American History

The American government mobilized an army to participate in the war against the German in order to protect its international interests. The successes of the alliance forces in the First World War are mainly attributed to the leadership of General Pershing. The alliance members could not have worn the war without the support of the US forces and they therefore had no choice than to follow the leadership of General Pershing.
Apart from his exemplary leadership of the American army during the First World War, Pershing is also recognized for identifying the need to establish a military training school for the formal training of a competent military police corps. This was marked by the successful establishment of a school in Autun, France. He is therefore regarded as the father of the military corps. Pershing also led the initiative of providing better combat boots for the armies during the war. This was provoked by the need to have boots which could withstand the effects of the trench warfare.

The battle of the Chateau Thierry was the second combat in which the American expeditionary force was involved in during the First World War. The American expeditionary force was under the command of General Pershing during this time. It was part of the second battle of Marne and was triggered by the German troops on July 15th 1918. The Franco-American troops launched a counter attack on the German troops three days later, between Fontenoy and Chateau Thierry. The American army being more equipped and aggressive was the main fighting force around Soissons and Chateau Thierry. This area comprised of a stretch of more than forty kilometers. The American army caught the German troops by surprise and aggressively mounted a successful attack on enemy territory. They forced the German troops to retreat.
General Pershing was responsible for the training and supply of competent army men for both the National Guard force and the army force. Under the leadership of Pershing, the American army grew magnanimously in number from the initial twenty seven thousand to two full armies of almost two million trained personnel after he took command. Pershing was able to lead the army despite the constant political problems in America as a result of the war. Pershing sacrificed other political interests including his advocacy for an all racially inclusive army in order to pay his full attention to the leadership of the army.

Pershing went to France in June, 1917. This visit boosted the morale of the troops and was celebrated by the infantry by a short march around Paris. The American forces were then sent to France in autumn of the same year. By the beginning of 1918 entire divisions of the American army were joining the French troops in the frontlines against the German. Pershing however maintained that the American troops would not integrate with the other armies but would serve sorely under American command. The only time they integrated in warfare was late in 1918 when two divisions of the American army were loaned to the British, Canadian and Australian troops in breaking the Hindenburg line.

The American troops did not actively engage in combat until the summer of 1918 when they fought alongside the French troops in the second battle of the Marne. Eight American army divisions fought alongside twenty four French army divisions. Coupled with the success which the American and French troops had achieved at Amiens this battle served as a strong turning point of the battle offensive on the western front.

The troops succeeded at mounting a strong offensive against the German troops at Saint Mihiel but were stopped by the overall supreme commander, Marshal Foch. Instead of forging forward towards Metz, the American troops led three offensives into the western front. These consisted of two troops at the Hindenburg line as well as one more troop led by Plumer in Flanders. The troops were instead deployed northwards together with the French troops at Meuse Argonne. In addition to the civil unrest and the collapse of Germany supporters, this break up at Argonne was among the top reasons why the Germany finally accepted the armistice later in the war. The American and the French troops were initially at a numerical advantage against the German troops since most of the German troops were already engaged against the British expeditionary troops. Pershing had severally disdained trench warfare and fully believed that the skill of his troops with the rifle would give them a sure victory against the German troops.

The Meuse Argonne offensive took place in 1918 and was a part of the overall offensive consisting of all the allied forces. This battle was fought by the US army which was still under General Pershing at the time. In the battle of Meuse Argonne the alliance troops were focused on breaking through the Hindenburg line. This battle is considered to the biggest American offensive of the First World War. The aim of this battle was to break the railway hub at Sedan which was being used by the German army already occupying France, as the main supply link from the rest of the world. The lack of supplies would then result to the German troops withdrawing from the territory. This consisted of a 56km stretch of hills and forest land. This land extended towards Sedan where the French troops had been defeated in 1870. The attacking alliance force consisted of three already experienced and nineteen inexperienced American divisions. The attacking force also consisted of six French divisions and tank support.

The offensive was most aggressive at the Saint Mihiel battle where the American divisions who had initially been deployed in staff work, were redeployed in French uniforms at the front in night moves. These US troops were able to attack the four successive defense lines which had been elected by the German troops. Majority of the alliance forces were then sent to the north and the northwest of Verdun leading to one of the most success strategies of the war.

In September 26, 1918 the US army attacked the German troops and mounted a very aggressive front for two days until they were joined by twenty more divisions. Direct attack of the enemy troops however shattered much of the thirty-fifth division which primarily comprised of national guards. This division was replaced with other officers. The American army was also grappling with several problems including a breakdown in communication leading to some of the troops going without water or food for several days.

The momentum of the war and the morale of the alliance troops dwindled as a result of this and Pershing resumed the offensive in October 4 1918 up to October 29th 1918. This offensive was halted temporarily when the German troops retreated to the Meuses west bank. The British and Australian troops also took part in the Hindenburg offensive. Mont-Ibrehain village was captured in this offensive. This victory at St Quentin canal ended the conflict and marked a total bleach of the Hindenburg line by October 10 1918. This second phase of the war also saw the Battle of Montfaucon between October 14th and 17th.

The US troops at Hindenburg had succeeded in capturing more than ten miles while the French troops on the other side had successfully progressed for twenty miles and reached the Aisne River. During this operation on October 8, 1918 Sergeant Alvin York successfully captured one hundred and thirty two German soldiers. Sergeant York served in the 328th and the 82nd infantry in Georgia. He is reputed to have been a staunch Christian and only engaged in warfare after he was convinced by his commanders that war was justified biblically. Sergeant York is heralded for his efforts against the German troops on October 8, 1918 at Decauville rail line which was located north of Chatel Chehery. The orders of his group were to infiltrate the German lines and disarm the machine guns which were shooting at American troops.

The troop which was under Sergeant Bernard Early consisted of thirteen privates and four non commissioned officers. The attack did not go as anticipated and while the American troop was securing the German prisoners, they were assailed with machine gun fire from the ridge, killing six of their officers and wounding three others. York broadly approached the more than thirty enemy machine guns killing more than eight soldiers and taking the rest as prisoners. The actions of Sergeant York saw the remaining eight American soldiers capture one hundred and thirty two German soldiers. This in turn allowed the 328th infantry to renew the attack on Decauville Railroad. York received the Distinguished Service Cross from General Pershing as a result of his heroism while the French gave him the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre. The Italian government also recognized his efforts and awarded him with Croce di Guerra while Montenegro gave him the War Medal.

By the end of October, the American soldiers had forged on and covered fifteen kilometers while the French troops had passed the Aisne River and covered thirty kilometers. The American army divided into two fronts the first led by general Leggett which continued to advance towards the sedan railroad and the second front was led by Lieutenant General Robert towards Metz. This group captured the German troops at Buzancy facilitating the capture of Le Chesne by the French troops. Within these six weeks there were one hundred and twenty thousand American casualties including fifteen thousand deaths. This led to increased frustration and political pressure leading to what most scholars have classified as Pershings most grievous mistake. Pershing ordered the US first army to recapture Sedan which had been the location of the defeat of the French troop in 1870. Pershing therefore renewed the attack on November 1 and went on to capture Sedan by November 6.

This renewed attack however resulted in a lot of confusion because the first division forces had already been deployed at the west front and many American soldiers were arrested on the suspicion that they were German. Pershing also insisted through a direct letter to the allied supreme war council that the German troops not be given a chance for an armistice but be fought until they surrendered completely. This bold move was against the army protocol. At the time of the armistice, Pershing had already ordered troops to forge on towards Metz and towards Lorraine. This was also to run concurrently with other offensives into Belgium. Even after the armistice, the American government ignored the Versailles treaty until they signed another one in 1921. The last American troops left Germany in 1923.

In conclusion, the First World War was the fist time the American troops joined the alliance against enemy troops. This war resulted into the international recognition of America as a formidable military power earning it recognition from the rest of the world. The First World War was characterized by various smaller battles. The American troops were under the command of General Pershing. General Pershing is recognized for the initiative he took in establishing a training military school, ensuring that the troops were competent before being sent to the field. He recognized the need for the American troops to remain under their own leadership as opposed to integrating with the alliance troops. In addition he designed the first combat boot which allowed the American troops to forge forward even in the trenches. General Pershing is also recognized for the success of the First World War including the battle of Chteau-Thierry and the Meuse Argonne. Sergeant York is also recognized for his courage during the Meuse Argonne offensive at the Hindenburg line where he single handedly captured one hundred and thirty two German prisoners. The First World War marked the beginning of modern war alliances between different military powers.

The Japanese military leaders planned a surprised aerial attack on the American Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in order to handicap them to retort and defend their strategic objectives in Far East Asia. This attack led Americans to quickly get involved in the World War II and served as the anticlimax of the US and Japanese worsening relations. The Japanese invasion of China in 1937 and its amiable ties and military alliance with Axis Powers, Germany and Italy, and its activity in the French Indochina in 1941 provoked the United States to freeze all the Japanese assets in America.

Furthermore, America also declared a restriction on petroleum and war materials shipments to Japan and disengaged all commercial and financial relations with Japan. The Japanese diplomatic offices continued to negotiate with the American delegates until the day of the Pearl Harbor Assault, while the government of then Prime Minister Tojo Hideki was determined to get involved in the war.

In the beginning of 1941, the Commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet, the Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku laid down the plan for the surprise attack. By September 1941, the Japanese military forces were all prepared for the secret assault in Philippines and West Indies, along with the major blow directed at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on the Island of Oahu. The Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo was made the commander of the Pearl Harbor planned assault. Nagumo has detailed the surprise attack with great care against the pacific fleet. Once the fleet was eliminated, there was no force stopping the Japanese conquest of the South East Asia and Indonesian Archipelago.

Nagumo led the force of 30 Ships together with six aircraft carriers having about 430 planes. About 360 fighter planes were used as part of the planned attack. In addition 20 submarines of the Japanese Advance Expeditionary Forces were stationed at Kure Naval Base on the west coast of Honshu, to assist the attack. These submarines journeyed across the pacific during mid-November and arrived at the Oahu Island on December 5th. Midnight 6-7 December five of the submarines surfaced at the Pearl Harbor.

