1945 to the present no event proved more important to the course of modern american history than world war ii the war cast america onto the world stage as a mighty economic and military giant it rescued the country from the great depression created full employment and for the first time in a generation increased real income for american workers. Europe 1945 to the present examines the tumultuous history of europe from the end of world war ii through the present beginning with the post war scene and ending with a discussion of the european union and its current plans for expansion the narrative takes students through the past sixty years in a thoughtful well organized way. The world transformed 1945 to the present by hunt michael h publication date 2003 topics history modern 1945 1989 history modern 1989 publisher boston bedford st martins collection inlibrary printdisabled internetarchivebooks digitizing sponsor kahle austin foundation contributor internet archive. Through its lively and accessible narrative the world transformed 1945 to present provides students with an account of the political socio economic and cultural developments that have shaped global events since 1945the books focus on three central and profoundly interconnected stories the unfolding of the cold war the growth of the international economy and the developing worlds