19-1 Critical Thinking #3&5

Describe some ways in which WWI threatened lives of civilians on both sides of the Atlantic.

WWI threatened life on both sides of the Atlantic in two main ways: the threat of death and the threat to peoples "way of life." For those on the west side of the Atlantic, the treats to their lifestyle were difficult in the subject of imported goods. This was especally true for those who were used to German goods. And with so many men being drafted into the war, a threat of death, women's lifestyles were changed by having to take the jobs men were not present to do. Also as a threat to death were the merchants being escorted in the U-boat attacks while trying to bring their goods across the Atlantic.
On the East side of the Atlantic, Belgium was being invaded, most European leaders were facing the possibility of assassination, and countless villages in France were being destroyed by the war being primarily fought in that country. All of which were threats of death. All countries in Europe were required to change their lifestyle by rationing things needed for the war such as ammunition and food. Also, if Germany and her allies were to have won the war there would have been a serious impact on all the countries they would have conquered.
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Why do you think Germany escalated its U-Boat attacks in 1917?

Germany escalated their U-Boat attacks because they were already building up their military. The had built a large Navy and decided to use it. Not to mention their build up was geared towards trying to conquer and empire and were even attempting to match the Naval power of Great Britain. They were attempting to match Britain because they had already stopped Germany from getting weapons and military supplies. Britain was also trying to slow food imports to the German armies in an attempt to keep neutral nations from trading with Germany. However, the Germans did have a reason for using Submarine warfare. This was the fact their needed to counter blockade Britain and show that their Navy was superior when it truly was not.

18-4 Critical Thinking #s 3 & 4

What do you think were the similarities and differences between Roosevelt's Big Stick policy and Wilson's missionary diplomacy?

President Roosevelt's "Big Stick" policy was meant as a reminder for the Monroe Doctrine, which forced European countries to stay out of affairs of the western Hemisphere, including Latin American countries. in his message to congress not long afterward, he added to the Monroe Doctrine. The piece he added was called the Roosevelt Corollary, which said that the United States would now use force to protect its economic interests in Latin America.(568)
When Woodrow Wilson came into office, he had a different interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine, which urged him to created the "missionary diplomacy," which gave the United States right to deny recognition to any Latin American countries that seamed oppressive, undemocratic or hostile to our country. This is pretty much the opposite of what Roosevelt would have wanted. (569)
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In your opinion, should the United States have become involved in the affairs of Columbia, Nicaragua and Mexico during the early 1900s?

Because of the Roosevelt Corollary, President Taft, following Roosevelt's term, was forced to aid a bankrupt Nicaragua. In return, they gave US bankers control over their state owned railroad and its national bank. Also, thanks to the Dollar Diplomacy, we were able to reinforce the ability to keep European power out of the Caribbean and the rest of Latin America. In, my opinion, its great that we were able to help foreign countries, but President Roosevelt was using it as a excuse for controlling their economy, which is the completely wrong reason for it.

Current Event Summary #3

In the South African region of the world, Zimbabwe wasn't the only country making foreign policy news in the first weeks of October. In Botswana, the World Travel and Tourism Council told the countries officials that their tourism rates would increase about seven percent. it also warned them about capital investment rising at a dangerously fast rate than "forecast since major airport upgrades planned ahead the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa."In the same week German Chancellor of Berlin,Angela Merkel discusses the issues of Zimbabwe's economy with other officials from the region such as South Africa's Thabo Mbeki. During the Summit, they will discuss things such as Robert Mugabe's abuse of human rights and his grip on the countries economy, "which has the world's highest inflation rate of about 6,000% and unemployment levels of about 80%," in the aftermath is it's collapse.
About a week later, four foreigners made their way into South Africa, apparently smuggling cigarettes into the country. later captured by the Limpopo police, the criminals were suspected to be from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi. The police also found 48 boxes of counterfeit cigarettes and there were possibly more inside a truck, that unfortunately fled the area. On Friday the 12th, Presidents of Botswana, and South Africa officially opened the tourist facility located between South Africa and Namibia within the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. This park is Africa's first whose "main feature is the uninterrupted contiguity of flora and fauna between Botswana and South Africa, which was opened seven years ago."
A south African consortium offered to invest $29 million in a 106-year-old Kenya-Uganda Railway. The consortium is sure that the investment from the East African Community, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, "and the creation of a customs union which opened up markets for 90 million people." In even more South African and Zimbabwean news, A 40 year old, South African Businessman named Douglas McCallum was arrested by Zimbabwean police trying to smuggle three rifles and more than 100 rounds of ammunition out of the country. After having discovered more weaponry in his luggage, McCallum is due to go on trial on Thursday the 25th of October.