The US rose to become the richest and biggest economy post WW2 not just because it was on the winning side. WW2 destroyed the economies of practically every country, the aggressors like Germany, Japan and Italy and also the allies that fought against them, including Russia. The only exception was the USA, going through the war practically unscathed other than Pearl Harbour.
The American economy was intact and growing stronger because of its war making industries. On the other hand, Europe was broken, a complete disaster when major battles were fought tenaciously be both sides. Japan too were destroyed by Americans carpet bombing of all the major cities. Tokyo was flattened, not much different from Hiroshima and Nagasaki without being nuked.
The world stage was set for the rise of the American economic power, to rebuild the world, especially in Europe with the Marshall Plan. Japan had to rebuild itself, and so were the countries that were invaded by Japan, particularly China, Korea and South East Asia. Japan did not offer any Marshall Plan equivalent to the victim countries of the Imperial Japanese Army. Still, some countries in SE Asia are still very grateful to Japan for the invasion, destruction and massacre of their citizens. And welcoming Japan to resume its role as the military power of the region, with glee.
The biggest beneficiary of WW2 was America. And America is going to be the biggest beneficiary again in Europe after the Ukraine War. Europe may not be war torn, but could be if the daft European leaders think it is fun to wage a nuclear war with Russia. For the time being, the European economies are being worn down daily, by American coercion and sanctions from their access to cheap Russian oil and gas and agriculture produces. Added to this woe is to be forced to buy expensive American equivalents for their people.
While the European economies are winding down, cannot buy or sell to Russia and China, under pressure from the Americans, the toll on their GDP is obvious. Most are now facing recession or already in recession. And poor European countries are still expected to contribute to the Ukraine War in kind or emptying their already depleted treasuries. At the same time, the Americans are laughing all the way to the banks, selling expensive overpriced goods needed by the European states, and pushing them to buy more American weapons to replenish what they sent to Ukraine, and buying more to donate to Ukraine. This is a double whammy that only benefit the Americans.
What about the American contribution to the war effort? No sweat, just print more monopoly money. And more money could be made when the war ends, in the rebuilding of Ukraine and a shattered and shrunken European economy. History is repeating itself. The Americans would come in with Marshall Plan 2.0 to save a broken Europe that was thrown under the bus by...the Americans.
Picture and quotes from Al Jazeera