Nagumos forces sailed to the coast of Oahu and arrived unobserved by the Americans about 200 miles north of Oahu at six AM Hawaiian time on December 7, 1941. The air attack was launched in three waves utilizing 360 planes, which started at 6 AM and ended at 715AM. The planes flew to the south for the target assignments and then flew towards Oahu for the synchronized attacks. The airstrike assault included torpedo planes, bombers, and fighters. Japanese dive bombers targeted the ships anchored at the Harbor, as they were unmanned. The Japanese choose Sunday to launch the strikes to attain maximum advantage while few were available to launch counterattack if any.

The Japanese attacks principal mission was to cripple the American Naval Pacific fleet, which was accomplished easily, as Americans were unprepared. All in all, the Japanese severely damaged 18 ships, including eight battle ships, three light cruisers and destroyers each.  In addition the airfields also suffered tremendous losses, as about 161 American planes were blown away or destroyed and 102 planes were severely damaged. The American Navy and Marine Corps suffered from 2986 fatalities, resulting in 2117 dead and 779 wounded. Much criticism and dissatisfaction was aggravated against the US militarys unpreparedness and the extent of damage.  As a result Admiral Husband Kimmel and General Walter Short, Navy and Army commanders respectively were relieved of their duties and official investigations began.
Americans had about 96 vessels stationed at Pearl Harbor, comprising the bulk of its Pacific Fleet. On airfields about 390 Army and Navy planes of all types were available and less than 300 were ready for any kind of combat or assault. However Americans quickly recovered from the shocking attack and fought back austerely, and ordered their planes to strike the counterattack. Hence the Japanese lost over 29 planes, five midget submarines and one large submarine during the attack, losing 55 airmen and several crew onboard their submarines. While Nagumos task force was able to sail away unnoticed and unharmed.

The Pearl Harbor assault disabled Americas Naval and Air forces in the Pacific. However, the Japanese were unable to destroy the biggest and most important oil storage facilities on Oahu Island and three other aircraft carrier fleets that were not at the harbor at the time of attack. In addition out of the eight battleships, two were repaired and were back to service.

As declared by the United States President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, the date which will live in infamy. After the presidents stirring six minute address, congress voted to wage war against Japan with all of the countrys available resources. The day unified the American public and eliminated their earlier demands to remain neutral.  Four days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Germany and Italy also declared war with United States, which was also immediately recognized by congress. Some historians blamed President Roosevelt for having invited the attack at the Pearl harbor, and bringing in the Axis Powers in war, however later investigations and analysis disclosed that Japans attack was anticipated but the magnitude, extent and location could not be deciphered accurately.

The United States wanted to isolate Japan economically to cut credits for them to purchase petroleum and subsequently force them to pull them out from China. Japan purchased petroleum from three main sources namely USA, Indonesia (Dutch East Indies) and Burma (controlled by British in 1940s). The withdrawal from china was not acceptable to the Japanese think tanks and, hence, the surprise strike against the US Navy was planned. The removal of the US pacific Fleet by the Japanese strike made Japanese Navy paramount, and helped them gain control of Burma and Dutch East indies in order to attain enough oil resources to run their economy and military and beat the economic slump that United States had planned.

The email allows people to do many tasks that include the daily routines, shopping purposes as well as business and educational purposes. Whenever some one order a product through email, or enter in a online contest or even subscribe to a magazine, his name along with other details gets registered to a company or organization who is involve in the online advertising business and this is how he may be placed on a mailing list. Those organizations rent or trade the list that has your name included. This is how the process of Junk mail begins and you become entitled to receive many junk mails on daily basis.

For a user, a decision to jump from the old faithful internet explorer becomes a tough one at times because every person has his own convenience to look after. They will certainly need to weigh the pros and cons and make a decision based on their respective needs. Users will longer have to clutter the same old task bar with many separate copies of the browser opened while browsing through different pages.

Although there are still many other minor improvements presented with each new update but the two dont seem to agree with each other on more than one front and this is something where eventually the end user will suffer. Another issue that came to the lime light through recent experience where the Firefox clearly takes the lead is the fact that their security problems are patched more quickly than IE ones.

Even for person who just check web archive only to remain in touch with the world and does not have to do anything with business, it is a serious issue because  it is still annoying to go through the same old story every day that has simply useless to say the least. We have seen the proof of an efficient simultaneous working environment between both the components confirm that and it can be assumed from the above mentioned experiment that in order to attain optimum efficiency, it would be wise to increase the number of processors so that they are at least equal or a little more simply because in heavy work load environments, it is deemed as a necessity and not a mere formality.

In web archive process, your name along with other details is sold to other publishing companies. It is no coincidence that when you ask for one catalog there is likelihood that you will also to get catalogs from other companies. This is function undertaken by a company named Advo who is supposed to work through the white address card which is the one with the pictures of missing people and it indicates exactly who will receive the junk mail.

If a person opts out from the process, they stop the process of printing a card with your address. However, the mail carrier is on such an automated process that he or she just stuffs one in everyones mailbox whether theres an address card for them or not. A few cases happened when a person even complained about this procedure being undertaken without the concerned person authorizing but they simply refused to be concerned. There are companies who guarantee that their services are specially designed to stop the junk mail delivery to their customers but none of them has so far get the job done. However, one thing that can be surely said that it takes a lot less time to just pay for their service and get rid of most junk mails with the help of their software but even then it does not make a great deal of difference.

One such company is the DMA that provides an ease to their customers by not charging directly on the credit card.This is obvious as giving ones credit card number makes many people easily offended. The truth of the matter is that if they ask for your credit card number, there is probably intent to discourage people from registering and therefore the junk mail process continues to bother the masses.

What ever the case maybe, the fact is that the service is purely genuine and by getting registered, it does reduce your junk mail by many fold. There is a drawback however that it works only in one dimension i.e. for national mail and not the local mail and also does so for only residential addresses and not the businesses one so one can say that the jab is merely half done.

How it all starts
Hurled McCain (2006) states that it is still a minor irritation but let us assume that he can live with that.  After a couple of years the amount of junk mail keeps increasing and now junk mail is becoming an issue since he is receiving archives on daily basis and it is not pleasant to filter through them carefully in the hope of finding one written by a real person.

The situation gets even worse as some of these will be harmful viruses disguising as messages from friends to avoid distrust. At this stage he begins to notice that it is taking quite a long time to download useful emails daily. In case if the person is using a dial-up connection then the realization that all this junk mail is costing him precious time and money in the form of phone calls.

The above was already annoying enough for the user but in addition to all this, an inevitable stage comes when he realizes that all the important information on his computer has been destroyed by a virus which he clicked on by accident when he was filtering through his associated web archives. Then he has to spend a span of two weeks only for the re-installation all the required software and files.  Usually he will have to pay someone with the expertise needed to help him. To Replace the legacy computer tools, that had no problem oriented features or very limited to say the least with high procedure capable softwares that come with built in with the philosophy of object programming and also provides high effectiveness of application work and allows using of visual techniques to cope up with the challenging environments of the 21st century.

Web Archive Functionality
Martin Kremer (2007) in his work clearly emphasizes that one must do proper home work to get rid of the junk mail business and in order to do that, a realization is very important especially it is important to understand that that in online archiving business, no direct archive actually works. This is an entire industry where a mass web archiving is considered successful if only two percent out of all the hundred percent envelopes or catalogs are able to generate a sale.

What this means that almost the remaining ninety eight percent of the paper and ink was simply wasted This is why it seems an impossible to block all the junk mail even with the help of specialized softwares and services because the amount in which they are generated is so huge. (McCain, 2006)

Lets look at this situation from the junk mail generator i.e. the actual industrialists perspective as to discover just why they do what they do Any industry where almost ninety eight percent of the marketing fail to reach its targeted audience is an enormous business opportunity for anyone able to sort out just as to how to hit the target more often than not. If we users eliminate all the unwanted ads from our mailboxes, it will increase profits for mailers because they will slash their advertising cost without any diminishing revenue.

According to Kremer, what other reason one can imagine as to why all U.S. merchants spend a staggering amount of 30 billion per year only to distribute these junk mails and even though they realize that less than half of these mail will never be opened. To accurately target their direct mail associates the interests of the economy with other factors such as forests, solid waste agencies, Climate and also the postal customers. (Kremer, 2007)

Tips to Allocate Archive
There are a few tricks that can help you in this matter first is to avoid getting on even more archives lists by taking precaution whenever you submit your name and address to anyone. Be careful and try not to fill out any forms what so ever as in that case your address will surely be tracked. If you have filled out any such form filling out any forms membership for an organization or others, just add a phrase by the title please do not rent, sell, or trade my name or address immediately after the other information you provide.
Every time you fill out any online form of any sort, never forget to repeat the same words in order to avoid using any junk mail and advertising spam. The result will be as one should expect because when they will see that you are not interested, their sales rep will then simply flag your name from his computer.

Functionality of Archives
He continues to state that integration of communications within business allows people to communicate flawlessly in terms of their respective tasks. It further allows them to use an even more efficient method and in doing so it increases organizational productivity on one hand and diminishes the factor of time to decision.
There are many reasons why a web based environment can be considered as a delicate one since it consists of so many elements. But primarily any computer is based on two environments. Since there are different configurations for different systems as per their requirements for either home use or office use, there occur mismatches between various models and physical Hardware configuration which includes very common limitations of the environment simulator circuits evolved in WA may not perform the same way when implemented in WA, and vice-versa.

The probability factor is the one that limits the software based evolved solutions, and it also causes the prevention of solutions analysis that has evolved in an environment. There is a possibility that the owner of that number either himself became a victim of a junk mailer himself or a senseless person who was new to internet marketing and committed such a horrid mistake to provoke internet users.

Understanding the Web Archive components these days is not a rocket any more. A Personal Computer is nothing more than a combination of some cyber based software components. The thing that we are actually able to see and touch and even break if not handled properly is called the hardware.

This software configuration varies from system to system but for those who possess a desktop system, probably have most of the components identifiable in most cases. There is a majority of novices who are not aware of you with computers probably have most of the same components.

