World war 2 through the 1970's Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

World war 2 through the 1970's - Research Paper Example There were several turning points in America through the 1970s. These were the points of time when a significant change occurred. They were also moments of decision. At this time, there were many changes taking place around the world. Millions were dead, and the United States had become a super power (Finkelman, 2005). A sweeping historical turning point during the Second World War through the 1970s was the Watergate scandal. This political scandal took place in 1972, in the United States. There was a break in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington DC at the Watergate office complex. At the time, Richard Nixon was the president and his administration attempted to cover up its involvement in the break in. During the investigation into the scandal, many things got found out. It became discovered that president Nixon was taping all the conversations in the white House. It was this tapes that when later they got handed over government investigators implicated the president to have got involved in the cover up. Money that also got found on the burglars got connected to a slush fund used by fundraising group for the re-election of the president. Nixon’s vice president Agnew also admitted to tax evasion. The scandal was a crucial turning point because it led Americans to have key mistrust within their leaders and thus begin to question their leadership skills. It had a vital political impact on politics because political leaders and everyone else are fully aware that no one is above the law. This is because this scandal led to the resignation of a United States president. In America today, there is closer examination of the procedures of the executive office by the public. It served as a civic lesson to the public. People began to pay keen attention to their leaders and started to question leaders in local and state offices. This scandal also asserted the judiciary’s power to bring justice and equality of opportunity. Another key historical turning point that occurred during the World War II through the 1970s was the civil rights movement. This was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law. It took place between 1950 and 1980 (Finkelman, 2005). It took the form of civil resistance and campaigns aimed at bringing change. In some places, it became accompanied by armed rebellion and civil unrest. In America, the social rights movements aimed at outlawing racial discrimination and restoring voting rights to blacks. These movements not only gave equality to African American’s but also women. This had a significant impact on America today as it eventually led to the first black president and women in politics are reaching for the glass ceiling. This movement in America ensured that today certain groups of people got allowed to hold the basic rights that are guaranteed in the constitution. African Americans and women have an equal opportunity to be wealthy and lead a good life. No oneâ€⠄¢s rights get limited by law in America today as previously was the case. This movement ensured that today there is equality of rights and opportunities in America (Finkelman, 2005). America in the late 1930s wanted to stay out of the European conflict that became the World War II. This was because World War I had ended just 15 years earlier, and it was still a fresh wound to many Americans. World War I killed people, cost money, damaged property and affected everyone who encountered it. Most of them believed that the lives lost in World War I were so many and it was not worth it. A majority of American population was opposed to any policy that could involve the United States in another bloody conflict. In the years after the world war I Americans had reached the conclusion that it had been a disastrous mistake to