The American Century Pt III: Cold War to Victory

This American Century...


The attitudes of the victors in the Second World War could not have been more different than those of the First. Instead of demanding reparations of impoverished, and indeed, obliterated, conquered foes, the victors put in place, at the urging of the US Secretary of State, George C. Marshall, an aid package that pumped millions of dollars into rebuilding the infrastructure of war-torn Europe. In the Pacific, GEN Douglas MacArthur's, "Peace with Honour", and allowing Japan to retain Imperial trappings, accomplashed much the same thing.

But there was one other fundamental difference between the ends of the two world wars...a visible enemy.

The Soviet Union did not attempt to hide the fact that the believed communism to be the destiny of the world...and Iosef Stalin believed himself to be the one to grant that destiny. It was as much to oppose this, as for any humanitarian reasons that the Marshall Plan was enacted.

The next 45 years saw the world polarized between two powers. Not all of the erstwhile allies of either side would have much in common with their sponsors, except for an unyielding hatred for the allies of the other power...throughout Asia, Africa, the Mid-East, and Central America proxy wars would flare by the score. Some openly supported by one side or the other, some only indirectly. And in three cases, directly. Those three direct interventions yielded two losses and a tie. Korea and Vietnam gave the US a tie and a loss respectively...and Afghanistan...directly contributed to the downfall of the Soviet system.

The US loss in Vietnam, had a significant impact on American society. It led to increased distrust of the government. It led to a sharp increase in the media's hostility toward the government, and a massive loss of morale in the military forces. It is not unrealistic to say that if the Sov forces in Europe had come charging through the Fulda Gap and across the North German Plain, the US, and by default NATO would have been faced with the choice to surrender or go nuclear, which, under the Carter administration, would not have been particularly likely.

Instead of rolling into Germany, the Soviets decided to try their luck in propping up the secular/socialist government in Afghanistan. Like the US in Vietnam, they were too successful, and thus sowed the seeds of their own defeat. By completely destroying any active dissent in government, and eradicating all of the urban dissidents, the Sovs forced the rebellion into the hinterlands. Just as the Soviets and Chinese supported the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong against the US in Vietanam, the US provided arms and support to the anti-soviet rebels in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, back at home, the Soviet economy was crumbling...under the brief and inefficient rules of Chernyenko and Andropov great cracks were beginning to form. The new Soviet Premier, Gorbachev, tried to selectively open portions of the Soviet economy to placate consumers...but giving them a taste of Western ideas and goods left them hungry for more...and the Soviet juggernaut became a man falling over broken glass...unable to determine whether to outrun the fall or to catch his fall on his hands and knees.

That decision...was eventually made by the Czechoslovak and East German governments and people. The Czech decision to open its borders...and the consequences of thousands of East Germans crossing them ultimately sealed the doom of the Soviet Bloc...and on one wild night in November of 1989, millions of people around the world watched as the immense physical symbol of communist Europe, the Berlin Wall crumbled...broken apart by those it was meant to seal off, the East German people...

Within 3 short years, communism in Europe was a dead issue...Even that mighty balwark of world socialism...the first nation on earth to fully embrace a Marxist ideology was no more...

The Cold War had ended...with out a significant direct military engagement between the principle combatants...

Next : Picking up the pieces of the Cold War...Take care all and God Bless America

The American Century Pt II: Reluctant Power to Super Power

This American Century...


In the waning days of the 19th Century an new nation stepped onto the world stage. Before this, it had widely been regarded as a nation of upstarts, misfits and cowboys. Not, in otherwords, a nation that the 'civilized' world (read: Europe) needed to be concerned with. In 1898, that all changed. A conflict of interest over one of the worlds oldest empires propelled the US to world power status.

The United States entered into the 20th Century as a new world power, albeit a reluctant one. They had just won a war against a decaying and decrepit colonial power, Spain, and had gained new territories overseas. The next few years the US was busy pacifying the Philippenes and consolidating Puerto Rico and Hawaii...

The US was much more interested in domestic issues than in world affairs. Meanwhile, the Russians and the Japanese fought a major war over possession and influence in the Western Pacific, and the nations of Europe tried to out arm and out-ally each other. In 1914, things finally built to a head...the assassination of Arch-Duke Franz Ferdinand sparked off a war that would decimate a generation.

