The goals of American foreign policy Essay Example for Free

The goals of American foreign policy Essay The 1930s were a difficult time for most Americans. Faced with colossal economic hardships—unprecedented in American history—many Americans turned inward to focus on the worsening situation at home. The United States became increasingly insensitive to the obliteration of fellow democracies at the hands of brutal fascist leaders like Hitler and Mussolini. The U.S. was determined to stay out of war at all costs—even if its allies were in trouble; Americans believed that they were immune from Europe’s problems as long as they refused to get involved. However, as the â€Å"free† countries fell, one by one, to the Nazi war machine, Americans began to realize the folly of their foolish optimism and clamored for increasing involvement in foreign affairs. American foreign policy changed in the years 1930-1941 as Americans realized that fascism would likely conquer all of Europe unless Americans acted quickly. Ultimately, it was fear of the fascist threat to American democracy that triggered the end of American isolationism and inaugurated the era of American interventionism. World War I had left a bitter taste in the mouths of many Americans; many believed that the U.S. had been tricked into joining the war for the wrong reasons, and they were determined to avoid making the same mistake twice. After the Great War, Americans were disappointed to realize that the war was fought for null; World War I was not the â€Å"War to End Wars† as advertised by the government propaganda. The disappointment of being â€Å"suckered† into the Great War helped motivate Americans to adopt a largely isolationist policy during the 1930s. The situation was worsened when Britain and France defaulted on their loans from the U.S. after they were unable to collect reparation payments from Germany satisfactorily. In a political cartoon of 1932, Uncle Sam is seen wisely remarking that the only thing European nations are able to agree upon is that they cannot pay back their U.S. loans (Document B). Isolationism was also encouraged when Hoover approved the Hawley-Smoot Tariff of 1930, raising the tariff to an unbelievable sixty percent. The hiking-up of the tariff shut out foreign trade nearly completely—a fact which did not seem to bother too many Americans who were concerned with their own fortunes at the time. Many foreign nations responded with high tariffs of their own, largely destroying any prospect of international trade. Unfortunately, American isolationism had more dire  consequences than the loss of trade or loan defaults. As the 1930s dragged on, it became clear that fascism was destroying many democracies around the globe, but America still opted for neutrality rather than war. Hopelessly optimistic and naà ¯ve American politicians like Frank B. Kellogg created the Kellogg-Briand Pact, signed by fifteen nations, which would supposedly protect America from the threat of war. Although the nations that signed agreed not to use war as an instrument of national policy, the Pact was utterly useless because it could not be enforced. Similarly, the Nine Power Treaty attempted to keep the Open Door in China open by affirming the territorial integrity of the country; however, the agreement was easily broken by the Empire of Japan in 1931 with the invasion of Manchuria. Although Americans lambasted Japan for disregarding international treaty agreements, there was nothing the U.S. could do—short of war—that would stop Japanese aggression (Document A). In order to avoid any unintentional disasters that might plunge the U.S. into war, Congress passed three consecutive Neutrality Acts from 1935-1937 aimed at keeping Americans impartial and out of harm’s way. If Americans were not able to secretly aid belligerents on either side, as they had in World War I, then, presumably, the U.S. would not be drawn into the conflict (Document C). Although Americans were upset with Japanese aggression, they opted to maintain peaceful relations as long as possible, as evidenced by the Public Opinion Poll results in 1939-1941 which show that a majority of Americans opposed war during this period (Document E). However, the fall of France demonstrated to the American people, more than anything else, the true threat fascism could pose to American democracy. President Roosevelt realized that Britain needed aid or else the U.S. would become a lone â€Å"free† nation in a fascist-dominated world. The American military needed to be mobilized in order to assist the Allies or democracy would be in grave danger. Roosevelt plead his case to the American people in his famous â€Å"Quarantine Speech† in which he called for an end to dangerous isolationism; however, his speech was not well-received and he was criticized for his desire to â€Å"entangle† the U.S in European foreign affairs (Document D). With Britain the only remaining power fighting against  Germany, Roosevelt felt compelled to offer aid in some way. In 1940, Roosevelt boldly transferred fifty World War I destroyers to Britain in exchange for eight valuable defense bases stretching from Newfoundland to South America. As bombs