CDL: Why Couldn't the United States Bomb Its Way to Victory in Vietnam?

The United States entered the war over in Vietnam to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam. Like it says in our textbook reading, “World War II demonstrated the critical importance of airpower in modern war.” Pg. (1076) The U.S. couldn’t bomb its way to victory in Vietnam not because we didn’t have the necessary tools in order to do so but according to Admiral U.S. Grant Sharp (WWII veteran and commander in chief of the Pacific Command), “Our airpower did not fail us; it was the decision makers.” Pg. (1076) Military Officials were given the green light to start bombing North Vietnam, but under certain restrictions. The operation was called “Operation Rolling Thunder”, which happened in August 1963. The new President, Lyndon B. Johnson, ordered the first bombing of North Vietnam. The purpose was to break the Vietnamese will to struggle through "shock and awe". It was also used to boost morale in South Vietnam, try and halt the communist insurgency in South Vietnam, destroy North Vietnam’s infrastructure (or at least damage it), and slow the flow of troops and war materiel from North Vietnam to South Vietnam. However though, president Johnson didn’t want Military Officials to just go and bomb whatever they wanted and wherever they wanted to; he wanted to be strategic about what they were going to do. Johnson didn’t want to give China or the Soviet Union any reason to get involved in the war. He didn’t want to make the mistake of bombing the North Vietnamese border, which had at least 700 million Chinese men waiting there. As for the Soviet Union Johnson didn’t want them to enter the war because he wanted to contain antiwar sentiment at home. President Johnson also didn’t allow bombing on airfields and missile sites, along with no bombing of areas where high civilian casualties might occur. Although president Johnson didn’t want China and the Soviet Union to enter the war they both contributed to North Vietnam throughout the war by supplying things like 600,000 tons of rice and small arms, ammunition, vehicles, tanks, fighter planes, air missiles, and other sophisticated weapons. The number of bombs dropped over Vietnam in this campaign alone was greater than the total dropped during the entire Second World War. Even though the U.S. dropped 643,000 tons of bombs on North Vietnam in the operation of rolling thunder they were not successful in bombing their way to victory like many people thought they could’ve done if we would’ve begun operation Rolling Thunder “with an all-out massive bombing and continued until the devastation brought North Vietnam to their knees.”

1.) Do you think that the U.S. could’ve bombed their way to victory if they began operation “Rolling Thunder” with an all-out massive bombing?

2.) Was President Lyndon B. Johnson’s decision to forbid bombing in certain areas a wise strategic decision? Or do you think that because of his decision we ended up not winning the war?

Text Analysis # 3 Student Protest

Text Analysis #3 – Student Protest


Who wrote it:

Doc #1 “Student Power” – Edward Schwartz
Doc #2 “Columbia Strike” – SDS (Students for a Democratic Society)
Doc #3 “Counterthrust on Student Power” – Counterthrust (a conservative group at Wayne State University in Michigan)


Who is the audience:

Doc #1- fellow peers/classmates, college professors, educational board, anyone that would be interested in listening to their cause in hopes of recruiting more supporters.

Doc #2- fellow peers/classmates, Columbia trustees, Columbia professors, Columbia officials, anyone willing to listen to their cause or reason why they were protesting or using the actions that they were and why.

Doc#3- the audience is towards other students who are protesting.


Who do the writers represents:

Doc #1- Edward Schwartz is a student activist who represents the views of the National Student Association which happened to be the largest college student organization in the 1960’s. Edward also represents many other fellow peers who believe that they deserve more rights as a student and who also deserve a say in what goes on in regards to their educational curricular policy.

Doc #2- The Students for a Democratic Society aka SDS represent the many radical students who were engaging in protests and also the many people who supported them. The SDS represented individuals who believed in establishing a participatory democracy and had a vision for post Vietnam War America and called for students to join them to represent a higher value, which applied to equality for all.


Doc #3- Counterthrust was a large conservative group at Wayne State University in Michigan who were opposed to the many students who were choosing to express their freedom to protest. Counterthrust believed in the complete opposite of the SDS and the NSA. They felt that these protest groups were negative and even harmful to campuses at Universities.

What is being said:

Doc #1- Edward Schwartz and many other NSA members believed that students deserved a say in what their curricular policy should be. He goes on to say that “Let this principle apply – he who must obey the rules should make it.” Meaning that since the students are the ones who are attending the school and taking part on campus that they should be the ones to dictate what it is they are able to do and not able to do with the time that they spend here. He later follows by saying that “Faculty and administrators should advise – attempt to persuade, even.” “Yet the student should bear the burden of choice.” He ends by stating that student power does not eliminate authority but rather makes things more democratic for everyone.

