1. Summarize the basic argument for and the basic argument against nuclear weapons.
The basic argument for nuclear weapons is the they actually make the world safer, because countries are less willing to risk the use of force. The basic argument against nuclear weapons is that because imperfect human beings are involved, deterrence is not a fool-proof system.
2. What is the difference between a strategic and a tactical nuclear weapon?
The difference between a strategic and tactical nuclear weapons is there size and distance they can hit. Strategic weapons are a lot bigger and can hit targets up to six thousand miles away in thirty minutes or less. Tactical nuclear weapons can be concealed in something as small as a briefcase or a backpack and are used to hit targets near them.
3. What is nuclear proliferation?
Nuclear proliferation is the spread of nuclear weapons.
4. What role has the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty played in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons?
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has played a big role in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. Only four countries have not signed this Treaty. People say that if the treaty wasn't made President Kenndey's worry of 25 more countries having nuclear weapons by the 1970s would have come true.
5. Explain Secretary of State Rice's high level of concern about the Russian nuclear arsenal. (See her quote on page 16 of your reading.)
Secretary of State Rice's high level of concern about the Russian nuclear arsenal is all about them being secured. She is worried that if they aren't protected the can just be walked in by a thief and the nuclear weapons just be stolen. For this reason she want's their nuclear weapons to be dismantled so no one will ever have to worry about them being stolen.
6. How as the threat of terrorism changed thinking about nuclear weapons?
Terrorism has drastically changed the thinking about nuclear weapons. People are so scared of a terroist group getting a hold of a nuclear weapon, some think they already do. No one knows what they would do if they had one so that is what makes everyone so scared about it. What if they come after us if they have one? is a big question. People want to get rid of them because of this factor, if they got them who knows what they would do with it.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Nuclear Arms Race Since 1945
1. Explain how Dragonfire's report on October 11, 2001 highlighted a new threat from nuclear weapons.
Dragonfires report on October 11, 2001 highlighted a new threat from nuclear weapons because no one had ever used a nuclear bomb since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, let alone use one against the United States. It also highlighted that no one had every brought a nuclear bomb into a country unknowingly especially into a major city like the heart of New York City.
2. Why is proliferation such a strong concern for the United States?
Proliferation is such a strong concern for the United States because it is linked to the United States' most complex and challenging foreign policy problems. It is also a strong concern for the United States because we don't want them getting into the wrong hand, like our enemies.
3. What is deterrence?
Deterrence is the idea that if you trick someone into thinking you would retaliate big time if the did something to you. In this case if one side were to attack the other with nuclear Weapons, the other side would launch a nuclear response that would devastate the original attacker, knowing that they faced certain both sides would be deterred from attacking.
4. Explain the importance of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The importance of the Cuban Missile Crisis is the Soviets and their nuclear weapons were getting extremely close to us, on 90 miles off our shores in Cuba. They were so close if we fired a missile at them they would hit us first from Cuba. It also got the two leaders of the countries to realize what this could do to their countries/ the world. They decided to back down from Cuba if the US removed their artillery from Turkey.
5. President John F. Kennedy worried that twenty-five nations would have nuclear weapons by the 1970s. Why do you think his worry did not come to pass?
I think that his worry did not come to pass because the other nations in the world could see what it did to countries and what it could do it the nuclear war had actually begun. They saw what it was instilling in the US/USSR and they probably didn't want that. Lastly they probably knew that if they gained the nuclear weapons they would join in this "battle".
6. What was the Cold War? How long did it last?
The Cold War was a period of hostility and tension between, mostly, the US and the USSR from 1946 to 1991. The two countries were making an enormous amount of nuclear weapons incase there actually was a nuclear war. It was basically all talk. It lasted about 45 years.
Dragonfires report on October 11, 2001 highlighted a new threat from nuclear weapons because no one had ever used a nuclear bomb since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, let alone use one against the United States. It also highlighted that no one had every brought a nuclear bomb into a country unknowingly especially into a major city like the heart of New York City.
2. Why is proliferation such a strong concern for the United States?
Proliferation is such a strong concern for the United States because it is linked to the United States' most complex and challenging foreign policy problems. It is also a strong concern for the United States because we don't want them getting into the wrong hand, like our enemies.