dropped over Britain, Americans began to realize that their interests were intricately tied to Britain’s and that they must offe r aid or else the battle would come to American soil soon. The goals of American foreign policy were reversed when Congress repealed the now defunct Neutrality Acts and officially ended their Neutrality. The U.S. began openly selling weapons to Britain on a â€Å"cash-and-carry† basis so as to avoid attacks on American ships. When this was not enough, Roosevelt devised the â€Å"lend-lease† system that allowed Britain to borrow billions of dollars of American military equipment to be returned at the end of the war. Americans finally realized that the Atlantic Ocean would not protect them from Germany in the age of modern warfare, and that they must actively protect their country. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met at the Atlantic Conference to discuss the idealistic motivations behind the war and create the Atlantic Charter, a document similar to Wilson’s â€Å"Fourteen Points,† explaining the values that Britain and the U.S would seek to uphold at the war’s end. The biggest departure from traditional 1930s American isolationist thinking was in the provision that affirmed the right for people to determine their ruler, and declared a new League of Nations to uphold this â€Å"peace of security† (Document D). By the end of 1941, the U.S. was preparing for war at full speed, egged on by the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. During the last few years of the Roaring ‘20s the Hoover administration had set up policies that isolated America from the rest of the world. The U.S. was prospering and the quality of life in America had never been higher—why meddle in European affairs? However, as the 1940s approached, Americans realized that amid the growing Fascist threat presented by Hitler and Mussolini, the U.S. could no longer hide behind the false illusion of safety offered by isolationism. Americans slowly but surely realized that their nation’s ultimate fate was tied to Britain’s. As American support for international intervention grew, the U.S.’s foreign policy goals changed to accommodate aid to Britain in an effort to avoid risking American lives inall-out war. Unfortunately, the attack on Pearl Harbor angered Americans so much that they called for immediate revenge against Japan—permanently erasing isolationist ideas from American minds forever.

Shaping Heian, Japan :: essays research papers

Shaping Heian, Japan Tenth-century Japan is characterized by images of elegance, beauty, and sophistication. Ritual and ceremony shape nearly every aspect of life during this time. Throughout The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon there are several examples of how everyday lifestyles are shaped through these mediums. Politics, religion, self-image, and interpersonal relationships played important roles in shaping life in Heian society, and a form of either ritual or ceremony influenced each of these assets. Government and political forces were a very important part of Heian Japan. The government and its actions affected all aspects of life. Under the emperor, the government was divided into two separate entities, one religious and one secular. One’s rank within the government was closely related to the political position held. Aristocracy and the civil service were combined so that a person was usually given a rank first, then a suitable office to fit that rank. This made it nearly impossible for anyone to enter the rank hierarchy by merit, allowing the Japanese to make their system diverge in fundamental and damaging ways from the Chinese governmental model. Those who held rank were afforded special tax breaks, special rights to have certain clothes, or to send their sons to universities (Morris 64-5). It is only natural to assume that when religion and government are so closely tied that a level of ceremony and ritual would be incorporated into political practices. The detail and precision put into deciding rank and position is just one example of how ceremony plays a role in politics during this period. Religion played a very significant role in tenth-century society, especially as it was tied to the political affairs of the country. During the time that Shonagon wrote, the traditional religion was Buddhism. Ritual and ceremonial practices dominated all aspects, from the practices to the wardrobe. For instance, â€Å"†¦ priests pay their respects to the statue [Buddha]; then, while intoing words of praise, they pour coloured water on the statue’s head. The Court Nobles also pour water over the statue, make obeisance, and withdraw†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Morris 160). Throughout the course of a year, several different ceremonies were held each representing some important face of the Buddhist lifestyle. One ceremony, which took place near the end of the Twelfth Month, was The General Confession. This ceremony was aimed at expunging the sins one had committed during the course of the year with â€Å"†¦painted screens depicting the Horrors of Hell are set up under the eaves as a reminder of the need for penitence† (Morris 165).

