War Essays Examples

War and Death When Considering

This is not to suggest that either the United States or the Soviet Union were necessarily desiring this conflict, because "based on the scattered evidence now available from Soviet archives," Stalin was "wary and reluctant" in his support of the North, and only finally agreed to offer military equipment and advice when it became clear that China would intervene should the Soviet Union fail to offer support (Cumings 144). Likewise, the United States was hesitant in the face of South Korean entreaties to assist with a proactive invasion of the North, definitively stating that "Washington would not come to the aid of [the South] unless it were attacked without provocation" (Cumings 145). Recognizing this reveals that although the Korean War was a proxy war in the sense that either side was supported and partially controlled by external actors, there were serious internal divisions between the North and South which made the Korean War not a rapid and unexpected event, but rather "a culmination, a denouement, that took the internal struggles to a new a decisive level" (Cumings 146).

However, this should not diminish the sense that the course of the Korean War itself was the result of the United States'…… [Read More]

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War the Experience of War Has Changed

War

The Experience of War

War has changed greatly in character from the days of knights in shining armor. The concept of a "state" rather than just a regional ruler has changed the dynamic of war. Rather than meeting on a battlefield and duking it out, two armies now willfully attack civilian targets to demoralize a population, cut off trade routes to starve a population, and, if it comes to it, invade and conquer to dominate a population. The fear of this type of war penetrating a single country is what has provoked so much peacemaking since World War II, the possibilities for nuclear destruction have forced an end to large-scale conflicts. Yet there do remain trouble spots all over the world. In 2003, Iraq became one of them, as the United States invaded the Middle Eastern country, and until 2011, has occupied and reshaped the country in every way possible. The Hurt Locker portrays a very real situation early in the war; that of random Improved Explosive Devices and their deadliness to U.S. troops. Inquiring from my cousin, an Army Infantryman in Iraq from 2007-2010, I will share anecdotal evidence from the latter stages of the war. Finally, I…… [Read More]

War on Terror Although the Rhetoric on

War on Terror

Although the rhetoric on the War on Terror has subsided somewhat since Bush left office, terrorism itself remains an unfortunate reality around the world. The War on Terror was largely a propaganda machine, which perpetuated a cultural climate of fear. As Coaty points out in Understanding the War on Terror, fear-mongering is destructive rhetoric. In the end, too much fear-driven crisis leads to uninformed and ill-devised political strategies. The responses to terrorism should be complex and multifaceted, taking into account the complex and multifaceted nature of terrorism itself. Terrorism has taught an important lesson in global politics and culture: the world is no longer dominated by the modern nation state. Just as capitalist enterprises around the world have learned how to transcend national boundaries and operate on a global scale, so too have extra-governmental organizations from terrorist groups to NGOs. In Understanding the War on Terror, Coaty describes the new, increasingly anarchic, state of international politics. The War on Terror has evolved from an anachronistic foreign policy towards one that takes into account the diversity and complexity of global affairs. The future of the war on terror depends on redefining terrorism, preventing it, and developing intelligent and…… [Read More]

War on Terror & Human Rights the

War on Terror & Human Rights

The so-called "war on terror" -- initiated by former president George W. Bush after 9/11 -- has not succeeded in ending terrorism but it opened the door to numerous violations of human rights. A survey of verifiable, peer-reviewed sources in the literature show clearly that the Bush Administration and members of the military under Bush's command carried out human rights violations in the name of the "war on terror." In this paper instances of human rights violations by the United States -- based on the war on terror -- will be presented.

Violations of Human Rights by the U.S. In the "War on Terror"

The United States of America has stood for democracy and human rights in countless situations through the years. The U.S. has intervened in myriad international conflicts, especially when a tyrant was snuffing out a democratic movement, or an ally of the U.S. was being attacked or occupied by a foreign intruder. Outstanding examples of how American came to the aid of democracies in Europe -- in the face of enormous human rights violations -- are to be noted during World War I and in particular during World War II vis-a-vis…… [Read More]

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War of 1812

War of 1812 Causes

The early part of the nineteenth century was eventful in United States history because it marked a time when the country was trying to grow from its infancy. The government had been functioning well for almost two decades, the monetary system was gaining the U.S. trading partners overseas, and the military was growing as the U.S. added heavy frigates to their small arsenal. One problem was the country had not truly separated from England in all matters, and many still thought of themselves as quasi-British subjects. Of course, that is the way Britain thought also. The fact that the United States had won its independence did not mean that the British recognized that fact in every way. Although the U.S. was recognized by Britain as a sovereign nation, they did not accept the fact that people who had been born in England were now American citizens. Another issue was with the disputed Northwest territory which is now a part of states from Ohio to Wisconsin. The problems, both maritime and land-based, that the U.S. was having with Britain were all a consequence of how Britain continued to look at the U.S. As a colony rather than…… [Read More]

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War Why a Military Presence

However, little concern is given to the Afghan people when their innocent is killed due to military action of developed nations. This too will only exacerbate the turmoil within the country. Revenge is a powerful emotion, especially when an individual has nothing a stake to achieve it. As such, due in parts to foreign operations in Afghanistan, many individuals have extreme animosity towards the developed world.

It is therefore much better to have some military presence in the Middle East simply to keep the peace rather than stake an all out assault. This middle ground approach will help to diminish animosity towards the developed world while also helping the Afghan people protect themselves. I believe this middle ground method will help stabilize the nation while allowing the people of Afghan to be accountable for any subsequent democratic changes within the nation.

Finally, the developed world can not afford to inhabit Afghanistan. The entire Euro zone is going through a cataclysmic event with default on the horizon. As such austerity measures are needed to simply balance the Euro zone budget (Farrer 2012). Likewise American is approaching insolvency as its debt burden approaches $14 trillion. To add an ongoing war to an…… [Read More]

War on Terror Analysis

War on terror has changed significantly since the attacks of 2001. Terrorism has always been a part of American life, with the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901 by Leon Czolgosz. More recently, however, the United States has contested with terrorism stemming from extreme Islamist groups that are at ideological odds with the Western way of life. The war on terror that began in 2001 has grown to represent billions of dollars and thousands of individuals whose mission it is to never allow another attack on U.S. soil again, if they can help it. The tools of the U.S. have grown, yet so have those of terrorist groups worldwide.

