Why did the US Demobilize its Army so Quickly After the World War? - COLD WAR
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- čas přidán 1. 11. 2019
- We are continuing our series on the Cold War period, with a documentary on the army of the United States of America after the World War II. For a variety of reasons, the US had to curtail its forces. In this video, we will explain why this was necessary.
Consider supporting us on Patreon: / thecoldwar
David refused Indy's challenge of impersonating Churcill.
Context?
@@khurramzafar Indy Neidell has impersonated Churcill a couple of times during the WW2 In Real Time series, one of them at the following link: czcams.com/video/aFh8Mi5jKgI/video.html and about a minute and a bit more into the video, Indy did just that.
did indy really challenged david?
@@Carmelo124 No. Just a joke I assume.
taufiqutomo Indys impression is cringe but still so legendary
Europe: does empire stuff
America: starts doing empire stuff
Europe: *surprised Pikachu face*
Soviets: do empire stuff
EU and USA
Wait thats illegal
@@Spartakist-ch4nb lmao also True
@@Spartakist-ch4nb soviets were basically red nazis so the comparison is not right.
I wouldnt call them red nazi's. honestly I think Truman was the real problem. I wish roosevelt would've lived at least a year longer.
@@chrisscerbo5731 nope, it was soviet occupation of eastern Europe that caused Truman's policy. Had Roosevelt lived longer he would act the same. Besides there is little difference between reds and nazis.
Churchill: Yugoslavia is under Soviet control
Me: "laughs in Tito-Stalin split"
@Hunter D You do realize that theredbaron is memeing and this was not meant to be a serious discussion right?
@Koλѣ Georgievъ And Churchill was the scum that threw the Greek Communist ressistance under the bus and put in power the Nazi collaborators that ironically had executed British and NZ troops.
In Yugoslavia it was.
@@jimtroy4380 and they threw Poland and Eastern Europe to the commies. Whats your point?
I think the title of this video can be changed to the post-war transition in the United States, because not only post-war demobilization, but the second half of the video is basically about the changes the United States has made in response to the Cold War.
Correct.
yes should happen @the cold war
Because the “climax” was over... not until the Korean War when it took a massive “boost” then on
Dwight cut the Armies budget. after korea.
As an American, I find it strange that other Americans complain about policy but yet still expect the benefits of being hegemon of the world. During the Cold War and after America and others to a lesser degree had a massive advancement in tech and standard of living. Now people just complain about the relative peace that is created in the world. Yes there is problems in sectors of the world, but it is arguably the most peaceful point in human history right now.
Yeah Nah hardly. The post world war/Cold War period is way more peaceful in terms of active warfare and sheer destructive impact in nearly all aspects of the human condition
Those advancements and increased standards of living only applied to two generations. A one-off boon that was paid for by mortgaging the future of all the ones who come after. This is a meritless wasteland and those who are born into it are the victims of irresponsible cruelty. I see no reason we should be bothering other folks in the world or forcing this hellscape onto them. If they fall without us, so be it.
Yeah Nah
Pff. The 16th century alone featured more wars than the 20th and 21st centuries combined.
Colin Gravon “...meritless wasteland..”
*he typed into his technological miracle device utilizing a network which connects him to billions of people around the world, all from the comfort of structurally sound infrastructure equipped with temperature control devices to optimize comfort.*
Yeah, this sucks
@@LuisBrito-ly1ko But not the most destructive.
David ! This particular video has given me a " new" perspective of our country as it stands today in the world.
Thanks CWC! I'll be sharing the hell out of this one,( very relevant).
And, " I'll catch you on the next one "
China disagrees that 1941 was the third year of ww2
yetigriff china don't care what the definition of world war. For us the story begin in 1840, 1911 ended in 1970 after the end of sing-soviet war
Ask Czechoslovakia...
yetigriff what is thread and why does it have this many likes .
so does Germany
Someone could make the argument that the Spanish Civil War was a part of World War II. This would make 1936 the first year of the war.
