HIST 405 Week 6 Discussion; World War II - Treaty of Versailles, Rise of fascism, Japanese expansion

Good Morning Class and Professor, While the United States was struggling with the consequences of the Great Depression in the 1930s, it began a period of isolation at the same time that fascism and imperialism rose in popularity around the world, especially in Germany, Italy, and Japan. Even if the US had interfered during the rise of these countries, it would have had no effect on the course of history. Most of the factors that contributed to the rise of fascism can be traced back to the Treaty of Versaille, in which Germany accepted almost sole responsibility for the war and incurred huge war debts while losing a significant portion of its territory. Countries like Japan and Italy, which fought on the winning side and made enormous sacrifices, got absolutely nothing. As a result of their bitter feelings against the other nation, these three countries became more militaristic and imperialistic. A organization called the League of Nations was already in position to manage world affairs. It was their job to keep the peace between nations, but they were always ineffective and useless. When Japan invaded Manchuria “the League of Nations formally protested Japan’s seizure of Chinese territory in 1931 and 1932, it did nothing else.” (OpenStax) Even after the Emperor of Ethiopia pleaded for aid in front of the League, the League of Nations did little to stop the Italian invasion of Ethiopia. Overall, America's presence would have had little impact on the course of history, which had been set decades before. The use of atomic (nuclear) bombs on Japan was not a loss for democracy, but rather a means of saving millions of lives and bringing an end to a war that had already lasted half a decade. Japan was a proud country, and its citizens believed in fighting to the death to protect their homeland. In the proposed invasion of Japan called Operation Downfall “General Marshall, in conference with President Truman, estimated 31,000 in 30 days after landing in Kyushu. Admiral Leahy estimated that the invasion would cost 268,000 casualties. Personnel at the Navy Department estimated that the total losses to America would be between 1.7 and 4 million with 400,000 to 800,000 deaths. The same department estimated that there would be up to 10 million Japanese casualties.” (History Learnings/UK). This would have broken America's foundations and ushered in an era of turmoil. As a result, the bomb was dropped to demonstrate America's resolve to win the war. It wasn't about stifling democracy; it was about ensuring that no more lives were lost. Reference s 27.1 The Origins of War: Europe, Asia, and the United States - U.S. History | OpenStax. (n.d.). Open Stax. Retrieved March 24, 2021, from https://openstax.org/ books/us- history/pages/27-1-the-origins-of-war-europe-asia-and-the-united- states Haile Selassie, “Appeal to the League of Nations,” June 1936. (n.d.). Mtholeyoke. Retrieved March 24, 2021, from https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/selassie.htm