The war on terror began as an immediate strike into Afghanistan, and slowly grew into Iraq, and the world at large. More recently, it has been seen in places like Libya, Syria, Egypt, and Yemen. The war itself began as an immediate effort to retaliate for the September 11 attacks, but became a political philosophy of the United States to end terrorism and extremism wherever it may be in the world. This effort has not been cheap, and at first cost the U.S. some political points in International Relations. The…… [Read More]

War Asian and Western Concepts

768). Yet the widespread slaughter of people in the name of total war was a principle varying point between Asian and Western powers during the 19th century.

Despite whatever moral and philosophical objections Clausewitz might have raised to total war, he certainly saw value in involving as much of a population as possible in its martial efforts. In this respect, he conceived of war from a decidedly nationalistic viewpoint, in which women and children may not have directly been involved in battles but were certainly useful in employing the spirit of nationalism that could motivate an entire populace to focus its efforts on successfully waging war. Tactically, however, some of Clausewitz conceptions stemmed from those of Asian antiquity, particularly from Sun Tzu's longstanding treatise the Art of War. Although this book was written well before the 19th century, it was certainly influential in its early conception of war in which the art it was based upon was short for artifice. The author devotes more than 100 pages to essentially deploying strategy that will decive an opponent. Some of Clausewitz's more contemporary notions of strategy, however, incorporated this aspect of dissembling to gain a tactical advantage.

Other of Clausewitz's tactics, however,…… [Read More]

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War and Propaganda Is Hearsay

S.

In the later part of 18th century when Britain was ruling the thirteen colonies of North America, the representatives from the thirteen colonies constituted a governing body called Continental Congress. The main objective of this body was to deal with complaints against British government and try to resolve the issues amicably. But as the continued imposition of taxes made the local population literally belligerent against the British government the resistance acquired the status of legitimate struggle. As the resistance transformed into armed struggle both sides fought on the propaganda front as well. British termed those people among the local population that still supported the monarch in Britain and were willing to fight on behalf of British empire as 'loyalists' while 'rebels' and traitors to them that fought against British. On the other hand rebels in the eyes of British declared their resistance as just and called themselves 'patriots' who were willing to die for the cause of liberty and freedom. Obviously large percentage of local population sided with patriots in the conflict.

Virginia was the first to be settled of thirteen colonies, it was the largest colony in America. Most of the farmers there earned high profits by growing…… [Read More]

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War on Drugs Moral and

Although the cost of these successes can be tabulated in billions of dollars, money was also recovered from these arrests, and there is no way to measure the human lives that were not lost or affected due to the apprehension of dangerous drug lords.

Still, the EU Commission has raised the familiar argument that economics can generally used to support the side against continuing the drug war. In addition to the familiar argument of the war costing "too much," which is often hard to prove outside of strictly economic circles since safety, human life, and addiction are just a few of the variables that must be quantified in order to stage and effective debate, the EU notes that the war on drugs has damaged the economics of drug trafficking, making drugs less expensive, and therefore easier to obtain. In addition, the War on Drugs, or at least drug prohibition, increases the reliance on black markets which harms legitimate economies, creating yet another argument in favor of ending drug prohibition and the war on Drugs not only in the United States but around the world (O'Keeffe, 2009).

And the world's involvement in the war has been one of the problems that…… [Read More]

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War and Media in the

In the film the Battle of Algiers (1997) the backdrop or setting is the ancient city with its narrow winding passageways, tunnels, stairways, and arches. The old city is complex, full of danger and hiding places, a metaphor for the war itself and the participants who must survive. The issue is to whom the country should belong and who should have power, the French colonialist invaders or the indigenous people. It is about the indigenous people gaining their rights and benefiting from the country's resources. It is not about the physical landscape. The social community that has set up a Cause is a group of resistance fighters -- guerillas or terrorists, in contemporary terms.

According to Larsen (2004) Plato taught that war was a way to assert cultural identity, and the rules of war develop from this sense of how the warriors see themselves collectively: "Cultural identity defines the war, its behavior, and its goal" (p. 472). During Plato's time war was seen as a positive thing: "From antiquity until the nineteenth century war is the true confirmation of identity" (p. 475). We have not entirely given up this view -- at least the military hasn't. Advertising on TV, for…… [Read More]

War's Effects the Traumas and

Civilians lose their civil liberties in times of war. Thousands are arrested, often only for associating with suspects. The rights of those arrested are often suspended or denied. Others are harassed because of their very opposition to war and policies of oppression. Unquestionably, war robs society of resources that can otherwise be used constructively. It diverts the energy of those who can make significant contributions to the security and peace of the world. It fosters fear, suspicion, intolerance, violence and hate. It only weakens the social bond within the family, which is the core of a civilized society (Radiant Justice).

War is clearly a major affliction in the family and a threat to its stability. It takes the life, freedom or sanity of the father, who is most often the main source of support for the family. In his absence or death, the mother must compensate and often, in loneliness and grief. War also separates couples. In case of infidelity, divorce is resorted to. There may be fewer legitimate births and more illegitimate births when a husband is taken away to fight at war. Children are orphaned or simply displaced. If the father does not die but only suffers imprisonment…… [Read More]

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War and Business Talking About

" In addition, the war in Iraq has been another opportunity to see the effects of the weapons of mass destruction, which have caused the death of approximately 300 Americans and of a countless number of Iraqi people, in the American Government's point-of-view.

