(no subject)
So I wrote this article for my Death class at school..it was supposed to be about the justification of death in war ect.. it grew into its own thing.. read if you want. Its already been turned in a while ago. This is just for shits and giggles..please don't steal my ideas. Tell me if you like it or you think it sucks..but it doesn't make a difference on the final outcome.. I did get an A in the class though
American Involvement in Terrorism War and Genocide
Is war and terrorism justifiable? Is the mass killing of civilian’s excusable if perpetuated by a government for the betterment of others? Events such as the treatment of Native Americans by Colonists, The Indian Removal Act, The Bombing of Dresden, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and 9-11, will be examined with a focus on American actions both given and received.
When Settlers arrived on New World soil they saw a land of financial promise and growth. Unfortunately the lands that they were determined to work were already occupied by millions of Tribes men and women. Almost immediately the settlers started a campaign to rid the land of any “savage” in the way. Native Americans were lynched, forced from there lands, even given blankets that contained diseases to sleep in when cold weather struck so that they would be killed off in a way where placed blame on the government could be avoided. By the 1700’s approximately 9 million Native Americans had been exterminated so that Colonial Expansion could continue (1). By the Early 1800’s conditions were still on a downward spiral for the Native’s The war of 1812 brought hope for them when as part of a treaty agreement between nations, Britton stipulated that better treatment for Natives had to be achieved. This was never accepted though and the treaty was signed without it, Native Americans continued to be dehumanized and degraded. The Local government even paid frontiers men money for every scalped head they brought back. In 1830 the Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson he stated:
"It will separate the Indians from immediate contact with settlements of whites; enable them to pursue happiness in their own way and under their own rude institutions; will retard the progress of decay, which is lessening their numbers, and perhaps cause them gradually, under the protection of the government and through the influences of good counsels, to cast off their savage habits and become an interesting, civilized, and Christian community." (2)
One of the final stages of degradation commenced. Five Indian Tribes were placed in a forced migration to Oklahoma, Commonly called “The Trail of Tears.” By Law over 70 thousand Natives had to give up there lands and walk to there new government approved settlement. Many died during this trip due to starvation, disease and often exhaustion. They were forced to walk all day reminiscent of the treatment given to Jews during the future Holocaust.
Is what happened to the Native Americans justifiable? If you’re a Native who lost ancestors it never will be. It is obvious that they Indians had to feel they were being murdered by this invader of there lands, they were segregated, dehumanized and given no consideration by the government that took over. To the young American Nation it seems this was nothing more then the means to and end. The Natives were not on the same level of humanity so to send them away did not cause any harm. It allowed White frontiersmen to move in and claim a stake in the growing nation and in there eyes of course it was justified.
It was a city largely unaffected by the bombing campaigns. Dresden appeared at first a cultural center but housed weapons factories and east bound railroads were Nazi Troops could embark to Russia. Bombs were dropped on the city by the American and British Allies done in such a quick succession that a firestorm developed. The more oxygen that was sucked in the more the fire grew. Buildings were demolished, Roads melted. People were burned alive; some that tried to jump in the river drowned due it being man made with smooth sides. One man recalled what happened to him during the bombing:
"Apart from the fire risk, it was becoming increasingly impossible to breathe in the cellar because the air was being pulled out by the increasing strength of the blaze."
"We could not stand up; we were on all fours, crawling. The wind was full of sparks and carrying bits of blazing furniture, debris and burning bits of bodies."
"There were charred bodies everywhere."(3)
American Author Kurt Vonnegut was a Prisoner of War In Dresden and remembered when the bombing ended the clean up of the bodies was so overwhelming that they Nazi’s eventually gave up on recovering them instead putting flame throwers to work to incinerate corpses to ashes. At the time of the bombing Dresden housed over one million people in is borders, it’s estimated that almost half of those perished in the fires. The Allies must have considered this a successful outcome; approximately half of a million civilians had lost there life but within two months Hitler had committed suicide and the era of the Third Reich was brought to a close.
