May 4-8

[3Jacob]

Monday- Friday Notes
Key Terms:
Perestroika- Restructuring of the Soviet economy and political system (More democracy, free elections)
Boris Yeltsin- President of Russia- 1991-1999
Why we won the Cold War-
We had close ties with our Allies and the USSR didnt.
China started siding with the US after 1972.
The soviet economy was poor whereas the US's was flourishing.
The strong anti-communist presidency of Reagan.
Gorbachev's willingness for change and reform- announced perestroika, admitted Soviet mistakes, took blame for the COld War, communist system had failed. allowed Eastern Europe to do what they wanted.
Soviet Mistakes- Invasion of Afghanistan, ignoring social concerns, spent everything on military.
Effects of the Cold War on Europe and the World- Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
Rise of democracy and capitalism throughout Europe
World became more unified and more interdependent
The rise of radical islamic groups- Taliban, Al Qaeda
FINISHED COLD WAR UNIT
9/11
September 11, 2001, New York City
In the early morning hours of September 11, 2001, four commercial airliners were hijacked. First plane hit at 8:46 a.m. Second crash was captured on lie television. Structural damage to both the North and South Towers caused them to collapse. The south Tower collapsed first at 9:59 am, the North Tower collapsed 29 minutes later. 2,606 people were killed including 343 firefighters, 23 police officers, 37 port authority police officers.
Arlington, Virginia-D.C.
Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. The western side of the building was engulfed in flames. Part of the building collapsed, 189 people were killed: 64 aboard Flight 77, 125 inside the Pentagon building.
Shanksville, Pennsylvania- The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, was expected to head toward the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Passengers in that plane however prevented that from happening. Unfortunately, at 10:03 A. M. the plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing everyone (4 people) on board.
Rescue and Recovery Efforts- It took months to complete the rescue and recovery efforts. Some survivors were found and rescued from under the rubble but not many. The fires beneath the rubble, but not many. The fires beneath the rubble burned for weeks, and the cleanup was not fully complete until May 2002. Relief funds were established for many survivors and their families.
Lives lost- In all, 2,996 people died that day, including the 19 hijackers.
Tuesday- Broader Effects of 9/11
Estimated that about 3,000 children lost a parent and more than 1,600 people lost a spouse
Sporting events were postponed
National parks and landmarks closed for a while
Late night comedians took some time off
Movies, TV shows, video games were delayed and changed or cancelled
Airports closed for a few day and became much more secure leading to longer waiting times
The Department of Homeland Security was set up
Patriot Act- Gave the government the ability to listen in on phone calls, look at emails, and texts
Led to waterboarding by the CIA at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
War in Afghanistan- October, 2001
Patriotism increased
Bush Doctrine- US had the right to secure itself against countries that harbor or give aid to terrorist groups. United States should depose foreign governments that represented a potential threat to the security of the United States. Encourage democracy around the world, especially in the Middle East as a strategy for combating terrorism.
Wednesday- Started History of al-Qaeda and Terrorism against the USA
Al-Qaeda- Al Qaeda means "the base". It is a stateless terrorist organization, meaning it does not have a particular country. It was led and financed by Osama bin Laden, a radical Sunni Muslim. It is now led by Ayman al-Zawahiri. Formed in the 1980's when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. Fought the Soviet Union in the 1980's. We helped the Mushahadeen (Al-Qaeda when they first formed) fight the soviet union and helped fund them in their earlier states.
US and Saudi Coalition- The US feared Saddam would invade Saudi Arabia first. The US asked the Saudis for permission to establish military bases in their country. Al Qaeda started disliking the US when we put troops into Saudi Arabia because they saw us as invaders.
Saudi's Choice- Osama bin Laden, back home from Afghanistan, offered the Saudis the use of his soldiers to fight the Iraqi army because infidel armies have not place in the middle east.
Why did Bin Laden turn his attention to attacking the US?- IN november 2002, Bin Laden wrote his Letter to America outlining motives; Western support for attacking Muslims in Somalia, Supporting Russian atrocities against Muslims in Chechnya, Supporting the Indian oppression against Muslims in Kashmir, 5 Supporting the Jewish aggression against Muslims in Lebanon, The presence of U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia due to Iraq invading Kuwait, U.S. support of Israel, Economic Sanctions against Iraq.
Thursday- Continued the topic from yesterday.
Why did the people want to attack America?- According to Bin Laden, he has never sadi that the attacks were, are, or will be because of American freedoms, the rights of our citizens, or even because of our religions differences. He has said that the reasons for the attacks of the past as well as those of the future will be because of the way the US and it's allies treat the Muslim World.
USA in Somalia- Dec. 4, 1992, George H.W. BUsh sends 28,000 troops to Somalia. Bush wanted to help the Somali people since all attempts to send food to them were intercepted by war lords.
Black Hawk Down- In 1993, 18 Americans died when their Black Hawk helicopter was shot down over Mogadishu, Somalia.
The US thinks al Qaeda operatives taught the Somalians how to shoot down helicopters just like they did in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union.
1993 was the 1st World Trade Center bombing and did it with a car bomb at the base of the tower. Killed 6 people and injured over 1000 people.
Taliban is the government of Afghanistan.
Al Qaeda attacked U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. Bill Clinton responded by attacking them. Attacking them was fairly unsuccessful.
USS Cole Attack- In Yemen, al Qaeda sent a suicide bomber aboard a small ship near the USS Cole and detonated it's bomb, blowing a large hole in the US Navy ship. 17 sailors killed.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed- was the mastermind behind the 9/11 attack.
Operation Enduring Freedom- Invaded Afghanistan (Oct. 7, 2001). Mission- Capture Osama bin Laden. Destroy Al-Qaeda network. Remove Taliban Regime.
Bin Laden was killed by Seal Team 6 on May 2nd, 2011.
Friday- Finished yesterday's presentation.
Iraq was controlled by the Ba'ath Party from 1968 until 2003 (Saddam Hussein's party). After the invasion in 2003 by American and British forces, the Ba'ath Party was removed from power. Iraq came under military occupation.
Saddam Hussein's genocide against the kurds- Series of military and gas attacks against the Kurdish civilian population of rural Northern Iraq. Some reports cite Saddam Hussein's army being responsible for up to 200,000 civilian deaths.
Saddam Hussein was hanged in 2006 by the new Iraqi government for crimes against humanity.
We went to war in Afghanistan because of al Qaeda and 9/11. We went to war with Iraq because we believed Saddam Hussein had WMD's