How did America become a superpower?

[Doc Sark]

First off this is a serious question, not just a jibe at George Bush or Americans in general. I'm interested in peoples views.

Personally I think it had a lot to do with WW2, of which, economically America was the only real winner, but what do other people think. Is it all down to great leadership, is it because of the large population or were there other factors at work?

Anyway, discuss.

[DMKA]

We're a superpower? When the hell did that happen? o___O

Yeah I deifinitely think WW2 did a great deal in us getting to our 'status' in the world...you know, between dropping that bomb and a few other things. That bomb definitely changed our fate.

I don't think our 'population' is big at all, and even if it was that would have nothing to do with it, seeing as India and China have like a combined 3 billion or so people.

But yeah...I definitely think we're moving toward...disaster as a nation. I think I'll move to Canadia with GG. :\

[Jebus]

It was partly WWII. The rest was the we were the first to successfully build and test nuclear weapons, and were the only ones to have them for three years. If I remember rightly "superpower" is just short for "nuclear superpower."

[Mei]

We're a superpower? When the hell did that happen? o___O

<b>Don't insult other members. ~Yamaneko</b>

It was WW2 then the Cold War what done it.

[Maxico]

I personaly believe that it was the fact that people settled on land that was very big very fertile and had next to no farmers.

[Levian]

I think they became a superpower on a Thursday.

[TheAbominatrix]

I think America had the capabilities to be a super power from rather early on, if they chose to. A lot of natural rescources, a lot of people. But before WWI (and after WWI), America chose to be an isolationist state. This means they wanted nothing to do with the rest of the world. They didnt want to get mucked up in anything... for example, the people of America then didnt want to be doing what America is doing now; getting involved in every other countries affairs.

They wanted to stay out of WWI, but ended up helping, and then returned to an isolationist state. They wanted to stay out of WWII, but did help Britian through the lend-lease program. But then Japan attacked and that was all screwed. So the US entered the war, won in Asia and helped Britian win in Europe, la la la. Since then, America has chosen to be the police force for the world... and the US is a superpower, thanks to those things I mentioned before. Whether it's a good thing or not is left to opinion.

[Zell's Fists of Fury]

Radioactive spider bite.

[Doomgaze]

They wanted to stay out of WWI, but ended up helping, and then returned to an isolationist state. They wanted to stay out of WWII, but did help Britian through the lend-lease program. But then Japan attacked and that was all screwed. So the US entered the war, won in Asia and helped <s>Britian</s><b>RUSSIA</b> win in Europe, la la la. Since then, America has chosen to be the police force for the world... and the US is a superpower, thanks to those things I mentioned before. Whether it's a good thing or not is left to opinion.

[TheAbominatrix]

They came to the aid of Britian. Russia was doing their own thing, and they met in the middle. Yes, they did help eachother.

[Psychotic]

They came to the aid of Britian.

Nope. Germany tried to invade Britain with their Operation Sea Lion in 1940, but were defeated in the Battle of Britain.

Unless you mean coming to the aid of Britain in winning the war in mainland Western Europe, which undoubtedly Britain couldn't have done without America being the main driving force.

[TheAbominatrix]

I was referring to the land war, yes.

[Denmark]

Nucular weaponry. ISN'T OUR SOCIETY GREAT? :<z>D

Oh. And money. Lots of money. (let's just forget about our deficit for the sake of discussion, eh?)

[Yamaneko]

I don't think our 'population' is big at all, and even if it was that would have nothing to do with it, seeing as India and China have like a combined 3 billion or so people.\
Two billion, about.

It might have been initially about creating the atom bomb first, but as you can see today that doesn't mean jack. I think it's always been about money and not physical force. And it's been Big Business that has gotten us to the place we are today. Europe has tighter restrictions on Big Business than we do. They always have. Our economy was allowed to grow during the Industrial Revolution without much government control. We bankrupted the Kaiser during WW1. We came out victorious and humiliated Germany with the Treaty of Versailles.

The market crash in 1929 was a definite setback, but WW2 soon put us back on track. Again, we bankrupted Hitler and the Allies won the war. After the war, Kennedy and Johnson minimized the role of Big Business, but Reagan once again gave power to business during the 1980's. We built countless WMDs and bankrupted the U.S.S.R. in the process.

The most important aspect in the U.S. dominance in the world has been, I think, outsourcing. Companies have been able to make huge profits while destroying other economies throughout the world. Each victory has secured the U.S. as the most powerful country in the world.

The past 150 years have been about money more so than sheer power.

EDIT: Russia could have swept throughout all of Europe and won the war in Europe. Besides, the war in Western Europe was less important than the war in Eastern Europe.

