Existing comment:
War Clouds:
The generation of Americans who came to adulthood during the 1930s grew up in a world shadowed by extraordinary economic and military threats.
A financial depression gripped much of the globe, throwing millions out of work. In some countries, economic hardship contributed to the power and appeal of political extremists. These leaders offered simple solutions to their countries' problems, solutions that included extreme nationalism, military expansion, and doctrines of racial superiority.
In Germany, Adolf Hitler created a fascist state that threatened the peace of Europe. Hitler renounced treaty obligations, began a rapid arms buildup, and made territorial demands on Germany's neighbors. He and the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini joined their nations in a military union.
In Asia, another militarized state expanded its borders. Early in the 1930s Japan, hungry for land and raw materials, seized Manchuria. Soon it set its sights on further expansion in China and Southeast Asia.
Separated by two oceans from these troubles, Americans hoped to isolate themselves from war. Yet at the end of this troubled decade their lives were profoundly altered by events that unfolded far from home. |