In what ways are we still feeling the effects of World War II?

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Didge Doo Profile
Didge Doo answered

I suppose the most significant outcome is the establishment of Israel. The horror we all felt at the Holocaust demanded that something should be done and Israel has flourished in a land that withered under Arab neglect. The envy, and the religious hatred that grew from that is unlikely ever to be resolved.

The problems are not all on one side, of course, but Israel's need to defend themselves against savage neighbours -- and their success in doing so -- has only added to the hatred directed at them.

There were other border realignments that continue to create tension and bloodshed. One of the lesser known adjustments was the Finnish border when the Finns took the opportunity to side with Hitler and kick out the Russians. They were quickly defeated and the border re-drawn, but it's said that Stalin placed his thumb on the page, forcing the cartographer to draw the border around it, thus securing the mineral-rich Finnish territory for the USSR.

Maurice Korvo Profile
Maurice Korvo answered

In Canada we feel the effects of WWII in the entertainment we see. The USA truly believes that they won the war, (not the allies) and we get the movies and TV shows about them beating the Axis powers.  Due to this we are starting to see more of the part played by other allies

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Rooster Cogburn
Rooster Cogburn commented
Very true !
Didge Doo
Didge Doo commented
Zee, you're probably not aware that a line had been drawn across northern Australia. Our government was prepared to concede that much territory to the Japanese and try to hold that line.

It was kept secret because of its unpopularity and was revealed only years later. So, yes, we appreciated America's involvement which kept Australia from becoming a Japanese colony. Of course, Japan's expansion began AFTER Pearl Harbor.

But Americans were late-comers to the war. It was Britain and her allies who held Germany in check from 1939 while America, understandably, tried to keep out of things. People like Joe Kennedy (US ambassador to the Court of St. James and JFK's father) was reported to have tried to nobble the efforts of FDR to offer assistance to those fighting Germany.

The Nazis had plenty of sympathisers on both sides of the Atlantic, not least of whom was the former King Edward VIII who, following his abdication, several times visited Hitler. He was shipped off to the Caribbean diplomatic post during the war to keep him out of the public eye.

So, while not minimising the enormous input of the US into WWII, and even acknowledging that Germany would have won if the US had maintained its isolationist policy, it still rankles when we hear ill-informed people declaring that "America won the war". Sure they did, but they were not alone in doing so.
Call me Z
Call me Z commented
Yea, me too.
Japan had been sacking parts of China in the 1930's and was positioning for domination of the entire pacific when Pearl Harbir was attacked. A move they'd been planning for a year. Bad move as it turned out. I was aware of threat imposed on Oz by the Japanese, of course the dividing line you mentioned was a surprise. I bet mighty unpopular as well.
RIK RZ Profile
RIK RZ answered

Everyone still hates Hitler.

Call me Z Profile
Call me Z answered

The massive war effort in the US resulted in its becoming the world's first superpower, becoming the largest economy, the greatest military force, and gaining nuclear capability and unprecedented technological advancement.  All of which remain the case to this day.

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