David is such a good presenter. I look forward to these all week.
WWII made an end to the Great Depression and its demobilization went much smoother than after WW1.
Well the great depression existed into the early 50s
@@thatsnodildo1974 That's a... creative interpretation. You'll find many economic historians will inform you that the Great Depression ended before Germany rolled into Poland, and most of the rest will agree that it had certainly ended before VJ Day.
There was actually a quick increase in unemployment when the soldiers got home but Congress acted surprisingly quickly and signed economic acts like the GI bill and other expansionary plans to avoid it settling in and becoming a recession
this is actually a misconception. The New Deals didn't end the Great Depression but actually made it worse, and the War certainly did not end it. It merely shifted people's attention. The Depression ended a few years after WWII.
Good work, as always
Great job guys, another superb episode. keep it up!
Thank you for watching!
Well balanced coverage. Thank you.
People wonder why the US Army had such a hard time in Korea and Vietnam when it won WW2. The answer is simple, it wasn't the same army.
Democrats...ran both wars...they are idiots....
To be fair, the US performed pretty well in Korea. The initial shock and retreats changed into a victorious march to the Chinese border until China intervened, but even then the war settled into mostly a stalemate
Just wanted it to be noted, thumbnails are on point!
United States Armed Forces: *I am speed*
I love your channel and the videos
Good video. I did not know about the protests to bring the troops hoome.
The U.S. is not exactly the "Self appointed police of the world". MANY countries use the U.S. as their own standing army and expect the U.S. to protect them. In addition, because of the modern nature of the U.S. military and its capabilities, other countries call upon the U.S. to "Do something" in the event of a local theatre conflict. Not to say that the U.S. will not project where U.S. interest is involved, but more often than not, the rest of the world 'expects' the U.S. to step in and take care of the problem.
That is only true for some minor middle eastern countries like israel (which already has a high ranked military)
You missed much of the EU. They rely heavily on U.S. military involvement and require the U.S. military to aid them in the event of a war.
@@peterpoertner7042 Since the Suez crisis where America subsequently blackmailed UK and France to pull out of this conflict. Since then the europeans ask for the green light feom the US before doing any projection of forces. To put bluntly difficult to ask for EU captain couragous when you've coerced him in the past by cutting his balls...
Why the US military demobilized quickly ?
Some US personel in Germany : "Why the fuck we still here?"
"Hitler was dead, what else?"
"Krauts have surrendered to us, i want to go home"
*5:03* that looks like University of Santo Tomas? Amazing footage. I get to see how my school looks like around 70 years ago
UST gang
Thank you
"....control of Moscow. Athens alone, with its immortal glories, is free to decide its future at an election under British, American and French observation."
Enter the Greek civil war...
Good. If Allies did not, then Greece would be a communist shithole like Cuba.
“Observation”. Nice way to say it’s a controlled state.
@@Sandouras it is better to be controlled by west rather than Moscow.
@@OrkosUA its better to be free and not a protectorate state
@@gbarberis7402 It is better to be a realist than an idealist.
You stopped tilting your head back. Nice. Good vid!
I stopped doing lots of thing since I started doing this. Good old tikes...
I like it, well i know i need it, if its available, your content.
Thanks
Make a episode about Portugal and Spain :D
@Yeah Nah they were isolated. Portugal was under a very conservative dictatorship and Franco kept fascism until 1947 and then still kept some fascistic form of government until his deatg
Europe realized they could get defense for free.
I think that's partly right especially later on when they relied upon the US nuclear weapons to "keep the peace", instead of building up their own conventional forces. They got lax and lazy toward their own defense, besides it freed up money to spend on their idea of socialistic programs. Little did they know the US would never use nuclear weapons for a number of obvious reasons. So now weakened by decades of lax attitudes and hyper-focused on "social" programs they all have weak conventional forces. But the same old threat from the Russian front still exists and Putin has been rebuilding the Russian military in a big way. Personally, I would let them hang by themselves if Russia decided to conquer them as Stalin would've loved to do. They made their bed, why should Americans have to bleed a third time to rescue them?