3. What is deterrence?
Deterrence is the idea that if you trick someone into thinking you would retaliate big time if the did something to you. In this case if one side were to attack the other with nuclear Weapons, the other side would launch a nuclear response that would devastate the original attacker, knowing that they faced certain both sides would be deterred from attacking.
4. Explain the importance of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The importance of the Cuban Missile Crisis is the Soviets and their nuclear weapons were getting extremely close to us, on 90 miles off our shores in Cuba. They were so close if we fired a missile at them they would hit us first from Cuba. It also got the two leaders of the countries to realize what this could do to their countries/ the world. They decided to back down from Cuba if the US removed their artillery from Turkey.
5. President John F. Kennedy worried that twenty-five nations would have nuclear weapons by the 1970s. Why do you think his worry did not come to pass?
I think that his worry did not come to pass because the other nations in the world could see what it did to countries and what it could do it the nuclear war had actually begun. They saw what it was instilling in the US/USSR and they probably didn't want that. Lastly they probably knew that if they gained the nuclear weapons they would join in this "battle".
6. What was the Cold War? How long did it last?
The Cold War was a period of hostility and tension between, mostly, the US and the USSR from 1946 to 1991. The two countries were making an enormous amount of nuclear weapons incase there actually was a nuclear war. It was basically all talk. It lasted about 45 years.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Works Cited
Ambrose, Stephen E. D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II. New York:
Touchstone, 1994.
Ricks, Thomas E. Fiasco:
The American Military Adventure in Iraq. London: The Penguin Press, 2006.
Seager, Robin Pompey:
A Political Biography. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1979.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Mobilizing for Defense
1. How did the American response to the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor differ from Japanese expectations? The Japanese did not believe that the Americans were racially pure enough to withstand their attack. They truly believed that the Americans would
just give up and let them take over the Pacific.
2. What difficulties did women and minorities face in the wartime work force?
The difficulties that women and minorities faced in the wartime work force was a lowered pay. They were not getting the same amount of pay a white man was doing for the same amount of work. They were normally getting only 60% of what the white male was getting.
3. Why did President Roosevelt create the OSRD, and what did it do?
President Roosevelt created the OSRD to bring scientists into the war effort. The OSRD improved sonar and radar, the use of pesticides to fight insects, and pushed the development of "miracle drugs" such as penicillin. The OSRD also came up with the Atomic Bomb
4. What basic problems were the OPA and WPB created to solve?
The OPA was created to solve the problem with the inflation of needed goods. The WPB was created to make sure the companies making war necessities got what they needed fast.
5. What type of items were rationed and why were they limited?
Materials that the men fighting in the war overseas was rationed like meat, shoes, sugar, coffee, and gasoline. They were limited because most of the items were sent overseas to the men fighting so they would have enough of the necessities.
6. What is the message of the World War II poster on this assignment's blog posting? Why was this message important?
The message of the World War II poster is that when you dont carpool, you drive alone, that you are helping Hitler out, you are wasting gasoline. The message was important because it got Americans to stop wasting gas so it gave our soldiers overseas more gas to use.
2. What difficulties did women and minorities face in the wartime work force?
The difficulties that women and minorities faced in the wartime work force was a lowered pay. They were not getting the same amount of pay a white man was doing for the same amount of work. They were normally getting only 60% of what the white male was getting.
3. Why did President Roosevelt create the OSRD, and what did it do?
President Roosevelt created the OSRD to bring scientists into the war effort. The OSRD improved sonar and radar, the use of pesticides to fight insects, and pushed the development of "miracle drugs" such as penicillin. The OSRD also came up with the Atomic Bomb
4. What basic problems were the OPA and WPB created to solve?
The OPA was created to solve the problem with the inflation of needed goods. The WPB was created to make sure the companies making war necessities got what they needed fast.
5. What type of items were rationed and why were they limited?
Materials that the men fighting in the war overseas was rationed like meat, shoes, sugar, coffee, and gasoline. They were limited because most of the items were sent overseas to the men fighting so they would have enough of the necessities.