Even though it has been sustained for many times that "the War of Terror" is useless and meaningless, many scholars, such as David Tufte, sustain that "The short-run impact of military spending is for a boost in GDP. In the long-run however, the effects from the current war with Iraq will depend on what happens with oil prices. Oil prices tend to have a very big impact on the economy. An escalating price per barrel of oil can trigger a recession."

What can be outlined from this is the fact that modern wars seem to have economic conflicts as their main cause: World War II occurred because of the wish of Hitler and, implicitly, of the Nazis, to lead the world and to transform Germany into the most powerful economic force; the Cold War as well occurred because Stalin wished Russia to receive more benefits from Germany as reparations after the war and in the end, the…… [Read More]

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War and Poetry

War and Poetry

The Gallantry and Repugnance of War in Poetry (19th and 20th centuries)

The history of war had long been portrayed into two radically different ways in literature: realistic and romantic. The realistic imagery of war and conflict primarily depicts the feeling of patriotism and at the same time, disillusionment of humanity as deaths and destruction dominate. Portrayals of betrayed loyalty and wastage of human lives and property are common images illustrated when describing the state of war. Of course, these images were derived from experience, hence giving this imagery of war a realistic feel and thought. Romantic images of war also abound, and are usually shown as the anti-thesis or 'positive' side of going to war. The romantic depiction of war shows the gallantry or desirability of engaging in war: the war symbolized the patriotism of people, pledging their allegiance and loyalty to their country or group. War portrayed through romantic imagery is a noble cause, a means towards a just end (achieving peace and order in the process).

These two images of the war are depicted effectively in the poetry of William Wordsworth, Rudyard Kipling, Guy Jones, and Alfred Lord Tennyson. These poets from the 19th…… [Read More]

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War on Drugs in Columbia

War on Drugs

Following the Colombia's history, there has been a sequence of violence and conflicts perpetuated by class warfare ever since the Spanish era during land allocation and slavery in the country. The focus of this article will be to satisfactorily analyze the situation facing the Columbia, considering the efforts United States has been undergoing to militarize and centralize conflicts related to class. The States has been working ever since the era of J.F. Kennedy to try and take charge of the Columbian citizens and eradicate the drug related transactions. The United Sates, through their intelligence unit CIA, have been involved in many missions trying to get to the drug cartels in Columbia and have in circumstances succeeded. One of the New York Times magazines in 1997 had the story confirming that the CIA approved shipment of a ton of cocaine which was pure, to the Miami International Airport with intentions of gathering information concerning Columbian drug cartels. After the investigative processes, it was later reported in the wall Street Journal that a famous smuggler, General Guillen, had done the business for long, and had smuggled drugs amounting to over twenty two tons (Villar & Cottle, p.14).

Regardless of…… [Read More]

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War Drugs Drug Use Addiction

In one sequence, O'Brien describes in poetic eloquence the same patterns which the research cited here above notes. Particularly, though all are exposed to the same terrors and opportunities in Vietnam, some are more prone than others to returning home with the dependencies formed at war. O'Brien tells that "you come over clean and you get dirty and then afterward it's never the same. A question of degree. Some make it intact, some don't make it at all . . . Vietnam had the effect of a powerful drug: that mix of unnamed terror and unnamed pleasure that comes as the needle slips in and you know you're risking something. The endorphins start to flow, and the adrenaline, and you hold your breath and creep quietly through the moonlit nightscapes; you become intimate with danger." (O'Brien, 114)

The explicit connection that O'Brien makes here between the war and the abuse of heroin seems to imply that the inherent dangers of the latter were given prelude by the clearly visible dangers of the former. For those who faced the legitimate possibility and the definite visage of death every day, the risks that were a part of hard drug use were well…… [Read More]

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War as Hell Tim O'Brien's

The whole country. Vietnam, the place talks." The environment sinks under their skin, uncomfortable and yet unavoidable -- in short, hell.

There is also a growing sense of insanity among the men that O'Brien describes in this story. There is the crack-up of the team that Mitchell Sanders describes, and the idea of playing catch with a smoke grenade as an idea of fun -- both of these instance reflect a certain necessary insanity. Without going a little crazy, these men would lose their minds. Any situation where insanity becomes necessary to retain sanity, and thus where insanity becomes normal, must be a type of hell. This confusion is most clearly reflected in Rat's letter to Lemon's sister; telling a grieving family member about how her brother went "out on ambush almost stark naked, just boots and balls and an M-16" shows the level of disconnect from "normal" normal.

The effects of the war on the soldiers' later lives is also an example of the hell of war. O'Brien's remarks about the type of women who often approach him after a reading illustrates that despite the author/speaker's obvious compassion, war has made him somehow separate from many individuals who refuse…… [Read More]

War on Terror -- Noam

In my opinion, the 'war on terror' like all other wars is irrational and the mainstream media is not playing an objective role in getting the average American involved in the matter. If terrorism as defined in some strict sense does not exist, on what exactly is the war all about? The needs to answer this question and to have faith and belief in the government are confusing and require correct information and deliberation by the people.

In the Town Hall.com's article, Chavez clearly disagrees with the very action of raising a question when she said nothing about the justifications done by the Federal Government in engaging the nation to a protracted war, where this war clearly is not and will never benefit the people. In addition, how will questioning the validity of invading two sovereign nations, be a threat to one's own government?

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution gives the people the right to freedom of speech. Is asking about the war not part of that right? Fundamentally, is asking questions not an American way of life?

