Motivations for WWII:USA and Germany Essay
During the Second World War 70 million people from across the globe lost their lives, including approximately 7 million Germans and just under half a million Americans. The vast majority of German and American deaths during the war are from military combat. The question we must ask ourselves is what motivated these men and women to fight for their country? What motivated the leaders of both these nations to send their citizens to go to battle? What motivated the Germans to fight in World War 2 was a combination of new found hope following an economic downturn, propaganda, and a nationalistic fervor. While Americans were motivated to go to war primarily through pro-war propaganda and a sudden increase …show more content…
Similarly to World War 1, Germany had a nationalist leader who wanted a greater Germany. The only difference is that Hitler was leading a country post Versailles Treaty and the past German leaders had not. And the Germans were outraged by the Treaty of Versailles calling it “Diktat” because it was forced on the Germans, hurting their economy. Adolf Hitler knew that the proper way forward was to instill hope into outraged Germans by making them proud of their country again (Make Germany Great Again?). The economy improved and the military grew however what turned Germany into a war threat was that their people started to believe that Germany is a country that they ought to fight for. With an instilled nationalistic fervor the German people were motivated to fight for their country at any cost (Stalingrad). In the United States the rise of nationalism did not occur until Pearl Harbor. President Roosevelt was dealing with problems at home, rather than dealing with the rise in turmoil abroad until the United States was attacked. Following Pearl Harbor, FDR issued this statement to Americans over radio: “Powerful and resourceful gangsters have banded together to make war upon the whole human race. Their challenge has now been flung at the United States of America. The Japanese have treacherously violated the long- standing peace between us. Many American soldiers and sailors have been killed by enemy action. American ships have been sunk, American airplanes have been destroyed”. FDR issued a defiant statement to the American people, issuing that America will not go down. Even after years of hoping for peace abroad, FDR decided it was time to fight. The sudden increase of nationalism from Roosevelt alerted Americans, from sea to sea, that it was time to fight. In both Germany and the United States it is clear that nationalistic shifts from
During the Second World War 70 million people from across the globe lost their lives, including approximately 7 million Germans and just under half a million Americans. The vast majority of German and American deaths during the war are from military combat. The question we must ask ourselves is what motivated these men and women to fight for their country? What motivated the leaders of both these nations to send their citizens to go to battle? What motivated the Germans to fight in World War 2 was a combination of new found hope following an economic downturn, propaganda, and a nationalistic fervor. While Americans were motivated to go to war primarily through pro-war propaganda and a sudden increase …show more content…
Similarly to World War 1, Germany had a nationalist leader who wanted a greater Germany. The only difference is that Hitler was leading a country post Versailles Treaty and the past German leaders had not. And the Germans were outraged by the Treaty of Versailles calling it “Diktat” because it was forced on the Germans, hurting their economy. Adolf Hitler knew that the proper way forward was to instill hope into outraged Germans by making them proud of their country again (Make Germany Great Again?). The economy improved and the military grew however what turned Germany into a war threat was that their people started to believe that Germany is a country that they ought to fight for. With an instilled nationalistic fervor the German people were motivated to fight for their country at any cost (Stalingrad). In the United States the rise of nationalism did not occur until Pearl Harbor. President Roosevelt was dealing with problems at home, rather than dealing with the rise in turmoil abroad until the United States was attacked. Following Pearl Harbor, FDR issued this statement to Americans over radio: “Powerful and resourceful gangsters have banded together to make war upon the whole human race. Their challenge has now been flung at the United States of America. The Japanese have treacherously violated the long- standing peace between us. Many American soldiers and sailors have been killed by enemy action. American ships have been sunk, American airplanes have been destroyed”. FDR issued a defiant statement to the American people, issuing that America will not go down. Even after years of hoping for peace abroad, FDR decided it was time to fight. The sudden increase of nationalism from Roosevelt alerted Americans, from sea to sea, that it was time to fight. In both Germany and the United States it is clear that nationalistic shifts from