The Twin bomb dropped by a US Colonel on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan in 1945 ended World War Two in an hour. The bombing raid compelled command and control forces of the Nazis to unconditionally surrender to US troops. The surrender also marked the new dawn of an era of peace in the west.
The Nazis, under Adolf Hitler, fought a real war of racial supremacy. The German leader, Hitler had a fundamental belief in the supremacy of the German Race. Out of such belief, he envisioned a total German control of all races in the world.
Nations who refused to bow to the Germans, he thought, had to be compelled through war. The war was to make them recognise the Germans as world superiors. Britain and other countries almost bowed to the Germans when America intervened and brought a historical difference to the war.
the Bombing raid took place during the reign of America’s greatest President in history, Harry S. Truman. The bombs were developed under the Manhattan project during the reign of Richard Nixon who resigned in the early part of his second term owing to the Watergate Scandal.
Historians have made it clear that America’s airstrikes on Japan was prompted by the Japanese bombing raid on Pearl Harbour where over 2, 000 American sailors reportedly lost their lives. But, other writers have argued that it was America’s biggest military propaganda at the time. Owing to the American intervention, the war ended, and the end of the war marked the beginning of US domination and influence on world affairs.
America’s greatness was demonstrated in the role she played in the formation of the United Nations after the Second World War. In the immediate post-war period, 50 peace-loving countries converged at San Francisco California where the Atlantic Charter was signed.
The Charter laid the groundwork for the formation of the United Nations. Throughout America’s great leadership, the UN today has a membership of 193 countries that have pledged to uphold international peace and security. The United States remains the biggest funder within the United Nations, and enjoys veto power.
The UN replaced the League of Nations which was a post- First World War creation. It was its inability to prevent the Second World War that led to the formation of the UN in 1945. Suffice it to say that the UN’s biggest achievement is the prevention of a third world war.
The UN has made a number of significant interventions in countries where signs of an all-out conflict are clear. The interventions are to prevent the outbreak of a war that would bring untold damage to lives and property. The UN would work relentlessly to bring peace to countries torn by conflicts.
Sierra Leone and Liberia are bright examples. It is the quest towards the realisation of this important objective of bringing peace to nations that the principle of non-interference into member states’ internal affairs was reviewed.
Under the reviewed principle, the UN could intervene in crisis countries where citizens’ fundamental rights are at stake. The UN does not only restore peace but also provide humanitarian aid to victims of conflicts through one of its organs known as the Economic and Social Council.
The UN also advocated the decolonisation of countries which were under the bondage of colonialism through its agency, the Trusteeship Council. Most of its members are now sovereign sates and their flags fly among community of free nations in the UN family.
In its position as global leader, the United States has championed the democratisation of countries which were hitherto non-democratic. Middle eastern nations: Iraq, Afghanistan and other North-African countries: Egypt, Tunisia, Somalia and Libya are on the verge of democratisation owing to American pressure.
The United States believes that it is only in a democracy that citizens enjoy their human rights, civil liberties and freedoms to the fullest degree.
The United States also played a leading role in the formation of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), a body that prevents international chemical and atomic warfare. IAEA’s formation could not be divorced from the catastrophe Japan Woke up to in 1945.
Through IAEA, the United States has placed pressure on several countries to limit their capacity in manufacturing weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
Towards this direction, Iran, North Korea and other countries have incurred the wrath of the United States. US intelligence agencies have provided facts that these countries embark on WMD programmes.
Iran has seen intermittent waves of UN sanctions owing to its continued Uranium enrichment. Iran has always said its Uranium is for peaceful purposes. Sanctions have also been imposed on countries that failed to respect the human rights of its citizens.
Through the UN International Criminal Court (ICC), warlordism, genocides, wars, revolutions and crimes against humanity have been reduced almost to an appreciable level. Since the formation of ICC in 1998 by the Rome Statute, the court has roped in notorious warlords in various parts of the world.
General Pinochet, Fujimori, Slobodan Milosevic and others have been humbled in the court. Outstanding warrants of arrest remain in force for other warlords at large. The world is slowly becoming a peaceful planet owing to the safeguards championed by the US.
Despite America’s considerable influence on world affairs, questions about whether the greatest country will continue to provide global leadership in the 21st century are rife.
Europe appears to be losing confidence in America regarding its status as a global leader. Former President Barrack Obama was invited by UK in his second term of his leadership to explain how prepared the country is in the face of a cut-throat Chinese competition.
Obama made a great speech at the Westminster Hall in the UK where he assured Europe that despite the emergence of China, America still remained the catalyst for global action. America’s super world power came under test between 2003 and 2008 when her economy was militarised by former President Bush (Jr).
In the Prosecution of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq under the Bush administration, America had the greatest military budget in the world. The attacks on the World Trade Centre on September, 11, 2001 by terrorist with toy guns ignited the wars.
It was also a great world debate as America’s power was also tested. As the wars raged, Bush threatened to invade other nations especially North Korea to halt its nuclear ambitions. The Trump Factor could also not be ruled out. Former President Donald Trump was accused of conniving with Russian spies to hack 2016 elections to his favour.
The hacking scandal prompted an investigation of former the President while he was in power for a possible impeachment. But, another damning question was posed. Where was America when their internet system was interfered with? It is a question that confronted America’s Super World Power Status.
The latest incident was the war between the United States and China. Others call it a trade war but it went beyond that. The United States seemed to have been taken off-guard by China in the war.
The Corona Virus Disease tagged as biological warfare from a Chinese lab caused hundreds of thousands of deaths in America.
The red flag about the virus was first raised by former President Trump. Now, a full-fledge investigation of China has been ordered by President Joe Biden. The investigation is on-going but also another test for the United States.
Despite the sad occurrences, hopes remain high that the United States would fight back and continue to occupy its rightful position in the world.