America's guiding principle is that its people hold the power. However, they will not exercise this power if they will…… [Read More]

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War in Iraq the Conflict

What is the opinion about whether the U.S. should have been there in the Iraq War or not? (America at War)

The fact is that, in general, humanitarian intervention in a war, anywhere in the world, is accepted as a necessary thing, and also as an accepted fact of life, wherein the states that can afford to intervene and offer humanitarian help are welcomed with open arms. In this case, the intervention of the U.S.A. is not viewed by many as being humanitarian in any way, and it is a lesser-known fact that the Security Council had not actually approved the intervention. The Human Rights Watch, which usually keeps a lookout for the state of affairs in the world, takes no part in the issue of the involvement of any particular state in any war, and because of the fact that the U.S. intervention in the Iraq War was not actually meant to save human lives from mass slaughter and death, the Human Rights Watch had no choice but to let the affairs run their course. However, it is the general public opinion that the U.S.A. And her troops should not be there. (War in Iraq: Not a Humanitarian Intervention)…… [Read More]

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War in the Past Years Media Has

War

In the past years media has proved to be the essential teacher when it comes to the history of certain events. Other than word of mouth, the media has been the most influential tool in our daily lives. From morning newspapers, to the radio on the drive to work, to the new Time magazine in the mail, to the 6 o'clock news, media is everywhere. Like it or not, media influences people's ideals on an everyday basis. Since media constitutes as the most influential teacher, you'd expect to hear all sides of the story, free from political bias, but this is rarely ever the case. On August 2nd, 1990, Iraqi president Saddam Hussein sent troops into and occupied the neighboring country of Kuwait. On November 8th, 1990, President George Bush announced the military offense at "Operation Desert Storm" and soon formed an international coalition to move Iraq out of Kuwait. On January 17th, (local Iraq time) 1991 Operation Desert Storm was in full effect as bombing begun over Iraq. The following news bites are taken from the headlines of the U.S.A. today during the first days of the military conflict names Desert Storm.

Wednesday, Jan. 16

Desert Storm begins…… [Read More]

War Society Modern World War Has Been

War Society Modern World

War has been an integral part of the development of our civilization from the earliest times. It is estimated that there are more than 14,000 wars that have occurred since events began to be recorded and this has resulted in the death of billions of people. It was an essential part of the survival and behavior of human beings and the society at large. This attitude continued in our society and was even passed on from one generation to another. As modernization began to evolve, this behavior continued in the society, though the end result was different. During the last two centuries, war was used by countries as a brutal form of handling international relations. Differences with other countries were resolved through armed conflicts rather than peaceful negotiations and war was used as an instrument of foreign policies. Unfortunately, this has resulted in the death of millions of people who otherwise could have contributed to better living conditions today.

Reflections on past wars

As we reflect back on some of the wars that have taken place during the last five centuries such as the Napoleonic Wars, The Crimean War, the Boer War, World War I, World…… [Read More]

War of the Roses

War of the Roses can be considered to be the bloodiest conflict fought in England to date. Beginning in 1455 and ending in 1487, the conflict was rooted in a struggle between the heirs of King Edward III and King Henry IV, who were divided into the House of Lancaster, represented by a red rose, and the House of York, represented by a white rose, hence, the conflict being commonly referred to as the War of the Roses (Jokinen, 2013). Ultimately resulted in the establishment of the Tudor dynasty, one of the most recognized, albeit short-lived dynasties of the British Empire. The Tudor dynasty was able to unite both houses and effectively eliminate the conflict between the House of Lancaster and the House of York, and ensured that neither House could lay claim to the throne.

The conflict between the House of York and the House of Lancaster dates back to King Edward III and the power struggle that between his sons that followed after his death. Although King Edward III's son, Edward, the Black Prince, was next in line to succeed the throne, he died in 1376, one year before King Richard III died (The Tudors -- the Wars…… [Read More]

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War on Drugs for Roughly

Books and television shows, such as the Corner, provide illustrations that can give a level of insight as to why this is the case. It is not drugs alone, but also the drug culture and the level of poverty that stands at the heart of the problem. You cannot simply remove drugs from the equation. Even if you confiscate drugs then the street price rises and more drugs are imported. Even beyond that, you must treat the sociological problems that led people to drugs along with the physical dependency on drugs themselves to have any meaningful impact on the problem.

The ineffective War on Drugs has also caused a host of social changes. For every person that is incarcerated, there is usually some broken family that has to deal with their absence. When an individual is in jail there is really nothing they can do to support their families or children. This can make it very difficult to support children with a family member in jail. Furthermore, once a person is incarcerated then this shows on their permanent record and can prevent them from finding decent employment. Therefore, not only does the War on Drugs devastate families, but it can…… [Read More]

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War of the Worlds by

Wells uses the idea of violence as a catalyst to explain human behavior and thinking. Violence seems the perfect solution throughout "The War of the Worlds" and regardless of how they look at the problem, both the Martians and people believe that by using violence they are probable to experience victory. However, when considering that the Martians' superior technology is not enough to provide them with the opportunity to be victorious, it appears that violence is not a solution in this case and that Wells wanted to raise public awareness concerning the risks that imperialist nations take by getting involved in environments they have a limited understanding of.

Works cited:

Busch, Justin E.A., "The Utopian Vision of H.G. Wells," (McFarland, 2009)

Crossley, Robert, "H. G. Wells," (Wildside Press LLC, 1986)

Flynn, John L., "War of the Worlds: From Wells to Spielberg," (Galactic Books, 2005)

Wells, Herbert George, "The War of the Worlds - Literary Touchstone Classic," (Prestwick…… [Read More]

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Wars of the Barbary Pirates

The book is constructed on two main theses, the first revolving around the relevance of the Barbary wars in the freeing of the American population and in its formation as stable and confident people. The second thesis focuses on the Tripolitan war played in the formation of the modern American Navy. However the general history courses place little emphasis on the wars against the Barbary States, the naval forces commemorate them and recognize the role they played in the formation of the modern U.S. Marine. A third specification which could be made relative to the book is that, however not implicit, it also presents the historical conflict between the American and Islamic forces, relating as such to a contemporaneous matter, which is not as new as one could think.

"Wars of the Barbary Pirates: To the Shores of Tripoli, the Birth of the U.S. Navy and Marines" is written in a columnist form, creating the idea of a newspaper article. This not only makes it easier to read, but it could also suggest the connection between the past and present events; it could pin point the effects that past events have upon the present and it could also relate to…… [Read More]

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War Without a Cause as

However, in the end, they were unable to stop the war despite their best efforts. The war happened anyway, in spite of the best intentions and actions to prevent it. T he actions of the various governments were reactions to events that they had tried their best to prevent. They did not make a full-blown effort to convince their people of the need for war, until the war had already begun. Had the war been intentional on the part of Germany or any other entity, there would have been plans in place to gain the support of the people long before August 1, 1914.

