Tet Docs

     Learning more about the Tet Offensive and the Vietnam War as a whole made me wonder who was suffering more. The U.S. or the Vietnamese people? The first document stated that although the North Vietnamese Army suffered almost 10x the casualties as the U.S./South Vietnamese troops, they won on a psychological standpoint. The NVA had attacked the South during its most vulnerable time. The Tet holiday was meant to be celebrated by civilians and the agreed cease-fire was taken advantage of. The attack was the straw that broke President Johnson's back. Because of this, he refused to run for re-election.
     Walter Cronkite's broadcast echoed many of the thoughts and feelings of the American people towards the Vietnam War. Cronkite openly expressed his doubts about the future of the war and even says "we have been too often disappointed by the optimism of the American leaders, both in Vietnam and Washington". Many Americans believed that they were not being told the whole truth of the war overseas. Americans were clearly worn down from the years of fighting and were demanding answers along with results.
     I couldn't help but feel bad while reading President Johnson's address to the nation. The doubt and disappointment in his voice was obvious. When he referenced JKF's line of "paying any price", you could tell that he knew that there actually WAS a limit as to how far the U.S. was willing to fight. His address was meant to instill hope and optimism in the American people but I could tell he was also trying to convince himself that the decision to go to war was a good one. After saying he would not run for re-election, President Johnson said "let men everywhere know, however, that a strong, a confident, and a vigilant American stands ready tonight". How can America be seen as confident when the President backs out of the presidency?

Studs Terkel #8

     I really enjoyed reading Dolores Dante's optimistic story. Dolores had been a waitress for a large part of her life and unlike the profession's negative label, she loved and appreciated her job. She originally chose waitressing for the fast money it brings. She discussed how some customers try to demean her when it comes to tipping. Dolores hates the idea of bosses and even says "loyalty is never appreciated". This can be true in all walks of life. In Dolores' case, the security she brought to her employers was never noticed. In fact, Japanese Americans' loyalty went unnoticed and was even questioned during World War 2. 
     The second story I read was auto worker Phil Stallings'. Much like Dolores, Phil has a job that is seen as less desirable. To put it simply, Phil's job is HARD. He even says "the only time a person stops is when the line stops". His working conditions are dangerous and he is also very much unappreciated. One of Phil's thoughts really stuck with me. He noticed that when a machine breaks down, someone is there to fix it right away, but if HE was the one to break down, he would be pushed to the side and replaced. This shows the technology age that we live in and the importance that is placed onto machines. Stallings also said how "a job should be a job, not a death sentence". People today hate their jobs making it their own death sentence. Phil prefers to work with his hands and many American leaders believe that if more people were trained in skill-level professions, then the economy and unemployment rate would improve.

Studs Terkel #7

     Dennis Hart is a cabbie who lived during the 50s. Many of his stories were about living during segregation. I was really interested to hear his perspective on his life and how he admired black people in some ways. He said how Martin Luther King Jr. scared him because of his power to do "destructive" things peacefully. Dennis was also impressed with how he saw black people as having a real goal in life while white people base success off of material wealth. Hart thought it to be very important to die with pride. After taking up boxing to get some of his pent up anger out, Hart says "a lot of people think the important thing is knocking the other guy down. The important thing is to keep yourself from getting hurt" (239). This can relate to the Truman Doctrine and how its importance was based off protection and defense against the spread of communism.

     The story of Lucy Jefferson was a story of a black woman who migrated from Mississippi. Her story was one of empowerment as a black woman. She made the observation that black women and white men can do what they want because of the fear they instill but the black man and white woman will be slaves forever. Jefferson told how she defied the people she was working with by carrying around a book when others couldn't believe that she was even able to read. Raising her children poor made her qualify for governmental aid but she refused it. She said "how am I gonna teach these children of mine what a pleasure it is in accomplishment?" (245). This could relate to the time of the Depression when most people where in financial need. I'm sure there were those whose pride got in the way of accepting help. I'm also sure that in these tough economic times, there are people who think of themselves too highly to receive financial aid.

Studs Terkel Response #6

     The first story was of Peter Ota, a Nisei who was put in an internment camp during World War 2. The night of Pearl Harbor, Peter's father was put in jail after a wedding and the shame he brought to Peter's mother was so devastating, that she was put in a sanitarium. The rest of the family was moved to an internment camp without resisting. He talks of the Japanese word gaman which means "preserve". Ota says that Japanese "preserve. Take what's coming, don't react". The Japanese Americans complied with orders. Life for Ota after the war was much different. He was so discouraged with Japanese culture that he hid it. He also says that if he were to be forced to another internment camp today he would resist. In hindsight, of course, everyone would resist to try and prevent the suffering. I see a connection between Peter Ota's story and stories of families going to concentration camps in Germany. They were unaware of what was coming next and complied. Would Americans today recognize the injustices of internment camps if another attack was to occur?