How it is done
Most of the archives are created that they can be tracked through the received lines in the headers. This is why, most of the time they attempt to conceal the headers in order to confuse matters. Although these received headers can be counterfeit as well, still it is a somewhat more difficult case than to simply counterfeit the returning address.  Also one must remember that most of the incoming emails that include the junk emails have a total of just two received lines in the headers.

The first one is generated by the ISPs incoming mail machine while the other one is generated through the outgoing server which indicates the originating IP. This should be enough to caution any internet user when he receives any such mail as most of these junk mails have an additional header

Conclusion
As we have discussed the issue of web based archive in this report and have tried to find out just what exactly causes these mails to reach our inboxes in the first place and how can we get rid of them. There are other quality services offering their specially designed soft wares only to protect your email box from these junk mails but they come for a hefty amount of money.

The actual search engines such msn, yahoo and others have a hard time to deal with these web based archive as they are getting efficient with each passing day. Still you can try a few tips that were mentioned above especially in the case of a junk mail having a free toll number. If you are too annoyed which is a high possibility then you can call that number and just tell them for once that they must stop sending these mails to you as they hold no purpose.

Los Angeles, L.A, or The City of Angels, as it is fondly referred to, represents many things rolled into one.  It is an economic powerhouse and business center, a renowned hub for entertainment, culture, media, education, tourism, technology, sports and international trade. On the other hand the city is unofficially known as the Gang Capital of the Nation due to its being home to more than a thousand organized gangs that rule its underworld.

The history of the modern city of Los Angeles can be traced back to the mid 18th century when a Spanish explorer named Gaspar de Portol, together with a Franciscan missionary, Juan Cresp, arrived at this location and noted that it could be developed for habitation. This early settlement would later grow in leaps and bounds to become a town of significance. This history has been preserved through the historic area of Los Angeles Pueblo Plaza (Estrada 43) as well as Olvera Street. In addition, there are several landmarks in Los Angeles that are attractions to visitors. These include among many others the world famous Hollywood sign and the Walt Disney concert hall. Los Angeles is today a multi-ethnic city that has enjoyed its share of benefits as well as faced the challenges that come with such demographics. The 1992 Los Angeles riots were the culmination of the racial tensions triggered by the Rodney King controversy. In the later decades of the 20th century, the city also saw a proliferation of gang activities, such as violent crime and drug deals.
This brief description of the vast city does not reflect the full picture of Los Angles.  One would need to live in it to truly appreciate the city.    I came to this conclusion after conducting several interviews with the residents of Los Angeles.  What I got from the interviews totally embarrassed me.  I did not know it was possible to have such a diverse set of emotions and views concerning one and the same thing, even if it is a city.  The opinions are as diverse as the city residents themselves.

Interviews

1.  Anthony Michael

Anthony Michael works as a housekeeper in the campus.  We met one evening while he took a break from his work and I was unsuccessfully racking my brain on how I was going to get someone to speak to me about the 1992 Rodney King riots.

ME  It is very kind of you to grant me a moment of your attention for this interview.  Please share with me your view of Los Angeles

Anthony Michaels (AM)  This is my home.  My family has lived here for the past one hundred and twenty years.  I love the sounds of LA and would not want to exchange them for any other city.  LA has a soul that can not be found in any other city.

ME  What do you remember of the 1992 LA riots and do you think anything was learned as a result of the riots

AM  You see, for me the LA riots were very personal. Rodney King is actually my first cousin.  Not many people know this since our families do not talk much anymore.  On the day the riots broke out I knew something was going to happen.  You see, there is no way they were going to find the cops guilty.  It is just the way it is in America when it comes to us blacks.  You also need to understand, this was not about Rodney King but more about Latasha Harlins.  When a black man kills, they lock him up and throw away the keys, when a white man kills, he gets a smack on the back.  Since when do you get probation for murder

ME  Does this mean you agree with what happened during the riots  the attack on Reginald Danny the white truck driver and Fidel Lopez the self employed immigrant construction worker

AM  Understand this, I do not condone violence nor support hooliganism.  However, when people feel that there is one law for them and another for the rest, you have to appreciate the frustration.  I am a graduate who works as junior house keeper.  I have a family to take care of.  Tell me which white boy graduate works as a junior house keeper  It was wrong to beat up those two men but understand unless the employment situation improves what happened will definitely happen again.  In black communities, we need to be given an opportunity to succeed.  Social facilities must be easily available in the black community.  If you bother to check history, there is always a major riot in LA every ten years and nothing ever changes.  Mark my words, another riot will come and this time it will be worse than all others combined.  Remember the population of Hispanic and blacks is rising faster than all other group and similarly unemployment is rising in the same rate.  Any how, I would love to sit and chat but I must go back to work.  See you around.

ME  Thanks and sure, see you around.

2.  Philip Jackson

Philip Jackson is an LAPD officer at the 77th Street Community Station. He has lived and worked in South Central all his life and claims that to him there is no better place to work than among his own.  He leads the local initiative to make a difference in the society through mentorship and coaching of children.

ME  Being a police officer you have had an opportunity to see a lot of Los Angeles than most people would see.  What is your most favorite place

Philip Jackson (PJ)  My most favorite place is Los Angels Southwest College.  It is not only because I am an alumnus of the college, but also for the important role it is playing in giving young men and women a chance at success in life.  For a long time South Central LA did not have learning institutions that would offer blacks an escape route out of drugs and violence until the College was started back in 1965 in the aftermath of the Watts riots.  Unfortunately, the powers that be do not seem to appreciate its contribution to society.  Its budget allocation is so minimal considering the impact it has on society.

Me  If you had a chance to meet with Mayor James Hahn, what issue would your want him to urgently address

PJ  The South West College is the one issue I believe the city of Los Angeles is burying its head in the sand when it comes to dealing with.  Looking back at history, should the college be allowed to collapse, Los Angeles will be inviting greater problems than it would care to handle.  As a result of the college, the number of black and of late Hispanic kids with a college diploma and by extension a chance at life has increased.  Looking at the crime statistics at the station, violent crimes have been on the decline for the last decade.  This is as a result of the campaign by the community to ensure all children have a chance at an education.

ME  If you were to spend 1 billion dollars from the Getty fortune, what would you do with it

PJ  Firstly, I would offer the South West Community College the facilities it so desperately requires in order for it to be competitive in offering quality education.  Even a Community College needs to have cutting edge technology for its students.  Secondly, I would revamp and improve the facilities available to schools in South Central LA.  To me education is the only vehicle the kids have if they are to improve their lives and the escape the vicious cycle of poverty that they are born to.  I would make sure all the community centers are properly equipped so that children have a reason to occupy their free time doing something constructive.  You have to understand, gangs are exciting and alluring since they have money.  If we can show our kids there is all they need in school and the community centers, the gangs will have a much harder time recruiting from the streets.  Sorry I need to go.  Duty calls.  It has been a pleasure talking to you.

ME  The pleasure has been mine and thank you for your time.  Stay safe out there.

3.  Annette Sanders

Annette Sanders is a drama school tutor and a budding actor.  She moved to Los Angeles from rural Wyoming ten years ago in search of opportunities that abound in Hollywood and has had her fair share of ups and downs of Los Angeles.

ME  According to you what are the problems of Los Angeles

Annette Sanders (AS)  Los Angeles definitely has myriad problems.  Only last month our Mayor declared LA the capital of homelessness in America.  With the shrinking economy and collapse of the financial
markets, the number of homeless has astronomically increased.  They will be found all over the packs, streets, in the subway and of late even at our home door steps.  In the same breadth, another major problem of Los Angeles is traffic.  Sure Los Angeles is made for drivers but wait until you have to do the driving, then and only then do you realize the roads are not driver friendly.  The traffic is crazy.  I believe this is the only city in the world where there are traffic snarl-ups even at night.

ME  Is there anything good about Los Angeles or is life terrible

AS  Just because I mourn about LA does not mean I would want to be anywhere else but here.  This is Los Angeles the City of Brotherly Love.  This is the city where you find great food, scenery, history, art and people.  It is the city of stars.  In Los Angeles the chance of meeting your favorite stars are very high.  This is a city where people dream huge and fall hard and get up to try again.  This is a city where things change so fast, you come from lunch you find life is not where you left it.  Los Angeles is a city obsessed with new.  It is a city that has been at the forefront of innovation since inception.

ME  For a first time visitor, where would you advise them to visit to truly appreciate Los Angeles

AS  Easy, Sunset Boulevard and on to the Pacific Coast highway.  You see Sunset Boulevard runs through all places that make Los Angeles what it is.  It captures the essence of Hollywood at the same time.  By continuing through to the A1 (Pacific Coast Highway), one gets to enjoy the total and true beauty of Los Angeles and by extension California State.  Sorry but I must go.  This call is from my agent informing about an audition I have to attend.

ME  Thank you for your time and do have a successful audition.

Conclusion
It is clear from the interviews that Los Angeles residents are very proud of their city.  Irrespective of the circumstances they find themselves in, they are positive about their city and have concrete steps that if taken could lead to the improvement of the city of Los Angeles.  What is most reassuring is that despite the great sense of injustice felt by the minorities in Los Angeles, optimism still boils in them.

Irrespective of the class, race or profession, one thing that is common among all residents of Los Angeles is their focus on success given the opportunities available.  They also share a very deep love and commitment to their neighborhood.  From the interviews and interacting with the respondent, I have learned in Los Angeles, hope springs eternal.

Despite the circumstances, all who call Los Angeles home, have a love for the city that they can not envisage being anywhere else but in LA.  Similarly, it was enlightening to discover the effort being done by the residents of South Central Los Angeles to improve their society.  To them this is a community effort.  They have chosen not to wait for the powers that be to come to their aid.  Instead they have chosen to take the bull by the horns and tackle issues head on.  Even with the changing demographics in South Central Los Angeles, the commitment to make it a better place still drives all who call it home.

The American Revolution also referred to as the revolutionary war, was one of the most important events in the American history. Without the war, the United States of American may not have been what it is today. The process of revolution was facilitated by various events among them the French and the Indian wars. This was one of the series of wars which was fought between the British and the French as early as 1600s. The French-India war began in 1754 and was finished in 1763. The British soldiers were fighting the French soldiers and those of Native Americans. The Native American soldiers decided to defend the French soldiers due to fear that the British soldiers would invade their land. The war came to an end in the year 1759 when the British major general James Wolfe captured Quebec. The war resulted in a peace treaty of 1763 where the British got major portion of the French land in North America. The British also decided to start taxing the colonialist so that they could pay for the war (Harper, 2008).