I wouldn't say free let's just say you don't pay with money... Tbh it's kinda a win win situation the US ended up with a bunch of soft power from institution like the imf world bank and others while the European countries got rebuilt
According to official historical sources the number of United States military personnel during the nation participation in World War ii (1941-1945) was 16.4 million. Army/Army Air Forces - 10 million/1.2 million, Navy - 4.2 million, Marine Corps - 1 million.
U should do an episode on the Greek Civil War
The US biggest problem with ww1 was that for them to tack a side with Britain or Germany. Possibly the 2 biggest etinic groups in the us.
Since when does not wanting to intervene in war make one an isolationist? Isolationism is early 17th century Japan or today's North Korea. The United States from the turn of the 29th was reading, had foreign relations, and allowed travel in and out.
The second camera angle in this video felt really awkward every time it was used
God I love this channel.
We love you too
An interesting video. I thought there was more to demobilization that just letting the troops go. My compliments to those who made this video a reality.
Because having a large standing army is expensive
You don't say anything whatsoever about WHY the demobilization occurred. You also neglect that England was also a significant military power, as was France, both with significant colonial dominion over the Commonwealth of Nations. England was wise to ceed independence to India, France was ignorant in retaining dominion over Vietnam, which of course led to the devastating Vietnam war.
I am NOT Indy Nidel bringing you the cold war day by day. LOL.
Nah we going back to isolationism. Ftw.
Sure you are.
That is what Trump is arguing for today. Modern day globalists are freaking out about it.
*Laughs in quarantine* No, you are not xD
Biden won
So maybe US will intervene in other places
@@accent1666 I know this was 9 months ago before the shit show of Afghan pull out, but we’ll definitely maintain a more isolationist stance than we have for quite awhile.
We’ll still do shit abroad, of course, but not nearly to the extent of the Cold War or Afghan. We’ll be biding our time until the next major conflict with Russia or China.
The National Security Act of 1947 created the National Security Council (NSC) not the National Security Agency (NSA)
Do videos on Cold War Africa! Particularly the Congo and Rhodesia.
It would be great to get more about Africa, yes.
"America now had nukes..
Possibly because soldiers are human beings, lots of them have families they want to go home to. I'm more concerned with the mobilizations then the demobilizations.
It's pronounced:
*DEE-MOW-BING!!!* ("Demobing"...)
- Ok, Ok it's outta my system, I live in MN BTW, so I get mistaken as a frostback all the time... CONTINUE!!! 👏
America is not nor has been an empire calling it one is like referring to Rome as an empire before Cesar. America is a republic, dont let other people's tendencies to exaggerate influence your wording.
Roman empire started as a republic...
I believe America would have returned to an isolationist country were it not for nuclear weapons. It’s since been necessary to remain involved as there are few other options to reduce nuclear proliferation. Eventually, it won’t work anymore.
Please point out that America had a very small army at the onset of Both world wars.
And dont forget the soviet intentions even over Lybia in 1946 and the 40 years of dictatorship in easten Europe since 1948.
As a person who served in one, nothing is worse than conscription armies..