6. What is the message of the World War II poster on this assignment's blog posting? Why was this message important?
The message of the World War II poster is that when you dont carpool, you drive alone, that you are helping Hitler out, you are wasting gasoline. The message was important because it got Americans to stop wasting gas so it gave our soldiers overseas more gas to use.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
War for Europe and North Africa
1. Why had the tide turned in the Battle of the Atlantic by mid-1943?
The tide had turned in the Battle of the Atlantic by mid-1943 because the Allied forces were pushing the Germans back. The Allied forces were destroying Germans U-boats faster than they could make them.
2. What two key decisions determined the final outcome at Stalingrad?
The two key decisions that determined the final outcome at Stalingrad was The Soviets planning a counter-attack on the Germans when the heavy winter had set in, and the German commander surrendering and then his troops surrendering two days later.
3. What was the outcome of the North African campaign?
The outcome of the North African campaign was allied control of North Africa. It did take some time though, there was months of fighting before the Afrika Korps had surrendered.
4. What were the results of the Italian campaign?
The results of the Italian campaign were no so good. The Italian campaign started out great taking over sicily but it took the fall of Germany itself to get Germans to retreat back up, that didn't happened until 1945.
5. Was the Allied invasion of Europe successful? Explain your answer.
Yes, the allied invasion of Europe was successful. The invasion was successful because all the countries that Nazi Germany had taken over/controlled the Allied forces had liberated. They did get Italy even though it wasnt until the end of the war.
6. Why was the Battle of the Bulge important?
The Battle of the Bulge was important because it was a decisive battle in the war. It had taken so many german lives, and materials that they would have a terrible time coming back from it. there was basically no way for them to come back in the war now.
7. What the significance of V-E day?
The significance of V-E day was that is was the end of the war in Europe. It was a victory(V) in Europe(E).
8. Who was Dwight D. Eisenhower?
Dwight D. Eisenhower was Supreme Commander of U.S. forces in Europe during World War II. He later became the president of the United States.
9. Do you agree with the decision made by Roosevelt and Churchill to require unconditional surrender by the Axis powers? Why or why not?
I do agree with Roosevelt and Churchill's decision to require unconditional surrender by the Axis powers. I agree with them because if they didn't they would have surrendered in Italy before the Germans did and their morale would have gone up and we don't know what could have happened.
The tide had turned in the Battle of the Atlantic by mid-1943 because the Allied forces were pushing the Germans back. The Allied forces were destroying Germans U-boats faster than they could make them.
2. What two key decisions determined the final outcome at Stalingrad?
The two key decisions that determined the final outcome at Stalingrad was The Soviets planning a counter-attack on the Germans when the heavy winter had set in, and the German commander surrendering and then his troops surrendering two days later.
3. What was the outcome of the North African campaign?
The outcome of the North African campaign was allied control of North Africa. It did take some time though, there was months of fighting before the Afrika Korps had surrendered.
4. What were the results of the Italian campaign?
The results of the Italian campaign were no so good. The Italian campaign started out great taking over sicily but it took the fall of Germany itself to get Germans to retreat back up, that didn't happened until 1945.
5. Was the Allied invasion of Europe successful? Explain your answer.
Yes, the allied invasion of Europe was successful. The invasion was successful because all the countries that Nazi Germany had taken over/controlled the Allied forces had liberated. They did get Italy even though it wasnt until the end of the war.
6. Why was the Battle of the Bulge important?
The Battle of the Bulge was important because it was a decisive battle in the war. It had taken so many german lives, and materials that they would have a terrible time coming back from it. there was basically no way for them to come back in the war now.
7. What the significance of V-E day?
The significance of V-E day was that is was the end of the war in Europe. It was a victory(V) in Europe(E).
8. Who was Dwight D. Eisenhower?
Dwight D. Eisenhower was Supreme Commander of U.S. forces in Europe during World War II. He later became the president of the United States.
9. Do you agree with the decision made by Roosevelt and Churchill to require unconditional surrender by the Axis powers? Why or why not?
I do agree with Roosevelt and Churchill's decision to require unconditional surrender by the Axis powers. I agree with them because if they didn't they would have surrendered in Italy before the Germans did and their morale would have gone up and we don't know what could have happened.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
The Great Depression Widens
From Great Depression 22-2 Reading
1. How did the Great
Depression affect minorities?