Doc #2- The Students for a Democratic Society argued that Columbia University is corrupted too much by the government and influenced into doing things that outraged many SDS members and fellow students who found it not only unmoral but injustice. Take for example the many evictions of tenants, refusal to grant a decent wage to Puerto Rican workers, secret work for the IDA and the CIA. Although many professors will claim that Columbia is a neutral institution student protestors see right through that which is why in this document student protestors explain their actions and reasoning behind the five seized buildings at Columbia University.

Doc #3- The conservative group Counterthrust argues that student organizations such as SDS and NSA want to radically alter the university community, and that “Student power” is a Left-Wing catchword symbolizing campus militancy and radicalism instead of democracy on campus like they claim it means. They further argue that these specific organizations are ruining college education and that private enterprise is the biggest single taxpayer for schools and that they should just honor the opportunity that they were given by the school to come and learn instead of trying to radically alter the university community.



How is it being said:

Doc #1- In the first Document Edward Schwartz speaks in a very professional and academic tone. He is very well spoken and makes many good claims and arguments to back up his opinion on the subject. He also uses great persuasion and refutes any counterarguments that individuals may have preconceived. He not only speaks on behalf of the NSA and his fellow peers but also speaks to the entire universities faculty as well.

Doc #2- In the second Document the members of the SDS explain the corrupt behavior of the Columbia university. Many students are outraged by the many injustice acts that were committed over the years. They continue to expose the university of not being a neutral institution by saying things like “Columbia standing at the top of a hill, looked down on Harlem…People who survived in Harlem had been evicted by the Trustees from Morningside or still paid rent to Columbia…We walked to our classrooms across land that had been privatized; we studied in buildings that had once been homes in a city that is under housed; and we listened to the apologies for cold war and capital in our classes.” You can sense the disgust in their tone and outrage that they felt having to go to class in a building that they knew the university had evicted tenants from in order for them to learn in.

Doc #3- In the third Document you can feel Counterthrust’s criticism throughout the document. They continue to attack other organizations like SDS and NFA by using words like lie, alter, sinister, incapable, narrow, etc. They are out on a goal to prevent these organizations from furthering any of their protests or goals. They seem pretty angry and upset that these organizations in their opinion are trying to “alter the university community.”


What proof:

Doc #1- He is a student who is attending the university which means he is somewhat knowledgeable and well spoken. He makes many good points like I stated earlier he says things like “Let this principle apply – he who must obey the rules should make it.” and “Faculty and administrators should advise – attempt to persuade, even.” “Yet the student should bear the burden of choice.” And refutes any counterarguments such as, stating that student power does not eliminate authority but rather makes things more democratic for everyone.

Doc #2- Throughout the whole second document the SDS give example after example of incriminating evidence of how their school is corrupted by not only the government but also by the unjust choices that they make in the process as well. They are very specific about exactly what outrages acts that their school has committed such as, evicting tenants, firing workers for trying to form a union, secret work for the IDA and CIA, etc. They use all of these examples of incriminating evidence to justify their actions in their participation in their student protest against their school.

Doc #3- The Counterthrust organization uses much of their own opinions and arguments to support and justify their claim that the organizations SDS and NSA want to radically alter the university community. They use many words to discredit their opposing organizations such as, lie, alter, sinister, incapable, narrow, etc.

Historical significance:

Doc #1 – Edward Schwartz was definitely a student activist who represented not only the National Student Association but also many other fellow peers. The historical significance behind this document was that during the 1960’s student protest occurred and the document portrays the view of a student but an actual activist who represented many other students who were looking for the same equality and freedom in the universities.

Doc #2 – The members of the Students for a Democratic Society were one of the longest and most violent student protests occurred in New York City during the 1960’s. They also represented many peers who wanted to expose their university of the corrupted behavior that the school was committing. They used many examples to justify their behavior during the protest.

Doc #3 – The Counterthrust organization was one of the few organizations out there that had opposing views on student protest. While many student organizations were protesting for equality in the dorms and classrooms the opposing organizations like Counterthrust were arguing that the student protests were trying to radically alter the university community and that they shouldn’t try and interfere with the education that they were invited to receive.


How does it fit:
The following documents fit into the historical context that I’m reading about currently in my textbook which is “Student Rebellion, the New Left, and the Counterculture.” It shows how student rebellion helped students fight for the equality and freedom and co-decide curricular policy. Not to mention that they were against the Viet Nam war. Against big monopolistic government. Against "big brother" behavior by the government, and for free speech.

CDL: Why did the Allies Win WWII?

