Background Until World War
Background Until World War most U.S. military actions took place within this' country (such as the conquest of Native Americans and the Civil War) or dose to home (as in the war with Mexico). After proving its military might at the international level in World War the United States took on the role of leader of the free world at the end of World War II. During World War II, a massive expansion of the industrial infrastructure of the economy occurred as factories were built to produce uniforms, tanks. airplanes. ships. and so on. After the war. a major issue was what to do with the large military establishment that had helped the nation become a superpower. If the country wanted to remain the world leader. many argued. then it had to maintain this military establishment and make defense spending a national priority. The nation did just that. Starting in the) 1950 s. the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a cold war-a conflict between nations based on the threat of war rather than on actual armed conflict.
Because the Soviet Union wanted to be a superpower. as well as maintain control over the nations on its periphery in Eastern and Southern Europe. it entered into an arms race with the United States (Kennedy. 1987).