Different Types of Paragraph

Comparison Paragraph In spite of these differences, the similarities are striding. First, both cities are the political centers of their countries. The president of France lives in the heart of Paris, in the Elysees Palace. Likewise, the president of the United States has its meeting place in Washington, in the Capitol. Second, the two cities look similar. L’Enfant, the French engineer who designed Washington, was greatly influenced by the layout of the capital of France. For this reason, many of the buildings and monuments in Washington are symmetrically located in views of one another, just as they are in Paris.Both cities are also the sites of magnificent monuments, important historical landmarks, fine museums, beautiful parks, and board, treelined avenues. Finally, tourism is as important for Washington as it is for Paris Every year millions of tourists from all parts of the world visit these cities to view their attractions. Contrast Paragraph Paris is much older than Was hington. The French city is over2000 years old. Washington, in contrast, is very young. It is less than 250 years old. The population of Paris is also much larger than Washington’s Paris has more than 2,500,000 people.Washington has just over 700,000. Classification Paragraph Paraphrasing is used for different purposes. Some paraphrases will be designated to support already existing evidence. Others will reinforce argumentation against evidence. Still others will help to develop existing arguments and provide back-up for any conclusion drawn in the course of writing. Depending on the function, paraphrases will be introduced in accordance with their unique context. Quotations require yet another approach. They are not self-expressive because every quotation can signify a number of different things in various contexts.It is both the introduction and the commentary that follows it which decides about its context and the ultimate meaning of a given citation in an essay. Paraphras ing quotations – changing the original words or sense is not allowed. Informative Paragraph The Sundarbans is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world. The name Sundarban can be literally translated as â€Å"beautiful jungle† or â€Å"beautiful forest† in the Bengali language. The name may have been derived from the Sundari trees that are found in Sundarbans in large numbers.Alternatively, it has been proposed that the name is a corruption of Samudraban or Chandra-bandhe. But the generally accepted view is the one associated with Sundari trees. The forest lies in the vast delta on the Bay of Bengal formed by the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers across southern Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. The seasonally-flooded Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests lie inland from the mangrove forests on the coastal fringe. The forest covers 10,000 km2 of which about 6,000 are in Bangladesh. 2] It became inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1997, but while the Bangladeshi and Indian portions constitute the same continuous ecotope, these are separately listed in the UNESCO world heritage list as the Sundarbans and Sundarbans National Park, respectively. The Sundarbans is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. The area is known for the eponymous Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), as well as numerous fauna including species of birds, spotted deer, crocodiles and snakes.The fertile soils of the delta have been subject to intensive human use for centuries, and the ecoregion has been mostly converted to intensive agriculture, with few enclaves of forest remaining. The remaining forests, together with the Sundarbans mangroves, are important habitat for the endangered tiger. Definition Paragraph Democracy is a political form of government in which governing power is derived from the people, either by direct refer endum (direct democracy) or by means of elected representatives of the people (representative democracy). 1]The term comes from the Greek: – (demokratia) â€Å"rule of the people†,[2] which was coined from (demos) â€Å"people† and (Kratos) â€Å"power†, in the middle of the 5th-4th century BC to denote the political systems then existing in some Greek city-states, notably Athens following a popular uprising in 508 BC. Even though there is no specific, universally accepted definition of ‘democracy', equality and freedom have been identified as important characteristics of democracy since ancient times. 