Why Did Franklin Delano Roosevelt Win the 1932

Why did Franklin D. Roosevelt win the 1932 presidential election? Franklin D. Roosevelt won the 1932 presidential election reasons. His margin of victory over Herbert Hoover was the largest in recorded history up to that time. One of the foremost reasons why Roosevelt won was because people believed that he could take America out of the Great Depression unlike Hoover. They believe he will take real action to deal with the Depression. His policies and ideals were much more popular and suitable for the situation they were in. Hoover believed in ‘rugged individualism’ where people should not expect help from the government and that the government will not interfere. Whereas Roosevelt promised his ‘New Deal’, which would provide jobs and relief for the poor, and the unemployed, action to help industry and agriculture and resolve the banking crisis. Roosevelt promised the government would help and starting funding charities and many construction projects, whereas under Hoover the government rarely funded relief programmes or charities, which relied on generous wealthy individuals and towns and cities. He believed the power of the government should be used to create a fairer society, bringing hope to many Americans. Also all Hoover promised in his election was that the USA had ‘turn the corner back to prosperity’ whereas Hoover had his ‘New Deal’, which seemed much more promising. Also when Hoover won his first term election he said that every American would have two cars in the garage and chicken in the pot. However, many people were now unemployed and homeless. Many people did not trust Hoover or his promises. However the main reason that Roosevelt triumphed over Hoover would be because he was immensely popular, his public image was much better. Hoover had the image of an uncaring heartless person, whereas Roosevelt was seen as a fighter, having fought polio and running as president even though paralysed waist down. Furthermore, what he had done for the ordinary people of New York as governor added to his caring image. Hoover had taken office shortly before the Crash. Many Americans blamed him for it and not doing enough. The way they conducted their campaigns were also vital. Roosevelt’s smile and optimism proved far more popular with the electorate than Hoover’s grim looks. Furthermore, Roosevelt got out to meet the people, toured around America far more than Hoover. People got to know him and he was willing to listen to their problems. There are many images of him talking and shaking hands with ordinary people. When talking to crowds he would mention ordinary individuals he had talked to and there problems – a woman with a baby, a miner, an old fellow†¦ This gave Roosevelt the image of someone who cares for the ordinary person, whereas Hoover didn’t seem interested in his or her problems. Moreover, since Hoover believed the economy would eventually recover by itself, therefore not providing much relief, it further added to Hoovers image of being uncaring and heartless, which is unfair because he eventually did take a little actions, but definitely not enough and was not seen as the right man for the task of bringing about a recovery. A crisis point was reached in the summer of 1932 where bonus marchers, people who fought in World War One, marched in Washington DC demanding their payment of $500. Hoover reacted badly to this, using tanks, the army and tear gas to disperse the marchers. Two of them died. Many people did not like how Hoover treated the people who risked their lives for their country. Furthermore, Roosevelt promised to bring end to the extremely unpopular prohibition of alcohol. People wanted a drink – free and legal. People were tired of all the problems Prohibition had caused – the gangsters, killings, crooked dealings by big businesses etc. Overall, Roosevelt’s proposed policies, optimistic attitude and smile, campaigning around the country, talking to listening to the ordinary person and his promise to end the unpopular prohibition was more than a match for Hoovers grim looks, uncaring and heartless image, ‘rugged individualism’ and the way he conducted his campaign. Hoover was not an evil man, however, he was not the right man to lead America and the world through the Great Depression. Roosevelt was extremely popular, had a great public image and relationship, and seen as the only person who could lead America out of the Depression.

Culture and Politics in Fascist Italy Essay

In The Patron State: Culture and Politics in Fascist Italy, Maria Susan Stone discusses the cultural policy-making under Mussolini’s regime in Italy from 1922 to 1943. Specifically, she has provided a detailed study of two of the most popular showpieces of public culture during the fascist regime: the reconstituted Venice Biennale and the 1932 Exhibition of the Fascist Revolution. Stone asserts that the cultural politics that happened during the fascist regime in Italy was developed in three stages. The first stage (from 1925-30) was when the Fascists worked with the established institutions of high culture. It was during this stage that the regime discovered that it could not officially sanction any one style or movement. Stone also described this stage as the time when the Fascists dealt with the social elites. The second stage (from 1931-36) was the period when they used patronage and experimentation in an effort to shape cultural institutions according to their specifications. This is also the period when the Fascists increasingly gained support from the mass. They achieved this by moving away from supporting traditional events aimed for social elites and supporting events aimed at the masses instead. And finally, the third stage (from 1937-43), was when they adopted a more coercive set of methods. Through flexible policy of taste and patronage, the Fascists were able to win the consent of artists and draw supporters from the higher class to the masses. The role and use of mass culture during the Fascist regime have always fascinated historians for the past thirty years. Stone had added to the vast researches by other prominent historians such as Walter Adamson, Philip Cannistraro, and Umberto Silva on the same topic but on a new perspective. Work Cited: Stone, Maria Susan. The Patron State: Culture and Politics in Fascist Italy. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1998

