Adolf Hitler was one of the most arrogant and feared dictators in the world. He was the leader responsible for the beginning of World War II. Due to the pending unsettled issues since World War I, Adolf Hitler invaded Poland despite Germany and the Soviet Union’s agreement to share Poland. The event sparked a reaction from Great Britain and France, who officially declared war on Germany. Poland, France, and Great Britain were rich in resources, but Germany had one of the most efficient armies. World war II changed focus to the power of defensive rather than offensiveness. After Hitler rose to power, he declared himself the supreme leader; he went ahead to go against the Versailles Treaty. In the year 1930, Hitler started the rearmament of Germany, which was a violation of the treaty. The attack of Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities in Germany signified the end of World War II.
Discussing Adolf Hitler and his role in World War II is very significant to Modern American History. The then British prime minister rejected Hitlerās offer for a peace treaty, prompted him to declare war. He promised to be remembered not by Europe only but also by the entire world. In his retaliatory move, the German Airforce responded to the attacks by reconnaissance which meant enemy ships were damaged by causing frequent retaliatory attacks. After the war, conquered countries strengthened their securities. Airfields were built, roads and railways were constructed to boost transport and infrastructure. Communication was also improved; the contact between Spanish Frontier and Petsamo is independent of the sea (Roxborough 61). The happenings are proof of how significant Adolf Hitler was to modern History.
I consider the topic most profound as it justifies why Adolf Hitler declared war against the United States. He was able to introduce some laws without seeking approval from the parliament. Hitlers government-approved discrimination on certain groups that were referred to as āundesirables. The bias was based on ethnic group, political and religious affiliation and also sexual orientation. In every war, countries will have to go against certain policies to ensure they are ready for battle (Wiener 28). From World War II, we can identify the forms of slavery that included forced labor and medical experiments to humans that later led to massive genocides.
From modern history, modern warfare can be covered from the topic of Adolf Hitler. Researchers can identify the events that prompted him to start a war with the United States. The U.S warship attacked a German U-boat for depth-related charges to illegal blocking of German assets in the United States. On the 7th of June, Roosevelt demanded the German consulate’s closure and the withdrawal of German consuls. American forces occupied Iceland, a country that is within Germany’s fighting zone. All the efforts by Roosevelt were to force Germans to declare war. The last attempt to force Germans into war occurred on the 6th of November when U.S. forces illegally seized the German steamer known as Odenwald (Wiener 28). Under Roosevelt’s orders, the steamer was taken to the American Port, where all crew members were prisoners.
World War II left devastating effects on individuals, both young and old. An estimated number of between 60 80 million people died. During the Holocaust, an estimated 6 million Jews were killed at the hands of the Nazi’s. There was an estimated death of 50 to 55 million civilian deaths. The deaths resulted from Land battles, racial and political executions, and aerial bombardments. The war resulted in severe famine and untreatable diseases to date. The war left many injured; others disabled, while most of the remaining few sunk into depression. The United States’ involvement in the war had a significant impact on the economy and the workforce. Most of the factories that produced foodstuffs were converted to produce war-related equipment. Women were greatly affected during the war as more men were sent to fight; women were tasked to replace them. The move was against the existing traditional customs where women were believed not to work outside their traditional homes. The unemployment rate increased because most of the companies that were set up were specifically meant to produce war ammunition.
Due to the unprecedented environment present by World War II, women changed roles. Most women joined the army to fight for their country, which was believed to be entitled to men. There were a significant number of racism instances in the military. More than 1 million African American soldiers served in the U.S military but still face racial abuses in their normal civilian lives. The all AfricanāAmerican 333rd battalion was critical in the bulge battle despite the combat’s initial exclusion. The other group subjected to discrimination in and outside the army was the Tuskegee Airmen group (Wiener 28). During the 2nd world war, no black military man was ever awarded a medal of honor for his service.
The effects of the negative impact of World War II are still felt today. Many soldiers who fought during the war disappeared, many died, and others got injured. Destructive weapons were developed during the war, and they led to massive destruction and devastating health effects. The ‘Manhattan Project’ was created for the development of weapons to counter Nazi Germany. The project helped the United Stated to gain the victory of allies and finally got Germany to surrender. There was great destruction of cities and more than two hundred and twenty-six thousand fatalities when the United States decided to use its armament on Japan and its cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Roxborough 61). The atomic bomb survivors have either diagnosed with cancer, leukemia, or other side effects that resulted from radiation effects.
Some of World War II’s different perspectives include The Orthodox from the 1950s, The Revisionist from the 1970s, and Post-Revisionism. Hugh Trevor-Roper is the main historian behind the Orthodox Perspective. The view argues that Adolf’s World War II was masterminded because he believes in fascism and his military prowess. On the other hand, Post revisionist historians say that the war was caused by both banal and evil (Wiener 28). Historians believe that if Adolf Hitler had started the Second World War, he could not have achieved his main goals and objectives.
World War II shaped most happenings in the current world. Women were able to change roles that many were traditionally reserved for men. The war ended in 1945 but left devastating economic, social and political effects till today. The Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombing signified the end of World War II. Many lost lives; others disappeared while other people are still treated for diseases like cancer and leukemia. To date, individuals feel like forced labour and slavery would not have been in large numbers if Hitler had not started the Second World War. They think that famine and hunger would have been avoided. At the same time, others express that the peace being enjoyed without the Second World War would not have wanted. Rights to freedom of speech and movement would still be violated. No peace treaty would have been entered, which could prompt an occurrence of another war.
Works Cited
Hitler, Adolf. āHitler’s Announcement to the Reichstag of the Declaration of War Against the United Statesā. British Broadcasting Corporation, 1941.
Roxborough, Scott. “Is Germany Ready to Laugh at Jojo Rabbit?” The Hollywood Reporter, 2019, pp, 61.
Wiener, Jon. “Good Germans.” The New Republic, 1995, pp. 28.