5] These principles are reflected in all citizens being equal before the law and having equal access to power. For example, in a representative democracy, every vote has equal weight, no restrictions can apply to anyone wanting to become a representative, and the freedom of its citizens is secured by legitimized rights and liberties which are gener ally protected by a onstitution. Descriptive Paragraph Chittagong is the port city of Bangladesh. Chittagong sea port is the biggest sea-port of our country. The city is on the river karnafuli. There are many small hills.They are covered with green trees and plants. The hills look beautiful. The roads of the city are wide and clean. There are many trees on both sides of the roads. The climate of this area is healthy. Narrative Paragraph Caliph Omar used to go out at night to see the condition of the poor. One night, while he was passing by the road, he heard the sound of crying from a worn-out hut. Going up to that hut he found a widow with a number of children. They were demanding food from their mother and were crying without getting that. This sight filled the heart of Omar with pity.Argumentative Paragraph I believe that smoking is bad for you. It is important to give up but it is even better not to have started at all. One reason for my thinking this is that it is unhealthy. Sm okers suffer a range of diseases from lung cancer to high blood pressure. Another reason is that it’s very expensive. Regular smokers can spend up to ? 1,500 a year just on buying cigarettes. A final reason is that smoking is very unattractive. Smokers’ clothes smell of smoke and it gives them bad breath. There are a number of reasons why smoking is bad for you.It is unhealthy, it is expensive and it makes you unattractive. Don’t even think of starting. Persuasive Paragraph Five million people died last year from lung cancer due to deadly smoking habit. Yet sales of cigarettes increased by 10% this year as compared to last year. Is smoking not waste of time and money? Is it not injurious to health? Is it not like one is intentionally burning himself? Do you want to be like one of those five million died last year? So think before a cigarette reaches your lips. You are important for your loved ones.

The Power of Words Essay - 2225 Words

The picture he had of the city was reduced to what she said of it, and finally it was her speech alone that could call up and protect that picture. †©He †©came †©to †©the†© conclusion that, †©once†© abandoned †©by†© words, †©the †©city†© would †©fall †©into†© ruins.† — Abdekelkebir †©Khatibi, †©Love†© in †©Two†© Languages Words are very powerful things, they are not simply just letters written on a sheet of paper; they can inspire, motivate, and evoke certain emotions. Think of your favorite songs and realize that the lyrics can bring joy, happiness, sadness, depression, loneliness, longing, or any emotion imaginable to others based on their own personal experiences. Dave Matthews’ song lyrics for â€Å"Funny The Way It Is† are able to capture this†¦show more content†¦To â€Å"carry the fire† was the boys main concern and those words meant a world of difference (McCarthy np). It gave the man and his son the strength and encouragement to just keep going. Khaled Hossieni’s novel The Kite Runner used the repetition of the saying â€Å"for you a thousand times over† to induce an overwhelming response in the reader’s emotions through the use of irony (Hosseini np). The huge power of words in literature, speeches, songs, and sermons are seen over and ove r again. The use of such powerful words can evoke emotions, motivations, and encouragement to the listeners because they are not just characters put together†¦there is emotion behind each single word. Cain and Abel is a story found from within the Bible about two brothers who are to give god a sacrifice to show how sorry they were for their sins. Cain the older brother is a farmer and decides to burn up some of his leftover hay while his brother, Abel, who tended after the sheep, picked the biggest and best one to sacrifice. When Abel’s burned brighter Cain knew that God had rejected his gift and became livid with his brother (â€Å"The Story†¦Ã¢â‚¬  1). Cain struck him and killed him, when God found this out he exiled him to the lands east of Eden and uttered â€Å"Timshel.† This story is similar to the one of Charles and Adam Trask and almost repeats itself again with Cal and Aron. All three of these stories are filled with sin and manipulation, finally t urning into guilt and redemption. WhatShow MoreRelatedThe Power of Words922 Words   |  4 PagesThe Power of Words Language. Mankind’s first invention, and probably their greatest. Random strings of sounds and shapes, called â€Å"words† that have the ability to create wonders†¦or to annihilate them. My association with words, is a very old one. All my life (thus far), I’ve used them for a variety of purposes, the most recent of which has been to explore myself. Words first came to my rescue at a very early stage in life, in the form of poetry. I was in kindergarten, a very ordinary boy, withRead MoreEssay on The Power of Words1029 Words   |  5 PagesThe Power of Words Communication and language are not always synonymous. Gesticulations