World War II through the 1970s Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

World War II through the 1970s - Research Paper Example The very first effect was the development of an anti-war attitude and a general decline in patriotism among a considerable number of Americans. The nation witnessed many protests like the Chicano Moratorium that marred the integrity of the nation. Since then, the nation has been ideologically split into two spheres in all military activities. Also, it becomes necessary for Presidents to select such generals and admirals who are ready to carry out the military policy laid out for them. Also, the Presidents never get the chance to get the people united even in war situations. The political impact of the war is evident from the fact that the War Power Resolution was enacted by the Congress to forbid the President from sending troops abroad without the consent of the Congress. According to Albert and Henderson (2002, 56-57), the war resulted in the incorporation of an anti-war sentiment and a Vietnam syndrome as evidenced by films, magazines and social movements. The Civil Rights Act too had profound impact on the American society, economy and culture. An immediate effect was the improvement in the education levels of the African American students. In the opinion of Donohue III and Heckman (1991), a similar trend was visible in gender equality too; and the legislation also resulted in a significant improvement in the average income of blacks. Also, it considerably improved the work environment for the immigrants. Thus, all these years, America remained an attractive destination for immigrants, which has both positive and negative consequences according to the scholars. Because of this race-friendly legislation, America has become a society with various races ranging from whites, Asians, American Indians, Hawaiians, and pacific islanders. This resulted in the development of a vibrant culture that has wide variety in music, literature and all other art forms. As the World War I ended, America realized the heavy loss it incurred as a result of the involvement in the w ar. Realizing the fact that the war was a disastrous mistake, the nation introduced a number of Neutrality Acts, and stayed away from issues like the Japan invasion of Manchuria, German effort to raise arms, and Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia. Secondly, America was facing the brunt of the Great Depression that had a traumatic effect on the nation’s economy. So, America was unable even to think about another war in the imminent future. Thirdly, America had peace treaties with a number of nations ranging from Britain, Japan and France. So, America was not willing to show more attachment towards any nation as it would dissatisfy the others. As Macdonald, Holden and Andener (1988) point out,women played a significant role in support of the American Military. Firstly, many women joined the nurse corps and the armed forces so that the men could be deployed in the combat front. Also, many women volunteered to run the government during the crisis. Secondly, females readily accep ted the traditional male jobs in factories when the factories were set for war production. Thirdly, women activists engaged in activities like social fundraising and blood collection for war (p.23). The first breakthrough (as cited in (Lawnix. Com, 1954), came in the year 1954 in the form of a Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka that setting separate educational facilities for blacks and whites is unconstitutional. It was this ruling that gave way to the civil rights movement. The second important breakthrough was the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that ensured voting rights for the blacks. As Ryan (2010) points out, the first political awareness came in the realization that America is fully of