Only Germany had such a plan in place. However, this does not mean that they started the war intentionally. It might mean that they saw it coming and wanted to be prepared. In the end, only the players know what their motives were on any particular day. The reactionary nature of the actions in the beginning days of the war lend support to Taylor's supposition that the first World War was a big accident involving many players and bad timing.

Works Cited

Primary Sources

The Treaty of Versailles (1919), esp. Article 231, http://net.lib.byu.edu/~rdh7/wwi/versailles.html

Memorandum of Prince…… [Read More]

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War in Afghanistan Is Visibly

S. forces were made to operate on ground and targeted operations were planned against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters. There were significant individually planned battles and skirmishes between the U.S. army and Taliban often resulting in heavy losses to both sides. A tactic that Taliban often used in such conditions was the suicide attacks and planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that left the soldier carrying vehicles destroyed. The U.S. utilized an Iraqi style counter insurgency operations in the Afghan region that resulted in some strengthening of the conditions.

3.1.3 Power sharing agreements

In order to enhance the effectiveness of the U.S. presence in Afghanistan the U.S. forged agreements with many warring tribes and factions of the Northern Alliance to enhance the unity of these groups that were to be pitched against the Taliban. These agreements were aimed at removing the support base of Taliban and Al-Qaeda from the Afghan society at which the U.S. army did not succeed much as the number of causalities of U.S. soldiers from Afghan soldier attacks has been increasing since last few months.

The insurgent militias are now brought into the main stream through dialogue by the U.S. administration by holding talks at neutral venues.…… [Read More]

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War That Forged a Nation

The third theater of operations, besides the naval and Canadian one, was focused on the British push towards the capital city. Although successfully burning out Washington, the British were discouraged by the strong hold of Fort McHenry and the battle of New Orleans, in which they were defeated by Major General Andrew Jackson. As the Treaty of Ghent was signed in December 1814, news of this came to the American and British forces almost two months after the signing, putting also an official end to the war. As with Baltimore's fight, the defense of Fort McHenry, the author reminds the reader of another important information on the significance of this war. The battle of Baltimore later inspired Francis Scott Key to compose the poem "The Star-Spangled Banner" which later became the national anthem of the United States.

As the author goes on with the war narrative, he introduces various descriptions of some of the most significant leaders of that period. He does a great job in mixing events and people dispersed in a large space as the North American continent as well as over a period of almost 10 years. What seem to miss in many parts of the book…… [Read More]

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War in Afghanistan

War in Afghanistan

After the terrorist group al Qaeda attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, the American military was sent to Afghanistan to attack the Taliban, and destroy their governing position. The Taliban became the target of the U.S. because they had allowed Osama bin Laden to use their country as a training ground for terrorist activities directed against the United States. However, the U.S. is now bogged down in what seems to be an unwinnable war against Taliban insurgents that cross the border from Pakistan. Moreover, there are militants in Afghanistan who object to foreign troops being in their country, and they have apparently joined with the insurgents and continue fighting the American and NATO forces in Afghanistan. This paper reviews the historical and contemporary causes of the war in Afghanistan, and critiques the positive outcomes as well as the negative outcomes of the U.S. engagement in Afghanistan.

How American Became Involved in Afghanistan

Following the events of September 11, 2001 -- the attacks on the World Trade Center, on the Pentagon, and the failed hijacking that led to the crash of a commercial jetliner in Pennsylvania -- the George W. Bush Administration made plans to use…… [Read More]

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War in Afghanistan Following the

Fallout

A section of commentators have taken issue with the manner in which the federal government denied suspected terrorist the due process of law as stipulated under the constitution. The government even commissioned the establishment of a torture chamber in Guantanamo Bay. This amounts to gross violation of human rights and civil liberties. There is another clause in the patriot act dubbed "enhanced surveillance procedures," which allows federal authorities to gather foreign intelligence by breaching firewalls of 'terrorist nations.' This controversial foreign policy clause damaged the relationship between America and the Middle East.

A section of scholars argues that key players in the oil industry manipulated the United States to wage war against Afghanistan. According to an article published on the BBC World Service in December 2007, the execution of Saddam Hussein was unwarranted. Political scientists reckon that a cartel of multinational oil companies wanted to control the oil in the Middle East. Sympathetic to their cause, Bush's regime waged the war against terrorism to cover up the real agenda. This in turn enabled the government to establish a permanent military presence in the Middle Eastern region causing international conflict. As the situation in the region remained volatile due the…… [Read More]

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War on Drugs A Losing

This is the case in the other stages in the supply chain and therefore offers an opportunity for someone to make more money while involved in the drug business (Castaneda, 1999).

In the 70s it was said that beefed up law enforcement could effectively seal the southern border of the United States border and stop drugs from entering its borders. It is for this reason that the United States uses patrols, checkpoints, sniffer dogs, cameras, motion detectors, heat sensors, drone aircraft and up to approximately 1,000 miles of steel beam, concrete walls and heavy mesh which stretches from California to Texas. This has been an expensive precautionary measure which has unsuccessfully attempted to stop the drugs getting within the borders of the United States. Approximately 330 tons of cocaine, 20 tons of heroin and 110 tons of methamphetamine are sold within the borders of the United States each year. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, almost all of it is brought in across its borders. More marijuana is sold and it is hard to know how much of it is domestically grown including vast fields which are run by Mexican drug cartels in the United States national…… [Read More]

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War Benefits War's Benefits to

An arguably even stronger influence, however, comes from the other side of the economic railroad tracks. Though few come out and say it, it is likely that many of the elite members of society approve of war not out of any sense of nobility or honor, but because war has direct extrinsic benefits for them. These benefits are both political and economic in nature, and tend to positively affect all of the elite -- those at the top of the economic, political, and military ladders. There is often, of course, a great overlap in these areas of power, which only makes the problem that much worse (Mooney & Knox 2007). It might at first be difficult to see how widespread death and destruction could benefit anyone, but it is actually quite simple.