and facial expression can convey certain messages that often make verbal expression unnecessary. Although I appreciate the endless possibilities that are associated with speaking, our primary means of communication, I have discovered that the human capacity for speech might not be as extremely innate as the linguist Noam Chomsky claimed. A few years ago, I had the privilege of encountering a thirty-five year-oldRead MorePower Of Words In 19841160 Words   |  5 PagesThe Complicated Power of Words â€Å"WAR IS PEACE; FREEDOM IS SLAVERY; IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH† (Orwell 4). However appealing this statement seems to be to the people of the Party; these words are nevertheless their identity and are tied both to their personal self and to their seemingly inherent love for their party. In George Orwell’s 1984, he uses politically-charged language to put a spotlight on and capture the public’s attention to political movements happening both inside and outside the story thatRead MorePower of Words Essay1071 Words   |  5 Pagesbones but words will never hurt me. Have you ever stopped to actually think about this phrase? Bones will break, but wordsÂ… words can truly hurt. There have been too many real life traumas and too many real life incidents for anyone to support this phrase and believe in the message behind its words. Each word in the English language has a specific meaning, and many are meant to provoke emotion. Words can mean so much from the 3 words I love you that everyone wants to hear to the 3 words that canRead MoreThe Power Of A Word Is Humongous1247 Words   |  5 Pages The power of a word is humongous. Writing is a weapon in the hands of human beings, and we all need to know how to use this weapon to make the world a better place. Persuasive writing is a form of writing the main purpose of which is to persuade readers that the writer’s opinion is correct. But how can you convince anybody through writing? What are the components of the persuasive writing? How is persuasive writing different from verbal persuasion? These are the questions that individualsRead MoreThe Power of the Printed Word697 Words   |  3 PagesThe Power of the Printed Word 1) Uncle Toms Cabin was a highly influential book on Englands view of American slavery in the Deep South. This novel promoted abolition and intensified sectional conflict between the north and south. 2) The Declaration of Independence formalized the colonies separation from Britain and laid out the Enlightenment values (best expressed by John Locke) of natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness upon which the American Revolution was based. Read MoreThe Power Of Words And Language2064 Words   |  9 PagesThe Power of words and Language in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web: Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, both use a wide vocabulary and a play on words, that may not be familiar to the young readers whom they are intended for, but the use of these words aid in the themes of the novel and the overall plots of the works. This specific use of words and a focus on the language aids in the salvation of Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web, andRead MorePower of One Word1899 Words   |  8 PagesThe Power of a Word A single word can be used to belittle, hurt, and humiliate. One word can cause so much hurt to a person that they burst into tears or spiral down into a damaging hole that they can t get out of for an extended amount of time. Throughout history, names have been used to keep a population in its place. Insults have been hurled to make a single person understand what another thinks of them. Words are used all the time to cause damage to a person or an entire peoples soulRead MoreThe Book Thief And The Power Of Words969 Words   |  4 PagesBook Thief and the Power of Words â€Å"The Book Thief† is a novel and film about a girl who survives death during WW2 and how words became very important to her life. Liesel Meminger was brought to her foster home unable to read. Her foster father, Hans, finds out she can’t read and helps teaches her German. Liesel then falls in love with words and uses them to write her story.The theme â€Å"power of words† is displayed in the novel and film equally. Three ways the power of words were shown was by makingRead MoreEssay about Power of Words1417 Words   |  6 PagesThe Power of Words In 2004, human rights were violated in the form of physical, psychological and sexual abuse, including torture, rape and homicide of prisoners in Abu Ghraib. These acts were committed by military police of the United States Army. Did this happen because the soldiers considered the Iraqis as inhuman, and was it caused by having a certain language to refer to the enemies? In war, soldiers find it easier to cope after killing if they know that they have killed the opposing side