One of the major causes of colonial discontent with the British was the navigation Act. In the early years of settlement, the colonies were ignored in England. In the first ever meeting in the Virginia assembly, the colonists were expecting the same treatment they were having in England. There was also establishment of self government by the House of Burgesses. By the year 1750, each colony had its own elected assembly. The main purpose of the Navigation Act was to enable England establish self independent empire whereby they would serve as the manufacturing nation, colonies would provide raw materials at the same time act as the market for English ready goods, and create and maintain wealth through careful control of trade (Harper, 2008).

The colonies reacted differently to this Act. Southern colonies shipped their produce to England for sale middle colonies shipped their grain to English sugar plantations in West Indies. These reactions did not favor new England colonies because they could not fit well in the trade system since they lacked crops to export, smuggled goods to other countries and gained wealth by building ships, practicing fishing, and engaging in illegal trade. These events resulted into tension between England and the colonies and also England and America (Harper, 2008).

The term mercantilism is the practice of gaining wealth through control of trade. The contribution of the British mercantilism to the American Revolution has been disputed by many historians. There are several questions which need to be tackled before deciding whether it had an effect on the revolution. One of the questions frequently asked is whether the Navigation Act slowed the growing American economy or it encouraged it through reliable market for their products. The main aim of mercantilism was to unify and boost the power of British by stringent regulation of the economy, through their policies which were meant to accumulate wealth in all sectors of the economy. The navigation act was so domineering therefore it acted as a basic cause for American Revolution.

No taxation without representation was a slogan which was coined by the British colonist between the years 1763-1776. It was a way of airing their grievances that without direct representation in the British parliament they were denied their rights as Englishmen and therefore laws allowing taxation of the colonist and other laws which were affecting the colonist alone were illegal. The parliament was regulating colonial trade and collecting taxes from the imports and exports and this resulted in denying the Americans their historic rights. Resolutions were made in Virginia which implied that Americans should be treated equally as Englishmen and the slogan became part of the British laws (Harper, 2008).

The theory of virtual representation was not favored by the British. It was fully rejected by the colonies which described it as a cover for political corruption and could not match with their republic belief that the government gets its fair powers from the ideas of the people.

Virtually all the above discussed factors contributed to the American Revolution. The British government reacted to the Boston tea party by enacting four laws which were later described by the colonies as the intolerable acts.  The acts allowed the British to close the Boston harbor, forced the Boston people to pay for the lost tea and also the taxes, Massachusetts elected government was also replaced by the council members appointed by the king. Governor got the powers to control public meetings, justice laws were also changed with the people charged with violent crimes being charged in England. Quartering act was widened with the British soldiers being accommodated in private homes. Colonies claim to land was later thwarted through extension of Quebec act.

Slavery is the hulking monster pushing its way through the narrative of Frederick Douglasss young life. It is neither sentimentalized nor sensationalized, slavery is presented as an institution of violence and hatred that infected the living nightmares that characterized Douglass and many other slaves lives throughout its long tenure in American history. Such a monster, driven, justified, and exercised through physical, mental and sexual violence, cannot pass through an individuals life without taking casualties. Slavery strips and subverts all notions of humanity from the individuals who bear the brunt of its whip, Douglasss escape and ability to tell his own story is both amazing and telling. Though he escaped the brutality and violence at the center of his first eighteen years of life, Douglass carries the scars of the kind of  soul murder  (128) explained by Nell Painter in her essay on the human toll of slavery. Douglasss story shows himself as others as part of this same human toll, sharing and relating the experiences of violence that were routine in his and other slaves lives. In his description of the abuses heaped upon him, both physically and mentally, and others such as his Aunt Hester show the range of justifications and roles violence played in the maintenance of the institution of slavery.

It would be wrong to say that Douglass was broken or spiritually murdered by slavery. On the contrary, his experiences empowered and pushed him to seek a life outside of  the violence of his life as a slave. However, it would be equally wrong to think him untouched. Douglass may have run to freedom but the free man who emerged was not the same man he would have otherwise been had he not encountered the crushing weight  of slavery. The violence he describes, shows a variety of forces at work to produce the same end - to reinforce and justify the notions of slavery in the minds of the slaveholders and their peers while also purposely committing  soul murder  of enslaved blacks. Slaveowners did not want slaves such as Douglass, whose soul is irreparably wounded but still strong. Violence is a way to break people, with Douglass calling it the  soul killing effects of slavery  (Narrative 48). He describes the sound of the slaves singing on the road to the Great House Farm,  they were tones loud, long, and deep they breathed the prayer and complaint of souls boiling over with the bitterest of anguish  (47). The interpretation of this anguish by whites Douglass encountered in the North of this singing as  evidence of their contentment and happiness  (48) is both utterly unimaginable to Douglass while also showing how the manifest affects of violence were misread and misunderstood by blacks who were only ever able to find a voice in song.

The act of singing and Douglass explanation of how it is a vocalization of sorrow rather than happiness, shows that the scars left by the whip and strips of cowhide employed by masters and their wives were not simply skin deep. Nor was it just physical abuse, the violence that played such an integral part in slavery was at a deeper level of mental and social awareness. Viewed as commodities and not people, they were treated in a manner that reinforced this view. Like the Lowell Mill girls who strike due to the increasingly dehumanizing policies of the mill owners (Robinson), slaves were viewed for how they could enrich the wealth and reputation of their master. The ultimate goal of a slaveowner, given Douglasss story would be to produce an uncomplaining and willing herd of cattle from a group of individual humans. Women were for breeding, as Douglass describes when living with Mr. Covey who buys a slave woman for the sole purpose of creating his own herd of slaves (Narrative 76). In Covey and others like hims views, even basic moralities do not apply to slaves because to father the slave woman, Carolines children, Covey hires a married man. Had she been viewed as a human being and woman and not as a way to increase his wealth, or more importantly had she been white, she would not have suffered such violence against her spirit.

However, violence against the woman among the slaves seems harsher and tainted with undertones absent from the violence against men. Men, women, children are all seen as possessions. What drives this view in the case of men is the feeling of increased wealth. For children it is the potential of increased wealth as they grow and are able to take on heavier and heavier tasks. For women, they are both potential and increased wealth in one.  A healthy young woman cannot only work in the fields, she can bear children to work in the fields. Lastly, and as shown in the case of Douglasss Aunt Hester, women could be abused as objects of pleasure. Just as in their roles as workers and breeders, women who were sexually abused were seen as possessions based on their masters desire. That the master is viewed as blameless and within his rights, in the context of his society, is obvious. She is to blame for her sexuality, the masters attraction, and her failure to honor this attraction. As Hurtado notes, perpetrators of rape  often believe that their prey is especially blameworthy  (11). In this case, Aunt Hesters biggest offense isnt disobeying Colonel Lloyd but instead being caught with another man. Strung up and whipped until her blood  came dripping to the floor  (Douglass 43), Aunt Hester is a victim of the full range of physical, mental, and sexual abuse that is seen in pieces throughout the rest of Douglasss story.  Despite the desire she evokes, the anger she creates, Aunt Hester is still a mere possession to Colonel Lloyd. She is not a woman and has been denied all courtesies and customs that are socially allotted to women merely because of her race.

As Soujourner Truth pointedly notes in her 1851 address to the Womens Convention in Akron, Ohio, race subverts the niceties of gender. While her white counterparts are privy to the notion of a womans vulnerability and femininity, as a black woman she receives no such treatment (Truth). The lack of equality in the treatment between races is, of course, not limited to women. As Douglass explained in his later essay  The Meaning of the Fourth of July for a Negro,  moral inconsistencies were rife in the system of slavery. While  seventy-two crimes in the State of Virginia which, if committed by a black man (no matter how ignorant he be), subject him to the punishment of death while only two of the same crimes will subject a white man to the like punishment.  In this, the system of slavery uses their humanity as a tool for the violence enacted upon them. While they are treated as substandard, blacks were held at greater moral responsibility than the whites who did most of the damage.

Though Douglass portrays in brutal detail the physical violence visited upon him and other slaves as part of slavery, he more importantly succeeds in showing how this violence is much deeper than a sole individuals desire for power. Violence in slavery is systematized, affecting not only the slaves but also slave owners and supporters. It becomes part of a culture, that makes men like Mr. Covey with his slave-breaking business legitimate and turns people like Sophia Auld whose personality becomes poisoned by her own involvement. Douglasss narrative shows that the violence of slavery is not merely a raised whip or even murder, but a much deeper offense that becomes part of social norms and individual cultural understanding. Both the slaves and the slave owners identify themselves within this violence, one suffering and in some cases dying from the force of it while another benefits.

The intention to extend the territory form Texas to California necessitated the formation of the compromise immediately after the Mexican-American war. The Americans shared the opinion that it was Gods plan that America should extend from sea to shining sea. By 1850, the Free states had exceeded the slave states which were source of political imbalance. By now, the southerners had a feeling of insecurity since the imbalance would lead to an antislavery agenda which they were opposed to.

The compromise was generally made of five laws which focused much attention in bringing to an end a four year confrontation between the slave states in the South and the Free states in the North. The five bills in the compromise were that California was to be recognized as a free state, New Mexico and Utah be allowed to use their sovereignty, slave trade be abolished in the district of Columbia, that the Republic of Texas gave up land that it claimed in New Mexico and the fugitive slave act which was the most controversial bill in the compromise.

The Fugitive Slave Act provided that slave trade would be abolished in the District of Columbia. Moreover, the act provided that the fugitive slaves who had escapes to the Free states in the north were still subject to the Fugitive Slave Law. The Act further required that the northern Free states should abide by the southern laws which had legalized slavery. In particular, the Northern abolitionists hated the Fugitive Slave Act.
 