For minorities
the Great Depression was horrible. Their unemployment rates were higher than
whites and if they had a job their pay was much less than their white
counterparts. Also racial violence increased during this time, unemployed
whites competing for the same job as a minority would beat them up/ even kill
them. 24 African Americans were lynched in one year because of this.
2. Why did so many men
leave their homes during the Depression?
So many men left
their homes during the Great Depression because they were accustomed to
supporting their families and working. They got so discouraged that they would
go out for days on a time just walking the streets looking for a job. It got so
bad in some cases that they just got up and left because they were so
embarrassed.
3. How did the Great Depression affect women and children?
During
the Great Depression many women struggled to survive. They couldn't get jobs
because when men are out of work offices wont hire women in their place so they
couldn't get any jobs, schools wouldn't even hire women to teach. They had to
do chores around the house, like managing the budget, going shopping, doing
things that women did before they were aloud to work. For children it was even
worse. Schools shut down nation wide, some 300000 students were out of school
because of this. because of this lack of school many children just gave up
their hope. Many children would hitch-hike on trains around the country. Some
of them were even killed because they didn't want the children on the trains.
From Great Depression
22-3 Reading
4. What were some of Hoover’s key convictions about government?
Herbert
Hoovers key convictions about government were that they play a limited role in
helping solve the problems, he also believed that the government should help
foster privet charities to help with the relief efforts. He believed that if
the government gave handouts it would weaken peoples self-dignity and
“moral-fiber”. His idea was that the government should direct relief measures.
They should help fund privet charities and they would help the people.
5. Why do you think people blamed Hoover for the nation’s
difficulties?
I
believe that some people blamed Hoover for the nation’s difficulties because he
didn’t do “enough”. He didn’t help the people out at all, he just let people
fend for themselves. People didn’t want that, they wanted a president that
would help them through tough times, to get them out of it. He was way to
rugged, he didn’t do anything he basically let the country fail.
6. What were some of the projects proposed by Hoover, and how
effective were they?
One
of the projects proposed by Hoover was the “Boulder Dam”(later renamed the
Hoover Dam). The Dam was to generate power and help set arrangement of water
rights between some of the states. The dam was very effective, it provided the
power it was supposed to but it also provided a regular water supply the country
needed.
7. What did the Bonus Army want?
The Bonus Army wanted their bonus that was supposed to be paid in 1945 to
be paid now. They all rushed to Washington D.C. to try and get the Patman Bill
passed it was rejected by Congress. After the bill was denied Hoover asked the
people to leave. Some did but the army forcefully removed those who didn’t.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
The Crash Occurs and the Great Depression Begins
1. What industrial weakness signaled a declining economy in the 1920s?
The weakness that signaled a declining economy in the 1920's was the use of credit in an ordinary persons life. It created superficial property in the country and when people were supposed to pay back their debts they couldn't which cause banks to either close or fail. It basically sent the United States into a tailspin downwards.
3. How did speculation and margin buying cause stock prices to rise?
Speculation played a role in stock prices rising because people would buy them in hope to get gain a quick profit but they didn't pay attention to the risks involved in doing so. People thought that the stocks would do well so the prices would go up for them but when they didn't people would want to sell them right away, which started mass selling's of stocks. When people began buying in margin people had to start to raise the prices on the stocks because they weren't being payed the full amount of the stock and they had to make some kind of profit on it. Also because people weren't paying back the full amount the owned the stock owner.
4. What happened to ordinary workers during the Great Depression?
During the Great Depression ordinary workers were normally laid off. Between 1929 and 1933 unemployment had gone from 3 percent to 25 percent, almost 13 million people had lost their jobs in that span of time. If you hadn't been laid off from your job, your pay had been reduced and/ or your hours per week had been reduced as well. The Great Depression wasn't a great time to be an ordinary worker.
5. How did the Great Depression affect the world economy?
The Great Depression had also affected Europe's economy as well. The Great Depression limited Americas ability to import European goods which made their economy bad in turn. Also with having to pay World War I Reparations, Europe didn't have a good economy to start out with during this time and having the Great Depression added on to it made it awful for the European economy.
The weakness that signaled a declining economy in the 1920's was the use of credit in an ordinary persons life. It created superficial property in the country and when people were supposed to pay back their debts they couldn't which cause banks to either close or fail. It basically sent the United States into a tailspin downwards.
