Most Important Event in History: World War II - Essay Sample

Introduction

World War II occurred between 1939 and 1945. The war is regarded as one of the most significant occurrences in history. It is estimated that more than 80 million people died. In Europe alone, about 39 million individuals died (Kesternich et al. 103). The effects of the war led to significant impacts that influenced and shaped the world we live in today. While some of the effects were realized during and immediately after the war, some consequences were seen several years after the war had ended. This paper will discuss World War II as one of the most significant historical events to have occurred in the world. The paper points on the adverse effects brought by the war as well as positive attributes that happened after the war.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

World War II led to the destruction of some of the world capital through ground battles and bombing. In addition to physical effects, some of the repercussions continue to affect human beings. Examples of major attacks include Nagasaki and Hiroshima atomic bombing. These are regarded as the first nuclear weapons to be used in the world. The American flight soldiers dropped the first bomb on 6th August 1945 in Hiroshima, Japan. After three days, the Americans dropped another bomb in Nagasaki. The effects on the bomb led to rising temperatures to levels that were never experienced before in any part of the world. The temperatures in the two regions were thought to be about 4,0000C. These effects led to crust destruction and death of more than 100,000 people and adversely affected the genetics of the survivors. DNA of the people exposed to the radiations emitted by the bomb was altered and the effects transferred to the offspring. It is thought that the effects continue to be passed in the lineage of the affected people while the ground that was hit remains unproductive (Popkin).

World War II continues to shape world politics in modern days. One of these issues includes control of nuclear weapons with some powerful nations controlling the production of the weapons considered dangerous to world peace and prevents a similar occurrence like the one that occurred during the world war. This issue has created conflict among nations as currently witnessed between the US and North Korea (Dunn 401). The reason behind control is linked to the devastating effects observed during World War II. The dominant nations such as the US that emerged victorious after World War II have continued to shape international politics.

During World War II most nations realized that new imperialism that was used in governing most colonial territories was a corrupt way of governance that ought to be abolished. During the war, new imperialism was characterized by dominant nations from Europe, the United States and Japan that were working to increase their colonial territories (Tikly 174). New imperialism and the urge to expand territorial boundaries was one of the reasons that led to the Second World War, but came as an eye-opener to the colonized nations which led to a wave of fights for freedom. This is evidenced by the number of nations that attained independence from colonial powers starting from 1940. Most nations such as India, Pakistan, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and most African nations attained independence during this era. The freedom gained during this era continues to be enjoyed even in the current world where each country exists as a sovereign state. The freedom allows specific nations to carry out their activities independently without interference from other nations.

After the Second World War, most nations realized the need for mutual respect for territories and boundaries as well as respect to humanity. The powerful nations accepted that the weaker nations also deserve the right to their territories even if they do not have the power to protect them. This assumption led to the development of the United Nations body. It was formed on 24th October 1945 with 50 nations becoming members (United Nations). The body was formed with the objective of maintaining world peace and international security. Some of the duties include developing friendly relationships between nations and enhance international cooperation. The UN is usually at the center of conflicting nations, and they are mandated to lead negotiations to end the conflict. In most instances, the UN is called in cases where two nations have boundary conflict. Unlike during World War II when the UN was non-existence, and disputes were settled through war, the current body ensures that boundary conflicts do not result in war. In essence, the UN is the most significant body brought by the effects of the Second World War and continues with ensuring world peace.

Conclusion

In synopsis, it is evident that World War II is the worst war to have occurred in the history of the world. The war led to major changes that occurred during and after the wars, and some of the effects such as international politics and development of the UN continue to be seen in the current world.

Works Cited

Dunn, Lewis. "The strategic elimination of nuclear weapons: an alternative global agenda for nuclear disarmament." The Nonproliferation Review, vol. 24, no. 5-6, pp.401-435. https://doi.org/10.1080/10736700.2018.1440733.

Kesternich, Iris et al. "The Effects of World War II on Economic and Health Outcomes across Europe." Review of economics and statistics, vol. 96, no.1, 2013, pp.103-118. doi: 10.1162/REST_a_00353

Popkin, Gabriel. Seventy Years Later, Atomic Bombs Still Influence Health Research. https://www.insidescience.org/news/seventy-years-later-atomic-bombs-still-influence-health-research. Accessed 28 Feb. 2019.

Tikly, Leon. "Education and the new imperialism." Comparative Education, Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 173-198.

United Nations. History of the United Nations. http://www.un.org/en/sections/history/history-united-nations/. Accessed 28 Feb. 2019.