It must have seemed like any other day for the denizens of Hiroshima and even still for Nagasaki only with the haze of Hiroshima hanging over there heads. While there country may have been engaged in a war the civilians had no control over what happened in other countries. People would be in school, running errands, or doing there normal shift at work. That all changed when on August 6th and 9th of 1945 the American military decided to send out Planes equipped with the newly developed Atomic Bomb. The American citizens wanted justice for what had happened at Pearl Harbor, but it’s easy to believe that no one would have wanted hundreds of thousands of civilians attacked for the lost lives of only 2000 military men, who did understand they may die when they joined the service. When the bomb was dropped at Hiroshima anyone within the immediate vicinity was vaporized when the air heated up to over a million degrees Celsius. (3) Effects from the explosion could be felt almost 40 miles away. The Japanese government did not know what had really happened in Hiroshima till almost a day later when President Eisenhower went on air and stated:
"Sixteen hours ago an American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima. It is an atomic bomb. We are now prepared to obliterate more rapidly and completely every productive enterprise the Japanese have above ground in any city. If they do not now accept our terms they may expect a rain of ruin from the air the like of which has never been seen on this earth." (4)
The American Government wanted immediate surrender by Japans military forces and when this did not happen they again decided to drop a bomb, this time on Nagasaki. Only days after the last attack the residents of Japan must have been fearful but could not believe that such heinous actions would be taken against them again. They were wrong, and another 80 thousand men woman and children lost there life. In both cities there were places you could go and see the shadows left on walls where people had been standing. Those left alive had grotesque injuries. They would have skin that looked as though it melted and re hardened into a new material; sometimes the clothing they were wearing would semi protect them from the radiation fallout and you could see the shape or patter from that item imprinted into skin. Hair would begin to fall out and cataracts developed. Cancer and other diseases showed up in the survivors, although many did not live long after the detonation due to radiation poisoning.
The American government eventual got what they wanted though, Japan surrendered all it cost was 200 thousand lives destroyed instantly and hundreds of thousands more interrupted for generations to come. Reminiscent of the actions taken against Native Americans, on US soil any person of Japanese Heritage was placed in “internment camps” for the duration of the war lest they get out and share secrets with the Japanese government, Although most people in the interment camp were business owners, cooks, fishermen and farmer.
The commanders in power did not view this as an unacceptable or extreme measure. If the enemy could not be subjugated then extreme means must be taken.
Reminiscent of the day to day life in Dresden, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, City dwellers in New York, Washington, Pennsylvania and all around the rest of the world were horrified by what had taken place in a few select areas of the east coast. When the planes flew in to the World Trade Center at first people thought it was fake or just an accident. Workers in the Towers were told to stay at there desks and that everything was fine. When the second plane struck half an hour later people started to evacuate; there was not enough time though, both enormous towers collapsed damaging near by buildings and covering the city in a fine ash. Workers and Fire crews still in the building were killed and most were crushed in such a way that complete bodies could not be found some were no more then teeth or a bone shard. In Pennsylvania and Washington DC 2 additional planes crashed killing a few dozen more. Images of the towers were broadcast around the world for all to see. Here at home it was devastating, this was the first major loss of civilian life on American soil ever. In The countries that perpetuated the attack people danced in the street and celebrated the loss of life. Many felt that America was finally getting what it deserved for the way it treated others. On the 5 year anniversary of the attack President Bush gave a statement over the television that is ironic since it seems to forget all previous military action by the United States:
Good evening. Five years ago, this date -- September the 11th -- was seared into America's memory. Nineteen men attacked us with a barbarity unequaled in our history. They murdered people of all colors, creeds, and nationalities -- and made war upon the entire free world. Since that day, America and her allies have taken the offensive in a war unlike any we have fought before…On 9/11, our nation saw the face of evil…since the horror of 9/11, we've learned a great deal about the enemy. We have learned that they are evil and kill without mercy -- but not without purpose…For America, 9/11 was more than a tragedy -- it changed the way we look at the world. On September the 11th, we resolved that we would go on the offense against our enemies, and we would not distinguish between the terrorists and those who harbor or support them. (5)
“A barbarity unequaled in our history,” only in the sense that we did not get to them first. While what happened in New York was indeed gruesome it is the response of the government we are focusing on. The Bush administration does not want to remember the actions of previous presidents in times of war. Indeed he went on to create a war against Middle Eastern nations. How are our actions in this war different then in previous wars as Bush stated? Well for one we are fighting more combat on land instead of just outright killing hundreds of thousands of civilians. Bush also states that we have seen the face of evil and that they “are evil and kill without mercy,” Of course he would say that. Anyone who had an a destructive or terrorizing act take place against there home land would feel the same way.