My project discussion will be based on the research conducted to Essay - 1

My project discussion will be based on the research conducted to evaluate the immigration policy and the impact it has on the va - Essay Example The various immigration policies differ from country to country. There are similarities and disparities in the immigration policies in developed countries like Canada and under-developed or developing countries like South Africa. The similarities and differences in immigration policies in Canada and South Africa have an impact on the number of people that immigrate, with potential effects on the labor workforce in these countries influencing economy differently. Immigration Immigration is simply relocating to another country for different reasons. Some immigrate to look for jobs, political freedom, studying, marrying and for business. Immigration is different from country to country. While some countries may be good for political asylum, they may not be the best for business or studying. As such, people have to choose the country they will immigrate to very carefully depending on their future objectives and goals. However, there are exceptions, where a country is suitable for all the possible reasons for immigration. Developed countries have almost everything in order including democracy, education system, better wages and business opportunities. Any person can move into such a country and meet his objectives. Developed country is defined as a country with high level industrialization, high income, and high life expectancy rate, democratically mature, good education systems and with well defined political systems and low corruption rates. Such countries have high literacy levels and high employment rates as well. On the other hand, developing countries are those that are on the path of becoming industrialized, democratically mature. The income, life expectancy, education systems and political systems are improving but are yet to get to the required levels. Most developing countries are working hard to ensure they become developed. Immigration policy is one of the many things such countries are using to improve the various systems. Developed countries also depen d on the immigration policies for different things (The World Bank 1). Similarities and differences in immigration policies in Canada and South Africa Workforce South Africa and Canada are constantly in need of people to work in the various sectors of the economy. The reasons behind this are different for the two countries. In South Africa, laborers required are usually non-skilled and semi-skilled. The demand for these workers is attributed to by the many mining industries within the country. Skills do not need to be high unless the person will have to be employed as a manager or director of the big firms. In fact, people looking for un-skilled and semi-skilled jobs are not well educated in most cases. However, this does not meet that well educated people with high level of skills cannot be accommodated. The South Africa Department of Home Affairs categorically states that the country can accommodate people with exceptional skills and qualifications. There are no specifications on the Language an immigrant has to be proficient in to move and live in South Africa (Segatti 19). On the other hand, Canada focuses mainly on highly educated and highly skilled persons. The department of immigration categorically states that potential immigrants to Canada have to be well learned. They must have at least one year experience in their field. Canadian government regulates the qualifications to be used at any given time (Reitz 409). For example, if