2. What did the experience of farmers and consumers at this time suggest about the health of the economy?
The experience of farmers and consumers at this time suggested that the economy was not doing so well. Farmers had taken out so many loans to get more crops and new machinery that they could pay it back. They couldn't pay it back because the price for the crops had gone down by 40 percent and they weren't able to sell their goods because their were so many other farmers trying to do that. Consumers couldn't buy the goods because they didn't have to money to do so. Prices had risen so much that the consumers just couldn't afford to buy so many products. 3. How did speculation and margin buying cause stock prices to rise?
Speculation played a role in stock prices rising because people would buy them in hope to get gain a quick profit but they didn't pay attention to the risks involved in doing so. People thought that the stocks would do well so the prices would go up for them but when they didn't people would want to sell them right away, which started mass selling's of stocks. When people began buying in margin people had to start to raise the prices on the stocks because they weren't being payed the full amount of the stock and they had to make some kind of profit on it. Also because people weren't paying back the full amount the owned the stock owner.
4. What happened to ordinary workers during the Great Depression?
During the Great Depression ordinary workers were normally laid off. Between 1929 and 1933 unemployment had gone from 3 percent to 25 percent, almost 13 million people had lost their jobs in that span of time. If you hadn't been laid off from your job, your pay had been reduced and/ or your hours per week had been reduced as well. The Great Depression wasn't a great time to be an ordinary worker.
5. How did the Great Depression affect the world economy?
The Great Depression had also affected Europe's economy as well. The Great Depression limited Americas ability to import European goods which made their economy bad in turn. Also with having to pay World War I Reparations, Europe didn't have a good economy to start out with during this time and having the Great Depression added on to it made it awful for the European economy.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Prohibition
1. How did small-town life and city life differ?
Small- Town life was very boring. Everyone believed the same thing, had the same views, nothing independent. In the city that was completely opposite. People judged one another by there accomplishments, the tolerated drinking, gambling, and even casual dating mostly frowned upon in the small-towns.
2. Why do you think the Eighteenth Amendment failed to eliminate alcohol consumption?
I believe that the Eighteenth Amendment failed to eliminate alcohol consumption because it was such a big thing. When you have something as big as alcohol you cant just get rid of it at once, you would have to do it gradually. There was so many people drinking it that you couldn't just take it away.
3. How did criminals take advantage of Prohibition?
Criminals took advantage of Prohibition in that they would now be the primary dealers of alcohol in the cities. Prohibition also helped out organized crime.
4. What was the conflict between fundamentalists and those who accepted evolution?
The conflict between fundamentalists and those who accepted evolution was how we, as human-beings, came to be. The fundamentalists wouldn't give up their idea that god created everything and the evolutionists wouldn't be persuaded by the fundamentalists.
5. How might the overall atmosphere of the 1920s have contributed to the failure of Prohibition?
The overall atmosphere contributed to the failure of prohibition in that after World War I Americans were tired of making sacrifices and wanted to enjoy life and Prohibition was not letting that happen. Also most immigrants didn't think that drinking was a sin so they just kept doing what they had been doing fora long time.
Small- Town life was very boring. Everyone believed the same thing, had the same views, nothing independent. In the city that was completely opposite. People judged one another by there accomplishments, the tolerated drinking, gambling, and even casual dating mostly frowned upon in the small-towns.
2. Why do you think the Eighteenth Amendment failed to eliminate alcohol consumption?
I believe that the Eighteenth Amendment failed to eliminate alcohol consumption because it was such a big thing. When you have something as big as alcohol you cant just get rid of it at once, you would have to do it gradually. There was so many people drinking it that you couldn't just take it away.
3. How did criminals take advantage of Prohibition?
Criminals took advantage of Prohibition in that they would now be the primary dealers of alcohol in the cities. Prohibition also helped out organized crime.
4. What was the conflict between fundamentalists and those who accepted evolution?
The conflict between fundamentalists and those who accepted evolution was how we, as human-beings, came to be. The fundamentalists wouldn't give up their idea that god created everything and the evolutionists wouldn't be persuaded by the fundamentalists.
5. How might the overall atmosphere of the 1920s have contributed to the failure of Prohibition?
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