America has instigated numerous genocidal and text book terrorist acts against other peoples and nations in our brief history. Now Native Americans in many areas have received compensation for what happened to them. While still bitter about the loss of there heritage it seems most have decided to just let what happened go. Germany and Japan are our allies only 6 decades later. Now we are intertwined when it comes to companies such as BMW, Volkswagen, and Mitsubishi all three of then which were originally in the war to create planes and automobiles to defend there countries against the Allies. We trade technology and military intelligence now. 60 years ago if you had asked anyone from these 3 countries if this would be possible the answer would probably be no. Recently in American history men and women were convicted of atrocities and humiliation against prisoners in Abu Ghraib. Soldiers were also convicted of rape and murder of a teenage girl and her family. The mentality of people through out American history is to degrade and reduce to a level of sub humanity. The Indians were removed to Reservations, those of Japanese heritage even those born on American soil were placed in “Interment Camps” Germans were shunned and the pettiness even encompassed food such as renaming sauerkraut “Liberty Cabbage.” Now America has moved onto a new group, after the war anyone who was perceived to be of Middle Eastern decent was threatened, one man was even killed by another because of the way he looked. Now we are in Iraq and Afghanistan trying to turn there ways to our ways. In some areas it seems as if they already get it though. Back to the Original Question: Is war and terrorism justifiable? Is the mass killing of civilian’s excusable if perpetuated by a government for the betterment of others? Well, it really depends on whose side you’re on.
American Involvement in Terrorism War and Genocide
Is war and terrorism justifiable? Is the mass killing of civilian’s excusable if perpetuated by a government for the betterment of others? Events such as the treatment of Native Americans by Colonists, The Indian Removal Act, The Bombing of Dresden, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and 9-11, will be examined with a focus on American actions both given and received.
When Settlers arrived on New World soil they saw a land of financial promise and growth. Unfortunately the lands that they were determined to work were already occupied by millions of Tribes men and women. Almost immediately the settlers started a campaign to rid the land of any “savage” in the way. Native Americans were lynched, forced from there lands, even given blankets that contained diseases to sleep in when cold weather struck so that they would be killed off in a way where placed blame on the government could be avoided. By the 1700’s approximately 9 million Native Americans had been exterminated so that Colonial Expansion could continue (1). By the Early 1800’s conditions were still on a downward spiral for the Native’s The war of 1812 brought hope for them when as part of a treaty agreement between nations, Britton stipulated that better treatment for Natives had to be achieved. This was never accepted though and the treaty was signed without it, Native Americans continued to be dehumanized and degraded. The Local government even paid frontiers men money for every scalped head they brought back. In 1830 the Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson he stated:
"It will separate the Indians from immediate contact with settlements of whites; enable them to pursue happiness in their own way and under their own rude institutions; will retard the progress of decay, which is lessening their numbers, and perhaps cause them gradually, under the protection of the government and through the influences of good counsels, to cast off their savage habits and become an interesting, civilized, and Christian community." (2)
One of the final stages of degradation commenced. Five Indian Tribes were placed in a forced migration to Oklahoma, Commonly called “The Trail of Tears.” By Law over 70 thousand Natives had to give up there lands and walk to there new government approved settlement. Many died during this trip due to starvation, disease and often exhaustion. They were forced to walk all day reminiscent of the treatment given to Jews during the future Holocaust.