Christ as sacrament of God Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Christ as sacrament of God - Essay Example He was called (Word) Son of God at birth (Heb. 1: 3-14). The heavenly angels worshipped him (Heb. 1: 6) This proves that Jesus is a God for only God can be worshipped. (Acts 10: 25,26). Jesus accepted his being God (Jn. 10: 29, 36). The Jews felt this as Blasphemy for they interpreted Jesus' claim as Son of God as making himself a God also. (Jn. 10: 30-33) Jesus said that he and the Father are one. Jesus showed good works being a sacrament of the Father God. Jesus is the old testament's Emmanuel and the Alpha and the Omega. Jesus is another Person in the Holy Trinity. Jesus was fully and concurrently both man and God. Christ is the head of the Mystical body, the Catholic Church( Vatican II). Jesus was the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. Jesus rules the things in heaven and on earth with his Glory. Jesus is the divine teacher(Lumen Gentium). According to Dulles, The true church (Political Society Model)was a community of men brought together by same Christian faith and sacraments (thru grace, hope and love) under leadership of pastors and the Pope. (Body of Christ model). In the Church as servant model, the church must help its members in solving daily problems of human life on earth.(Dulles). In Splendour of the Church (Lubac), the beautiful architectural wonders of the Catholic Churches in the Vatican and other Major historical sites, Catholic Universities all over the world were constructed to teach liberal arts and more importantly to spread christianity. (Lubac). In Gaudium at Spes. the modern church is now confronted with technological, financial advances like tv, cellphone, airplanes, a fast paced life and population explosion. Man pursued his goals making God and Christ aside. Most men abused their liberty and preferred to violate God's laws. Poverty forces man to feed his stomach first before obeying God's laws. The arts and sciences must be harnessed to help improve human life. War must be avoided thru building a community of nations. Not all those who say Lord, Lord will go to heaven They must obey God's commandments. In Mysterium Ecclesiae, The church is one and infallible. Catholics must esteem their common Christian heritage thru purification and renewal. The will of Christ must be fulfilled by following His teachings handed down thru the popes starting with Peter and the apostles. Infallibility of the church, that should not be falsified, includes the deposit of faith and those matters without which the deposit of faith should be preserved. Priests, alone, can build up the Body in the Holy Eucharist. In Church and Unity,The church cannot commit mistakes in its decisions.The trinity doctrine is based on tradition. The Protestants freed themselves from Catholic traditions and teachings and based their beliefs on the bible. Love should unite the Catholic Church with Protestants and othe r churches. The Catholic church dislikes the going away of the Protestants. In Decree and Ecumenism, restoration of the unity of Catholics is the main thrust of Second Vatican Council. In Church as a communion, the

ROBOTICS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

ROBOTICS - Essay Example The robot has imitated the human arm in most cases because this is where it receives application in industries. Regardless of the robot developed and application specification for it, robots have some basic characteristics that define them. Sensing is a key feature in robot development. They should be able to sense the environment around them. To be able to articulate this principle sensors like light sensors, sonar sensors, touch sensors and chemical sensors can be adopted to implement the robot (Anderson). A motionless robot is not a robot. The robot should have the ability to move in its environment. Using wheels, rollers, legs, and or thrusters can make the robot move to perform its tasks. Care is taken during application of the robot to ensure the environment does not harm the robot or vice versa. Owing to the use of electronic components and codes to give it logical sequence guide in its operation, means they utilize energy (Cordeschi). Because of its movement capabilities, its design should put consideration into powering itself. A degree of intelligence needs injecting into the robot design. This is the ability of a robot to be smart. Programming is the playground to implement the smartness of the robot as it works in the environment. The programs guide the robot on what to and not do. In general, a robot is a combination of sensors, power supplies, manipulators, control systems and software all gear to one task. Robots for industrial use rotate through three different axes. They achieve applications in the field of assembly, welding, pick, and placing objects, packaging, and inspection of products, testing, and painting. In fact, the said field of application requires endurance, fastness, and utmost precision (Igor Aleksander). This entirely are features that a robot can be designed to achieve. Robots in every manner attempt to imitate the human being. About this, analyzing a human body goes along way into

Mobile investigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mobile investigation - Essay Example In modern age this process is in used across the globe in almost every country without acceptable regard for legitimate defenses, legal oversight, or accountability. In this paper the main focus is on to find out the answer regarding the investigation carried out by the police against Donald Dodger. The investigation was carried out against his alleged involvement in the stalking activities of a student from Granglian Busking University (ACLU, n.d.). Who is available of the SIMM card or phone memory as Mobile Contacts? From the investigation carried out by the police department of his mobile location as well as the call details, there is a clear indication about the people with whom he is in touch on a regular basis. According to the data available from the analysis of his mobile records, the contacts he has are as follows: Angila Ruskin, Adriana Weeks, Jenny Jones, Stella-Foster Artois. The entire detail is available on the detail call list to which number he has made calls or sends sms. Who has been called from this phone in the past three months multiple times? From the analysis of call record it is very clear that the maximum call in last three months was made to one single number of Adriana Weeks. The number is 07826654040. The call details also suggest that total number of calls made to this number is 10 out of11 calls along with 17 sms. For investigating purpose call history is very important once the mobile phone is not available for detail investigation. By analyzing all his sms it is very clear that the guy is talking with Adriana Weeks as he wanted to meet her, date with her. All his 17 sms to Adriana was about where she was, why she is avoiding him, will she meet him or not etc. Can social media applications be accessed and if so by whom and who has been posted to? At present, it is very easy to access the social networking site from the high end mobile phones. But from the available data it is hard to find what are the social sites he accessed from his mobile is. The detail of the sites or whatever he has posted in that social site is not accessible from the available bill details. Can the phone give any indication where the user might have physically been? Mobile phone tracking generally means to get the information about the current location of the mobile phone as well as the user of the phone. This locating process can be done with the help of multilateration of radio signals between the towers of the mobile network and mobile phone or with the help of GPS. To locate the mobile phone it is not necessary to make any call from the mobile, the only thing required is the mobile to catch any signal of the nearest tower. GSM or Global System for Mobile or is based on the strength of the signal of nearby antenna. Mobile positioning includes location based service which is used by the mobile phone companies to locate the position of the mobile phone and the user of the same. (BBC UK, 2005). According to the report published in BBC News (2005), if someone change the mobile number still the location can be traced. The tracking is generally done by two ways when any number is dialed from one mobile. The SIM card of the mobile sends its own unique IMSI number (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) which starts with the code number of the country from where user is belongs, then the network code and