The US, although sympathizing with Britain and France against the aggressive Central Powers, was determined to remain neutral. Soon, however, the US was drawn increasingly into the war. In April of 1917, President Wilson asked for, and received, a Declaration of War against Germany and Austria-Hungary. By the time that US troops arrived in Europe, the Allied armies were barely hanging on. Not so much in terms of their ability to hold ground, but in morale. French troops had actually mutinied when ordered to attack, and British units just refused to "go over the top." The French wanted US troops to be broken up, and used to reinforce existing units on the lines, but the American commander, General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing refused. The US troop soon made their prescence felt in effects out of proportion to their numbers. The final Allied assault of the war was primarily an American attack.

The end of the war brought about its own problems. President Wilson outlined his 14 Points of Peace, and called for a just peace. However, the incredible losses suffered by the British and the French made them demand enormous reparations from Germany, and French Pride, still reeling from their abject and humiliating defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, demanded that Germany utterly disarm.

Wilson disagreed with these demands, and as a result, the US never ratified the Treaty of Versailles, even though it included a League of Nations, one of Wilson's 14 Points. Following the withdrawl of occupation troops, the United States once again turned its focus inward.

The 1920's was a time of growth and prosperity in the US. Business boomed, and millions of people invested their money in the stock market. In 1929, disaster struck. The US stockmarket, already recognized as one of the premier stockmarkets in the world. suddenly collapsed from over-speculation. This collapsed plunged much of the world into the Great Depression. As the US struggled to rebuild its economy and confidence, Europe once again began to march towards war.

In Germany, preaching a platform of victimization and intolerance, Adolf Hitler began his rise to power. By the mid-1930's Hitler began obrogating Germany's obligations under the Versailles Treaty. He began to open re-arm, and re-occupied the heavily industrial Rhineland. Britain and France, shook their heads and did nothing. France, prior to this point, had built a web of alliances surrounding Germany. The strongest ally was the new nation of Czechoslovakia, created from the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire following the First World War.

The Czech-German border was a rugged and hilly terrain that was heavily fortified by the Czechs. This area also contained a fair number of ethnic Germans, and was known as the Sudetenland. After the annexation of Austria, in the name of a Greater German Unity, Hitler demanded that the Germans of the Sudetenland be added into Germany. In one of the greatest diplomatic bungles of history, the German, British and French ambassador's allowed Germany to occupy the Sudetenland, while the Czechoslovak Ambassador waited outside to find out what would happen to his nation. Neville Chamberlain, assured by Hitler that this would be Germany's last territorial demand, declared that he had secured "Peace in our Time."

The US, rebuilding its economy, and recovering from a severe drought, shook its head at the European foibles and did resolved to stay uninvolved. When Germany, marched in, unopposed and occupied the remainder of Czechoslovakia, Britain and France did nothing, and the US refused to notice. In 1939, Germany invaded Poland. France, finally realizing how its betrayal of Czechoslovakia had allowed this to happen. Immediately declared its support for Poland, which was too far away for France to help. A desultory French assault into the Saarland was easily rebuffed. Then France itself fell in a lightning assault that lasted a mere 6 weeks. The US, giving open support to Britain, France, and eventually to Russia. attempted to maintain a veneer of neutrality. This was shattered, not by Germany, but by Japan, in the early morning hours of a Sunday morning. At Pearl Harbour, Hawaii.

By the end of the war, every allied nation would be using a fair number of American trucks, tanks and other equipment. With its industry undamaged, and indeed untouchable, the US became the "Arsenal of Democracy." After 7 years of bloody war on a scale unseen in history, the Western Allies were again triumphant. But at this point, the US knew, that in order to prevent another round of bloodletting, the US would see that a just peace enacted, and indeed, spents millions and millions of dollars to rebuild its war-torn former foes.

Up next...picking up the pieces and the Cold War...

Take care...and God Bless America!!!

Point to Ponder: Was the US justified in its isolationist tendancies during the inter-war period?

Politics Explained

FEUDALISM: You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.

PURE SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else's cows. You have to take care of all of the cows. The government gives you as much milk as you need.

BUREAUCRATIC SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and put them in a barn with everyone else's cows. They are cared for by ex-chicken farmers. You have to take care of the chickens the government took from the chicken farmers. The government gives you as much milk and eggs as the regulations say you need.