There were many different variables that contributed to the Allies overall victory in World War II. One of those variables was Adolf Hitler’s desires which outpaced his logistics. Hitler tried fighting a multiple front war, he had troops in North Africa, Soviet Union, Norway, France, and was battling England and the United States as well. Another reason is that Hitler attacked Russia when he did not need to which resulted in him having to fight in a two front war for years. The Germans were technically advanced over the allies including having an operational jet fighter when we were still flying prop jobs. Hitler had a pact with Japan but underestimated many decisive battles throughout the war in their quest for global domination and just didn't have the combined military force to pull it off. After Germany was defeated, the military might of Japan was not sufficient enough to win the war. The US did use nuclear weapons against Japan dropping Atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which hastened the end of the war, but there is no evidence that Japan would have prevailed had the US not dropped them. The Axis powers did not have the manpower or industrial capacity to defeat the Western Allies. America's industrial power gave the US an advantage, because they had more troops, more planes, more bombs, and more everything. It also didn't hurt that the US was the main source of war materials for the Allies either.


QUESTIONS:

1.) Could Germany have won WWII if they were only fighting on one front?


2.) If Hitler honored his pact with Russia and kept his forces in the west would the Allies still have won WWII?


3.) Who do you think did more to win the war for the Allies in WWII, the USSR or the US?


4.) What was the greatest accomplishment of the allies in WWII that allowed them to win the war?


5.) Would the Allies in WWII have won the war if the atomic bomb wasn’t created?

Text Analysis # 8 "Japanese Internment"

Text Analysis # 8 – “Japanese Internment”









Who wrote it:
Doc # 1 – General John DeWitt
Doc # 2 – Kazue Yamane
Doc # 3 – Charles Kikuchi

Audience:
Doc # 1 – United States Secretary of War

Doc # 2 – Everybody who read the novel.

Doc # 3 – Anyone reading his diary/journal


Represents:

Doc # 1 – In the first Document John DeWitt represents the many frightened and distrustful Americans after the bombing of Pearl harbor who view Japanese Americans as not fellow Americans but as “potential saboteurs” who are seen as a threat to America’s overall well being. He represents the many people who desire to detain all of the Japanese Americans in order to maintain the safety and overall well being of the rest of the US citizens in the country.


Doc # 2 – In the second Document Kazue Yamane represents the many terrified, confused, and hurt Japanese American families who were split up and forced into internment camps against their will. She represents the many unsure and uneasy Japanese American families who didn’t know what was going to happen to them or their family members next; and were in disbelief that something so terrible could be done to them by their own country.


Doc # 3 – In the third Document Charles Kikuchi represents a young Japanese American student who is like many Japanese Americans very confused and angered about the current situation at hand. He represents the many Japanese Americans who are contemplating deeply about their perspective on how much democracy really means to them especially after it being stripped away from them so quickly and forced into internment camps against their will.


What is being said:

Doc # 1 – General DeWitt Is arguing that all Japanese Americans should be removed from the rest of society and thrown into internment camps so that they can be monitored for the remainder of the war. General DeWitt presents his layout of every possible attack scenario that he thinks the Japanese might try on the US. He later uses this to backup his reasoning to why Japanese Americans should be detained and put into internment camps. His claim is that Japanese Americans may be “Americanized” but are still very much connected racially to their home country Japan.


Doc # 2 – Kazue Yamane is discussing her confusion of what is currently happening and questioning why her family is being forced to leave their home to go and live in an internment camp. She explains how their family is forced to separate and how she and her family have to endure the harsh living conditions of being ill and even losing her mother in-law inside of the interment camp.


Doc # 3 – Charles Kikuchi has created a diary/journal to keep track of the current things he has had to endure and go through throughout his time spent before and after being detained and put into a Japanese internment camp. In his journal Kikuchi discusses his view of the events leading up to him being detained and put into an interment camp. He discusses being kicked out of college, which he describes as degrading and then later being put into an internment camp along with his family. During Kikuchi’s time in the interment camp he has some deep conversations with his family about how much democracy means to each one of them. Kikuchi ends up reflecting on how close him and his family have gotten despite the terrible situation that they were in.



How is it being said:

Doc # 1 – General DeWitt is trying very hard to persuade FDR that detaining Japanese Americans and putting them into an internment camp is what is in the best interest of the country but also being their best option in order to protect people from saboteurs following through on any sneak attacks.


Doc # 2 – There is a lot of pain in Kazue Yamane’s tone when she describes her experience in the Japanese internment camp. Even though a lot of time has passed the pain hasn’t gone away. The experiences that her and her family had to endure will live with her forever. As she describes being held in the interment camp she feels betrayed by her country for putting them into the internment camp and treating them so badly.