Is what happened to the Native Americans justifiable? If you’re a Native who lost ancestors it never will be. It is obvious that they Indians had to feel they were being murdered by this invader of there lands, they were segregated, dehumanized and given no consideration by the government that took over. To the young American Nation it seems this was nothing more then the means to and end. The Natives were not on the same level of humanity so to send them away did not cause any harm. It allowed White frontiersmen to move in and claim a stake in the growing nation and in there eyes of course it was justified.
It was a city largely unaffected by the bombing campaigns. Dresden appeared at first a cultural center but housed weapons factories and east bound railroads were Nazi Troops could embark to Russia. Bombs were dropped on the city by the American and British Allies done in such a quick succession that a firestorm developed. The more oxygen that was sucked in the more the fire grew. Buildings were demolished, Roads melted. People were burned alive; some that tried to jump in the river drowned due it being man made with smooth sides. One man recalled what happened to him during the bombing:
"Apart from the fire risk, it was becoming increasingly impossible to breathe in the cellar because the air was being pulled out by the increasing strength of the blaze."
"We could not stand up; we were on all fours, crawling. The wind was full of sparks and carrying bits of blazing furniture, debris and burning bits of bodies."
"There were charred bodies everywhere."(3)
American Author Kurt Vonnegut was a Prisoner of War In Dresden and remembered when the bombing ended the clean up of the bodies was so overwhelming that they Nazi’s eventually gave up on recovering them instead putting flame throwers to work to incinerate corpses to ashes. At the time of the bombing Dresden housed over one million people in is borders, it’s estimated that almost half of those perished in the fires. The Allies must have considered this a successful outcome; approximately half of a million civilians had lost there life but within two months Hitler had committed suicide and the era of the Third Reich was brought to a close.
It must have seemed like any other day for the denizens of Hiroshima and even still for Nagasaki only with the haze of Hiroshima hanging over there heads. While there country may have been engaged in a war the civilians had no control over what happened in other countries. People would be in school, running errands, or doing there normal shift at work. That all changed when on August 6th and 9th of 1945 the American military decided to send out Planes equipped with the newly developed Atomic Bomb. The American citizens wanted justice for what had happened at Pearl Harbor, but it’s easy to believe that no one would have wanted hundreds of thousands of civilians attacked for the lost lives of only 2000 military men, who did understand they may die when they joined the service. When the bomb was dropped at Hiroshima anyone within the immediate vicinity was vaporized when the air heated up to over a million degrees Celsius. (3) Effects from the explosion could be felt almost 40 miles away. The Japanese government did not know what had really happened in Hiroshima till almost a day later when President Eisenhower went on air and stated:
"Sixteen hours ago an American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima. It is an atomic bomb. We are now prepared to obliterate more rapidly and completely every productive enterprise the Japanese have above ground in any city. If they do not now accept our terms they may expect a rain of ruin from the air the like of which has never been seen on this earth." (4)
The American Government wanted immediate surrender by Japans military forces and when this did not happen they again decided to drop a bomb, this time on Nagasaki. Only days after the last attack the residents of Japan must have been fearful but could not believe that such heinous actions would be taken against them again. They were wrong, and another 80 thousand men woman and children lost there life. In both cities there were places you could go and see the shadows left on walls where people had been standing. Those left alive had grotesque injuries. They would have skin that looked as though it melted and re hardened into a new material; sometimes the clothing they were wearing would semi protect them from the radiation fallout and you could see the shape or patter from that item imprinted into skin. Hair would begin to fall out and cataracts developed. Cancer and other diseases showed up in the survivors, although many did not live long after the detonation due to radiation poisoning.
The American government eventual got what they wanted though, Japan surrendered all it cost was 200 thousand lives destroyed instantly and hundreds of thousands more interrupted for generations to come. Reminiscent of the actions taken against Native Americans, on US soil any person of Japanese Heritage was placed in “internment camps” for the duration of the war lest they get out and share secrets with the Japanese government, Although most people in the interment camp were business owners, cooks, fishermen and farmer.