@Rick K The forceful confiscation of your freedom as soon as you turn 18 for one
The other thing is that even as a combatant a huge part of the service consists of basically being a guard dog which consists of neverending periods of dead times which gradually make you feel less and less of being a fighter for your country and more of an empty shell. Combine that with arrogant officers who reap the credit of your platoon/company's hard work and merge that with being constantly given endless void orders that make absolutely no sense but you gotta do them anyway
And in the end you end up either deeply depressed or completely scarred
@Rick K I think that in the end the fact that you volunteer (although I've heard that at least in states in many cases that recruiters exploit the fact that most candidates are young and perhaps a bit naive) already makes a difference, additionally while I don't really know how much you guys get paid for your service, where I'm from the "salary" (if you can even call it that) that we receive barely gave us the opportunity to support ourselves let alone save some of it (yes technically they cared for us in terms of food and health of course, but IMO even a little fiscal incentive could to wonders to morale and motivation). In the end I guess that whether it's a conscript army or a volunteer force many of the same problems remain, I just guess that my experience serving left me kinda scarred in relation to the whole forced mobilisation thing, how the army takes not only the unwilling but also young highly motivated boys who really want to give in to their community (I was like that, tried getting into the special forces but was disqualified because of my glasses, ended up in the Paratroopers) and then proceeds to treat them like absolute garbage (not talking about boot camp, even in the battalion the bullshit reigns supreme)
@Rick K So yea in the IDF they don't pay out of principle because it's supposed to be a citizen army, it sounds nice in theory, only in theory though.. And minus the boot camp and advanced training it goes on like this for 2 years after you reach the battalion. At first you're motivated because you just finished training, but as time goes on one finds it increasingly difficult explaining to oneself why go on, and the last 4 months are the worse
@Rick K Yea you're right that the security situation is more serious in Israel's case.. But relying merely on the iron will of the people in a low intensity conflict takes its toll in the end (of course when the situation escalates like it did 5 years ago everyone got together for that summer and nothing else mattered, however for the most part things are a lot less intense in the day-to-day). I guess my original comment was partially bitching on my behalf because of many nasty experiences in my service (I served only in low intensity, from November 2015 to June 2018). In the end a fully volunteer force might not be the best solution ATM, however I do think that Israel should stop recruiting absolutely EVERYONE because even the top army brass know they don't need all the people they draft every 4 months, and by letting those they don't need join the workforce instead of going to the army, the amount of money that would be saved could be used to increase pay and terms for those the army does need. Thing is the reason this doesn't happen is because of the national ethos of everyone being in uniform, and changing such an ethos is very difficult
Too much hands. But great channel! The Great War, World War 2, and The Cold War. What more can I ask for!
Love the detailed videos however, at the time 6:25 you say that Stalin's plan in 1946 was to continue to build up the Red Army. Yet I can't find any sources of this happening and was wondering if a link could be provided?
Thanks
I'm 31 i've been reading about history since I knew how to and I have NEVER heard "Demobbing" not in any text books, fictions, youtube or actually tv documentaries...
Yeah me neither must be what the cool kids say nowadays
The rapid "Demobilization" has been a repeated mistake by the United States. I was forced into an early retirement from the Air Force in 1992 at the "end" of the Cold War and observed the gutting of the Armed Forces in the next 20 years as a DoD contract employee. This was a mistake as it left a vacuum that was exploited by a resurgent Russia and various middle eastern tribes. I ended up sending a son to finish work I started and he was not as lucky being killed in Afghanistan by an IED. There will always be a force in the world that seeks to be preeminent. History has proven this as long as there has been recorded history. Difference is the United States has been the most "benevolent" and generous of all those powers.
As a latin american i really doubt that "benevolence".
@@viniz200 If it wasn't for the US constantly threatening to go to war against any of the Great Powers trying to recapture/conquer many of the Latin American countries, you'd probably be in a far worse state, and world history would probably be very different with Central and South American resources fueling some European empire. That's not to say the US didn't make mistakes as a growing world power but the alternative could be far, far worse.
@@ericharrison7518 the road to hell is paved with good intentions
@@teyrncousland7152 Definitely not the French or the Dutch!!
@@ericharrison7518 No, the US killed democracy in Latin America during the XX Century. Maybe your country was a little benevolent during the revolution but it became an empire that interveined and supported coups to overthrow every democractic and nationalistic government that stood up against american tyranny and subordination. And not just Guatemala in 1954, Brazil in 1964, Chile in 1973..., Iran had a flourishing democracy that was ended by the US in 1953.
Please do a video about the algerien Revolution
a video about rhodesia?
