1. Ignorance - Understanding the Lie
2. Greed motivated power
3. Loss of a moral framework coupled with freedom of Western nations
Korean War (1950-1953)-Truman
1. Diplomacy
diplomacy fails when countries with different moralities try to pursue peace. They tried to give people what they wanted. Appeasement (you can have your way so we avoid conflict). Other countries (without morals) will lie about their intentions, saying its ok if it helps your nation. Created unrest and the beginning of the war.
Truman Doctrine - the U.S. would employ its resources to prevent the overthrow of any democracy through outside interference (to thwart any Communist subversion)
North and South Korea divided by 38th parallel in 1948. Communism in North and Democracy in South.
2. South Korea attacked by North Korea aided by China
South Korea was threatened by Communist takeover. North Korea attacks South Korea on June 25, 1950. U.S. involved by July 1. China sends over 300,000 volunteers to aid North Korea.
North Korea was funded by China and Soviet Union and they sent weapons into North Korea. America funds South Korea to fight back against Communism.
3. Incomplete
President Truman's failure to completely defeat North Korea's invasion left the Cold War still alive. Truman abruptly removed General MacArthur from command in April 1951 (in early stage of war). Truman and Washington leaders were opposed to "all out measures" for final victory. Who are going to trust - the military man on the ground or the suits in Washington? Truman's actions doomed the American forces. U.S. suffered 162,708 casualties alone, and some in captivity for up to 30 years because no permanent settlement. No permanent peace settlement was ever made between the two countries. South Korea is free but the animosity between the two Koreas still lingers.
Prayer and Bible Reading Ban (1962)-Kennedy
1. Supreme Court Ruling
First Amendment, prayer and Bible reading taken out of schools
2. Decline of Character
The rise of immorality
3. No God
The "Great Society" (1965) - Johnson
The "Great Society" was based on the belief that man had "come of age" and now possessed the ability to eradicate all war, poverty, injustice, ignorance and disease. The program hurt the nation by increasing the burden of social welfarism on the American people. The "Great Society" became the largest public welfare program since the New Deal. As state and local government accepted federal tax dollars for new welfare programs, they surrendered their authority to the central government and became dependent on government funds. Higher taxes drained money from individuals and businesses to fund programs that destroyed the work ethic among the poor while eroding the self-sufficiency of the American family.
Vietnam War (1965-1973)-Johnson
1. Diplomacy
From appeasement to now containment
America is a defensive nation, causing unrest so that a dictator can arise
Denied permission to allow aircraft to function
2. President denies US forces to fight
South Vietnamese want them to fight
3. 50,000 killed
US leaves Vietnam, lost (ends in cease-fire) - longest war U.S. ever involved in / America's first no-win war
North Korea signed agreement not to go into South but in 2 years they broke the agreement
American troops fought bravely in Vietnam, but they were not allowed to win. Inexperienced politicians mismanaged the war from Washington, turning it into a no-win conflict and forcing the military, in essence, to fight with its hands behind its back. Congress's refusal to allow U.S. troops to taken an offensive position and fight to win was the main reason for America's defeat in Vietnam.
America's abandonment of South Vietnam was an apparent weakness that encouraged the spread of Communism in the 1970s. America's abandonment of South Vietnam enabled the Communists to take over Laos and Cambodia as well. Her apparent weakness also encouraged Communist terrorists in South Africa and Central America, and prompted the Soviets to invade Afghanistan.
Fall of Saigon in April 1975, just one week after President Ford pulled all remaining troops out of Vietnam.
Ronald Reagan (1980)
1. 1980 President
economy was a disaster under Jimmy Carter who said "everybody needs to learn to ride a bike". Interest rates went from 20% to 3%
2. Foreign Policy
"peace through strength" "we win, they lose" media mocked him for the SDI (strategic defense initiative / star wars - a system of space-age weaponry designed to destroyed enemy ICBMs in flight.)
3. Successful
successful in every area of government, except with democrats
Cold War ended in 1989
Economy turned around / growth
1989 - Soviet Union separates
Reagonomics
1. Cut Taxes / balanced budget (largest tax cut in American history - 25% over a 3-year period)
2. Increased Federal Revenue / stable money supply
3. America's Gross National Product (GNP) / less government regulation of trade and business (by reducing government spending and decreasing taxes, private businesses and individuals had more money to invest in the economy creating an economic boost.)
increased private sector
by the end of 1982, just 2 years into Reagan's first term in office, unemployment had dropped from 11% to 5%. The inflation rate also dropped from 12% in 1980 to 4% in 1984.
Persian Gulf War: Operation Desert Storm (1991)
Saddam Hussein, dictator of Iraq, invaded the tiny, oil-rich kingdom of Kuwait. President George H.W. Bush convined the U.N. to send troops to liberate Kuwait and protect the other Arab nations. Of course the U.S. provided most of the military muscle.
President Bush insisted the war be directed by military men rather than by politicians. General Colin Powell (in Washington) and General Norman Schwarzkopf (in combat). It was the first time since WWII that Congress followed the counsel of a military commander. They insisted on taking the offensive and pushing toward total victory to liberate Kuwait with the loss of a s few lives as possible.
The war lasted only 2-1/2 months, from January 16 to April 6, 1991 - the shortest war our nation has ever fought. Kuwait liberated, Hussein retreated to a bunker in Baghdad.
Desert Storm vs. Vietnam War:
1. Operation Desert Storm was directed by experienced military leaders rather than inexperienced politicians as in Vietnam.
2. The American miliary was allowed to take an offensive position and to achieve total victory in Operation Desert Storm, wheres it was forced to take a defensive position and to fight a no-win war in Vietnam.
3. Operation Desert Storm had the patriotic support of the American people, but Vietnam was an unpopular war in the U.S.
4. Many American men were drafted during the Vietnam conflict, but the draft was not instituted during Operation Desert Storm.
Terrorism
1. Jihad Origin
Jihad comes from the Koran - "kill the infidel"
Islam grew out of Catholicism (Crusades)
Holy Wars - convert the infidels
John 10:10 - Jesus gives abundant life, Osama "we love death"
The Soviets didn't start a war because they didn't want to die, the terrorists love death = much scarier enemy.
2. Terrorism
Osama bin Laden / Al Qaeda
September 11, 2001
America is targeted by terrorists because America is a Christian nation which is opposed by the Koran. Also, America supports Israel. Muslims are in conflict with the Jews and see America as an ally to their enemy.
3. Foreign Policy change
President George W. Bush: Anti-terrorists
If you're harboring terrorists, we will declare war / declaring war on threatening countries before they have a chance to harm America
Don't come into our hemisphere
Security could hinder liberty. Americans will give up their constitutional rights and freedoms in order to feel safe. Laws such as the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act (to conduct searches, surveillance and possible arrests maybe a violation of 4th Amendment that requires warrant for searches) imply that if one does not support giving up these freedoms in order to obtain added security, he is not a patriot and could then hinder the security of the nation.
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