https://www.pacificwar.org.au/pearlharbor/pearloverview4.html. 02 July 2020.
Wall, Wendy. Anticommunism in the 1950s. 2019. https://ap.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/fifties/essays/anti-communism-1950s. 2 July 2020.
Weiberson, William. The Roaring Twenties History. 2010. https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/roaring-twenties-history. 02 July 2020.