Strategic Planning Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9500 words

Strategic Planning - Research Paper Example The main branch of Delta the (Headquarter) is in Texas, United State America. This report is focusing on conducting a strategic plan for Delta Corporation Qatar (Subsidiary). The importance of this report is to sustain long-term success for the corporation. Carefully planning helps the managers to go to the right place and achieve their goals in effective and efficient ways. This report is divided into different parts. The first section is about Delta Corporation history and brief background, the core activities performed by Delta Company. The second part is about the methodology of collecting relevant data about Delta. After collecting data about the company, we will discuss the SWOT analysis â€Å"Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats† to evaluate the company situation. The analysis includes the internal and external factors. Internal factors are such as the vision, mission, financial ratios, IFE tool (internal factors evaluation matrix) to know the strengths and the weakness of the company. Furthermore, in this section, we will discuss the strategic map and the EFE (external factors evaluation matrix). For the external assessment, we will evaluate the opportunities and threats. External factors are such as porter’s five forces model. After that, we will formulate SMART objectives and the tactics need to accomplish these objec tives. Furthermore, we will discuss the implementation plan. The last part of this report is to conclude all the information that we discuss and give some recommendations to Delta Corporation.

Relationship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Relationship - Essay Example Knapp Staircase model classifies and describes the dynamics of, how a new relationship proceeds and how it develops. The model is based on two major parts: Stages of Togetherness Initiating Experimenting Intensifying Integrating Bonding Coming Apart Differentiating Circumscribing Stagnating Avoiding Terminating I met my ex-partner in a family gathering. We both were pushed and motivated by our relatives to put our best impression on one another. She initiated the talk and I approved the sensible approach she had; for most of the things we converse about. Her tense shoulders and a nervous smile assured me that she is also trying hard to make a good impression on me. We dated again to know more, and experimented how we felt about each other. There were differences in our understanding and life style, but we both felt inclined to take it to the next level. Her expression of love was not customary; she liked to enquire for expression of love in return, since I am an introvert person this task was difficult to perform. Though, with time I tried via my actions to assure her of her significance in my life. In intensifying stage, I gave my support, submission, and love though not much verbally; but I proved it by changing my preferences according to her priorities. With the passage of few months, I believe we felt one. Since our relationship was known to all. Therefore, we moved in social gathering as a committed couple. I liked to be known from her reference and relied on her approval more than ever. We used to hang out more and I was not hesitant to show my affection and her significance in my life. In integrating stage, we compromised on the shortcomings and enjoyed our time together. We both wanted a legal relationship and wanted approval from our families to make it a real one. Hence, we declared our engagement and things became very certain for both of us. Our bonding was strong and we both wanted to continue it till the rest of our lives. She planned and decided all the necessary rituals which needed to be performed for the wedding. Although, I am not much of a social wedding person; but I wanted to proceed with her plan because it was pleasing and exciting for her. This is how bonding process becomes more evident and firm when one cares and the other realizes the invested efforts of the partner. Now the next phase of the Knapp’s staircase relationship model entails differentiating, in this stage we both started highlighting the pessimistic personality effects we had. I did not like the interference of her sister’s boyfriend, Jack and her submission to him, and she wanted him to be in all the significant decisions related to our marriage or life. She used to discuss important aspects of our life with him and used to act on his advices or suggestions. This habit of hers annoyed me a lot. Similarly, she disliked my habit of becoming a decision maker in our life. She liked to take decision on her own and when I used to inquire a bout any important aspect, she immediately wanted me to quit the discussion. Later on, we started avoiding conversation on disputable matters. I did not inquire, why did she leave all of a sudden for a trip with her friends, neither she explained me anything. She simply told me she was leaving with her friends as it would be her last trip as a single girl, so I did not comment on the already taken decision. The

