For many years there has been discussion about the best decade and the best era in the United States of America. People convince each other that the 1920s were the golden age or the 1990s were the most influential, but in this case there is no clear, national agreement. According to several authors and publishers, in fact, there has not been a year that has actually solved all the problems in the United States. From the perspective of some, however, the question is not which decade ends all problems, but rather which decade influenced most aspects of Americans' lives. Although the 1940s did not solve all of America's problems, those years did the most to influence contemporary America in areas such as world economic leadership, abandoning isolationist politics once and for all, and contributing greatly to women's rights and minorities. At the beginning of its history it was always very attentive to isolationist policies, but the situation would change with the end of the Second World War and with the desire of the Soviet Union to spread communism throughout the world. The United States has a long history of isolating itself from the world's problems to protect itself from involvement in unnecessary wars. However, in 1945, when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic ceased to be an ally, the United States had to reconsider its strategy for several years. President Harry S. Truman developed his own doctrine in which he stated, “It shall be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who resist attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by external pressures” (Compston, 197 ). This policy saw its beginning in 1947, when Greece and Turkey called for help from communists who sought to overthrow... middle of paper... their path to success. (1940s.org)The history of the United States of America is full of significant events and turning points for different groups of peoples. One might argue that some decades have had a greater effect on contemporary America than others. It is during the 1940s, however, that many different areas of American thinking experienced the greatest changes. Women and minorities were allowed to work in war plants instead of staying at home or struggling with unemployment, foreign policy changed with the first defense pact that brought America out of its isolation, and finally the world saw the dawn of American economic leadership that continues to this day. The years 1940-1949, when today's American position began to form during and after World War II and the beginning of the Cold War, were the most influential on the contemporary United States..