The simplest and most sinister benefit is the economic one. War leads to huge increases in production and employment -- there are tanks, guns, and ammunition to be built, and this requires factories with groups of workers. There are also the soldiers that need to be clothed and fed, and all of the movements of troops and supplies requires some form of energy (usually derived from oil). All…… [Read More]

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War of Independence There Are

...[p. 41] Reasons may be given, why an Act ought to be repeal'd, and yet obedience must be yielded to it till that repeal takes place.

The intent of most colonists, was to create change through the proper channels, as has been described by the Philadelphia congress, as having occurred over the ten years bridging the two previous declarations.

A consummate expert on the War of Independence, writing in the early twentieth century, Van Tyne, stresses that the development of the ideal of democratic representation, was seeded in the ideals of Puritan politics which were spurned by the exposure of ministers to the ideas of John Locke and John Milton, who demonstratively effected the ideas of the American colonists as well as many others all over the colonial world. The idea of a fierce fight against tyranny and unchecked despotism was an essential standard of the day and at some point, amongst generations of separation from the Crown even loyalists, of which there were many began to wonder why subjects of the Crown in England were being represented more fairly than subjects of the Crown in the colonies. So, again according to Van Tyne the failure of the crown to…… [Read More]

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War of the Worlds Was

It makes sense, then, that H.G. Wells once "said he would 'rather be called a journalist than an artist'" (Wells qtd. In McConnell 176). If the dangers of the twentieth century would come from the way unrestricted scientific advancement coupled with self-interest results in new, terrifying methods of industrialized slaughter, then the particular mode or perspective of the artist, as an opposed to the journalist, would be insufficient or irrelevant. In other words, if both the journalist and the artist seek truth, but the artist also seeks beauty, then the journalist is actually the one better suited for a world in which beauty has been overwhelmed by death and destruction on a scale and with a swiftness heretofore unimagined.

The narrator of The War of the Worlds reflects this shift, because he tells his story with as little artifice and characterization as possible, instead opting to describe the "death […] as incomprehensible as any death could be" (Wells 149). In adopting this tone, Wells essentially becomes a journalist of the future, describing to his audience, in as straightforward terms as possible, what he saw as the inevitable future of humanity should it continue on its current path. Wells essentially uses…… [Read More]

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War in Iraq

War in Iraq: An Application of Conflict Theory

The recent war with Iraq has been on the minds of people all across the world since well before it started. Many are worried that the United States will be seen as being too controlling, and that it should let the Iraqi people work out their own problems. Others, who are concerned about the threat of terrorist activity in this country and others, stick with the belief that the United States was right in their attempt to remove Saddam Hussein from power.

Regardless of which opinion one holds, there are theorists, both classical and modern, who have strong views on war. This is largely due to conflict theory, which is that life is largely characterized more by conflict that it is by consensus. Those who uphold this theory have different ways of looking at it, and the purpose of this paper is to look at classical theorists such as Karl Marx and Max Weber, as well as modern theorists such as Ralph Dahrendorf, Lewis Coser, Randall Collins, and Immanuel Wallerstein. The different views they have of conflict theory will then be applied to the war in Iraq.

Once an understanding of conflict…… [Read More]

War and Terrorism

War & Human Rights Abuse: Parallelisms between Japanese-Americans in WWII and the U.S.-Iraq War (Gulf War II)

Among nations of varying cultures and societies, maintaining satisfactory political relations is a challenge. This is primarily due to differences among leaders and societies that make up this nation; thus, as a result of this diversity, it is inevitable that international relations among countries of the world may experience conflicts and antagonism with each other.

Declarations of war are one manifestation of conflicts and disagreements between two or more nations. Examples of these political conflicts are the First and Second World Wars, where devastation of the physical geography of countries and millions of deaths had occurred. Human history has, over time, illustrated how individual differences can potentially lead to bigger conflicts, thereby resulting to devastating, even deadly, results.

However, a far more important issue that should be focused on during times of war and political conflict is the welfare of human society in general -- where people experience human rights abuse simply because they are members of a society or culture perceived as "the enemy" or the antagonist in the game of war. This paper discussed and analyzes the history of human rights…… [Read More]

War on Terror the Conflict

(Renner, 2002, p. 26)

The Taliban committed millions of acts of fundamentalist-based violence. They isolated women, forced them to wear the Burka, the most conservative of Islamic veils, closed girls schools, forced women to stop working and beat people on the street for even the most minor infractions. Additionally they devastated the cultural history of the nation and added to the general destruction of the nation.

The Overthrow of the Taliban by U.S. Invasion

The Taliban was not overthrown until around 2001, when the U.S. invaded the nation, with UN forces, post the 9-11 terrorist attacks. The Taliban, who had never been recognized by most foreign nations as the legitimate government of Afghanistan refused to turn over the leader of Al Qaeda who was reported to be hiding there and being sheltered and aided by the Taliban. Though the regime toppled under U.S. force, the devastation of their wake was felt in every aspect of Afghani culture. This is a very simplistic overview of the reasons behind the invasion but what the invasion and subsequent conflict has created is awareness of the Taliban's wrath and the fundamental destruction it has exerted on the nation. It is actually unlikely that the…… [Read More]

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War on Terror - Afghanistan

Others say Omar "was chosen by God," Rashid writes. When interviewed by a journalist from Pakistan (Rahimullah Yousufzai) after taking control of Kabul, according to Rashid's book, Omar stated, "We had complete faith in God Almighty. We never forgot that. He can bless us with victory or plunge us into defeat."