FASCISM: You have two cows. The government takes both, hires you to take care of them and sells you the milk.

PURE COMMUNISM: You have two cows. Your neighbors help you take care of them, and you all share the milk.

RUSSIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the milk.

CAMBODIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. The government takes both of them and shoots you.

DICTATORSHIP: You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you.

PURE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors decide who gets the milk.

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors pick someone to tell you who gets the milk.

BUREAUCRACY: You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. Then it takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows.

PURE ANARCHY: You have two cows. Either you sell the milk at a fair price or your neighbors try to take the cows and kill you.

LIBERTARIAN/ANARCHO-CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.

SURREALISM: You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.

Intro to the American Century

Historians, looking back on the 20th Century and the early years of the 21st will see them largely as the "American Era". No other nation has so influenced global culture, politics and trends.

The US did not set out, at the dawn of the 20th Century, to influence the world...but its involvement in WWI and the disasterous consequences of a return to isolationist policies in the interwar period helped give rise to Nazi Germany...after the Second World War, the US decided to remain on a global scene...

For the next 45 years, America stood toe-to-toe with the Russian Bear and faced it down with every weapon in its arsenal...the Bear fell....not to the Broadsword of tanks and rockets...but to a thousand razor cuts of Blue-Jeans, Hollywood and Rock-n-Roll...

Because of the immense American productive capacity, American goods, and indeed, American models of industry soon became pervaisive world wide....some of our former foes (such as Japan and Germany) took these models, and adding their own blend of craftsmenship and industriousness, soon were rivaling or surpassing American manufacturers at their own game...

The sheer world-wide acceptance of American music and entertainment has influenced language and culture in ways that no one could have anticipated 100 years ago...go into any back country village in almost any country of the world, and you will find Hard-Rock Cafe t-shirts and Levi's, or find a radio playing some American rock music...

Some people would call this effect, globalization...and to a certain extent, that is what it is...but truly, it represents an Americanization of the world...

I am not going to sit here and say that this a great thing...because, as a historian, I find much value in our roots...however diverse they are...but I am not going to say that it is an evil thing either...while there is much to dislike, or even hate about modern American pop-culture...it has had the affect of bringing people into close contact with other from all over the world, especially through the Internet/World Wide Web, which is largely an American invention (although not Al Gore's!!!)

In a future ramble I will look more into the influence of the US on world affairs throughout the 20th Century

That's all for now...Take care and God Bless America!!!

Society and 'Fairness'

Idle speculations on society...


Been listening to a lot of pundits and taking heads latey...about international politics...the relationship between the US and the UN and sundry other things...Which leads me to the question...Does an exterior body, known to be, if not hostile, at least not openly supportive, of internal politics have the right to dictate policy on issues of national security? I am going to leave this question open for the nonce...and I ask anyone who reads this to please please submit their opinion...
In fact, I think I am going to start including questions like this with each update...and will post what others opinions are as well as my own...will be interesting to know at least what others think...

What I really wanted to talk about today, were a couple of concepts that seem to be confusing some ppl in this day and age...Concepts of Rights and Priveleges....and what is "fair".

There is a line in a Savage Garden song that goes "I think the struggle for financial freedom isn't fair/I think the only ones that disagree are millionaires." And he is right...it is not fair...but life is not fair...All men are not created "equal," whatever that means...No one possesses the talents, skills, intelligence or abilities in the same proportions as anyone else...Someone, somewhere is likely to be faster, smarter, stronger or better looking than you...but no one is given the same proportions...it ain't fair...live with it...

Teachers, I know, and parents, most often hear this lament "but its not FAIR!" No, it isn't but it is that very unfairness of life that will allow you to succeed, if you try, or if you are just lucky...or both...No, trying is not guaranteed success....but if you don't try you are guaranteed to fail...so take your pick.

Back to my first bit though....about rights and priveleges...We, in America, seem to have forgotten the difference.

A privilege is a special advantage, immunity or benefit not enjoyed by all, while a right is something to which one has a natural claim. You are born with rights, but by your actions you can earn or lose, privileges.

