Why is World War 2 considered so important? Explain the political,
social and economic significance of the War.

Looking for info on this, preferably in essay form would be best. up
to about 1500 words thats all. Thanks

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Clarification of Question by mrsifter-ga on 22 Oct 2004 00:28 PDT

Just wanted to add that under those headings some areas that could be
discussed are for political - the cold war, social - women in the
workforce. Areas like that

Politically, Socialism (in all its hues) ousted Fascism (in all its hues);

Socially, this meant the erosion of the Landed Gentry and the
ascendancy of the Moneyed Classes. This gave opportunities for people
in the lowest strata to move up through the ranks. Hitherto, only
coquettes enjoyed this upward mobility.

Economically, this meant Globalisation so that stuff could be farmed
out from the Developed Countries (who held the purse strings) to the
Lesser types.

Without these changes, how could we now enjoy the best of everything?

Utopia!

The First World War was between roughly equivalent Nations.
A bit, locally, like the Boer War - like siblings scrapping.

The results were (in my opinion) a throwback to savagery, Stalinism
(not Communism) and the NSDAP (note: not Fascism - that is a
jingoistic term borrowed from the Romans - that preceded, but had
nothing to do with Hitler).

The reversion to primitive tribal outlooks, coupled with rather
advanced weopons, capable of attacking remote civilians (far better
than the odd Zeppelin) resulted in 'Total War' rather than defined
fronts and victims.

In the past, conflict was relatively confined to a defined area,
unpleasant for the people in the wrong place at the wrong time, but in
essence gladiatorial.

In the more distant past, warfare was 'invasion' or 'migration',
(excluding a spot of mugging).

The Cold War has little to do with WWII
- ditto women - they cracked the yoke in WWI

The social (if you mean Class) thing was pretty fragmented by WWI
(shortage of officers), and had possibly been already sorted out by
Britain's new Empire and the expansion of grammar schools.

However, WWII did retain one vital characteristic of earlier warfare,
as the USA was involved, and could act as a supplier of food,
munitions and corpses.

I suggest that you build up your essay using total warfare as the
theme, and then demolish it in the penultimate paragraph.