History and political buffs, will you answer this?

Question

Of all the wars and conflicts the U.S. has been in, which do you think has had the greatest impact on the population at the time? Which has had the greatest impact on our lives today? The answer which best supports mine, or sways my opinion the most gets "best answer".

Answer 1

Vietnam War.

It was the first time many Americans got to see the effects of war because every day it was on their TVs and in their living rooms. Before that you would see war news in newspapers or propaganda newsreels in movie theaters. It became the first war that was opened to the scrutiny of the populace.

It also helped to set the standard of teaching nothing 'controversial' in American History Classes. Our history of War ended with Korea. Even when I took history in 1986 Vietnam was considered too touchy a subject to teach.

Answer 2

The one with greatest impact on the population at the time was the American Civil war. The US never had the same casualty figures until WWII, when the overall population was bigger.


The greatest impact on our lives today is a tough one.
Without the war of Independence there wouldn't be the nation of the US. So one could argue that that one is the most important, because everything followed from that one.
The other contender is WWII. Without WWII the US would not have risen to superpower status. Without WWII there wouldn't be the USSR, the UN, the EU, the cold war or nuclear weapons. Europe probably would still have colonies and matching fleets and armies. Viet Nam would not have happened because the french would have controlled it.

So I'll go for WWII because: if the first war of Independence had been lost there was enough time for a few more Independence wars before WWII. The effects of WWII like the UN, the creation and the breaking up of the USSR are still effecting the US today.

Answer 3

The greatest impact on any population will always be the impact that affects the greatest percentage of people. That is easiest to accomplish when the population is at its lowest. As such, the initial conflict with the Native Americans that resulted in the European settlers acquiring land and decimating the natives would have the greatest impact on the population at the time.

As far as impact on our lives today goes, it's a toss up between the War for Independance and WWII. Without a revolution, our independance and system of government would not have been established at that time. It is, however, logical to consider that American independance would have been realized eventually, so perhaps a bloody war wasn't necessary in the long run.

I also chose WWII because it helped the US emerge as a global superpower. Without that global dominance, our economy would not be the way it is. The Cold War (and every military action therein) would not have happened. September 11th would not have happened. The US and the global political climate would be vastly different if it had not been for WWII.

Answer 4

Without a doubt, our own Civil War had had the greatest impact on out lives today. If the South would have won and separated from our Union, then there would be no superpower United States that participated in all of the big Wars to follow.

Answer 5

Wow, what a great question. Each war has impacted the population of the United States in big ways. Even tho the American Revolution lasted only 8 years, it has created the basis for the freedoms we have today. If you think about it, it still has an overall effect on americans in that we enjoy the freedom it provided. World WAr One killed millions of people but it lay the way for the connections we now have with Europe. The "Iraqi Freedom" war we are currently involved with i would really like to see if any good comes from it. I have strong disagreements with it for many reasons. I think my vote goes toward the American Revolution since it has paved the way for what this country is today and has had the longest effect for its people.

Answer 6

World War II without a doubt. The reason is that more United States troops fought in this war than any other war. The United States had to go through rationing, women were forced to take an active role in the economy for the first time. And it was because of the industrial build up for the war and the destruction of the powers of the world while the United States remained largely intact allowed the US to take the lead in the World which it still holds today.

Answer 7

The greatest impact on the population at the time: The Civil War
On our lives today: The Revolution

Answer 8

The greatest by far is WWII. It was the only war were everyone in the US was effected. Everyone either knew someone fighting or was fighting themselves. The death toll on America lead to a huge vacuum in the labor force leading to one of the lowest unemployment in our history. Due to the excess of people working, it lead to an era of prosperity that we haven't seen since.

Because of the travels and experiences of WWII by our troops, our diet also changed. Foreign cuisines became part of the main food sources in America. Sure they might have had pizza in NY where there were a lot of Italian immigrants, but it wasn't until after that war you saw it in South Dakota.

The lead up to this war shattered American isolationism and has influenced our foreign policy ever since. When you see us jumping at the first sign of trouble today you can look directly at Hitler's invasion of Poland and the appeasement policies at the time as a reference. It is commonly believed that had the League of Nations stepped in at Poland, WWII probably would not have happened.

It instilled a nationalistic ideology that sprung us into an economic superpower. The coal mine workers did their jobs because the steel industry needed them and that made the country run.

As far as today, WWII has made the alliances we still stand by. It led to the cold war which many of us still remember. It led to the formation of Israel, no explanation needed here. The techonolical advances made during that time have continued into what we concider mainstays in our homes today (computers, cars, etc..).

Other wars were fought and really there is no unimportant war in US history. But WWII was a defining moment in the world as a whole and the US as a nation.

Answer 9

WWII because of the shear numbers of fighting personal, both men and women. Women went to work in the factories, there was rationing and shortages. Soldiers from the back woods fought right along side soldiers from wall street. I think it changed our country forever is so many ways. Mostly for the good. This war touched every American personally.

Answer 10

The Civil war changed our nation and helped us to become the super power we are today. By taking us from a nation divided to a nation of brothers (for the most part) by freeing the slaves. it also paved the way for the civil rights movement that made us realize our potential as Equal and united people.