We, too often, look upon our privileges as rights...voting and driving are the biggest examples...These are privileges that must needs be earned...but they can also be revoked...this is the distinguishing difference between a right and a privilege...a right can never be taken away

The Declaration of Independence lists three 'Inalienable Rights,' these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness...which means, that you have the right to a natural life, to be able to live that life in accordance with your own conscience, and to seek happiness...but only insofar as your search for happiness does not impose on another's rights...

eh...I think the main reason that this is an issue...is the disintegration of the concept of personal responsibility...it has become quite vogue in this culture to blame any problems on someone or something else...if you commit crimes...it was cos you were not loved as a child...if you are an alcoholic it is cos it is genetic...if you smoke and get cancer, it is Big Tobacco's fault...

I guess I don't have to tell you what I think of that load of crap, eh?

People need to look within themselves...take responsibility for their own actions...Make your own decisions...and then accept the consequences thereof...Be true to yourself...

Take care and God Bless America!!!

Thoughts on Citizenship

More thoughts on government...and a citizen's responsibility thereto...

[NOTE: This was written prior to the 2004 elections...and I hope that the trend that began in 2000 of a greater than 50% voting rate will only continue to rise.]

Here is a scary concept...at least it terrifies the crap outta me...in two out of the last four presidential elections, less than 25% of the eligible population voted for the winning candidate...and only in the two most recent election did more than half the eligible voters even bother to cast a ballot...and then only about 52%

Does that not strike anyone else as just plain wrong? And then...this really gets to me...but people have the gumption to spew off about how screwed up this country is getting...WTF?!?!?! If you don't care enough to go vote...shut your yap...each vote...each person can have a say...and a direct effect on events...

Now here it comes...that concept that I endorse that one of my friends labelled as fascist...*S*

In all honesty, though...I have to attribue most of this to Robert A. Heinlein...

I believe that citizenship is a priviledge...and like all priviledges must be earned...And, to my mind...the only way that citizenship in a state can be truly earned is in service to that state...and service begins at the bottom rungs...not as a leader, but as a follower...

Service could come in many forms...the military services being the major ones...but service would need to be something that is of benefit to the community or nation, such as police, medical, emergency worker, postal, infrastructure (roads, communications or utilities)...also Peace Corps or other service organizations...

After a period of service, which would be totally voluntary, of approximately 3-5 years...more dangerous service would require less time...one would earn their citizenship, and the right to vote...after a second term of service, the citizen would then also have the right to hold office...this would result in leaders who know what it is like in the Real World...

As for those that opt out of performing their citizenship obligations...there would be no onus on them under the law...they would pay no more in taxes than their citizen brethern...they would have the same rights...such as the right to bear arms, own property, and have that property protected....they would be eligible for the same jobs...same education...They would just not have the PRIVILEDGE of voting or holding office...

Well....I think I will expand a lil more on government organization in the future...

I urge everyone that reads this...no matter where you live...to safeguard your rights and priviledges...to exercise them regularly...


Take care and God Bless America!!!

Thoughts on Gov't

A few thoughts on government...and responsibility...

We, as citizens in the United States of America, are participating in one of the greatest political experiments in history. How so? Through our government.

Here, in the US...we have an experimental government...experimental in that throughout the whole course of human history there has never been another like it. 'But,' you say, 'The US has been around for over 225 years!' Why so it has, but it is still an experiment, and we are still trying to find that perfect balance between personal rights and responsibilities and governmental rights and responsibilities.

Lately, that balance seems to be swinging farther and farther in favor of the federal government.

The framers of our Constitution sought to limit the power of the federal government, not least through the seemingly forgotten 10th Amendment. Which states: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."

Seems pretty clear to me...if it is not stated in the text of the Constitution, or added in an amendment, then the Federal Government has no business with it. There are many parts of the Federal Goverment, The Education Dept is an immediately obvious example, are, by the letter of this Ammendment blatantly unconstitutional.

We, as voter's and citizens, need to look closely at those who would presume to represent us at all governmental levels and ensure that they are going to truly fulfil their oaths of office to "Support the Constitution of the United States."

But we, as citizens, also have responsibilities. We are responsible for those that WE send to Washington and to our state and local governments. It is through our action, and all to often, our inaction, that they are allowed to do what they do. And when they are caught in wrong-doing, we often just shake our heads and grumble, but come next election...we send them right back to their offices...
I think that is all for tonight...but I will be adding in the future about the idividuals responsibilities...and possibly some outlines for a model government...


Take care and God Bless America!!!