Saturday, May 29, 2010
American Bases in Europe
America, whether or not anyone says so, has the biggest and most powerful army in the entire world. We are stationed on every continent except Antarctica.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Appeasment: The Dirty word
The unofficial start of WWII in 1931 is disregarded in most Japanese history books because they deny their invasion of China. This event also started a war of betrayal, lies, denial, and an awful way of exterminating human beings. Too many huge events in our history have been covered over, diluted, or simply kept from the public. One of these blatant scandals was the appeasement of Hitler.
In 1935, Hitler announced he was going to break the treaty. The German people were filled with nationalist pride and a glimmer of hope. The moment he got the support from his people, he knew his plan would work. In 1936, he grew his army and marched into Rhineland against the Treaty of Versailles Hitler had agreed to before. France and Britain were worried about the bold moves Hitler was making, but they were in no way ready to start a war. They both knew that making Hitler mad was not a good idea either, so they began to give leeway to the rules they had given him in the first place. This is what the world calls appeasement, and it is frowned upon in any kind of situation, especially war.
During the 1930s, many politicians in both Britain and France came to see that the terms of the Treaty of Versailles had placed restrictions on Germany that were unfair. Hitler's actions were seen as understandable and justifiable. However, these powerful empires did not see beneath the words of Hitler himself. They didn't see the liar behind the signature, or the lethal motivation barely hidden within his reassuring smile. Britain and France blindly trusted Germany and their extreme leader, and that was a huge mistake on their part. Every promise Hitler made that later got in his way, was broken, and his instability did not bother the other countries enough.
In September 1938, the Munich Agreement was issued to Hitler to keep the peace in the world. Many believed it would stop Hitler's rampage through Europe and make a friendly compromise between the higher powers. The Munich Agreement, signed by the leaders of Germany, Britain, France and Italy, agreed that the Sudetenland would be given back to Germany and that no further territorial claims would be made by Germany. The Czech government was not invited to the conference and protested about the loss of the Sudetenland. Less than seven months later, the Germans invaded that territory, and then Poland. France and Britain finally declared war on Germany once they realized that it was their only hope to potentially stop Hitler in his tracks.
The appeasement of hitler is still a shaky subject to speak about. Many do not see it as a wrong thing to do in the situation they had. However, the failure to keep the peace in Europe brings the scandal to the surface. France and Britain treated Germany like a disobedient little child who wouldn't stop breaking his sibling's toys. Mother France and Daddy Britain didn't take the action they should have to discipline their child, and so Germany ended up "destroying all of the toys". I personally think that people in power at that time should have thought over what they were doing. Even though they felt like there was nothing else to do about it, appeasing Hitler was not the way to go. The child was smarter than they thought, and he destroyed the trust between the major powers in Europe. They should have know this was what Hitler would do, and they should have seen the pattern. The way Europe handled Germany was wrong, and their mistakes were paid for in WWII with the deaths of millions of innocent people.
In 1935, Hitler announced he was going to break the treaty. The German people were filled with nationalist pride and a glimmer of hope. The moment he got the support from his people, he knew his plan would work. In 1936, he grew his army and marched into Rhineland against the Treaty of Versailles Hitler had agreed to before. France and Britain were worried about the bold moves Hitler was making, but they were in no way ready to start a war. They both knew that making Hitler mad was not a good idea either, so they began to give leeway to the rules they had given him in the first place. This is what the world calls appeasement, and it is frowned upon in any kind of situation, especially war.
During the 1930s, many politicians in both Britain and France came to see that the terms of the Treaty of Versailles had placed restrictions on Germany that were unfair. Hitler's actions were seen as understandable and justifiable. However, these powerful empires did not see beneath the words of Hitler himself. They didn't see the liar behind the signature, or the lethal motivation barely hidden within his reassuring smile. Britain and France blindly trusted Germany and their extreme leader, and that was a huge mistake on their part. Every promise Hitler made that later got in his way, was broken, and his instability did not bother the other countries enough.
In September 1938, the Munich Agreement was issued to Hitler to keep the peace in the world. Many believed it would stop Hitler's rampage through Europe and make a friendly compromise between the higher powers. The Munich Agreement, signed by the leaders of Germany, Britain, France and Italy, agreed that the Sudetenland would be given back to Germany and that no further territorial claims would be made by Germany. The Czech government was not invited to the conference and protested about the loss of the Sudetenland. Less than seven months later, the Germans invaded that territory, and then Poland. France and Britain finally declared war on Germany once they realized that it was their only hope to potentially stop Hitler in his tracks.