The compromise was liked and disliked in equal measures by different groups who expressed dissatisfaction with some provisions in the compromise. For instance, it was a priority for the Southerners to see that California is recognized as a free state. The southerners sought for the division of California at 35 north latitude. The Whigs like Senator Henry Clay supported the claim to land by Texas. The Northern Whigs were opposed to the compromise since they specifically were not in agreement with the new fugitive slave law which was being pushed forth by the democrats, the likes of James M. Mason the then democratic Virginia Senator. The Southern Whigs who hailed from the Border States supported the fugitive slave act while the northern democrats and the southern Whigs expressed support for the compromise.

Eventually, the five bills in the compromise were combined to an omnibus bill which failed to capture the interests of the majority. The death of President Taylor in July 9, 1850 saw the then Illinois senator gang up with his supporters to express support for the separate bills. This led to a union between the Northern democrats who later gained support from the Whigs to pass each of the bills which were signed by President Fillmore. What resulted is that, California was made to be a free state, slave trade was abolished, New Mexico and Utah were reorganized under the rule of popular sovereignty, the fugitive slave act was passed and Texas gave up much of western land of which they received 10,000,000 which they utilized to offset their national debt.

However, the signing of the compromise had some far reaching implications. For instance, the compromise is cited to have postponed the American Civil War for ten years though some opponents of the compromise have an argument that it only laid a foundation for future conflict. Contrary, to the opinion of the blacks, the Americans believe that the compromise was the only way to address the slavery question. Finally, the compromise was beneficial in that it saved the American-Mexican union from eventual break up.

In the late 1840s, during the administration of President James K. Polk, the boundary of the United States was finally stretched to the Pacific Ocean. As a result, three new states  California, New Mexico, and Texas  became part of the Union. The goal of this paper is to provide an explanation for how and why the territories that became these states were acquired by the United States government.

The acquisition and development of these three new states can be attributed to one main concept manifest destiny. Coined by magazine editor John L. OSullivan in 1845, the heart of this concept was that Americans had the God-given right to expand throughout the continent of North America. Other factors such as increased population, economic difficulties, and political pressure played a role in expansion, but all used the concept of manifest destiny as justification for their desire to go west.

During his campaign, Polk had pledged that he would take all of Oregon from Britain, with whom the United States shared ownership over the territory. Privately, however, Polk wanted to reach a practical compromise with the British. To that end, he offered to extend the boundary along the 49th parallel, but Britain refused. This led to Polk insisting that all of Oregon be annexed.

Thus, in his annual message to Congress in late 1845, he requested permission to give Britain notice that joint occupation of Oregon would end in one year. After a long debate, Congress granted Polk permission. The British response came in June 1846, in the form of a draft treaty offering to extend the Canadian-American border along the 49th parallel and through the main channel south of Vancouver Island. By June 18, 1846, the Senate ratified the treaty, thus completing the U.S. acquisition of Oregon.

Once the issue of Oregon had been settled, Polk turned his attention to Texas, California, and the Southwest. Texas had become a state in December 1845, despite the fact that its previous owner  Mexico  had broken off relations with the American government just two days after Polk took office. Worsening the situation was the fact that Mexico did not recognize the annexation and statehood of Texas, nor the Rio Grande boundary between itself and Texas.

Polk assessed the situation and decided the only way he could definitively secure Texas, as well as obtain both California and New Mexico, would be to goad the Mexicans into a military conflict. To accomplish this, Polk sought and gained approval from his cabinet to deliver a war message to Congress on May 9, 1846. That same day, news arrived that the Mexicans attacked American soldiers that had been stationed north of the Rio Grande River. This attack led Polk to officially declare war on Mexico on May 13, 1846.
With regard to California, Polk used the same tactic of instigating a conflict to acquire it. With government approval, John C. Fremont took a band of sixty frontiersmen on what they claimed was an exploration of California and Oregon. Starting out at the end of 1845, by mid-1846 he and his men were in the Sacramento Valley in northern California. On June 14, 1846, Americans in Sonoma proclaimed California to be an independent republic and raised a hastily designed Bear flag. By the end of the month, Fremont had endorsed the Bear Flag Republic, and was on his way to Monterey. Before he arrived there, however, the commander of the Pacific Fleet stationed there sent a party ashore to raise the American flag and declare California part of the United States. Meanwhile, American forces led by Colonel Stephen Kearny successfully ousted Mexican forces from southern California, thus completing the removal of Mexican power in California.

As previously stated, the struggle over Texas between the United States and Mexico resulted in open warfare. Beginning in the early summer of 1846, it would end the following year in September, when the capital of Mexico  Mexico City  was captured by American troops. By the beginning of 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was signed, officially ending the Mexican War.

In the treaty, Mexico gave up all claims to Texas above the Rio Grande River and ceded California and New Mexico to America. In return, America paid Mexico 15 million and secured the claims of American citizens against Mexico up to 3.25 million. Ratified on March 10, 1848 by the Senate, the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo effectively closed the door on continental expansion.

In conclusion, President James K. Polk was able to keep his campaign promise of extending the American boundary to the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, Polk mistakenly assumed that the dramatic expansion of America would foster a strong sense of unity among Americans. Instead, it led to domestic strife over the issue of slavery. In spite of this, what Polk accomplished during his one term in office was exceptional. In the space of forty-eight years, America had gone from thirteen colonies into a transcontinental nation.

The defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 paved the way for English colonization of North America. In 1606, King James I of England and James VI of Scotland formed two stock companies. The London Company was commissioned to establish the Jamestown Settlement. The Plymouth Company, under the direction of Sir Fernando Gorges, established the Sagadahoc Colony (present-day Maine). The Sagadahoc Colony only survived for a year as there were frequent storms in the area.

The Massachusetts Area was inhabited by Puritan settlers. Political and religious events in England drove the Puritans to the Americas. In 1620, the colonys charter was granted to the General Court with the authority to elect officers and pass laws for the colony. However, only eight freemen attended the meeting. The electors voted to grant all powers of government to the Governors Council. A unified church for both Puritans and Anglicans was established under the direction of the English king. The government enforced strict laws  quelling Puritan uprisings and unifying tax regulations. Unlike other English colonies, this colony was strictly adhesive to the policies of the English parliament.

The Virginia colony was established primarily to support the growing demand for timber and other raw materials in the English market. The Virginia Company sought financiers from England to exhaust the natural resources of the colony. Within three years, the colonys population boomed, increasing trade incentives in the area.

The Pennsylvania Colony was founded by William Penn and the Quakers. The Quakers imprinted their religious beliefs on the colonys government. Unlike other colonies, the Pennsylvania settlement welcomed refugees from Europe. There was a sense of religious freedom, even when the contours of its government were conservative. As the population of migrants increased, so was its relative prosperity. As some historians noted, it is perhaps the most prosperous of the 13 colonies.

This Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave depicts a lot that the slaves had to go through and the kind of life they led. This is about the violence against slaves and how it affected there lives. It could be narrowed down that most of the slaves were ignorant and oblivious. The slave masters promoted this because it benefited them for the slaves not to know there rights. A good example of the ignorance was that the slaves did not know there own age. To add salt to injury, even those who knew had no proof of record. The much they could do was to associate their age with a certain period of time or a season for example harvest-time or spring-time. The slaves were not allowed to make enquires concerning this matter to their masters. Some slaves knew their heritage and both parents but unfortunately for some, that information was not made known. In Frederick Douglass case, he knew who his mother was and her name was Harriet Bailey but he had no idea who his father was. This could be because his father was a white man and then there were no open relations with the black community. And he could not get this information from his mother because in Maryland, there was a custom of separating the children from their mother at very young age (Douglass 10).

This was a high level of cruelty and the purpose was not made known but it resulted to the child not having affection for the mother and vice versa. This made sure that the slaves grew up with no family and human attachments. Frederick Douglass was not allowed to see his mother through her illness neither was he allowed going for the funeral and burial celebration. Basically the slaves had no right even to have a relationship with their family members. In most cases like that of Frederick Douglass, it had been whispered that the master might had been his father. This did not bring any favor but it was known that the children befell the same fate as their mothers. The mistress of the home always held the slaves in contempt. In most cases these children of the master born of slaves were sold to other human flesh mongers as they were known. This may seem harsh now but it was the better evil because otherwise, the master had to beat his own children or allow his white children to whip their half-brothers and sisters.

A new class of slaves came up due to the relations the masters had with the women slaves. They out rightly had a lighter complexion than the original slaves or the older generation but not as light as the white people. It was feared with the rise of this new class of slaves, there would be the downfall of slavery (Douglass 14).
Cruelty was not only from the masters but the overseers too who were given authority over the slaves. If the overseers went over board the master would punish them but that was on very rare occasions because it would have taken a high level of barbarity to get the masters attention. Most of the overseers partook in cutting and slashing womens heads and the most common method of punishment was whipping. This was done on a bare back till the slaves were literally covered in their own blood. And the masters had no mercy it was not reparation but a brutal beating, because where it bled most the master would strike most. The whips were often made of cows skin.

One master could own as many as three to four hundred slaves on his plantation depending on how large it was. This was the case with Colonel Lloyd who was Frederick Douglasss master for a certain period of time. If a slave was convicted of any misbehavior they were severely whipped and put on board and taken to Baltimore and then re-sold through a slave trade as a forewarning to other slaves. The living conditions for the slaves were pathetic. Though they were given allowances of food, the children of slaves had no shoes, jackets or trousers given to them. It was not abnormal to see children of seven to tens years of age, of both sexes walking around naked all through out the year (Douglass 15).

Men and women slaves were treated the same and there were no favors or kindness shown to women out of gender affiliation. The women were beaten the same as the men using the same whip made from cows skin. Frederick Douglass witnessed his aunt whipped by her master after he had stripped her named to her waist. He tied her hand and hanged her so that so that her hands were stretched out straight and she stood by her toes. Frederick Douglass describes that incidence as his first encounter with the cruelty that the masters showed to the slaves. He beat her till she soaked in her blood and could not cry anymore. When it came to the field work, all were expected to be at the field, man or women at their post (Douglass 22). The age of the slaves did not matter either. Masters and overseers seemed to take pleasure in the agony of the slaves and their own barbarity.

