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Emmitt Luna
Professor Hopkins
History 1302 - CRN 90697
13 March 2016
Chapter 14: War is the Health of the State
In this chapter Howard Zinn states how something bad like World War I was key to bring
health to the United States, and this is an argument that I have to agree on since the United States
were better stable during the war. The United States was suppose to be neutral, but as Zinn states
the Germans had announced they would have their submarines sink any ship bringing supplies
to their enemies; and they had sunk a number of merchant vessels(Zinn) thus the United States
decided to join in the fight. Before the war the United States were not doing well economically,
but the war did help to stimulate the economy back on track. The war also helped politically
since many people that were against the war helped the government keep some rights stable.
Thus the war was healthy for the United States as a whole.
Economically the United States were not in the best terms, but the war turn that around.
Zinn states, In 1914 a serious recession had begun in the United States. J. P. Morgan later
testified: The war opened during a period of hard times. ... Business throughout the country was
depressed, farm prices were deflated, unemployment was serious, the heavy industries were
working far below capacity and bank clearings were off(Zinn). In the very next year, the
United States were doing great again since they were supplying the Allies with goods and
services. Zinn points out that leaders believed that overseas markets were key for prosperity. This
is true since In 1897, the private foreign investments of the United States amounted to $700

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million dollars. By 1914 they were $3 billion.(Zinn) The numbers show how the economy
was better after the war. Economy was not the only issue that changed during the war.
The government is another issue that changed because of the war. There were were many
people that did not agree with the United States intervening in the war. The United States then
pass the Espionage Act. Zinn addresses how The Espionage Act was used to imprison
Americans who spoke or wrote against the war.(Zinn). This act does show how the government
was changing and adapting to different situations in the home base. While the act supposedly
violated the first amendment, Zinn then points out how Holmes states The most stringent
protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing
a panic.(Zinn). Zinn then states did that example fit criticism of the war?(Zinn) and this
shows the reader that Zinn does not believe the act to be lawful.
I do believe the war was a benefit for the United States during those times and that
sacrifices had to be made, but I also believe there could have been other options to take in order
to benefit from the war. As time passes by, the United States do get people that want the best for
the United States, and I am sure that sooner or later, during those times, there was going to be a
person to stimulate the economy back on track and make the government better for the people. I
see the war as speeding this process, but the difference is that there was no person that helped the
U.S. it was mainly the fact that other nations needed supplies. The U.S. entering the war and
sending troops, or having people in jail because they talked against the war could have been
avoided.
In conclusion, World War I was a big war that helped the United States from economic
instability. While at home base there were many different opinions, I do believe the war brought

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health to the United States. Zinn argues the same, but emphasizes on the sacrifices the U.S. had
to face.
Chapter 16: A Peoples War?
Howard Zinn describes and argues how World War II was considered a peoples war
but then argues against that fact, and I agree with his argument since people do agree in the right
of freedom but war is not the only way to help other countries get freedom. In this chapter, Zinn
provides information in how the United States reacted towards the war. Most of it was how the
United States played a role as the big powerhouse that it is. The main difference from this war
and the other war was how the people reacted to it.
Zinn states how World War II was the most popular war the United States had ever
fought. Never had a greater proportion of the country participated in a war: 18 million served in
the armed forces, 10 million overseas; 25 million workers gave of their pay envelope regularly
for war bonds.(Zinn). World War I helped the U.S. to stabilize the economy, and Zinn here
shows how people are giving up their pay in order to help in the war. Here the reader can agree
how some people agree in the war. More specifically, the people were against communism. Zinn
states how the government pass the Smith Act in order to protect the U.S. from communists
ideas. Zinn states It was Truman's Justice Department that prosecuted the leaders of the
Communist party under the Smith Act, charging them with conspiring to teach and advocate the
overthrow of the government by force and violence.(Zinn). While it seemed that people were
towards the war, their opinions changed after the war.
During the war there were some strikes, but these strikes continued after the war, and
Zinn addresses this issue since his argument is about the people and the war. Zinn states

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Despite the overwhelming atmosphere of patriotism and total dedication to winning the war
many of the nation's workers, frustrated by the freezing of wages while business profits rocketed
skyward, went on strike.(Zinn). Zinn then points out how this war did not represent a peoples
war since the United States was mainly using its power to show they were a strong country by
bombarding Germany and Japan.
The peoples war was a saying that made the war seem like a good idea, but in reality
the war was used to prove how strong of country the United States can be. The war did bring
people together, but as Zinn points out, there was also people that were against the war.
Everybody will always have different opinions about a war, but it really does depend on how
well the U.S. gets the point out. Communism still exists nowadays, but they are not trying to
expand, or take over the world. From this we actually see that in a way they are afraid to do so.
We see the war actually helped in this.
In conclusion, a peoples war was just a saying that made the war seem like a good
idea. Like in every war, there are always going to be different opinions. Also, in every war there
are going to be sacrifices. Zinn does not believe the war was a peoples war, but instead another
war that showed the United States could be a powerhouse, and I accept that argument.

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Works Cited:
Zinn, Howard. "Chapter 14: War is the Health of the State." History is a Weapon. Web. 13 March
2016.
Zinn, Howard. "Chapter 15: A Peoples War?" History is a Weapon. Web. 13 March
2016.

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