Omar was born around 1959 (albeit much of his life is carefully guarded in secrecy), he has only one eye, and he never meets with or speaks with anyone who is not Muslim. He was born into a "family of poor, landless peasants who were members of the Hotak tribe" (Rashid, 25). The Rashid book (24-25) describes him as a "tall, well-built man with a long, black beard and a black turban." He has a "dry sense of humor and a sarcastic wit," albeit he is "extremely shy of outsiders" and is a "poor public speaker," according to Rashid on page 24. Rashid writes that Omar sits on a bed during meetings - to emphasize "his status as leader" - and his business style consists of "lengthy debate and discussions which end with the issuing of 'chits' or scraps of paper on which are written instructions allowing commanders to…… [Read More]

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War vs Peace War and

That is simply not the case. Troops are being pulled out and replaced with mercenaries.

By using such deceptive tactics as talking points like that -- "I will bring the troops home" (one of Obama's campaign promises) -- the American public are fooled about politicians' plans. Politicians are by and large bought and sold by lobbyists from the military-industrial complex as well as by the Israeli lobby like AIPAC. If Americans in favor of peace cannot be fooled by phony promises of pulling the troops out (because they know they are only being replaced by hired mercenaries and unrest is still being promoted in the Middle East as a part of America's foreign policy), then Americans are tricked into believing that the Arab states are full of terrorists and that America is not safe unless it occupies the whole of the Middle East.

As Howard Zinn observes, "The United States has not been invaded for almost 200 years, not since the year 1812, but it has invaded other countries, again and again" (24). Since this is the case, America has had to manipulate events and describe them as acts of terror, when in reality they are nothing more than acts…… [Read More]

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War Without Mercy Race and Power in the Pacific War by John Dower

War Without Mercy

John W. Dower, War Without Mercy: Race and Power in the Pacific War. Pantheon, 1987.

John W. Dower is a professor of Japanese history who received his Ph.D. In History and Far Eastern Languages from Harvard University in 1972 and has written extensively about popular culture in his scholarly work on Japanese and U.S. foreign relations history, including books such as Empire and Aftermath, Japan in War and Peace, and Embracing Defeat.

John Dower uses a wide variety of sources from the U.S., Britain and Japan to prove his thesis that the Pacific War was a merciless racial struggle that had far more in common with Hitler's war on the Eastern Front than the war between Germany and the Western Allies. Among these are diaries, letters, memoirs, newspapers, magazines, films, scholarly books and articles, radio broadcasts, official military and government documents, and statements by political and military leaders. His research into Japanese sources is the most valuable part of the book since that side of the war was traditionally too little studied in works by American scholars. He regards Frank Capra's documentary Know Your Enemy-Japan as a masterpiece of Allied propaganda, for example, as were publications like…… [Read More]

War in Europe the General

Nevertheless, at the same time when Churchill took his place as leader of the British armed forces, the Germans had dealt an impressive blow by invading and eventually conquering Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Standing as one of the greatest powers in the world at the time, France had only managed to hold off its oppressors for a month and a half before signing an armistice with the Axis forces and allowing the German and Italian troops to occupy its territory.

Being excited by their wonderful victory over France, the Germans went on a mission to invade Britain using various tactics. However, all efforts proved to be useless, as the British had managed to defend their country excellently. The United States had neuter at the time when the Germans had been sweeping across Europe. However, because of their connection to Britain, they backed the British by agreeing to a trade of destroyers meant to strengthen the British naval forces.

Japan, Italy, and Germany had signed a Tripartite Act in September 1940, stating that any country that would attack the Axis powers would be required to go at war against the three. Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary joined the Tripartite Act in…… [Read More]

War on Blackness the War

The municipality, for instance, tried time and again to upend or regulate Carnaval, the annual festival "of the flesh'; that precedes lent and that had deep African roots. The city's Chief of police, on another occasion, stated that "None has the right to discredit the setting in which they live by reviving African customs" (124).

The Black middle class were complicit in this War on Blackness since they were seeking to escape their slave past and become accepted into White society,. They only way they could do so, they felt, was by assimilation. In this way, they joined forces by mocking and attempting to eradicate all African-sourced customs. The Afro-Uruguay newspaper, la Conservacion, for instance, railed against African religion and celled for abolishment of all African-based customs. Many of these rich Black middle class became the powerful politicians and political leaders of the Mexico of that age shaping the politics and views of the country.

Echoing the spirit of the time, one poet remarked that:

They take no notice of whiteness, those who are white and fine,

Whilst he whose blood is impure,

Seeking whiteness, goes out of his mind" (184).

Workers and the 'so-called lower class, meanwhile, remained untouched…… [Read More]

War Against Boys - Jonah

Why should this be so?

If the educational experience of boys is slipping, then this is an issue that should concern everyone.

Education should be a good experience for all children - male or female. Feminists have recognized previously that young girls were being shortchanged, a fact that should have concerned everyone in society (including Goldberg). To say that the education of boys slipped simply because feminists improved the education of girls is a post hoc fallacy.

Second, Goldberg ignores that there are many other issues that affect girls once they are out of college. Even if they do better academically, this does not translate to gender parity in the working world. There is still a significant wage gap between the genders, and women remain underrepresented in many leadership positions in the corporate world. These statistics challenge Goldberg's suggestion that boys suffer into manhood due to their lack of a rough-and-tumble education.

Instead of turning the education gap into a girls vs. boys scenario and making "academic feminists" the convenient scapegoat, Goldberg could ask deeper, more productive questions. Advocates of the education of young girls took the time to develop techniques and strategies to improve the educational experience for girls.…… [Read More]

War Propaganda

War Propaganda

Some of the most emotionally incendiary propaganda to utilize the medium of film was conceived and directed towards partisans during the fighting of World War II. A pair of films, Went the Day Well and 49th Parallel, delicately play upon the psyche of their intended audiences to get viewers to emotionally, (and perhaps even physically) take a stance during the fighting of the second Great War. By demonstrating various aspects of homeland vulnerability and enemy infiltration, these movies were created to galvanize audiences into an anti-Nazi stance at the time when Hitler's Third Reich was at its peak of power.