Cultural Gap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural Gap - Essay Example Raised in a Christian family. My parents lived by the church doctrines. Something to do with the relationship was out of the question, especially at our tender age. Going to LGBT meeting was a big decision I made. Many of the online discussions about the meeting seemed appealing. The encouragement I received from online friends gave me hope; I had to find out what I did not know. I focused on finding self-fulfillment. At first, I was nervous and at the same time excited. I never knew what was in place for me. It was like going to another planet. It seemed something intimidating and a scary one to walk into a room and be sincere over something I could barely admit. The truth looked fantastic, but from hiding in it, it ended up being the scariest thing. As I joined college, I sent an email to the LGBT coordinator concerning where and when the meeting could occur. Unfortunately, at that time, I failed to turn up for the meeting due to some reasons I could not avoid. On this occasion, I was confident and focused on attending it, though felt scary than before. On the initial day of the meeting, I walked to the building and found the room number. My nerves took held of me. How I wished, I knew it was okay to be who I am and to feel the way I felt. I had spent years denying who I was. It is so ridiculous to feel so at the place where I should have called home. I had no idea of having people around me who cared and who could understand me. I took a friend to the meeting with me. I was too nervous to go alone. The environment inside was nothing I expected. At first, I felt it would not work. In some few minutes, the room was with young men who were open, smart, fantastic, and very welcoming. The room was so welcoming and open. Afer introducing myself, I talked about how I felt. I had to accept myself and come out. With time, I am glad to have learnt a lot about LGBT people and myself. I wished I had involved myself

Husman Ahmed Memory Assignment Essay Example for Free

Husman Ahmed Memory Assignment Essay Thus we can now say that the boys had a mean number of words remembered as 10. 2 and the median as 12, proving that the short term memory capacity of the boys is definitely greater, as they tend to recall more. The mode however was 10 for both genders meaning that if the results was to be generalised the we could say that both sexes had the same capacity in the short term memory. Also the experiment that was carried out contained a few flaws, firstly there was the error mentioned earlier of assuming that everyone had the same IQ levels, this was a huge assumption as some students could have had only five GCSE passes whereas others could have had 12 to get into the course, meaning that the teacher had no knowledge of the past of the students. Another flaw with the design was the influence of the Long term memory, the list of words consisted of animal names and the names of various fruits and vegetables. The list was constructed as follows:Thirdly the participants could have employed various strategies to remember the words, if some participants were familiar with a certain strategy then they could have used that. Meaning that some participants had a better way of remembering thus we can also add that different people use different methods to store items into memories, some of these methods are particularly favourable to some people. Individual differences can also influence the results. Finally structured learning techniques could have had shaped the results, as some people can automatically relate words, for example the Monkey, Gorilla and the Banana all fit together, as does the dolphin and the whale. Miller 1956 mentioned that the recall of people was usually seven plus two or seven minus two. This theory however does not fit into my results as the mean, mode, and the median proved that the recall was much more higher for both of the groups. This could be favourable towards the fact that we have used words which the participants are very familiar with since they have learnt the names of these animals and the names of these fruits and vegetables since they were very young, which means that they are words which are from the long term memory; these words have been revised and repeated for many years. Baddley in the year 1975 conducted a experiment, later redone by Naveh-Benjamin and Ayres in the year 1986 concluded that the English language was easier to memorise, rather than the Arabic language. The fact that the words are from the English language, also works against our result as they are easier to remember; though our experiment clearly agrees with this experiment. Murdock in the year 1962 carried out his Free recall Experiments, which were very similar to our experiments, expect that he used non sense trigrams, which had no effect from the Long term memory.