Slavery had a very negative and long lasting effect on the slaves than even after they no longer were slaves the memories of the ordeal haunted them. As Frederick Douglass wrote about the songs that the slaves used to sing he expressed a feeling of depression and a strong hatred towards the art of slavery, at the same time he sympathized with those were still enslaved and in chains. There was a psychological effect on the slaves as he expresses that he had never expresses his joy about anything. All the slaves were habituated to singing so as to drown their sorrow. It was some how controversial of how the masters treated the slaves and what they expected them to be capable of. Slaves were considered dumb and not intelligent at all but the masters expected them to run their farms and businesses without fail. They always looked for fault in order to beat them and humiliate them. When the masters and overseers spoke, the slaves were supposed to stand, listen as well as tremble (Douglass 45).

Slaves were not allowed to speak their mind. For instance one slave was asked of his conditions and feeling towards his master. His honest answer which was that they were overworked and under fed got him sold out in a slave trade never to be with his family and friends. They were supposed to express gratification and say they there masters were kind to them. The masters were known to send spies among the slaves so they suppressed the truth rather than facing the cost of telling it.  Some times the overseers went to extremes to taking the lives of the slaves without any remorse or facing any judgment. There was an incidence where the slave refused to be beaten and the overseer threatened to shoot him and went on to fulfill his threat. The overseer did not face any charges because none of the slaves would say anything. It was deemed that killing a slave or a colored man or woman in Maryland was not considered a crime not by the community or the courts. There were very many incidences of slaves disappearing or being killed and nothing was done about it. They bragged sometimes that if they all took to those measures of killing the slaves would be rid of the black community.

Slavery was different in accordance to the town. The south was said to have the harshest white community unlike the rest of the towns. Frederick Douglass explained how he moved from Maryland to Baltimore and how the experience was so different. He was still a slave but his mistress was kind enough to smile at him the first time he walked in (Douglass 30).

Douglas MacArthur said, Old soldiers never die they just fade away (Williams 41). This is the essence of the American identity. Each generation has come and changed the world in which we live. America is a living entity that moves and grows as time persists. It is a body that is always advancing towards innovations to make the world a better place. The Smithsonian Museum of American History epitomizes the growth America endured over the past several decades. There are many areas that focus on technological advancements, while others demonstrate how pop culture has changed over the years. The most striking exhibitions, though, are those showing America is times of distress. These exhibitions not only focus on the advancements being made, but on the heart of being American best characterized by the warrior mentality that has kept America free and advancing.

In the exhibition, The Price of Freedom Americans at War, the perils of war are shown in every facet of the exhibit. There are pieces of memorabilia that commemorate the lives of the soldiers. Even if their names might not be remembered, there is a spirit that envelops the complex to show the pride they have for our country. A brochure is available for patrons to stamp their way through the great wars in American history it also shows the number of lives lost over the years due to war. While the numbers are decreasing as our technology advances, it still reminds visitors that, even today, history is being made by the men and women fighting for our country. The exhibit spans over 18,000 square feet one of the largest in the building and covers 16 conflicts in American history, but puts emphasis on four the War of Independence, the Civil War, World War II and Vietnam (Glass). However, respect is also shown to those who fought in such wars as the French and Indian War, the Mexican War, the Indian Wars, the Spanish-American War, Korea, and recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq (Glass). The displays show the real lives of the people who fight to make our country what it is today. As individuals mark their way through history, they are sealing not just a brochure, but the pride in being here, alive, and free.

Freedom is symbolized directly in the Star Spangled Banner The Flag the Inspired the National Anthem. This 200 year old, 30 by 34 ft flag inspired the words to our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner written by Francis Scott Key (Smithsonian). Similar to the warrior spirit of the soldiers fighting for our freedom, the original flag is still in tack (Smithsonian). After flying high on September 14, 1814, U.S. soldiers at Baltimores Fort McHenry raised a huge American flag after winning a crucial victory over British forces (Smithsonian). As Key was coming in by dawn on early light on Sept 15, 1814 the words came to his mind and soon came to life as our Nations national anthem.

There are other exhibitions that also demonstrate the warrior mentality in American history. When there is conflict or war, there have been men in power that carry the burdens to their graves. In The American Presidency The Glorious Burden, there is an extremely strong emphasis on the daily lives, policies, and deaths of past Commanders in Chief. Going in order from independence to modern times, similar to The Price of Freedom display, this exhibit shows the struggle for progress America made over the years. It starts with a view of the origins of America as a nation. After rebelling against King George III, the first inclination of Americans was to avoid a centralized authority, and place most of the power in the states however, this proved to be a daunting task and soon the founding fathers realized that some form of national authority is needed as they face the realities of building a nation that faced internal disputes and international affairs (Smithsonian). However, due to the hardships they escaped from, extreme measures ensured that the same situation would not present itself in America.

The demonstration shows there is a limit to the power of the President, but that many defining moments in history are directly correlated with whoever held office. There is no greater responsibility in our nation than the Office of the Presidency (Smithsonian). Some of the duties shared through the exhibit are executive, diplomat, military leader, and consoler not including the necessity to make life-and-death decisions, propose policies that will change the course of the country, and then greet a group of elementary school children (Smithsonian). Some of the greatest chief executives thrive at balancing the numerous roles they are expected to play others stumble because they cannot master one of the many duties of the office (Smithsonian). With these victories or losses, they are remembered for all time. Some of the victories shared include President Lincoln for his role during the Civil War and Reconstruction, Presidents, including, but not limited to Grover Cleveland who served during the Industrial Revolution and those that helped us get through the Great Depression like Franklin Roosevelt (Smithsonian). The job as president  has made every man who occupied it and no matter how big he still is not big enough for the job at hand (Smithsonian).

Throughout the remaining sections of this exhibit are memorabilia that show how Americans demonstrated their opinions about former Presidents during their reign in office. In many ways the American people use these same methods to express their own opinions about presidents today for instance, political cartoons , movies, plays, records, and television programs offer varying interpretations of the lives of real presidents, or create imaginary leaders who reflect the mood of each generation (Smithsonian). Based on the political climate, Americans have often shared their views about the country in which we live because of the rights and freedoms afforded us by our ancestors.

There is a special exhibit for President Lincoln that not only shows these extraordinary facets of his life as Commander in Chief, but all the obstacles he overcame to become president. In Lincoln An Extraordinary Life, a candid view of Lincoln shows he was not formally educated and was poor (Smithsonian). Some of the quotes from Lincoln resonate even in modern society. Images of his childhood and his young adulthood are shared, making him less of a legend. Instead, they make him real and alive. He was even the victim of poor comedy as he was parodied as the backwoods candidate (Smithsonian). Nothing in life came easy for Lincoln in fact, he learned the law by borrowing books and training informally with practicing lawyers and was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1836 and practiced law there for 25 years (Smithsonian). Like many people of his era, Lincoln believed deeply in the value of personal initiative, inventiveness, and scientific and technological change an attitude keeping America moving during even the hardest times in our history (Smithsonian). In many ways, this spirit helped to keep America progressing forward after the tragic loss of so many during the Civil War. Lincoln believed A house divided against itself can not stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolvedI do not expect the house to fallbut I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other (Smithsonian). With a few words Lincoln sets out a policy that kept America together as one. Similar to other presidents and their policies, Lincoln knew that signing freedom to the slaves would change the face of America forever, and would forever seal his fate in history books. In 1863 he says if my name ever goes into history it will be for this act, and my whole soul is in it (Smithsonian). With his whole soul, he led America to a new phase in history.

The promise of freedom Lincoln created was soon forgotten in America. Another trying time in American history is the plight of African Americans during the Civil Rights movement. Actors allow patrons to sit-in at a counter and prepare for the possible backlash during a real sit-in. However, these are real stories and lives that changed the face of America today. On February 3, 2010, a special evening ceremony is planned for Jibreel Khazan (formerly Ezell Blair Jr.), Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil and, posthumously, David Richmond better known as the  Greensboro Four (Edwards). In 1960, almost fifty years to this day, these four African American college freshmen sat down at the Woolworths lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C., and politely asked to be served (Edwards). Little did they know they would ignite a youth-led movement to challenge injustice and racial inequality throughout the South (Edwards). They are warriors fighting for the rights all Americans should have been afforded.

Although there is just a four-stool, eight-foot portion of the Woolworths lunch counter on view at the museum, the power that these students had to fight back against injustice is admired and appreciated (Smithsonian).  Walking through this exhibit and viewing the demonstrations definitely is a bit ironic because down the hall in the exhibit about First Ladies and Presidents, pictures prove the progress that has been made during the past fifty years. History truly has come a long way, and is still changing every day. In America, the struggle leads to progress.

After walking through the Smithsonian, there are many thoughts that come to mind how inventive the American people are, how far we have come, how we a forging ahead making new history every single day, but progress is the only word that can sum up the visit. On the surface there are just exhibits commemorating the people who fought and people who died, the people who invented and the people who led. However, on a much deeper level it is a living story of how people can live in freedom due to the fighting spirit in every American.

The civil war in the United States of America presented one of the most uncertainties to the union ever witnessed. In this war, battles were fought at the industrial north, the reconstruction south, and the virgin West. In view of this, this paper seeks to find out how the war went, the role of each party and most importantly the role played by the government in the war. As a government, the primary responsibility is to protect the rights of individual civilians and the sanctity of statehood. As these events arose, the buck was bound to stop with the central government as it is mandated to offer the very services that were under threat.
The American civil war has been claimed to have been a fight that was meant to aid the preservation of the union of the American states. As conceptualized by the constitution, there arose two opposing view points regarding the role of the federal government. On the basis of the federalists ideas, they thought the central government and the executive were bound to maintain their power so as to retain a great deal of their intention to keep the union. On the converse, the anti federalists thought that the states were supposed to retain their sovereignty inside the new establishment. They basically thought that each state would have the right to determine their laws to govern events and activities within their areas of jurisdiction. The mandate of the government was to apply only when it would be seen to be absolutely necessary (Mackey and Robert, 2004).

As time went by, issues were destined to rise. The states mandate was set to collide with the federations. To cite examples, there were arguments that arose concerning the taxation aspect, the tariffs, the military, the course of slavery and the internal improvement demands (Mackey and Robert, 2004).