Doc # 3 – Charles Kikuchi decides to write about his experience through the form of a diary/journal which is known to be very personal to a person; so you can tell that he is speaking from his heart and how he truly feels about the current situation going on and how it has affected not only him and his family but all Japanese Americans.



What proof:

Doc # 1 – General DeWitt presents his layout of every possible attack scenario that he thinks the Japanese might try on the US. He uses this to back up his claim that Japanese Americans may be “Americanized” but are still loyal to their home country of Japan. He further tries to persuade FDR by using numbers like 112,000 potential enemies and claiming that if we don’t do something now to prevent sabotage from happening that it will endanger the lives of others.


Doc # 2 – Kazue Yamane wants people to know exactly what her and her family went through even though it’s obvious that it still is very painful to relive those horrible moments in her life. She gives examples of how they were treated and the harsh environment that they had to endure while living in the internment. She wants people to know that her and her family did nothing to deserve the treatment that was bestowed upon their family.


Doc # 3 – Charles Kikuchi was merely writing his experiences he went through down in his diary/journal. Since he documented the time spent in the Japanese Internment camp it turned out to be very helpful later on to help others learn about his experience through him by reading his diary/journal.



Historical Significance:

Doc # 1 – General DeWitt succeeded in persuading President FDR to issue an executive order to remove Japanese Americans in the US. In return this led to many Japanese internment camps to be created throughout the country.

Doc # 2 – Kazue Yamane was able to share her story with the world. Her story gave insight to other people and helped them understand exactly what her family had to go through while living in the internment camps.

Doc # 3 – Charles Kikuchi was also successful in succeeding to share his diary/journal with many other people. Kikuchi was able to let people know exactly how he felt from his perspective as a Japanese American; not only before being put into the internment camp but while in it as well.



How does it fit:

The historical significance in these documents fit into the historical context that we are reading in our textbooks because we are currently reading about Pearl Harbor and the effects that it had on America as a country. America was getting ready to enter WWII and the attack on our home land made a lot of people paranoid and scared which in turn led to higher security in our country and forcing Japanese Americans into internment camps.

Text Analysis #2- The Final Push For Woman's Suffrage

Text Analysis #2 – The Final Push For Woman’s Suffrage


Text Analysis #2
The Final Push For Woman’s Suffrage


Who wrote it:
Doc #1 “Passing the Baton” – Susan B. Anthony
Doc #2 “Politicking for Suffrage” – Mary Garrett Hay
Doc #3 “The President Intervenes” – President Woodrow Wilson
Doc #4 “Reflections on Victory” – Carrie Chapman Catt


Audience:
Doc #1- Susan B. Anthony is writing to her “best friend and close colleague in the woman suffrage movement Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Doc #2- Mary Garrett Hay is reporting her efforts to Mrs. Maud Wood park of the New York State Legislation

Doc#3- the senate is being addressed by president Woodrow Wilson.

Doc #4- this letter is addressed to the staff of Carrie Chapman Catt at the NAWSA.




Represents:
The writers all represent the fight and struggle for the equal rights movement for woman living in the US in need for reform when it comes to voting and democracy for women.

Doc #1- Susan B. Anthony represents one of the many strong willed women leaders who fought hard and long for women’s rights over the many years. She has been through the good and bad, and has stayed strong in representing the women’s determination in equal rights through their suffrage.

Doc #2- Mary Garret Hay represents the women who followed more traditional and political ways to show their support in the woman’s suffrage movement by methodically gathering petitions, lobbying legislators, building alliances, and rounding up votes.

Doc #3- President Woodrow Wilson is representing women everywhere through an even stronger political stance by using his position to persuade the Senate’s approval to pass the 19th amendment.

Doc #4- Carrie Chapman Catt represents the victory that women in the US everywhere has won after the 19th amendment was passed, and the many women who fought long and hard throughout the woman’s suffrage movement and the future women who will look back on what was accomplished and be grateful to those who fought hard so that they could have equal rights today.

What is being said:

Doc #1- The first document is a short letter written by Susan B. Anthony which is addressed to her close friend and colleague in the woman suffrage movement Elizabeth Cady Stanton. In her letter Susan talks about how they first met fifty-one years ago and how far they have come since then in there strive for equal rights for women everywhere. However, Anthony admits that they most likely will not be able to see their victory won, but are confident that they are passing on the torch to a well educated and prepared generation of women who will fully succeed in finishing there long quest for equal rights.