To What Extent was Guatemalas Civil War Caused by US Policy

To What Extent was Guatemalas Civil War Caused by US Policy Spanning decades from the late 1950s to the 1990s, the Civil War in Guatemala represented one of the longest conflicts in Latin America. During this time; over tens of thousands of refugees fled the country; over a million were made homeless as over four hundred indigenous villages were destroyed; and ultimately over two hundred thousand people were killed or have disappeared.[1] The root of this conflict lay in the ridiculously imbalanced distribution of wealth that had existed within Guatemala for centuries. This misdistribution was born out the combination of a revolutionary international atmosphere, alongside years of economic hardship caused by the governing elites. To what extent each of these factors caused the Civil War will be assessed throughout this essay. Predeceasing the Civil War, the Elites possessed the vast majority of the land in Guatemala. As a result, they exercised a significant amount of power and control over the society. To further the abuses in wealth distrib ution, the U.S. owned substantial amounts of land in Guatemala, and viewed the country as pure potential profit[2]. What is so fascinating in my opinion; are the diverse opinions regarding the roots of the issues. Two major narratives emerged as a result from the conflict. The first master narrative tells the tale of the indigenous Mayan population being brutally oppressed over centuries by European and American powers. The continuums of colonial tradition lead to mass abuses of human rights which lead the oppressed population to look towards supporting insurgent groups. This narrative brings to light the voices of the people and state and can be viewed through the vast literature which creates its own Testimonio genre. The second and opposite narrative regards the more recent role that the United States has played in Guatemala. In particular, with regards to the involvement that the CIA had in supporting the Guatemalan government in order to eradicate the leftist forces within the country. Ultimately, the argument stands that the United States was a significant factor in causing the Guatemalan Civil war.   It stands as one of the reasons why Guatemala had such a poor economic infrastructure. Moreover, this infrastructure provided the dissent that led to the creation of insurgent groups which so threatened U.S. political ideology. This threat enabled the U.S. to intervene and turn a civil war into an international conflict. In the context of Latin America, the testimonio was a crucially important form of literature that represented the first master narrative mentioned.   John Beverley in the book The Real Thing: Testimonial Discourse and Latin America describes testimonio as: a noveltold in the first person by a narrative who is also a real protagonist or witness of the event he or she recounts[3]. Testimonios are accounts in which the author uses their experience as an agent of collective memory or identity. Through these first-hand accounts, readers can ascertain a certain truth derived from a situation of oppression that can challenge and even correct so called official history. Beatriz Manz is an example of a testimonio author. Alongside Manz, other famous works of Testimonio surrounding Guatemala exist; the most notable being Me llamo Rigoberta Menchà º y asà ­ me nacià ³ la conciencia. Menchà ºs story narrates the tortures faced by a poor Quichà © peasant family, who had to migrate every ye ar to large coffee plantations in order to survive. The story tells how her family were mistreated; she herself did not attend school, and her brothers died of malnutrition. The main argument Menchà º has is that the economic hardships within the country lead to her gross mistreatment. Following the accusation that her family was involved in the guerrilla movement, one of her brothers was arrested, tortured and killed in 1979; her father was killed by security forces and her mother died after being tortured and raped. Menchà º tells a heart wrenching story that brought the Guatemalan struggle to the forefront of international interests, however it is not without its flaws. One of the central issues with regards to testimonio is the authenticity and veracity of the voice. Sklodowska cautions it would be naive to assume a direct homology between text and history. The discourse of a witness cannot be a reflection of his or her experience, but rather a refraction determined by the vic issitudes of memory, intention, ideology.[4] This is something that American anthropologist David Stoll assesses in his book, Menchà º and the Story of All Poor Guatemalans. Stoll makes the bold statement that the events described in Menchà ºs testament are exaggerated in an effort to amass support for the guerrilla movement. Testimonios represent the fine balance between fiction and history; emotion and fact. In the eyes of Menchà º, the U.S. played a crucial role in promulgating the civil war. Stolls criticisms could be undermined by the fact that his stance is from a Western point of view, which disregards the nature in which history has been testimonial in Mayan culture for centuries .[5] In this sense, Menchà º wasnt attempting to tell a completely accurate story of her family, if not relay the struggles of her people. Her story has since contributed to the greater good by bringing to light the vast abuses of human rights that the Guatemalans faced for decades.