[Dr Unne]

Large land area, large population, but also other things; if not, why is Russia not a superpower? "Power" in the sense of a superpower is often a matter of money, because money leads to influence and military strength. It's probably impossible to pick just one reason, but if I HAD to pick one reason I'd probably say the US is a superpower because it's wealthy, like Yamaneko said. Our ideals might also have something to do with it. Our freedoms for example; freedom is a good way to fuel innovation. Improvement for the sake of improvement, and gaining power as a side effect.

[Ouch!]

America chose to be an isolationist state. This means they wanted nothing to do with the rest of the world. They didnt want to get mucked up in anything... for example, the people of America then didnt want to be doing what America is doing now; getting involved in every other countries affairs.
"I've been accused of speaking in a condescending manner. There's where I talk to you like you're stupid." - Al Gore

On a less sarcastoc note, I agree it had to do with the turnout of World War II. After we shrugged off being isolationists, we just tried to fix everything. And now it's escalated into Bush's War on Terror.

I'm moving to England or Canada. Probably the latter.

[TheAbominatrix]

"I've been accused of speaking in a condescending manner. There's where I talk to you like you're stupid." - Al Gore

On a less sarcastoc note, I agree it had to do with the turnout of World War II. After we shrugged off being isolationists, we just tried to fix everything. And now it's escalated into Bush's War on Terror.

I'm moving to England or Canada. Probably the latter.


I wanted to make it perfectly clear that I wasnt saying America was completly isolated. There's different levels of what the word 'isolationist' could mean, including not keeping up relations with other countries or allowing people of other countries into your own.

[Jack]

Luck

[Fuzakeru]

While I'll keep my opinions about the 'war' going on right now ( Look, we already started it so to just pull out right now would be wrong in my eyes . . . ) I will say that I would prefer it much more if America was more concerned about America's business and less concerned with everyone else's.

[Strider]

http://forums.eyesonff.com/showthread.php?t=50994

This would have something to do with it. Without that success, we might never have expanded.

Lewis: "Sir, we've got some bad news."
Jefferson: "Yes, what it is?"
Clark: "The West sucks. Really really. It's not worth it."
Jefferson: "So much for my nation of farmers..."

[Chaos]

I think you 'Mericans became a superpower to get back at us Brits tricking you into joining the first world war.
Cos face it, we tricked you good. :)

I'd say the capitalism ethic was the main driving force behind America becoming a superpower.

That led to money that led to power.

Chaos

[TasteyPies]

Luck and determination, mostly luck.

[Doc Sark]

but if I HAD to pick one reason

I wasn't asking for a solitary reason.

So pretty much everyone is in agreement that the accumulation of wealth through the various means helped America become the Superpower it is today. How do poeple think the money from the lend-lease program helped America recover from the Great Depression? Everything was all fine and dandy until that pesky wall street crash in 1929. It took more than just money to get out of it, someone had to know how to invest it.

Do people think that the rise in consumerism and the Americanisation of post WWII British Culture made America "fashionable"? Hollywood and the invention of the television, followed by the invention of the teenager for example were massive adverts for consumerism, did these play significant roles in America accumulating it's wealth?

[Loony BoB]

It's also far away from most nations that have been known for international aggression over the past years. Attacking America from outside the Americas was never easy in the past and a lot of wealthy people moved there because of this, and also because of the 'freedom'.

The question, for me, is how long will America be the superpower it is now? What would, or at least could stop it? These are questions far more interesting to me. Not that I wish the downfall of America but more so that the future is more important to my eyes. I often wonder how long it will take before America once again wants to expand. How will it do so? Will American people ever stand for a president that wishes to take land from other countries? Does the desire to Americanise have anything to do with the wars that it gets involved in?

To be honest, I don't really have any thoughts on the matter, but if anyone's willing to offer theirs, I'd be interested in them.

I also wonder how long it will take for Europe to become a single country of sorts. We could be talking centuries or more, but the possibility is there. The future is just one big possibility.

[Dingo Jellybean]

The US became a superpower, like many said, largely because of WW2. But the US wasn't the only nation, U.S.S.R. was also a superpower after the war.

Mobilization had a lot to do with it, that's primarily the reason, the US became the bad ass that it is now. Prior to WW2, the US, like many countries, was pretty much in a state of national depression. But when WW2 started and it became evident that the US should be involved, mobilization jump started the economy(that's the main reason the US got out of the depression)...and the rest they say is history.

[nik0tine]

It was WW2 that MADE us a superpower. However it was largly (not wholly) due to leadership that KEPT us a superpower during the coldwar.

[DMKA]

<b>Don't insult other members. ~Yamaneko</b>
Aww I didn't get to read it!