# What is the most wonderful thing the USA has done for the world? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 1, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440 "2014-05-01T14:51:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/61 "2014-05-02T09:45:15Z")
Light bulb, telephone, assembly line etc etc. But I’m going with Rock and Roll. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/62 "2014-05-02T09:52:06Z")
> [@mandala](#): > > Nobody dealt with British imperialism better than the Americans did. With the exception of Hitler, maybe. You didn’t exactly slow us down did you though, If a lesson was learned by us than it seems only to have been “how to build a better empire” In fact, we probably lost that war on purpose just so we could concentrate our efforts on building the World’s Greatest Empire ™ that grew over the next 150 years and was at its height in the early 20th century. Hitler was an emperor-wannabee who showed exactly how to over-reach oneself when empire building, he didn’t struggle against british imperialism directly though. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/63 "2014-05-02T09:56:12Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The American revolutionaries didn’t have an objection to the British system as a system. Their objection was that they weren’t part of it. The political principle at the time - in Great Britain - was that the legitimacy of the government was based on the consent of the people. So the parliamentary system in 1776 was simultaneously a legitimate government in Britain and an illegitimate government in America. I’ve never looked at it that way before, that’s quite interesting. ---
**Author:** ![alexandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@alexandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandra)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/64 "2014-05-02T10:31:51Z")
> [@ddsun](#): > > Vote for women. Seriously? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/65 "2014-05-02T12:37:05Z")
Humility. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/66 "2014-05-02T12:50:01Z")
I went for the Marshall Plan. Of course, it was also good for American business, but the intentions were admirable and unprecedented in scale. My second choice would have been having Marine One fly George W. Bush out of Washington on 1/20/09. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/67 "2014-05-02T13:06:22Z")
I interpreted “USA” in the question as the government of the USA. Was that the intent of the OP? If so, my answers were the Marshall Plan, and the embrace of immigrants. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/68 "2014-05-02T14:36:04Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > I interpreted “USA” in the question as the government of the USA. Was that the intent of the OP? If so, my answers were the Marshall Plan, and the embrace of immigrants. Sometimes a refresher is in order… with the exception of Native Americans, First Nation… (American Indian if that is the proper term) everyone in America is from some place else. _Everyone_. That could be the most wonderful thing the USA has done for the World. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/69 "2014-05-02T14:42:18Z")
obese poor people? Before the US, most poor people were usually really skinny. Also, outfitting the Red Army so that they could defeat the Nazis. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/70 "2014-05-02T14:45:48Z")
It is quite possible that the Nazis could have been defeated without the US involvement and Europe would have rebuilt anyway but the defeat of global communism would not have occured without US leadership. If global communism had taken over then all of the great technological advancements would mean nothing since either people could not have afforded them or they would have been banned. Democracy would have just been a brief shining period before the Iron Curtain came down on the entire world. As Orwell said the future would just have been a boot stomping on a human face forever. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/71 "2014-05-02T14:51:25Z")
> [@ddsun](#): > > Air conditioning. Vote for women. Freedom of speech. Separation of church and state. We didn’t originate any of those things except air conditioning. Womens’ suffrage was first granted in New Zealand, for example. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/72 "2014-05-02T15:32:24Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Because of TV remotes? Or the fake boobs? Who else is gonna invent that? Huh? The French? > > YOU-ESS-AY! I prefer the French concept of bosoms. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/73 "2014-05-02T19:09:01Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I prefer the French concept of bosoms. > :rolleyes: You mean Marie Antoinette and champagne glasses? That was my joke. You are aware I’m kidding, right? Right? ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/74 "2014-05-02T19:12:03Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > You mean Marie Antoinette and champagne glasses? That was my joke. > > You are aware I’m kidding, right? Right? No, fake boobs was MY joke. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/75 "2014-05-02T19:22:33Z")
Welcomed countless immigrants whose descendants later went on to bitch about immigrants. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/76 "2014-05-02T19:25:30Z")
Are Americans taught in school that they won WW2 all by themselves? For me the answer is easy: space exploration. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/77 "2014-05-02T19:28:50Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Are Americans taught in school that they won WW2 all by themselves? Yes. Not exactly, but the contributions of others are generally categorized as the “people whose butts we saved”. Not surprising though, we have the War of 1812 listed as a win in our school books too. It’s part of what makes us exceptional. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/78 "2014-05-02T19:41:43Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Are Americans taught in school that they won WW2 all by themselves? Yes. I usually have to correct people by pointing out the Battle of the Bulge, the coalition that landed at Normandy, the Battle of Britain that stalled Germany long enough for the Americans to arrive, and the African Campaign that was largely fought by the British. Then there’s the whole deal with Crazy Oppenheimer and all the European scientists that worked on the Manhattan project. But, if I had to point at the single critical event that caused the end of WW2, it would have to be Hitler’s insanity leading to bad decisions after 1942. If a real general had taken over, the germans could have easily crushed either Britain or Russia, then refocused on the other one. Funniest thing though is talking to Canadians. They’re so desperate for people to remember they landed at Normandy it almost comes to blows. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/79 "2014-05-02T19:54:51Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Yes. I usually have to correct people by pointing out the Battle of the Bulge, the coalition that landed at Normandy, the Battle of Britain that stalled Germany long enough for the Americans to arrive, and the African Campaign that was largely fought by the British. The Battle of the Bulge? That really was pretty much an American battle. There were some British and French troops sent in as reinforcements but they were a minor part of the battle. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440/80 "2014-05-02T20:11:45Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Are Americans taught in school that they won WW2 all by themselves? > > For me the answer is easy: space exploration. Pretty much. It’s amazing how many Americans are unaware how small US losses were when compared to the Soviets’. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-wonderful-thing-the-usa-has-done-for-the-world/687440.md?page=5)