Northern Versus Southern Interests
From the time of creation of the union, there were major differences between the north and the south. The northern states often squared off with the southern states. A major issue was in relation to the economics of the two sections. Apparently, the two areas economic interests were against each others. The south was a huge composition of people that practiced small scale and large scale plantation farming. These people basically grew a lot of cotton. Cotton is a labor intensive crop. On the other hand, the north was more into manufacturing as opposed to raw production of goods (Current and Richard, 1994). In a sense, their kind of production did not call for intensive labor requirements. No wonder the north had long abolished slavery. However, the labor intensive nature of production in the south could not facilitate the abolition of slavery. The slaves were expected to be in the labor production business to aid the farming activities of the south. At this time, the confederation was incorporating into it new members. As a result, new entrants and the confederation had to strike compromises. These compromises were on the basis of entering the union as slave-free states or as slave states. But this was a recipe for chaos as one section had the potential of gaining more power than the other. To cite an example, if more slave free states existed, then the tendency could be tilted to that trend and vice versa.

The 1850 compromise was set up to stave off the widening conflict between the two sides. Contained in the compromise were two very controversial acts. To begin with, Nebraska and Kansas were allowed to make their own decisions regarding their slave status. From the start, Nebraska was a slave free state while Kansas was a slave state. Nebraska pro and anti slavery activists sought to influence the Kansas state to adopt a similar stance. This led to open fighting in Kansas. The blood letting in Kansas ended and it was until 1861 that the state joined the union as a slave free state (Perman, 1996).

As a state, the union clearly failed in this case. The state accused because of one major reason. The confederation government erred in giving alternatives to a very thorny issue, the slavery choice. One state cannot have two destinies or more. This is something the union government ought to have realized. But due to the confederation governments failure to provide on clear guide, it was simply planting the seeds of war. The fighting in Kansas clearly captures this point.

The other controversial act was due to the adoption of the Fugitive Slave Act. This Act gave great latitude to slave owners. The Act empowered such slave owners to travel to the north and capture slaves to use in their plantation farming activities (Perman, 1996). This act was later to prove very unpopular as it irked both the abolitionists and more detrimentally the moderates in the slavery case.

This is another horrendous decision adopted by the confederation government. The government was aware of the sensitivity of the slave issue and yet it went ahead to adopt a law that expressly allowed one section to come out as a winner. In as much as it is necessary to grant freedom, it is wrong to grant it if it undermines another partys. This is a point of failure on the side of the government. It is an indicator of government miscalculation that served to flame an already fragile situation.

Abraham Lincolns Election and Secession
As at 1860, the differences between the north and the south had reached the boiling point. During this time, it happened that it was an election year.  HYPERLINK httpamericanhistory.about.comodabrahamlincolnpplincoln.htm Abraham Lincoln was elected as president of the union. With this election, the new president was to face major pitfalls. A good number of states led by South Carolina led a cessation procession out of the confederation.

The Rise of Populism
The agricultural areas in the west of the United States hit by war were experiencing economic depression way ahead of the industrial regions. There was a devastating drought that was accompanied by an unprecedented sinking of cotton prices in the south during the 1880s period. This led to soaring of grievances by the farming community against all those involved in the business.

In the 1890, populists won the control of Kansas state legislature. But as time went, factions emerged in the populist movement. One section claimed its intent to join the Democratic Party so as to find a gateway to influencing major country decisions. The other section, mid roaders refused to play into the democrats hands. Later, the populist activities were to be sucked into the Democratic Party.

The populist aims were to get the government into responding to the needs that arose due to depression tendencies. They basically wanted a scenario where the state was available to check the economic cycles that negatively impact on production activities. The fact that the populist ideas began shaping federal regulations on business corporations is a pointer to the success of the movement.

The populist movement did present a shift in reference to what it sought to change. But given that the movement was seeking to have alterations into the regulatory aspect of governance, it can be argued that the movement did not pose a serious challenge to the establishment. Unlike in the previous spectacle where there were two opponents, the south and the north, this latter challenge lacked clear opponents. Thus there was an absence of the antagonistic positions taken by the two sides. A regulated system would basically go well with the whole society as this would cushion the citizens from adverse economic cycles.

After the independence war, the United States of America was governed by the Articles of Confederation. This meant that the state governments were stronger as compared to the central government. This system was later to prove unworkable. Consequently, a new one was put in place giving rise to the reverse case in power relations between central government and state governments. The federal government was to be in charge of foreign affairs and interstate commerce.

The different member state within the federation had different regulations concerning slavery. In some areas within the federation, groups such as Quakers played a significant role in political life. Such religious groups vehemently opposed slavery and in effect shaped the policies that their countries adopted. The issue of slavery was to prove a very costly contestation in the United States of America. The north and the south were deeply divided over this issue. The north, an industrial region was undergoing rapid industrialization. As a result, the area was in need of labor supply to check its demand in the production process. The industrialists from the north had a belief that if the slaves who worked in the south were freed, then their labor problem would be resolved. On the same front, though slightly different, the northern residents wanted tariffs on importations to be reviewed in a bid to protect the local industry.

Conversely, the south, an agricultural centre was primarily set to suffer if the proposals by the north were to sail through. As an agricultural haven, it was in the interests of the south to keep their slaves. These slaves would be of invaluable importance in the production process. On the tariff issue, the south could not afford to allow the north have its way. An imposition of tariff restrictions could portend serious adverse effects on their business. The south being a primary producer of raw materials simply relied on the imports of foreign goods as farm inputs. In a nutshell, these two issues were bound to put the two regions on a conflicting course and indeed the pursuit of these economic goals may have been a major cause of the split. Basically, there was no best solution that could be struck in such circumstances. In 1831 HYPERLINK httpwww.spartacus.schoolnet.co.ukUSAStappanL.htm Lewis Tappan and  HYPERLINK httpwww.spartacus.schoolnet.co.ukUSAStappanA.htm Arthur Tappan began an anti slavery movement. It got much support and this was quite worrying to the slave owners community which was predominantly drawn from the south (Current and Richard, 1994). To be honest, their plantation farming was threatened. The land owners were for expanding slavery as opposed to its reduction. This is a clear division between the north and the south.

Reconstruction 
During the era of reconstruction, the United States of America is viewed with reference to disfranchisement subsequent to the reconstruction. The major shift in the United States of America squarely falls on the voting rights issue.

After the events of the American civil war, the south was left to rue its state of affairs. It was left with a dilapidated infrastructure and a crumbling economy. The south also refused to grant voting rights to the freed men. In reaction to this, the congress was forced to constitute reconstruction governments. In this case, the congress established military divisions. In these divisions, governors were put in charge of the divisions pending the formation of new governments. A good number of the southerners who had been in support of the confederacy were disenfranchised though temporarily. The reconstruction was to prove a difficulty task as people were still grappling with the effects of the war. The new labor economy as dictated by the free market economy in the middle of rampant agricultural contraction presented another issue area. As these events reared their ugly face on the south, the north was on the upward move.

Several people in the south were also on the move. The African Americans that had been displaced by the war were on a reuniting mission. These are people that had been separated by slavery activities. Other people were moving from plantations in a bid to secure better jobs. Later African Americans that chose to stay were made citizens and allowed voting rights. Public learning institutions were introduced in the south that would facilitate the schooling activity. Hospitals and orphanages were also put up.

In this line of reconstruction, the northerners came from their places to take part in politics and business at the south. The primary aim was to help the blacks. But as it is in the case of a volatile environment, others could have come with ill motives.

Some groups like the  HYPERLINK httpen.wikipedia.orgwikiKu_Klux_Klan o Ku Klux Klan Ku Klux Klan emerged, taking advantage of the situation to wreck havoc in the community. This group used all forms of intimidation to derail the political rights of the black. This group was however defeated by a prosecution in the mid 1870s. There were attempts to segregate the offering of public services. This was targeting the African and Mexican Americans. The poor whites were also trapped in this quagmire. To cite a segregation example, the transport system bears it all. The requirement that blacks give way to the whites in public transport is the clearest indicator of racial segregation (Katzman, 1985).

Conclusion
The federal government of the United States of America has been found to have played a huge role in the defeat of the secessionists. The government also stands accused for failing to adequately address the issue at the onset. It simply slept on the job. Simply put, the government facilitated the eruption of the civil war.

Events facilitated by both the emergence of civil rights movements and the assassination of U.S president J. Kennedy were key elements in shattering the liberal consensus in the 1960s.  Liberal ideologies that had been well-established from the 1950s in USA came to a fall in 1968 with the upcoming of civil rights movements in the early 1960s (Alexander  Charles, 1992). This intact phenomenon was glued together solidly by the Americas economic success. Liberalism advocated for eradication of poverty by empowering the minority through education. It held a school of thought that its only through education that people would compete equally in the job market. The notion that the Civil Rights Act (1964) vis--vis education would resolve the ills of discrimination did not hold (Weisbrot, 1990). It is proper adoption and application of theories such as Keynesians economics that had guaranteed economic success. This constant growth of economy fuelled the liberal consensus belief that economic problems as well as civil rights will be resolved. However, questions have been raised about how such fundamental ideologies were shattered and by what.

Factors attributed to the fall of liberal consensus are for instance Vietnam War, diminishing economy and the upsurge within the civil rights movements (Alexander  Charles, 1992). The Vietnam Wars impact on economy is an example of triggers for activism by civil rights movement. The Civil Rights and Black movements in the 1960s were led by intelligent and visionary leaders. Iconic figures such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X led these movements. Forms of organizations in the early 1960s to press for liberation and included the Nation of Islam, Student Nonviolent Coordinating committee (SNCC), Revolutionary Action Movement (RAM), Organization of American Unity (OAAU), Black Panther Party, and Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) (Weisbrot, 1990).