The events that constitute the plot of Went the Day Well are obviously designed to prey on the fears of British residents during World War II. The film actually was released in 1942 while the war was still contested -- and largely undecided -- and depicts Nazi's posing as British soldiers to invade England. Such fears, of course, could have very easily come true during the time the movie was released. The response of the British subjects depicted in the movie, and the message to those in the audience was fairly clear -- the only way to prevent…… [Read More]

War of the Worlds by

By relating to how individuals were accustomed to using violence in order to put across their thinking ever since the beginning of time, Freud wanted Einstein and the whole world to understand that people were predisposed to using violence in spite of the fact that they lobbied with regard to how violence is wrong. Not only did Freud believe that people were prone to violence because of their barbaric nature, as he also believed that "killing an enemy satisfied an instinctual inclination" (Freud). It is practically as if Freud considered that people were even capable to kill someone as long as they believed that they would put an end to a serious threat by doing so.

Question 3

"The War of the Worlds" is meant to stand as an allegory for imperialism, taking into account that it describes aliens in a totalitarian way and emphasizes their ultimate defeat as their failure to understand the world they were trying to conquer. The fact that the philosophical concepts related to the imperialist era are very much similar to the ideas shown in the novel makes it possible for readers to understand that H.G. Wells wanted to address a larger context involving imperialist…… [Read More]

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War of the Worlds by

It is surely impressive to observe how Wells' theory can be applied in a series of cases, taking into account the numerous (apparently) powerful communities that attempted to conquer and persecute other cultures and eventually ended up suffering. Wells wanted people to understand that plans to conquer foreign cultures are likely to fail as long as the individuals interested in persecuting others are not interested in understanding the values of societies they are interested in integrating and as long as they are solely concerned in the material aspect of their actions.

Although "The War of the Worlds" appears to treat the matter of imperialism superficially (taking into account that individuals in the story do not interact with Martians and that the oppressors do not install puppet governments), the reality is that Wells provided readers with the ability to interpret his writings. The fact that he was writing during a period when imperialism was generally regarded as a positive enterprise might have played an important role in preventing him from putting across ideas that would directly criticize the business.

Most readers are likely to express sorrow as a result of reading about Martians wiping out entire communities of people. However, the…… [Read More]

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War of the Worlds Is

When the author got home to his village, no one believed him, but within a day the military was proceeding to the spot where the martians had landed in the Southwestern suburbs of London.

The second cylinder fell on Sunday, a day later, on the Byfleet Golf Links. The next night another cylinder fell on the fields near Addlestone. By then the inhabitants for miles around had panicked and fled, and the army moved in, though most of the soldiers were ignorant of what they were fighting. From each cylinder, in one day the martians constructed huge mechanical tripods with robot-like arms which rushed across the countryside. They burned the village of Woking, wrecked the trains, killed people and wiped out the army (Wells 78). A soldier described them as "giants in armour....Hundred feet high. Three legs and a body like 'luminium, with a mighty great head in a hood...."

After wreaking havoc with the village, the people and the countryside, the martian monsters were turned back by the guns and rockets of the military coming from London. The martian rockets arriving "every twenty-four hours brought them reinforcement," bringing more martians, about five per cylinder (Wells 102). The British military…… [Read More]

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War on Terror Somehow the

This did not occur, and that in fact flawed the structure and strength of the strategic plan that was in place. This further affirms that stated in the answer to the memo; restructuring was needed. Combined forces were needed, better training and efforts in support of the military were needed. Most of all there was and is still a need for reunification of forces. The memo discusses the importance of forces coming together and supporting and sustaining the views of the UN and its principles, not only would this give everyone involved a more global perspective it will also allow all parties an opportunity to focus their initiatives in unison. There is a need for unification, support, boosting of military morale, and various other initiatives. A fresh perspective is always a great first step.

Reference

Smith, D. (2003, October 16). Your October 16, 2003 Memo Re: Global War on…… [Read More]

Wars of Principles the Falklands and Malvinas

Wars of Principle in the Falklands and Malvinas

Although the age of imperialism has slowly, but inexorably, been consigned to history books, with the great British, Spanish and Portuguese empires that once dominated the globe now largely defunct after the revolutionary spirit swept through colonies from America to Argentina, vestiges of this age-old system still remain to this day. Despite withdrawing from the vast majority of its former colonies after successful campaigns for independence were waged, the United Kingdom has strived to maintain a semblance of its former power by maintaining control over small areas of land within the nations it previously ruled over. Hong Kong in China, Gibraltar in the Iberian Peninsula, and a half dozen Caribbean islands from Bermuda to Turks and Caicos, the custom of leaving behind British territories in the wake of widespread independence movements was instituted to ensure that the United Kingdom's dogged pursuit of its centuries-old imperialistic ambitions was not undertaken in vain. In the case of British engagement with Argentina, which began, like so many similar conflicts between European nations and the natives of the newly discovered American continent1, with the United Kingdom's claim of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands in 1833, a…… [Read More]

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War on Iraq

War on Iraq

United States declared that its main motive behind launching military attack against Iraq was to destroy Saddam's so-called vicious plans against the humanity. But how can we justify destruction of terrorism with more terrorism, how did American plan to root out terrorism with the help of massive military attacks which resulted in the death of numerous civilians and left Iraq in a deplorable condition? The answer is simple: Bush administration was never honest with the public and had no solid evidence to link Iraq with terrorist activities around the world, neither did there exist any proof of Saddam having any weapons of mass destruction. But America still went on war, just to declare its supremacy on the world and to show everyone that it had the power to do anything it wanted to do. I staunchly believed that war was wrong and now with the Iraq in tatters, I am even more convinced that I was right. We never gained anything from most of our previous military attacks including the one on Vietnam because in all these…… [Read More]