Short answer: They neighbor are Canada and Mexico. :)
One quibble, Truman WAS on the left politically, he just wasn't a full on Socialist/Communist like leftists in much of Europe were.
I wonder if it the rapid demobilization had anything to do with keeping soldiers from interacting with now-freed European communists.
America became more involved in world affairs initially and mainly as a response to the need. At first the German and Japanese aggression, then the Soviet and communist spread. If the Soviets had also demobilized, it would have been different.
6:23 Wrooong - there should be Czechoslovakia. Not Czech Republic and Slovakia xD :)
Yes, it's a map from the 1990s. Yugoslavia is also not there.
Would be better with indi
I read it wrong. Demonize
Same
It's noninterventionist. Isolationist is a negative word to marginalize real anericans.
While I agree with Churchill's speech, if one knows Churchill, one also knows that throughout his career he was a liar and a manipulator whose ultimate goal was always the destruction/fragmentation of Germany long before there were any nazis. I find it curious that he refers to "Stettin," formerly Germany's 3rd largest city, using its German name long after it had been handed over to the Poles, renamed "Szczecin," and all the remaining German inhabitants were either starved to death (20%) or brutally deported resulting in an arguably genocidal ethnic cleansing. This was no shock to Churchill, he and Roosevelt agreed to giving the city to the Poles with their Oder-Neisse line, despite the fact that the city's pre-1914 Polish population was roughly only 3,000, shrinking to 2,000 before WWII. Yet, in his speech Churchill subtly distances himself and hides his own culpability in the deaths of tens of thousands post-war. (And for his sycophants, let's skip the silly argument that Szczecin = Stettin, he chose the Germanic form after the rest of the world made the switch for a reason).
Lets say this was overshadowed by the infamous "End Lösung" with its multimillion genocide deaths...💀
@@vermicelledecheval5219 Let's say one has to be mentally ill to think one excuses the other. It seems you'd make a fine nazi.
@@lmyrski8385 If you think so...
After WWII, there was really only ONE superpower-the US as the Soviets had not yet developed the A bomb. The Soviet Union, by size and production capability alone was indeed a Great Power but was still below the US for a few years.
you said under president Wilson the US more openly intervened abroad, didn’t he win election because he said he would not pull the US into the war? Is there other things he did because from what I know he wanted to keep United States at oceans length from drama.
Initially he did, but over time support for the war in the US grew to a state where Wilson could no longer ignore it, especially after the Zimmerman telegram, which was practically a declaration of war from Germany.
Thanks for noting the naivete of idiocy of Henry Wallace and the agenda driven 'I know what's best for all of us!" of Eleanor (aka Hillary Klintonska of 1945) Roosevelt....brings to mind what many asked after Adlai Stevenson died in 1965 "Well what will Eleanor do now?"
Infamous Churchill speech? More appropriately “prophetic”. Churchill was exactly right about the iron curtain, and you need to go back to do more research on this era if you don’t understand that.
I don't think he understands the meaning of the word... :)
It wasn't an infamous speech. Do you know what infamous means?
now we have a multipolar world again
Too many War Bonds to pay back?
Just remember that the expression "Iron Curtain" was actually invented by Goebbels ...
Interesting, I didn't know that. Do you have a reference?
Your contemp is palpable.
This all boils down to money
Two superpowers at the end of the war? When the British empire still existed
While it may have looked big on a map, it was on the verge of breaking down at that point. Sure, Britain and France still were major colonial powers, but in terms of control and influence, clearly second-tier to the two superpowers.
@@varana
Agreed
Wish the rest of the east bloc could’ve went the way of Yugoslavia under Tito
1:00 - 1:52 that was a gross sicking over simplification. Hell If we're going to talk about imperialism, then stop to ask Spain about the Philippines you just mentioned
Thank you for pronouncing Budapest correctly. A lot of people get it wrong
Is it true . After ww2 US govt used its army in country to built tunnels and roads ?