These movements organized conferences, held rallies, and made publications to express oppression on American people and in particular the black minority. For instance, SDS organized the long march on 17th April 1965 protesting the Vietnam War (Bloom, 1987). The movement also pressed for economic freedom and a paradigm shift from capitalist economy. However, this was not to last until its fall in late 1960s. Students for a Democratic Society gained its influence and massive support from the disorderly social systems which promoted oppression of the racial minorities. RAM which was formed in 1963 by black college students advocated for a Marxist revolution in a military-styled campaign. Its activities did not last for long until 1967 when its leadership was combated with law enforcement agencies (Alexander  Charles, 1992). In 1966, activists in California formed Black Panthers after being frustrated by persistent oppression and inspired by philosophies of Malcolm X. They pressed for equality for all, end of Vietnam War, and better education services.The Montgomery Bus Boycott in 19551966 and subsequent recognition of Rosa parks as Mother of the Modern day Civil Rights Movement and the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Topeka landmark ruling also formed the base for revolutionary change (Weisbrot, 1990).

Although these civil rights movements continued their revolution crusade, they were drastically affected by the killing their leaders. Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965 whereas Martin Luther King jr. was assassinated in 1968. However with their continued activism, major achievements for instance government recognition and the enactment of Civil Rights Act- were recorded (Bloom, 1987). This became a wake-up call to the liberalists government that a paradigm shift was a necessity. Its thus undisputable that human rights movements have were paramount in changing the face of events and the status quo in various aspects of liberalism in the 1960s. The rights movement has thus been paramount in the democratization process in U.S both at international and internal relations. Time and again, rights movements were regarded as a threat to the established social order. Failure to understand the right movements contradictions imposed potential delay in shattering liberalism. Today, accolades are given to Martin Luthers dream even though many liberals such J. Edgar fear the capacity of rights movements to brew dissatisfaction within America (Weisbrot, 1990).
Following the death of U.S president, John F. Kennedy, much changed regarding the issue of liberalism as furthered by the president. According to Pierson, progressive liberalism was at stake in 1968 despite narratives regarding Americas liberalism weakness and optimism that it could be successfully perfected.

There was speculation that Kennedys assassin was an affiliate to the radical right and hence liberals could not believe it that Lee Harvey was in fact a communist (Hillman, 1967). Most leaders argued that Kennedy was a casualty while others saw his death as a result f the Americans anger and hatred. The basics of liberalism changed since 1963 up to 1968 with Kennedys death taking a pivotal role in this change. Its worth noting that in the decade preceding the 1960s, liberalism had been future oriented and progressive. By 1968, liberalism had changed significantly with the liberals now claiming that Americas prosperity was founded on despoiling the environment and materialism (Weisbrot, 1990). The liberals labeled America as dictators signifying a change in discourse and indicating an end to the American liberalism. In the 1950s, there lacked consensus on what liberalism meant but this trend changed in the years after 1963 in that it was transforming from a new deals programmatic liberalism to a liberalism based on ideas. In defense of this change, the liberals termed the changes as an evolution based on a new liberal tradition. Following the assassination of Kennedy, there was movement of people to South West from North East region. Cultural issues emanating from the assassination of Kennedy also factored in the course of liberalism change. Initially, liberalism was based on the American exceptionalism but all this belief changed following Kennedys death with liberals taking an adversarial stand against U.S and this has continued for years. As Pierson notes, the change in liberalism signaled an increasingly high instantiation with regard to the American experience (cited in Hilsman 1967). According to Hilsman, liberalism became deeply divided in the aftermath of Kennedys assassination and was highly characterized by revolution and irrationalism. Being incapable of coming to an agreement regarding Kennedys assassination, the liberals established the ideology of a martyred president who died for a country that was not worthy such fate. By failing to consider Kennedy as a democrat assassinated by a communist, the liberals set the stage for the destruction of liberalsim.      

Americas Involvement in Vietnam
The Vietnam War was one of the worst consequence resulting from U.S intervention and control over the affairs of other countries in a bid to further its interests. Being one of the longest wars in U.S history, the Vietnam War was fought for about ten years beginning 1965 and lasting up to 1975. According to Kahin (1986), the Vietnam was the most unpopular war to have ever been fought by America in the twentieth century. The war resulted into the death of close to 60,000 Americans and 2 million deaths of Vietnamese people. Many people though were skeptical of the role of U.S in the Vietnam War describing it as the worst blunder and or sin while others saw it as having been a noble cause or an idealistic effort by U.S to protect South Vietnam from the totalitarian French government (Arthur, 1966). Following the Second World War, Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam was very instrumental in helping the American pilots who had been downed during the war and was also involved in gathering intelligent information for America regarding Japan. It is trough this involvement that Vietnam established ties with U.S and thus made their goal of an independent Vietnam known to U.S. Indochina the area covering Vietnam was a major concern during and after the Second World War (Rotter, 1987). This concern attracted the support of Stalin, America and Chiang in advocating for the conversion of Indochina to a trusteeship hence establish its independence rather than  remaining as a French colony.  

Later, even with the influence of FDR in place, America offered French support in maintaining Indochina as a French colony despite the resistance of the Vietnamese people. The colony status led to an even stringent French rule over Vietnam resulting into the death of millions of Vietnamese people. Despite repeated calls by Vietnamese leaders such as Ho Chi Minh in the 1940s to American officials including President Truman to help them stop Frenchs rule, U.S ignored the plight of Vietnamese people (Kahin, 1986). Following U.S and French negligence, Vietnam sought help from the communists to fight for its independence thus prompting U.S to take a non-involvement approach to the French-Vietnam conflict. Dissatisfied with the Vietnams involvement with the communists, America became more withdrawn from the issue of assisting Vietnam even though American experts could not prove this affiliation.

Following the differences in opinion existing between the states revolving around the affairs of Vietnam, there escalated conflict between the Western United States and South East Asia powers .This is because the U.S was opposed to communism as it held the notion that communists lacked the capacity to govern themselves and also could not manage important regions and resources (Rotter, 1987).  Following intensified conflict between Vietnam and French, the French withdrew their control over Vietnam and thus transferred power to Vietnamese Bao Dai who was not recognized by the Vietnam people. Though recognized by U.S, Bao was on the contrary not recognized by the Vietnamese as their leader as he served the goals of French and U.S. At the time Vietnam was being divided into South and North, America had been into enough dealing with Bao and French who by now were losing considerably in terms of their hold of the region. The U.S thus bet their support for Ngo Dinh Diem following the believe that it would be easier to work through Ngo Dinh rather than Bao as Dinh seemed to be more submissive to the plans of U.S. having lived in U.S all along the time of the war between Indochina and French, Ngo Dinh became the first president of the southern Vietnam after being democratically elected under U.S intervention (Arthur, 1966). America had immense influence on the elections as both candidates for Sothern Vietnam presidency Ngo Dinh and Bao Dai were U.Ss favorites. Ngos election was as a result of much coercion by U.S dictating to the Vietnamese people on who was to be voted. U.S even went to an extent of beating the Vietnamese who were opposed their proponent. U.S supported the CIA Vietnamese forces which were very instrumental in Ngos unfair election (Rotter, 1987).

Following a 98.2  victory, U.S advisors had counseled Ngo to declare at least 70 victory to make it seem real of which he refused. These initial experiences that Vietnam had with the Western democracy soured their relation with U.S leading to deep rooted distrust on American systems and involvement into the affairs of Vietnam. In 1956, U.S interfered with the national election called through the peace accord after noting that Ho chi would likely emerge victor in the open elections (Arthur, 1966).

In the term during which Ngo ruled, American troops offered enormous support to protect him from any attempts to seize him from power. For instance, both the Americas military and CIA were very instrumental during President Kennedys rule in countering any opposition force in Vietnam. In the name of  foreign aid, U.S provided financial support to Ngo Dinh to help him set up a militant government system that would effectively handle opposition and enhance the enforcement of laws which he passed in favor of U.S. these laws impoverished Vietnams and denied them the freedom to worship. This was a strategic move by the U.S to indirectly suppress Vietnamese communists while trying to unite Northern and Southern Vietnam. In the year 1963, America supported Vietnamese forces which assaulted demonstrators from Southern Vietnam advocating for freedom to worship. America by all means tried to sum up all support possible for Diem (Ngo Dinh). Pierson notes that,

Of particular propaganda value to Diem was the exodus of almost 1 million Catholics from north to south who were said to have voted with their feet for freedom. Encouraged by the Catholic hierarchy and organized by Lansdale and his team, entire parishes were carried south in American ships following priests who told them Christ had moved south, as well as making promises of land and livelihood. The usefulness of this refugee population did not end with their much-photographed arrival in the South. In effect they were an imported political resource for Diem, a substantial and dependent bloc of loyal supporters (Rotter, 1987).            
Despite the existence f the Geneva accord, Lansdale continued to intimidate the Vietnamese people by reporting of a new U.S supported war hence more people moved southwards and in the process strengthening his supporters bloc even more.

In the long last, President Kennedys administration realized that Diem was not the best leader to rely on to further their interests in Vietnam. Kennedy thus proposed a military coup against Diem through the CIA. In 1963, the U.S supported CIA gave about 40,000 to finance Diems destruction. America had thus successfully supported and brought down a monster. It is in 1965 that America got involved in the Vietnam War officially supporting minor interests of the Vietnamese through which the U.S would also benefit. U.S intervention would be very paramount to Diem in fighting the Southern Communist-based guerillas Viet Cong who were a great threat to Diems influence in the south (Rotter, 1987). In aid of Diem, the U.S, apart from the catholic refugees movement to south, initially deployed close to 2,000 military personnel and later reinforced this number to 16,300 in 1963. In 1965, President Johnson made the war escalate even further by launching air strikes and ground forces on northern Vietnam (Kahin, 1986). The 1968s Tet offensive made America change its stand on the war making U.S be against the war.

U.S president Richard Nixon called for Vietnamization and directed the withdrawal of American troops from South Vietnam thus enabling the south to fight the war intensely. In 1970, Richard tried to deter North Vietnamese forces into the South by deploying U.S forces to destroy Cambodias communist supply establishments (Rotter, 1987). Based on Cambodias neutrality, this sparked anti war protests especially in the nations campuses. Thus in the name of democracy U.S neglected the freedom and rights of the Vietnam people. According to president Johnson, America was involved in the war to assert the independence and freedom of the southern Vietnamese people even though this was not the case as U.S supported Vietnams colonial master French. In a bid to further Americas interest in Vietnam, most U.S presidents in one way or another tried to demonize Vietnamese leaders who were against colonialism. The Vietnam War had thus been a big lie by the United States government to both her people and the Vietnamese people.