America--great--so fast

Originally posted by BIG D what's your thoughts on how America became so great SO FAST...was it more about people with zeal/know how to make a better life/adventure/etc or the great and vast resources of the land???

After World War II, the only industrialized nation not touched by the war was the United States. While Europe and Japan were devastated, this allowed the United States to take the lead. Thats the shortest explanation.


Edited by TheGreatSimba - 28-Oct-2010 at 13:44

Originally posted by TheGreatSimba Originally posted by BIG D what's your thoughts on how America became so great SO FAST...was it more about people with zeal/know how to make a better life/adventure/etc or the great and vast resources of the land??? After World War II, the only industrialized nation not touched by the war was the United States. While Europe and Japan were devastated, this allowed the United States to take the lead. Thats the shortest explanation.

was not the US great[[or up there near the big ones]] before WWII??....big navy, industrial, maritime power, agriculture, etc????ty 4 r

Originally posted by opuslola The USA was not only mostly untouched by most of the horrow of war in WW II but all from the same in WW I!

Originally posted by TheGreatSimba Originally posted by BIG D was not the US great[[or up there near the big ones]] before WWII??....big navy, industrial, maritime power, agriculture, etc????ty 4 r No, the United States did not maintain large armies or large navies because it never needed to. There was never a real threat of invasion of the US mainland. The United States is protected by two massive oceans and its neighbors to the north and south were very weak. The US has become the power it is only since WWII. Economically however, the US was a power house because it had advantages no other country possessed (i.e no need for large armies, no major devastating wars, large territory full of natural resources, etc...)

yes, I meant, wasn't it getting to be[or was] an economic power ..but also it's navy wasn't small--how many countries had aircraft carriers pre 1939???the US had at least six..by maritime, I mean civilian ships...the industrialization/agriculture/transportation-roads/etc...this is what I meant.....the immigrants brought ideas/know how...were these immigrants more apt to be more industrious/hard working???

Originally posted by TheGreatSimba Originally posted by BIG D yes, I meant, wasn't it getting to be[or was] an economic power I believe it had the biggest economy in the world, unless you include the British and French Empires as a whole (as opposed to just the economy of Britain or just the economy of France). Originally posted by BIG D ..but also it's navy wasn't small--how many countries had aircraft carriers pre 1939???the US had at least six.. I dont think the United States had as big a navy as Britain or France prior to WWI. I could be wrong on this. Originally posted by BIG D immigrants brought ideas/know how...were these immigrants more apt to be more industrious/hard working??? The United States did attract a lot of immigrants which provided a work force for its factories and other economic sectors. But I dont think this is the main reason for the United States' economic and industrial growth.

I beleive America had a pretty good fleet before WW I, do any of you remember the "Great White Fleet" and Dewey?

And, yes America had a pretty good sized fleet in 1939! It was though probably second to Japans in the Pacific, and second or third in the Atlantic!

I will vote for the greatness of the US being the vast resources, which are now depleted.  How wonderful it would be to have everything free for the taking, at the same human consciousness was developed enough to advance technologies and world markets.

Surely the US's geographical position, outside of the fighting common to Europe, was a huge advantage, but this would not have been that great of an advantage if it had not been for the vast farm lands that could feed both the US and Europe, and the industry dependent on mineral resources that could be locally obtained.   The advantage here is two fold.  The first is the psychological advantage of having the much abundance provided by god/nature.  Second, is the the material and economy reality that achieving the good possible.   People didn't have to sell their children to the factory, because they could move west and own enough land to be self sufficient.  That is one hack of an advantage.   No one told them want to do, or denied them a livelihood because of the human problems that divided management from laborers.  Mother nature is a tyrant and she doesn't care if who dies.  You play by her rules or you are dead.  But something is something a whole lot cleaner and empowering in dealing with her, then in dealing with humans in the city. 

Originally posted by Athena I will vote for the greatness of the US being the vast resources, which are now depleted.  How wonderful it would be to have everything free for the taking, at the same human consciousness was developed enough to advance technologies and world markets. Surely the US's geographical position, outside of the fighting common to Europe, was a huge advantage, but this would not have been that great of an advantage if it had not been for the vast farm lands that could feed both the US and Europe, and the industry dependent on mineral resources that could be locally obtained.   The advantage here is two fold.  The first is the psychological advantage of having the much abundance provided by god/nature.  Second, is the the material and economy reality that achieving the good possible.   People didn't have to sell their children to the factory, because they could move west and own enough land to be self sufficient.  That is one hack of an advantage.   No one told them want to do, or denied them a livelihood because of the human problems that divided management from laborers.  Mother nature is a tyrant and she doesn't care if who dies.  You play by her rules or you are dead.  But something is something a whole lot cleaner and empowering in dealing with her, then in dealing with humans in the city.

This is true, The United States vast abundance of natural resources is a major factor of why its the economic power house it is. Also, you are correct in mentioning that the large "available" territories helped as well in terms of population growth.

Countries such as Japan and German are limited in their growth do to their size/lack of lots of natural resources. China's growth will eventually become constrained when they start finding it hard to feed their economy due to lack of natural resources.

Today we are seeing a new type of imperialism, where powerful nation states are doing whatever they can to secure natural resources for the future. China is already very successful in Africa.


Edited by TheGreatSimba - 30-Oct-2010 at 17:56

Japan and Germany are powerhouses, but their growth is limited to their size and amount of natural resources they poses.

For example, Japan is severely lacking in major natural resources such as oil, minerals, etc... This limits their capacity for growth (and was a major factor of why they attacked the United States and expanded in Asia in the first place).

For example, just recently, Japan had to sign a deal with vietnam for rare earth minerals because China, the largest supplier of this important natural resources (used to make high tech equipment) refused to sell any to Japan due to territorial disputes.

Originally posted by TheGreatSimba Japan and Germany are powerhouses, but their growth is limited to their size and amount of natural resources they poses. For example, Japan is severely lacking in major natural resources such as oil, minerals, etc... This limits their capacity for growth (and was a major factor of why they attacked the United States and expanded in Asia in the first place). For example, just recently, Japan had to sign a deal with vietnam for rare earth minerals because China, the largest supplier of this important natural resources (used to make high tech equipment) refused to sell any to Japan due to territorial disputes.

of course, AND considering your points, Germany and Japan do EXTREMELY well per GNP--with Germany just behind China and Japan just ahead[[2009]]--and this is my question from before, how do they do so well WITHOUT the things you mention[natural resources,etc.??ty