My uncle told me . I m from pakistan
“War is a cowards escape from the problems of peace”
unknown
War is necessary to dictate a better peace.
I mean look at NATO! We are strong now that we have that!
" If you want peace, be prepared for war " - Machiavelli, 1519
zagros zemnako
“The only truth I’ve found is that the world is a giant tinderbox: all it takes is someone to light the match.”
Cpt. Price
Winnie the pool:
American Empire
Global Police
Manifest Destiny
Can the US ever be called isolationist? When you consider manifest destiny, when it forced Japan to stop being isolationist, or it's countless wars abroad no matter how small they were? Like really, isolationist was a discussion but in practice it was a policy never undertaken
chaos16boy
The west part was basically their affair as it was in their continent.
Noninterventionists is a better term the u.s rarely intervened directly in Europe and when the u.s acted in Asia it did so exclusively to open markets to trade
WTF??? you need a better video archive dept. these are ww1 british MK IV and medium MK A tanks!!!
Hope you pay lip service to the great war for taking their concept.
1941? Well, technically yes. But right at the arse end of it.
As my old man would say, "Late again, Yanks!"
Ok
Are you from Luxembourg
@@nsms1297 Yeah why?
@@luxembourgishempire2826 your country is rich
@@nsms1297 Lol. I know it is.
@@luxembourgishempire2826 what's the minimum income
Isolationism. Simple
Man it’s impossible to watch these videos as they are just rip offs from Indy’s series’. Do your own thing guys and it could be awesome!
What about CANADIAN oppression of native peoples?
that is another video you idiot....
I wish you would have explained more about why it was harder for black soldiers to go home, instead of just saying the blacks had it rough and moving on.
Actually its pretty simple, most of the blacks were in logistics roles. As long as you have troops overseas you have to keep supplies moving to them.
@@LuvBorderCollies see! Thats the sort of thing thats good to know!
The video insinuates that it was segregationist "Jim Crow" laws.
@@douglasstrother6584 i understand that, what i mean is basically jim crow "laws" implies there are many. So I want to know what the law said, and what its practical effect on these soldiers live was.
Video is missing a huge component of this post WWII era policy. Truman and his Secretary of War/Defense relied on the “Bomb” and underinvested in traditional military areas and branches which saw the failure in Korea and his eventual loss to Eisenhower as President. Truman foolish thought that everything had changed in the world of conflict and true LT allowed the Cold War to develop from those five year after WWII.
Its pronounced more like de-mow-bing, not de-mob-bing.
About the initial seconds: WW1 started in the summer of 1914, so that 1917 is the fourth and not the third year of that war.
Manifest destiny is a more appealing definition of imperialism
buster117
At least it is far less damaging than the Euro-Asian one.
Nowadays instead of demobilizing, the US just instantly starts another war.
Gabriel Campanini
The US never started a war apart from the Grenada Invasion, the Second Gulf War, and the Afghanistan War. They just intervened in wars already started by others.
Again , why does he do the looking off camera thing ?
More like, the self appointed oppressor of the world!
So you’re allowed to trade with us tariff free and you don’t need to spend on an actual navy because the US navy ensures global shipping lane security. But yeah we are oppressive...
@@manofcultura Do not forget nations being able to choose their own form of government and their own political parties, both not imposed by a tyrannical centralist state onto their vassals. Why you can even criticize the USA! As long as you are not overtly(i.e. you keep your opinions to your country and do not bother Washington DC) a socialist who wants the world to be engulfed into the totalitarian nightmare that is communism and would go as far as to undermine the very international structures that protect your country from the paradise of the USSR, the USA will openly embrace you and protect you from those evil villains who do not implement true communism!
Red Baron
Pfff. Quite biased statement with no logic and you don’t even hide it.
And the police can go corrupt
USA is a MILITARY/ECONOMIC EMPIRE
not 'the world police'
In theory is the American Empire did become a real thing, and took Mexico and made several other states client states,...I do not think it would be so bad,