The appeasement of hitler is still a shaky subject to speak about. Many do not see it as a wrong thing to do in the situation they had. However, the failure to keep the peace in Europe brings the scandal to the surface. France and Britain treated Germany like a disobedient little child who wouldn't stop breaking his sibling's toys. Mother France and Daddy Britain didn't take the action they should have to discipline their child, and so Germany ended up "destroying all of the toys". I personally think that people in power at that time should have thought over what they were doing. Even though they felt like there was nothing else to do about it, appeasing Hitler was not the way to go. The child was smarter than they thought, and he destroyed the trust between the major powers in Europe. They should have know this was what Hitler would do, and they should have seen the pattern. The way Europe handled Germany was wrong, and their mistakes were paid for in WWII with the deaths of millions of innocent people.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Rise of Hitler out of the German Depression
Names like Stalin and Hitler strike a sour cord when they are spoken. However, they became huge rulers of important countries, and we are left to wonder why. How could someone like Hitler have the chance to rise to power? One answer historians have come across is the German Depression in 1929. The economy was weak, and the people were desperate, desperate for almost anything. The country needed something new, something to take them out of the deep hole WWI had put them in. Money was down, and their spirits were broken. The German government held a new election to try and save the economy. The Nazi Party won that important victory, capturing 18.3% of the vote to make it the second largest party in the Reichstag.
A familiar face appeared in the picture. Adolf Hitler offered hope, national pride, and a brighter future. His background story was almost completely discarded in the blind dash to revival. This included his failed attempt at an armed overthrow of local authorities in Munich, known as the Beer Hall Putsch in 1923, his horrible childhood, and the hovering fact that he hated all Jews. However, the people liked him. Hitler's face, for now, was the savior for their dying country, and that was how Hitler came to be.
In 1933 Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, and so the Nazi Party suddenly found itself in control of a modern state government. Hitler and top Nazis saw immediately that for Germany to become a dictatorship, the Nazi Party and the German government had to become one and the same.
As we all can conclude, when Hitler rose to power, the country of Germany began to crumble, and the people didn't even know that until it was too late. They had no idea that the name “Hitler” would be the most hated name in the entire world a hundred years later. They would soon find out that he planned nothing for the people, but for the advances in Germany’s power, and the abolishment of the Jewish race.
Some may argue that Hitler climbed all the way to the top out of pure genius tactics and captivating speeches. Hitler was a politically sound man, but he couldn't have come all the way up the rankings by himself. He had to have some serious help to slip into his position. The people had to vulnerable, and weak. They had to be desperate, and the German Depression was the perfect time to do that. Hitler knew that he could manipulate the German people if he could give them what they wanted, and what they thought they needed. The people bought it, and his methods of secret control lead to greater power.
It is clear that without the depression, Hitler never could have come to power. It was how his party got elected into the government, and it was how he gained the support of his much-needed citizens that he ever had a chance. Hitler, no doubt, was a phenomenal speaker, and a captivating leader, but his talents would have useless without the weakened economy and the desperate government.
Word count: 527
A familiar face appeared in the picture. Adolf Hitler offered hope, national pride, and a brighter future. His background story was almost completely discarded in the blind dash to revival. This included his failed attempt at an armed overthrow of local authorities in Munich, known as the Beer Hall Putsch in 1923, his horrible childhood, and the hovering fact that he hated all Jews. However, the people liked him. Hitler's face, for now, was the savior for their dying country, and that was how Hitler came to be.
In 1933 Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, and so the Nazi Party suddenly found itself in control of a modern state government. Hitler and top Nazis saw immediately that for Germany to become a dictatorship, the Nazi Party and the German government had to become one and the same.
As we all can conclude, when Hitler rose to power, the country of Germany began to crumble, and the people didn't even know that until it was too late. They had no idea that the name “Hitler” would be the most hated name in the entire world a hundred years later. They would soon find out that he planned nothing for the people, but for the advances in Germany’s power, and the abolishment of the Jewish race.
Some may argue that Hitler climbed all the way to the top out of pure genius tactics and captivating speeches. Hitler was a politically sound man, but he couldn't have come all the way up the rankings by himself. He had to have some serious help to slip into his position. The people had to vulnerable, and weak. They had to be desperate, and the German Depression was the perfect time to do that. Hitler knew that he could manipulate the German people if he could give them what they wanted, and what they thought they needed. The people bought it, and his methods of secret control lead to greater power.
It is clear that without the depression, Hitler never could have come to power. It was how his party got elected into the government, and it was how he gained the support of his much-needed citizens that he ever had a chance. Hitler, no doubt, was a phenomenal speaker, and a captivating leader, but his talents would have useless without the weakened economy and the desperate government.
Word count: 527
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