Reply #35: That's not what I'm talking about at all.

[LostInAnomie]

The US was left relatively untouched by the war. Our infrastructure, cities, industries, etc. were all in one piece. Compare that to almost all the nations that took part in the European theater. Almost any industry that was capable of producing any heavy machinery or weapons was a potential target for bombing during the war. Their cities were bombed and burned out. Their roads were destroyed. Bridges had to be rebuilt.

Over the years that it took for those countries to get back on their feet, the US was charging ahead. Now that they have rebuilt and we've fallen behind in other areas they are catching up.