The American Civil War - Essay Example

?Кука number Publish Essay One The period between the American Civil War and the First World War marked American consolidation and expansion in the North American, Latin American and Asian domains. The American socio economic arrangements in this period evolved rapidly to assume differing dimensions. The disappearance of the enslaved American South led to social consolidation as well as territorial gains for the North. In addition, displacement of American Indian settlements from the mid West led to further settlements into the American hinterland. Both of these developments saw the strengthening of the American nation and the consolidation of the North American continent under the federal American government. Similarly, a consolidated and expanding America was able to exert itself in the affairs of Latin America to its own benefits. In a comparable manner, America was able to carve out spheres of influence in Asia in order to protect its interests in the East. This essay will look into specific examples of American consolidation and expansion in the aforementioned regions between the American Civil War and the First World War along with the justifications presented by the American nation for such actions. The American Civil War needs to be considered foremost since the emancipation of the African Americans provided the burgeoning economy and the industrialising North with ready hand, cheap labour. Furthermore, the American Civil War was instrumental in abrading the South’s political power so that the centre of power shifted to the North. The political structure of the nation was also strengthened given that the American Civil War proved that breakaway states would not be tolerated by the federation. In turn, this allowed the consolidation of the American nation on the North American continent. Slavery was supposed to end with the Civil War’s end but in reality, the slaves’ destiny still required a number of decades before freedom truly arrived (Foner 587). The next major issue concerning the consolidation of the North American continent were the American Indians and their reservations. The American hinterland was dominated by powerful tribes such as the Apache and by powerful tribal alliance like the Comanche. In order to assume more land for farming, it was necessary to remove such tribes and their alliances from the hinterland. Pressure for land grabs also occurred on account of the dismantled Southern plantations that underwent parcelling leading to decreased agricultural output. In addition, the Civil War had trained a large number of troops that could be used readily to chase the Indians off their ancestral lands. The period between the American Civil War and the mid 1880’s saw rife conflict in the plains for land grabs between the Indians and troops (Foner 652). The final straw on the camel’s back was the Dawes Act (1887) that required the Indians to forcefully assimilate into mainstream American culture to be treated as equals. Land provided to American Indians as a substitute for their ancestral lands was further dissected to small farms (Foner 654). This led to a further deterioration in the economic aspects of Indian’s lives in America. Leaders of the era termed the Indians as savages and refused to show leverage when dealing with Indian culture and traditions. Consequently, assimilation of the American Indians saw the gradual disappearance of the native Indian culture. The political leaders from the era saw themselves as helping the Indians take onto more civilised choices in life. The consolidation of the American nation at home allowed America to eye the larger global stage for expansion. Before the 1890’s, the only major American territorial expansion was the purchase of Alaska from Russia in lieu of the Aleutian Islands (Foner 711). However, the burgeoning industrial complex at home demanded an increase in exports, especially during periods of lowered consumption at home. America began to view the rest of the world as ground for taking in order to expand its industrial complex. The turning point in American policy was fashioned by the Spanish American War (1898). The war allowed America to influence global events as far off as the Philippines by defeating a larger, more organised Spanish navy. Victories in the Spanish American War emboldened America to take up more influence around the globe (Foner 705-710). It is notable that American strategy differed in large part from the colonial powers that were interested in land grabs. Instead of territorial control, the American military industrial complex was looking for better access to newer markets around the globe. On another note, the Americans were eyeing strategic locations around the globe for access to markets and the defence of such access. It comes as no surprise that during this period, American acquisitions were restricted to archipelagos in the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean as well as control of Cuba. The Pacific acquisitions such as naval bases in the Philippines allowed access and control of the Pacific while Hawaii provided access and control of the Atlantic Ocean. In a similar manner, the control of Cuba and Guam allowed access and control of the Latin American domain (Foner 709). In due course of time, America eyed the Chinese markets and demanded a sphere of influence in China. Subsequently, with the onset of the First World War, American influence had raised enough for America to enter the war as an independent party in support of the Allied Powers. American global expansion in the early twentieth century was justified by the political classes as extension of the “manifest destiny” introduced by O’Sullivan (Foner 352). In addition, the introduction of new, ambitious political elite such as Roosevelt in the political circles was an immediate reason for American interest abroad. The politician of this era was essentially a mouth piece of the larger industrial interests of the economic elite in America. The global expansion demanded by such economic interests coincided with political ambition and this galvanised into American expansion abroad. Essay Two The United States military developed from a humble armed force into one of the most formidable foes in