Because of WWII, the world in general advanced faster, at least for a time, than it would have otherwise. While the war was certainly not an enjoyable thing, there were good things that came from it. The way that the U.S. treated others was not one of those 'good things.'
Society is shaped by the things that have occurred in the past, and WWII was certainly a very important piece of history that will never be forgotten. It allowed the United States to emerge from the war as the most powerful nation in the world, and even though it did not have the economic power that Europe and Japan had, the U.S. remained dominant in shaping the future of the world (Korten, 2003). Most of the problems with the mistreatment of prisoners did not come to light right away, and that helped to pave the way toward a dominant and respected United States.
Solidarity was one of the things that became more important to many people in all different countries after the war was over. It was through the war that the U.S. And other countries learned just who was for them and who was against them. This helped them in forming alliances during the war, but also helped them in determining who they would 'be friends' with when the war was over. Realizing that it is much better if people can get along with one another, the U.S. made an effort to tolerate and not be openly hostile to their enemies. Solidarity is a preferred state, but it needs to be between two countries that respect one another and each other's values (Albert, 2001). The way that German POWs were treated by the United States, unfortunately, had nothing to do with solidarity and respect.
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