The World Of World War II - 1149 Words

World War II was the mightiest struggle humankind has ever seen. It killed more people, cost more money, damaged more property, and affected more people in nearly every country than any other war in history. It is estimated that more than 55 million people. More than 50 countries took part in the war, and the whole world felt its effects. Men fought in almost every part of the world, on every continent except Antarctica. Chief battlegrounds included Asia, Europe, North Africa, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. The United States hoped to stay out. Drawing on its experience from World War I, Congress passed a series of Neutrality Acts between 1935 and 1939, which were intended to prevent Americans becoming†¦show more content†¦Most American officials agreed that the best defense against the Soviet threat was a strategy called containment. If the United States could keep the Soviets from expanding their power in a matter of time their system wou ld fall apart thus beating communism without going to war. The Long Telegram circulated widely in Truman’s administration. It became the basis for the administration’s policy of containment. Truman and his advisers believed Western Europe’s prosperity depended on Germany’s recovery but the Soviets still wanted Germany to pay for war debts. American officials had decided that the Soviets were trying to undermine Germany’s economy to bring them down. The United States, Britain, and France merged their German zones and allowed the Germans to have their own government. This merged land became known as West Germany and the Soviets land became known as East Germany. West Germany was mostly independent but not allowed to have a military. The creation of West Germany convinced the Soviets they would never get the reparations they wanted. In June 1948, Soviet troops blockaded West Berlin hoping to force the United States to reconsider its decision. In response Truman sent airplanes capable of carrying atomic weapons to bases in Britain and requested that air force to fly supplies into Berlin rather than troops bring them in. Even though