     Betty Bayes Hutchinson was a nurse during World War 2. She immediately had the thought to become a nurse after hearing of Pearl Harbor. She thought it would be the quickest way to help war efforts. I was shocked to find that after all she had seen and experienced, she was still fairly stable. She said that the more wounded soldiers she saw in the hospital the more she became accustomed. Hutchinson said that she "was beginning to anesthetize myself". She had to become numb to the horrors of war she saw to remain functioning. She began to question the validity of the war. Betty was reassured at the thought that "it must have been okay if President Roosevelt said it was okay". This quote shows just how much trust the nation had in FDR. This is very similar to when 9/11 occured and the nation trusted President Bush's decision to invade Iraq. This trust was fueled by a common hatred towards the terrorists much like the common hatred toward the Japanese during WW2.

Band of Brothers Response + Studs Terkel #5

     I first noticed how anxious all the soldiers in the movie looked. As D-Day approached, soldiers became more knowledgeable as to how important their mission really was. Even though U.S. troops were at a disadvantage with Germans waiting for them on the beach, forces kept storming the French coastline because they were not going to have their years of training go to waste.

     The story of Peggy Terry is a story of the few people that were not entirely aware of the war. It was interesting to hear a very simplistic reaction of the war. Peggy says that the war turned her away from religion because of the disbelief of the killings. She recounts that the town had a bonfire to burn all Japanese-made goods. Her working conditions were not very good but she and her family were extremely grateful for the opportunity to work. Her total family income at one point was a mere $32 a week but says that "to us it was an absolute miracle". As society became more consumed with the war effort similar to the WWI frenzy, the business world and working conditions were also affected. Children were made to work with dangerous fumes and Peggy Terry said that she didn't even know that the bullets she was making were going to be used to kill people. Many know that when a soldier returns home, they often have post-traumatic stress disorder. I can't imagine what Terry's husband had to go through and also how she dealt with seeing him that way.


     A feeling of shame came over me as I read more of E.B. Sledge's recounts of his time in the war. I was in disbelief that American soldiers succumbed to the level of savagery. The feeling of hatred towards Japanese soldiers caused American troops to do horrendous acts such as knock gold teeth out of Japanese soldiers' mouths regardless of whether they were still alive or not. Back on the homefront the war was glorified but "Sledgehammer" says that "the war I knew was totally savage". Wars brutalize people. Sledge said that by the end, he was so numb to it all. This story showed me that not only were civil rights being violated back on the homefront, but many rights of humanity were being ignored by troops. This goes against the jus in bello section of the Just War theory. This also reminds me of the Abu Ghraib torture that American soldiers inflicted on Middle Eastern prisoners.

Studs Terkel #4

   My first thoughts on the stories I read were that they seemed like fond memories. Most of the recollections were of the good times and not of the bad. One veteran were horrified to see that the dead Germans he had just killed "were boys like us". This was a war of boys killing boys. They lost their innocence in battle. At home, the economy was booming during and after the war but it raised the question of is prosperity worth the price of soldiers' lives? Bob Rasmus' story really showed how naive these teenagers were of battle. They were excited to be thrown into battle. Soldiers soon matured and Rasmus says that "you look forward to the glamour and have no idea of the horrors". These stories connect because enlisting in combat is often emphasized and glamorized without the knowledge that battle is gruesome. Even today, joining the military is a way of bringing pride to one's family, yet the horrors are more clearly outlined and better known.

Studs Terkel Response 2&3

     I read the story of Oscar Heline, the farmer. I thought that this interview really illustrated the desperation of regular citizens during the Depression. I was amazed to hear that it costed the farmers money to sell their corn. Heline was one of these struggling farmers. He recalled the story of how farmers were forced to kill their pigs because they couldn't afford to feed them. Also, to try to raise the value of the remaining pigs by killing the ones for sale. Heline said that "poverty creates desperation and desperation creates violence". When poverty strikes, those affected become extremely frustrated, making them believe that violence is the only answer. Economic hardships have always hit farmers hardest. Such as the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794 where farmers rebelled after the government placed a high tariff on corn. It's often seen today when those who lose their job resort to a life of crime to support their family. 
     The story of Jane and Tom Yoder is their story of never having enough. I found it really interesting when Jane remembered how in her youth people tried to avoid going to the store because it reminded them of just how little they had. Her childhood taught her valuable money lessons that she uses today at her home in Evanston, IL. As her son enters the room he says something really powerful: "I am grateful for what I have. But it's only human nature that we all want to go on and find something better". This quote may explain why people actually felt depressed during the Great Depression; they were forced to go against human nature. Industrialization made society want again. Americans today even feel inferior to those who have more than they do. In my opinion, people in this society of want will never be satisfied.