The commanders in power did not view this as an unacceptable or extreme measure. If the enemy could not be subjugated then extreme means must be taken.
Reminiscent of the day to day life in Dresden, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, City dwellers in New York, Washington, Pennsylvania and all around the rest of the world were horrified by what had taken place in a few select areas of the east coast. When the planes flew in to the World Trade Center at first people thought it was fake or just an accident. Workers in the Towers were told to stay at there desks and that everything was fine. When the second plane struck half an hour later people started to evacuate; there was not enough time though, both enormous towers collapsed damaging near by buildings and covering the city in a fine ash. Workers and Fire crews still in the building were killed and most were crushed in such a way that complete bodies could not be found some were no more then teeth or a bone shard. In Pennsylvania and Washington DC 2 additional planes crashed killing a few dozen more. Images of the towers were broadcast around the world for all to see. Here at home it was devastating, this was the first major loss of civilian life on American soil ever. In The countries that perpetuated the attack people danced in the street and celebrated the loss of life. Many felt that America was finally getting what it deserved for the way it treated others. On the 5 year anniversary of the attack President Bush gave a statement over the television that is ironic since it seems to forget all previous military action by the United States:
Good evening. Five years ago, this date -- September the 11th -- was seared into America's memory. Nineteen men attacked us with a barbarity unequaled in our history. They murdered people of all colors, creeds, and nationalities -- and made war upon the entire free world. Since that day, America and her allies have taken the offensive in a war unlike any we have fought before…On 9/11, our nation saw the face of evil…since the horror of 9/11, we've learned a great deal about the enemy. We have learned that they are evil and kill without mercy -- but not without purpose…For America, 9/11 was more than a tragedy -- it changed the way we look at the world. On September the 11th, we resolved that we would go on the offense against our enemies, and we would not distinguish between the terrorists and those who harbor or support them. (5)
“A barbarity unequaled in our history,” only in the sense that we did not get to them first. While what happened in New York was indeed gruesome it is the response of the government we are focusing on. The Bush administration does not want to remember the actions of previous presidents in times of war. Indeed he went on to create a war against Middle Eastern nations. How are our actions in this war different then in previous wars as Bush stated? Well for one we are fighting more combat on land instead of just outright killing hundreds of thousands of civilians. Bush also states that we have seen the face of evil and that they “are evil and kill without mercy,” Of course he would say that. Anyone who had an a destructive or terrorizing act take place against there home land would feel the same way.
America has instigated numerous genocidal and text book terrorist acts against other peoples and nations in our brief history. Now Native Americans in many areas have received compensation for what happened to them. While still bitter about the loss of there heritage it seems most have decided to just let what happened go. Germany and Japan are our allies only 6 decades later. Now we are intertwined when it comes to companies such as BMW, Volkswagen, and Mitsubishi all three of then which were originally in the war to create planes and automobiles to defend there countries against the Allies. We trade technology and military intelligence now. 60 years ago if you had asked anyone from these 3 countries if this would be possible the answer would probably be no. Recently in American history men and women were convicted of atrocities and humiliation against prisoners in Abu Ghraib. Soldiers were also convicted of rape and murder of a teenage girl and her family. The mentality of people through out American history is to degrade and reduce to a level of sub humanity. The Indians were removed to Reservations, those of Japanese heritage even those born on American soil were placed in “Interment Camps” Germans were shunned and the pettiness even encompassed food such as renaming sauerkraut “Liberty Cabbage.” Now America has moved onto a new group, after the war anyone who was perceived to be of Middle Eastern decent was threatened, one man was even killed by another because of the way he looked. Now we are in Iraq and Afghanistan trying to turn there ways to our ways. In some areas it seems as if they already get it though. Back to the Original Question: Is war and terrorism justifiable? Is the mass killing of civilian’s excusable if perpetuated by a government for the betterment of others? Well, it really depends on whose side you’re on.