How the US became Powerful
The US is the only superpower globally because of five major factors, one being the military power. Superpower means the center of power or polarity. The country has one of the most sophisticated technologies that are utilized effectively in strengthening military productions. It was among the first countries to acquire nuclear power, meaning it has the potential of manufacturing weapons of mass destruction. Secondly, the state is powerful economically, having come through several economic crises successfully.
It has a wide market because of the population and the potential customers who have the buying power. Third, the US has a developed conflict resolution mechanism that has strengthened its diplomatic power making it the influential country. Fourth, it has a diverse culture that promotes togetherness, cooperation, and development. Finally, the country has a highly developed political structure that can never be compared to any other in the world.
What is surprising is the way the country achieved its status as the only superpower in the international system (Hinderaker 392). The supremacy of the US is traced back to 1890 just after the Civil War, which had threatened to tear the country apart. The country was weakened after the internal conflicts, with the political class trying to bring things back to normal.
The state had no stable military, forcing it to depend on geography as the only protector from aggressors. After the First World War, the US was an economic and political power to reckon with having benefited a lot from the war. It sold military weapons to various European powers and entered into trade agreements with the Asian giants that had stable markets.
However, the US was still powerless in the 1930s while communism and fascism were taking over in Europe as the main economic doctrines. The Second World War strengthened the state further after it was realized that the standing army was necessary for protection.
Long-lasting Effects from WW2
The main cause of the Second World War was the arms race, as many countries were focused on strengthening their militaries. The European powers, especially Germany, wanted to test whether it had accumulated enough power to regain its lost glory.
In case the Axis powers had won the war, the world would be a terrible place because their only major objective was to dominate by eliminating other races perceived to be powerful. In this case, the Jews could be non-existent because the Nazi regime never wanted to hear anything about them. The long-term effect of the war is that it gave rise to the formation of global regimes, such as the United Nations.
Lessons from the Korean and Vietnam Wars
The Vietnam and Korean Wars proved that the powerful countries, especially the superpower, would do everything to ensure that they achieve their desired interests.
The causes of both wars were political instabilities fuelled by the western powers, particularly the United States (Wood 15). The UN tried its best to salvage the situation, but with little success. In Vietnam, the government forces engaged foreign soldiers and local militias while the case of Korea was different since it involved conflicts between ethnicities leading to the division of the country.
Works Cited
Hinderaker Eric. “Territorial Crossings: Histories and Historiographies of the Early Americas,” William and Mary Quarterly 67.3 (2010): 395-432. Print.
Wood, Gordon. Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789–1815 5.3 (2009): 368–374. Print.