[6] This economic hardship that Menchà º describes can be traced back centuries to initial American involvement. Chairman Henry Kissinger oversaw the creation of The Report of the Presidents National Bipartisan Commission on Central America in a hope to establish a consensus for Central American administration.   Described as well-informed laymen who took a six-month odyssey into the terra incognita[7] of Central America; the commission members intricately analyzed the political, economic and social problems of Guatemala. The conclusion was reached that inevitable U.S. intervention was favorable. However, like a Gordian knot, the report never successfully resolved the tension between U.S. security interests in the area and the admitted need for radical change in many Central American societies. I take issue with regards to the vernacular used throughout the report, as the U.S. seems to absolve itself of any responsibility for causing the very problems that the report encompasses, and implies it has moral responsibility to fix these issues. For instance, the report accounts the negative long-lasting Spanish colonial legacy in Central America, yet only briefly describes the significant influence of the United States in the centuries predeceasing the Guatemalan crisis. The semi-feudal system established by Spain over three centuries ago set a precedent for an inability of indigenous peoples to self-govern and integrate into the colonial political system. Whilst this is a valid point for assessing the development of the turmoil within Guatemala, the U.S certainly did not take as much of a back seat as the report would have us believe implementing a passive Good Neighbor Policy which sought to see all neighboring countries stable, orderly and prosperous[8].   Focusing on two instances in the early 20th Century; Colombia and Nicaragua for instance, it becomes evident that America did not take as passive an approach to Latin America as the report would have us believ e.   Active American involvement in Central America can span back to The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 in which America planned to protect Latin American states from European expansionism. Substantiated by the Roosevelt Corollary in 1904, the doctrine created a precedent for the justification of intervention on account of political ideology.[9] The commission report serves as an example of this policy being enacted as it claims that U.S. intervention during the early 20th Century was focused on promoting the stability and solvency of local governments so as to keep other nations out.[10] Intervention in Guatemala, for instance can be seen as pre-emptive interventionalism hoping to fix the wrongdoings in Latin America. In Roosevelts State of Union Address, the use of international police power was therefore excused as a justification for involvement in Latin America.[11] Moreover, Guatemala was of upmost economic importance to the U.S., which historically had wanted to create an economic hegemony in Latin America in order to diminish European Imperial expansion.[12]   This pseudo American Imperialism makes it evident that U.S. expansionism was deeply rooted in a sense of Manifest Destiny.   The Banana Wars that shaped U.S. Foreign Policy towards Latin America and American military involvement across the continent as a whole, stand as symbols of this economic relationship that the U.S hoped to establish. Joseph Freeman and Scott Nearing place American financial imperialism within a Marxist context. The Colombian uprisings against U.S. canal rights in the Panama Canal resulted in American military involvement[13]. This perfectly exemplifies the argument in which military force was used to broker economic expansion. The Panama Canal sets a sinister precedent which would then see future U.S. military involvement in Guatemala decades later. The report was written with a post-Vietnam/post Iraq cynicism, which could result in why rhetoric of a civilising mission was used to justify aggressive exploitative expansionism. The rebellions in Nicaragua stood as inspiration for Guatemalans during the 60s and 70s as they hoped they could utilize similar tactics in order to regain control of their country. Insurgent groups formed in Guatemala as a result, as described by Manz; The growth of social movements in Guatemala took place in the turbulent context of Central America in the late 1970s and early 1980sâ‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦ Social upheavals and indiscriminate repression both were escalating throughout the region.[14] These mounting social problems combined with shrinking political options proved to be a volatile combination that finally erupted into armed confrontation.[15] From the standpoint of the Guatemalans; the Sandinista guerilla movement had proven successful in the catalysis of the Nicaraguan Revolution in 1979. Manz describes the revolutionary atmosphere that surrounded Guatemala, and notes that the Guatemalan insurgents and many supporters thought that if victory had already taken place in Nicaragua and seemed possible in El Salvador, why not in Guatemala?[16] As mentioned, the peak of the Guatemalan civil war occurred at a very similar time to the peak of the Cold War. This meant that the U.S. turned its focus on to its southern neighbors as they turned to communism. The consequences of this meant that ordinary local conflict would soon have an international audience as Guatemala would become another battle ground in the Cold War. Arguably motivated out of fear; the U.S. provided immense military and economic aid to Guatemala; much of the fighting took place at the height of the Cold War and the combatants were well aware of U.S. support for the Guatemalan military.