Did Politics Seem Important Then?
Author: Jimmy Antaki
With World War II, the Great Depression, and the Holocaust all playing roles in this decade (1935 – 1949), there were, undoubtedly, political developments and issues that needed to be dealt with. Although politics may seem trivial in comparison to these three major events, they still played a role in developing the era. President Herbert Hoover was believed to have made vital mistakes that sparked the Great Depression, including the stock market crash, but he was not the only one at fault. It could be argued that the American public did not support his decisions, and therefore, made quick, rash, and hasty judgments that put the economy in jeopardy of this depression (which ultimately occurred). Other than the conflict with Herbert Hoover’s presidency, the main two political advancements in this era were the developments of NATO and the United Nations. The United Nations was established just after World War II ended as a means of solving conflicts through diplomacy and treaty rather than war (unless it is justifiable). NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was established to oppose the Warsaw Pact of the Soviet Union. They were both assemblies of nations that were either allied with the United States of America (NATO), or with the Soviet Union (Warsaw). The United Nations is (to this day) an international organization whose stated aims include promoting and facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, civil rights, civil liberties, political freedoms, democracy, and the achievement of lasting world peace. The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the League of Nations, to stop wars between countries, and to provide a platform for dialogue. It contains multiple subsidiary organizations to carry out its missions. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is (to this day) an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. The organization constitutes a system of collective defense whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. NATO's headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium, one of the 28 member states across North America and Europe, the newest of which, Albania and Croatia, joined in April 2009. An additional 22 countries participate in NATO's "Partnership for Peace", with 15 other countries involved in institutionalized dialogue programs. The combined military spending of all NATO members constitutes over 70% of the world's defense spending. As depicted in the information presented above, although it may have been an era of more than just politics, political decisions definitely played a role in ending the four major events of the time: World War II, the Great Depression, the Holocaust, and the start of the Cold War.
Author: Jimmy Antaki
With World War II, the Great Depression, and the Holocaust all playing roles in this decade (1935 – 1949), there were, undoubtedly, political developments and issues that needed to be dealt with. Although politics may seem trivial in comparison to these three major events, they still played a role in developing the era. President Herbert Hoover was believed to have made vital mistakes that sparked the Great Depression, including the stock market crash, but he was not the only one at fault. It could be argued that the American public did not support his decisions, and therefore, made quick, rash, and hasty judgments that put the economy in jeopardy of this depression (which ultimately occurred). Other than the conflict with Herbert Hoover’s presidency, the main two political advancements in this era were the developments of NATO and the United Nations. The United Nations was established just after World War II ended as a means of solving conflicts through diplomacy and treaty rather than war (unless it is justifiable). NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was established to oppose the Warsaw Pact of the Soviet Union. They were both assemblies of nations that were either allied with the United States of America (NATO), or with the Soviet Union (Warsaw). The United Nations is (to this day) an international organization whose stated aims include promoting and facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, civil rights, civil liberties, political freedoms, democracy, and the achievement of lasting world peace. The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the League of Nations, to stop wars between countries, and to provide a platform for dialogue. It contains multiple subsidiary organizations to carry out its missions. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is (to this day) an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. The organization constitutes a system of collective defense whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. NATO's headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium, one of the 28 member states across North America and Europe, the newest of which, Albania and Croatia, joined in April 2009. An additional 22 countries participate in NATO's "Partnership for Peace", with 15 other countries involved in institutionalized dialogue programs. The combined military spending of all NATO members constitutes over 70% of the world's defense spending. As depicted in the information presented above, although it may have been an era of more than just politics, political decisions definitely played a role in ending the four major events of the time: World War II, the Great Depression, the Holocaust, and the start of the Cold War.