Studs Terkel Response #1

   I read the story on C.P. Ellis, the ex-Klansman. I found this interview extremely intriguing because I finally learned the life of a Klansman before, during and after being in the Ku Klux Klan. Ellis' father was a poor, drunk, hard-working man who also was a member of the Klan. After his father died, C.P. had many of the same hardships. He was frustrated about working so hard and still not being able to provide for himself and his family. Because of this, he started to blame black people just for the sake of blaming someone and joined the Klan. Being in the Klan gave Ellis a sense of belonging and purpose. After he left the Klan, Ellis described himself as "an ex-Klansman who sounds like Martin Luther King Jr". I saw irony in this quote: the Klan had the complete opposite effect on C.P. because he became more understanding of African Americans. Trying to form a new life that wasn't associated with the Klan was difficult because of his past. The connection to the Civil Rights Movement and hatred towards blacks came from the frustration that many Americans were facing. I think that's applicable to feelings that Americans have today towards immigrants. They may feel the need to find another group to blame for their problems. 

Was it a Just War??

   Today in class we learned of the Just War Theory. Overall, I believe that the Spanish-American War was an unjust war. I believe that war can never be an option to a human being and goes against natural human instincts. It is against our nature to unnecessarily put ourselves in fighting position. EVERY other option should be critically analyzed and unanimously decided upon. The first rule of the "jus ad bellum" is to decipher if it is a just cause. U.S. involvement in this war was entirely unnecessary regardless of the economic and territorial gain. War was by no mean the last possible choice of action. Besides the pre-war justification, we followed the other guidelines of the Just War Theory except struggled with discrimination and treatment of POWs. Although Spanish and Cuban nationalists behaved inhumanely, it was the duty of the U.S. to "be the bigger nation" and withhold from this guerrilla warfare. After all, 2 wrongs don't make a right. American soliders also stooped to the level of killing civilians during the war. Cubans and Spaniards were also socially discriminated against post-war.

The Shirtwaist Factory's Significance

  The tragedy of the Shirtwaist Factory fire over a century ago is unfortunately extremely relevant in the world today. The fire in the early 1900s highlighted the dangerous working conditions, the practiced power that business owners held and the hopelessness of the un-unionized workers. The working conditions and treatment of those working on March 25, 1911 in the factory can still be seen today in the form of sweatshops and child labor-run businesses. Many workers today go to work knowing the possibility of not returning because of their occupation. Business owners then and now are given unimaginable amounts of power which often leads to them abusing this power putting their workers' lives in jeopardy. There is still a possibility of another tragedy like the Shirtwaist Factory Fire happening today because people will always look for a faster, cheaper way to produce regardless of laws or basic human instincts.

Modern Day Philanthropists

   After reading many of the letters on "The Giving Pledge"'s site, I really admired Jeff Greene's. Most of the others I had read had the tone that we should really admire the givers but Jeff really seemed to share his wealth because of a true want to help the nation. He compares massive inheritances to "curses" and those who receive it lose the incentive to accomplish anything. Jeff pledged to give a whopping 80% of his estate to his foundation. Surprisingly, Jeff says that he wouldn't dream of giving his son the amount of money he was given. I think that Jeff Greene truly embodies the meaning of philanthropy and knows the responsibility that comes with his wealth.

Populism Today

     This week in class, we discussed populism and how its historical definition can still be seen in today's society. I remembered that the Constitution was revised many times so that average citizens would have the opportunity to voice their opinions which was the goal of populists. Every American wants their voice to be heard and to become something bigger so when citizens are denied this opportunity, they have a right to fight for their voices to be heard. President Obama's State of the Union Address stressed the importance of giving everyone the chance to live out the American promise which is if you work hard, you will be successful. There is a major populist undertone in many of the solutions of the nation demonstrated by the start of the Occupy Movements. Although demonstrators see the need for better wealth distribution of the nation, David Brooks argues that there is also a need for an elite class to support and benefit lower classes.