[17] As stated by Kissinger, the U.S. was concerned of the intrusion into Central America by aggressive external powers[18]. The fear that Cuban or Soviet backing would support the insurgent groups, led to the U.S. providing tacit support to the Guatemalan Government. This U.S. support gave the Guatemalan government both a military and political upper hand, whilst intrinsically tying the corrupt ruling elite to external American influence. This cascade of events that followed U.S. intervention in to Guatemala placed the country firmly within a Cold War context; where ideology played a substantial role in rallying support by even the indigenous peoples; who believed they too, were fighting for justice. However, was this intervention completely necessary, and did it exacerbate and prolong the civil war? The report briefly touches on this notion, which a disagreement with regards to the conditionality of U.S. intervention. Should there be a link between U.S. support and improvements in Latin Americas execrable human rights record. Such a notion implies awareness for the deterioration of the human rights that America was c ausing, however, they feared a Marxist-Leninist victory in El Salvador, and therefore this notion was consequently ignored. The report believes that in order to fight an expanding army of communist guerrillas, U.S. must continue to provide support to the armed forces. A peace agreement is long overdue in Guatemala. Following almost three decades of armed conflict and brutal injustice; Guatemala is owed a transformed society with democratic leadership, increased rights for the abused Mayan people, end to the U.S. military backing, constitutional reform, and an improvement of the socio-economic and socio-political issues. Whilst in my opinion, the main forces behind the war in Guatemala were the economic oppression and daily violence which led to the creation of the insurgent groups that so threatened the American political status quo. The economic oppression was inflicted primarily by the governing elite, however, as a sole factor this could not have led to a war of such gross magnitude. America played a significant role. The years of colonial oppression implemented by America into their southern neighbours had an underrated lasting economic consequence. By default, the U.S. had a much larger responsibility in causing the Guatemalan Civil war than is initially apparent. Such destructive and protracted conflict could not have amassed had it not been for the influence of the international community. Guatemala today has still not recovered. The lives of millions have been shattered, and America should be owed a much larger blame than any other country. Bibliography Berryman, P. The Religious Roots of Rebellion, (Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1984) Beverley, J., The Real Thing (Our Rigoberta), (Modern Language Quarterly 57:2:1986) CIA The World Factbook, 20 Nov. 2008, Central Intelligence Agency, 1 Dec. 2008 Grandin, G. The Last Colonial Massacre(The University of Chicago Press, 2004) Kissinger, H. The Report of the Presidents National Bipartisan Commission on Central America, (Macmillan, 1984) LeoGrande, W.M, Our own Backyard, The United State in Central America 1977-1992(The University of orth Carolina Press, 1998) Levenson-Estrada, D. Trade Unionists Against Terror (The University of North Carolina Press, 1994) Manz, B. and N. Aryeh, Paradise in Ashes A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror, and Hope, (New York: University of California P, 2004) McClintock, M. Roosevelt, T. Theodore Roosevelts Annual Address to Congress (December 6th 1904) accessed via http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=truedoc=56page=transcript Smith, R. The United States and the Latin American Sphere of Influence, (Robert E. Krieger Publishing Company, 1981) [1]CIA The World Factbook Guatemala, CIA The World Factbook, 20 Nov. 2008, Central Intelligence Agency, 1 Dec. 2008 [2] B. Manz; A. Neier, Paradise in Ashes A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror, and Hope, (New York: University of California P, 2004), 16-17. [3], G. M. Gugelberger, T he Real Thing: Testimonial Discourse and Latin America, (Duke University Press, 1996), p.34 [4], G. M. 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Smith,The United States and the Latin American Sphere of Influence, (Robert E. Krieger Publishing Company, 1981), p. 10 [14]B. Manz; A. Neier, Paradise in Ashes A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror, and Hope, (New York: University of California P, 2004) p. 96 [15] B. Manz; A. Neier, Paradise in Ashes A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror, and Hope, (New York: University of California P, 2004) p. 46 [16] B. Manz,; A. Neier, , Paradise in Ashes A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror, and Hope, (New York: University of California P, 2004) p. 96 [17] B. Manz; A. Neier, , Paradise in Ashes A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror, and Hope, (New York: University of California P, 2004) p. 224 [18] H. A. Kissinger, The Report of the Presidents National Bipartisan Commission on Central America, (Macmillan, 1984), p.36