Doc #2- The second document is another short letter. It is written by Mary Garrett hay who is the vice president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. The letter is addressed to Mrs. Maud Wood Park of the New York Legislator. She is a very determined and hard working woman who is reporting her efforts in the fight to get equal rights for women. However she doesn’t trust either side of politics and has made it clear that she is not going to leave it up to them, but take it into her own hands and keep everyone posted on what is going on concerning the Suffrage amendment.

Doc #3- The third document is written by president Woodrow Wilson. He is addressing the senate about the 19th amendment and why it should be passed. In Wilson’s address to the senate he starts off by talking about the war and how it is “necessary to the successful prosecution of the war and the successful realization of the objects for which the war is being fought” Wilson follows that by saying that if we are really democrats and believe in democracy we need to show everyone in the world right now who look to us as an example that we actually follow what we preach; and not allowing women to vote because of their sex isn’t democracy. He further goes on by saying that women have helped just as much as men have throughout this war, and to deny them this right would be wrong, because the war couldn’t have been fought without them. He ends by saying that this is vital to us winning the war, and also the best solution for the problem that needs to be fixed immediately after the war. Wilson also states “Without their counseling we shall be only half wise.”

Doc #4- The fourth document is written by Carrie Chapman Catt. She is writing a letter to all of her staff celebrating the passing of the Nineteenth amendment on Thanksgiving Day. She starts off by talking about the long painful journey that was now over and done with, and the achievement that was inevitably accomplished from it. She follows that by reflecting on the long and hard road that she and many women went down and the accomplishments and strides that lead them to the passing of the 19th amendment. She then ends by congratulating everyone in their efforts given through the woman’s suffrage movement.



How is it being said:

Doc #1- Susan B Anthony’s speaks with great confidence and gratification. While looking back on all of the strides and hardships that she and her very good friend and colleague Elizabeth Cady Stanton have gone through; she seems very proud and satisfied with all that has been accomplished throughout the years for women’s equal rights. She has no doubt that the future generation of women will finish the fight and gain the right to vote for women.

Doc #2- Mary Garrett is a very determined and hard working woman who is very discrete with her accomplishments and hopes that she can some how make a difference in the fight against Woman’s Suffrage. She is a very proud woman who definitely feels a sense of pride in what she is doing by playing her part in the on going woman’s fight for equal rights.

Doc #3- President Woodrow Wilson is addressing the Senate and speaking with a very confident and stern tone in his voice. You can also tell the urgency that he portrays throughout his address to the Senate to try and persuade them to see things through his eyes. He makes strong points and backs them up with even stronger evidence that women do indeed deserve the same kind of democracy and equality as any man does.

Doc #4- Carrie Chapman Catt feels very accomplished over the huge step for woman everywhere in the US. Although she is happy, she takes the time to reflect on the many hardships and the long difficult journey that they had to endure to get here. She ends by congratulating everyone in their efforts towards the Woman’s Suffrage movement and their victory by finally passing the 19th amendment.


What proof:


Doc #1- Susan’s own reflections on her journey for woman’s equal rights with her best friend leads her to be very proud and content of how far women have come over the years. This shows that she’s happy and very confident in passing on the torch to the next generation of women; For example, when she says, “We little dreamed when we began this contest, optimistic with the hope and buoyancy of youth, that half a century later we would be compelled to leave the finish of the battle to another generation of women. But our hearts are filled with joy to know that they enter upon this task equipped with a college education, with business experience, with the fully admitted right to speak in public all of which were denied to women fifty years ago.”


Doc #2- Mary Garrett Hay’s uses her sense of pride in what she’s doing for the Woman’s Suffrage Movement and her experience to defend her arguments. Furthermore in wanting to make a difference she utilizes her confidence and strengths to get things done.

Doc #3- We all know from the last TA that was done that president Woodrow Wilson definitely is good at persuading others with his detailed facts to back up his argument. He has definitely done that again here in his address to senate when he confidently states fact after fact of why women deserve to have equal rights have, and that by denying them the same rights because of their sex isn’t democratic, and that the world looks to us as an example and that we must follow what we preach.

Doc #4- The 19th amendment being passed was definitely the accomplishment and happiness that Carrie Chapman and many other women were looking for to finally happen. After reflecting on the hardships that women had to endure to get to this point she was happy, because she knew that the passing of the 19th amendment meant something huge for woman, which was a brighter future for women everywhere.

Historical significance:
The historical significance in this was that the 19th amendment was passed which allows every citizen the right to vote no matter what sex. It was a victory for Women everywhere in the US because it meant that they were now able to vote which also ended the Woman’s suffrage and allowed them to finally have equal rights.


How does it fit:
The following documents fit into the historical context that I’m reading about currently in my textbook, because it shows how far America has come in its progressive movement and all of the events that lead up to the US going to war with Germany.