how did the u s meet the challenges of the war in europe and pacific?
141118
I think one of the biggest factors is that women stepped up and filled all the jobs that the men left to go fight.  This is the first time in modern history that women were not just allowed but encouraged to do "man's" work.
329251
B - because of the advances in mainland China, it forced the US to fight a two front war.  The Japanese caused the americans, and Russians to have to balance their military efforts.  If the US and Russia could have spent less time in Asia, then they could have taken care of the German and Italians faster.
962350
I think you will find most of what you are searching for here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States#World_War_I_and_II\n\nGood Luck!!! :-)
838207
Their placement is strategically important.  They can mobilize to any confrontation in the eastern hemisphere.  It's important for the US to have a large military presence that's across the Atlantic and the Pacific.
601
Shortly after the United States entered World War II, the Allies agreed that the European Theater would have priority in the war over the Pacific Theater. The Marine Corps' war was in the Pacific and all war plans regarding the employment of Marines reflected that. Nevertheless, because the Marine Corps was part of the naval establishment, it had responsibility also for furnishing men to parts of the Navy assigned to the European and Mediterranean theaters and to the operations conducted there.\n\nThese were not large Marine formations, but were, for the most part, individual Marines and small detachments assigned to guard duty at the barracks and naval operating bases established in the United Kingdom, or men assigned as "sea-going" Marines in the detachments of the large fighting ships. Another category was filled by those intrepid Marines who volunteered for duty with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), to undertake covert operations with the underground against the Nazis in the occupied countries of Europe and North Africa.
537800
Yes, I would say for the US Vietnam was. For the world I would say Japan had it pretty rough when we droped two nukes on two huge citys.
471045
The Marines got as far as defending Iceland and set up long-range radar for British troops.  However, with the start of the war with the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Marines were deployed to protect the western theater while the Army protected the eastern.  Both Marines and Army were absolutely everywhere during WWII to protect all directional points of the USA.
589202
The Marshall Plan:  after World War 2 the united states implemented a plan to help and support the defeated enemies get back on their feet.  This helped keep festering resentment for having to pay reparations from occurring in these lands (which is what led to WW2 from WW1)
266834
German Hitler=megalomaniac, tried to create a dynasty by conquering Europe.  Japanese=pissed at the US over trade practices, attacks the US @ Pearl Harbor.  The US fights (with Allies) in Europe, Africa, and the Pacific.  Wins.
230068
The US had previously declined to be involved in WW II.  Pearl Harbor forced the US to take a stand and become involved.  Also, it helped develop a cause for the US and also developed a sense of American National spirit.  Remember Pearl Harbor became the motto for a lot of American Sailors and soldiers.
736178
It was oil and other resources such as rubber and scrap steel.  Oil was the reason Japan coveted S E Asia.  \n\nThere was another reason:  an underestimation of the foe they were taking on.  They underestimated the industrial might of the USA . Yamamoto, the Japanese admiral who planned and led the attack on Pearl Harbor stated exactly what was to happen: initial successes until Japan would be overcome by the strength of the industrial response.  Also, call it nationalism or perhaps racism, Japan didn't think they would lose to the USA.  They thought they were tougher and better warriors.  And they were a tenacious, brave adversary.  But they woefully misunderstood the spirit of the Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen who fought under the Stars and Stripes.
27529
The war in Europe was all but over. We just needed to test the bomb and to show off for the world.
140767
one of their allies had the atomic bomb and were prepared to use it. also, Germany was the main foe, being so close to taking over Europe, they had to worry about them first. military strategy throughout history warns about fighting a battle on 2 fronts. depletes your resourses and manpower. Germany was the main concern then take on Japan.
253071
the ethical issues of the atomic bomb aside, the japanese military was quite prepared to fight to the last man, woman, and child in a US-led invasion of japan.  the loss of life on both sides would have been horrific and much greater than that caused by the atomic bombs.  the sheer magnitude of their destruction was basically a huge wake-up slap to the japanese military and forced them to admit that they could not win the war.
200761
Both.\n\nThe Japanese knew that it was only a matter of time before the United States would enter the war, so they took a gamble to strike pre-emptively to keep America out of the war.\n\nTheir intent was not to scare America into submission, but to cripple the Pacific fleet enough so that it would take them over a year to rebuild. By that time, the Japanese figure that they would have entrenched themselves in the conquered territories to make it impossible for America to get them out.\n\nThey made a few mistakes:\n1) They underestimated America's industrial power. Under normal non-war conditions, it would have taken over a year to repair the fleet, but when all of America converted to war production, it took only a small fraction of that time.\n\n2) They crippled the battleship fleet, but the Navy aircraft carriers were not at Pearl Harbor at the time. Military wisdom at the time made the battleships the main fighting force of the fleet, but at that time, the Navy was already changing tactics to make aircraft carriers the main fighting force. The attack at Pearl Harbor only sped up that process. America retaliated to Pearl Harbor using their carriers.
482259
The US had put an oil embargo on Japan for invading China. Without oil, Japan could not keep its war machine in operation - planes, ships and tanks use a lot of oil. \n\nI don't think you could really say attacking Pearl Harbor solved that problem, and of course it was not going to win the war, but it was the only way the Japanese military felt they could prolong the inevitable defeat. (They never believed that could actually beat the US in the end. But by attacking Pearl Harbor they thought they could gain 6 more months to advance into Southeast Asia).
263637
World War II was a BIG factor in the USA becoming a power house. Also the 40's produced one of the biggest baby booms in US history for the 50's.