3. Watch this short film (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR1W03wYQco ) How many narratives are presented within the film? How does the narrative about America undermine positive representations of globalization as a force for freedom and democracy?
To be honest, I've never raised question about American imperialism. Why do I have to study English? Why dollars can be used in every country? Why the United States can intervene every goverment in the world? Those things have been tacitly admitted for a long time, and the U. S has taken the main role in the various aspects such as politics, economy, and culture as a global leader. In other words, They have a great influence with the world as a 21c empire.
But this 8-minute video shows shocking truth about America, the land of freedom and opportunity. They don't act like righteous world police as I known. They fabricate the fact, force the press, and distort the history for their interest. To be honest, I didn't know the history about America at all. But 9 narratives of this clip provides an information and makes me critical of the states. That is, Wounded Knee masacre, War with Mexico, Cuban Revolution, War in Iraq and Afganistan, The Philippines war, Dropping bomb on Japan, Vietnam war, Korean war and The world war. These historical events represent the truth of American imperialism. Also these books, <A Young People's History of the United States> and <Declarations of Independence> by Howard Zinn, <Dollar Crisis> by Richard Duncan were really helped to understand American history more. By the way, this video was based on the story of Howard Zinn(1922~2010) who worked for American society as a professor and activist after served in the army as a pilot during WWII.
In <A Young People's History of the United States>, Howard said "The beginning of American imperialism is interference in the domestic affairs of another country by President Franklin D. Roosevelt since late 19th century." But I disagree with it. I think the beginning of American imperialism is deportation of American Indian. It had been started since the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, and it is the history of conquest and murder. The conquerors plundered the land, killed natives, hustled into barren land (trail of tears). The typical example is Wounded Knee massacre, a. k. a 'Ethnic cleansing'. But American history book is rationalizing this violent behaviour such as a superhero fantasies up to this day.
American yelled "Go west!" to find more bigger land, finally they clashed with Mexico so they started the war to steal Mexican territory. They said, territorial expansion and developing national power is benefit for human, and that is america's destiny a. k. a "Manifest destiny". They insisted the States was chosen by God, so they justified expansionism of America and plunderage.
Cuban Revolution is a good example to show American ambition. Cuba which was a colony of Spain tried to reform social problem. So many Cuban soldiers for national independence were up in arms against Spain. America was embarrassed because they invested a lot of money for Cuban agriculture, therefore they decided to fight with spain. But they needed a excuse to start a war. So the States excited public opinion about supporting the war by using the press.
And this is the most famous article to lead the war. It is about body search between one American woman and Spanish crews. Actually, the crew made a search for secret document, but the U. S. exaggerated the fact like she went through a shameful incident. So it made people angry and agree with the war. Decisively, destruction of the Maine by Spain America finally dislodged them, and won the war. (The incident was revealed to have been American fabrication.) But cuba didn't have any right for surrender after the war, and they were going to be protectorate of America. How can we explain this situation instead of exhaustive plan of America? Ostensible reason is war for Cuba to protect them, but infact they participated the war because of their benefit.
The philippines war, too. They made an agreement with Spain about management on The Philippines. America thought managing the Philippines is going to be a foothold to China. President McKinley alleged Filipino army launched a pre-emptive strike, so America-Philippines war was held. But actually it was quite the reverse. America attacked them first! And This war was a dirty racism to conquer colored races, and it was pretty different from their slogan-globalization with every races-. And they described that making Filipino civilized and Christianized is the best way to protect their culture, but I couldn't help laughing when I read that part. What is the difference between making Filipino civilized in the early 20th Century and making Iraqi democratized now?
Since the Iraq war, U. S army has tried to replace "Dangerous and Absurd" Islam to "Safe and Democratic" Christian. And they were represented themselves as a savor. but I think it is so strange. Is it really necessary to change their religion and culture because they think it's DANGEROUS? It has been developed more than 2000 years with its culture and there's no answer "Right Religion and Right Culture." But the States makes answer and says "if you are diffent from us, it is dangerous and we gonna fight you to protect the world!"
According to Prof. Ben's lecture, terrorist who has religeous teandancy in 1960s was zero, and in 1980s was only 2 of 64. But the United States Government and media describes Islam threatens America, and the World. They show horrible Muslim like suicide bomber, But, to me, U. S is much more scary. They pretend to "Excellent Empire" with democracy and freedom, but actually they fabricating facts if necessary and distort the history.
They bombed Afghanistan and Iraq after 911 terror. But they pushed ahead and killed unarmed civilians, not military objectives. And the war left them with indelible scars. They killed over 1000 innocent people, but news NEVER show how they destroyed them. Just represent how scary muslim is so they can elicited public outrage.
And they are afraid of another country which has same power. So many countries were used in Cold war. The dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was to threaten The Soviet Union. And In vietnam war, American ship was hit and sunk by themselves to stop the communism. And also, In 1950 Korean war, President Truman send U. S army without declaration.
America insists war is instinct of human. But Howard Zinn from <Declarations of Independence> said " if they going to support their opinion, the war would have broken out always and not just a few nations, all of the world would have participated it. So it doesn't make any sense. " I 100% agree with his opinion. I think that words are just be used as a justification of war and they don't admit their fault behind the excuse "human instinct". Well, while solve this project, I searched a lot and read some books so I understood the history of America well. Also I saw some countries groaned in pain under the American Imperialism. To me, America was just "Advanced country" and "Top of the world". But now, I know the truth to how did they get the crown. So I'm going to be more critical when I watch the fact and I watched some clips about young soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq against U.S army. So I realized the fact that violence creates violence and I prayed for world peace.
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