the entire world. The need to expand the military arose from American interests on both its mainland and abroad. The problems with Indian settlements indicated the need to keep an army and the drive for global expansion only reinforced such ideas. In order to project and protect its interest abroad, the American nation has projected and used its military as an international police force. The American military has been presented as a keeper of peace and upholder of justice around the globe. There is no denying the fact that the American military has been used to press American military might and thus American interest abroad. Since the early twentieth century, the American military complex has been presented as an international police force (Foner 773). The global presence and good will of the American military increased significantly after the Second World War since the Americans were seen as the liberators. The contention that the American military was meant to defend the homeland and to prevent oppression abroad was espoused by the events of the Second World War. America refused to enter the war even though it saw the Allied Camp fall down like a house of cards before the Nazi war machine. The American entry into the war is credited with the Pearl Harbour incident where the American homeland was attacked by a Japanese naval fleet. The act of aggression against the American homeland was used to justify American entry into the Second World War (Foner 815). The war was sold at home as a means of freedom for oppressed people to help recruitment drives. Additionally, America projected the war as a means to gain freedom around the globe as well (Foner 918). Consequently, American liberation of Nazi occupied Europe and later the Pacific theatre of war was seen around the world as an act of good will by the Americans. It is notable that at the end of the war, the American political machine could have assumed control of large swaths of territory around the globe. However, the American military machine and political machine chose to relinquish control of territories under American control in the years after the war. American expansion into these domains was not based on territorial control but rather on projecting and solidifying American culture, goods and ideological control in these areas. It must be noted that areas under American control experienced a radical shift in their cultural values and identity. For example, Japan and South Korea both remained under American occupation for a few years after the Second World War. When the Americans left Japan and South Korea, the American culture emerged as mainstream and a new elite were born and installed in these nations. To this day, cultural resurgence based on local cultural values is nonexistent and an offshoot of American culture remains dominant. Instrumental evidence for this change can be noted in how these people dress and communicate and how economic structures are organised. Following the Second World War, American dominance also came to limelight since the traditional colonial powers had all been swept away by the war. The British Empire, the French, the Germans, the Japanese and to some extent the Russians all lay in disarray following the war. American supremacy was established using the Marshall Plan under which the Americans came forward to lift the desecrated world into supporting itself for reconstruction (Foner 954). The Marshall Plan soon denigrated into the Truman Doctrine under which nations experiencing reconstruction stress were helped out by America to avoid the onslaught of communism (Foner 953). The perceived threat from communism was not escalated into an immediate military adventure since the Soviet war machine was just as prepared for war as the American. Moreover, both sides were too exhausted by the Second World War to come into immediate military conflict. However, an arms race was spurred globally under which the Americans and their allies competed with the Soviets for global dominance. American actions from the era display a resurgence of the idea of defence of local and global freedom from the invasion of Communism. The American political and military leadership took onto the perceived communist threat and championed it through their ideals of freedom (Foner 962). A strengthened war machine and a desire to expand globally led America’s military complex into some bravado military expeditions. The American intervention in Korea and Vietnam was ill advised and was presented with little legal justification. America’s perceived move of communism into the Third World prompted it to intervene first in Korea and then in Vietnam. Essentially, Korea and Vietnam were not American problems but were garnered as such to develop and consolidate American influence in the respective regions. Vietnam proved a true disaster for the American military machine since the Americans were never really endorsed by the locals as liberators (Foner 1012). American manipulation of the Diem government and military expeditions into the Vietnamese countryside were met with organised resistance supported by the communists. Overall the American military’s image as liberators was widely shattered by the Vietnam conflict. The rise of the American military machine and the American global influence was further bolstered by American actions in the Middle East. The support provided to the nation of Israel and its use as a watch dog for the Middle East signifies another aspect of American military adventurism. Rather than getting involved themselves, the Americans use the Israelis in order to deal as a deterrent threat in the Middle East. However, such a strategy has failed to work out as signified by the September 11 attacks. The global dominance of America has attracted as many enemies as followers. People around the globe, especially, ethnic Muslims in the Middle East see America as an oppressor even though American military intervention allowed the removal of dictators such as Saddam and Qaddafi. Even with American efforts at setting the world in order, the American military machine and America’s global rise is seen as threatening by some. Works Cited Foner, Eric. Give me Liberty! New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2007. Print. Read More