“...history has taught us a lesson that should never be forgotten: America must be prepared to defend freedom whenever it is threatened. Should the occasion again arise when armaments are necessary- and history says it will- America shall be ready and so shall Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant” (Sunflower: War Arsenal). Many kids these days are wrapped up in their friends and the newest technological devices that they fail to read about rich history that helped shape the world they live in. The quote above brings me a sense of pride for the amazing state I live in; it makes me think of a time when internet sensations didn’t exist and neighbors would ban together under the American flag to crush any foe that stood in their way. The state of Kansas is a wonderful state with a rich history that we, Kansans, only know part of. One example of this is the old Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant (SFAAP) that is located near DeSoto and Eudora, Kansas. SFAAP existed in a time of great growth and prosperity that has been forgotten by the majority of Kansans.
After World War I the United States hoped to avoid future world-wide conflicts and public opinion shifted in favor of isolationism in expectation of an enduring peace. This isolationism lead to the decline of military supplies, equipment, and facilities. The nation then fell into the Great Depression in 1929 and lost all hope of investing in military build-up. Benito Mussolini established a fascist dictatorship over Italy, the Nazi Party seized control of Germany under Adolf Hitler and Japan fell under the control of militarists who wished to expand into China. The Nation had been split in two. Some people wanted to stay isolated while others fought for military action. Hitler then invaded ...
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Kearney, Paul W. "Hell's a-Poppin' in Kansas."Reader's Digest Apr. 1945: 35-37. Print.
"Largest Rocket Plant Grew Fast." Lawrence Daily Journal-World 27 Sept. 1945: 1-2. Print.
National Park Service, Department of the Interior. Historical American Engineering Record. By Robert Ferguson. Technical ReportNo. KS-3. Washington, DC: Department of the Interior, 1984. Print.
SFAAP. Historical Summary. De Soto: n.p., 2000. Print.
Spaar, Tony. Commanders Representative, US Army. "General Process Descriptions of Production Areas at the Former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant." File last modified on 17 Mar. 2008. Digital file.
Stutz, Thomas. "Fact Sheet" Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant, 7 July 2000: 1. Print.
"Sunflower: War Arsenal on the Prairie" Album Johnson County Museum Apr. 2005: 1+. Jocomuseum. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. .
Simon Wiesenthal’s book The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness spoke to me about the question of forgiveness and repentance. Simon Wiesenthal was a Holocaust prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. He experienced many brutal and uneasy experiences that no human being should experience in their lifetime and bear to live with it. Death, suffering, and despair were common to Simon Wiesenthal that he questioned his own religious faith because he asks why would his God allow the Holocaust happen to his people to be slaughter and not do anything to save them. During Simon Wiesenthal time as a Jewish Holocaust, Simon was invited to a military hospital where a dying Nazi SS officer wanted to have a conversation. The Nazi SS officer told Simon his story of his life and confesses to Simon of his horrific war crimes. Ultimately, the SS officer wanted forgiveness for what he done to Simon’s Jewish people. Simon Wiesenthal could not respond to his request, because he did not know what to do with a war criminal that participate in mass genocide to Simon’s people. Simon Wiesenthal lives throughout his life on asking the same crucial question, “What would I have done?” (Wiesenthal 98). If the readers would be on the exact situation as Simon was
Autonomy and Responsibility: Why the United States Entered World War II World War II was an exceptional war for the United States. The United States emerged from the war as a world superpower and protector of all other nations. There were many reasons why the United States entered World War II, however President Franklin Roosevelt was in some way directly connected to every reason. Roosevelt wanted to enter World War II as soon as it started for political and economic needs. However, the American people did not want to enter in another war, such as World War I, that costs so many lives and money.
Mendoza, Alexander, and Charles David Grear. Texans and War New Interpretations of the State's Military History.. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2012.
World War I may not have made the world safe for democracy, but it did help to lay the groundwork for a decade of American economic expansion. The war began in Europe in 1914, and the United States entered the fray in 1917. The 1920s saw the growth of the culture of consumerism. A significant reason for United States involvement in the war was the nation’s economic links to the Allied Powers, and especially to Great Britain. American soldiers returned home in May 1919 with the promise of a prosperous decade (Baughman 197).
The United States, at the time of World War II, was facing an economic depression which concerned the American public and President Roosevelt because they knew that America’s involvement with the war was inevitable. Most resources state that “the United States entered World War II largely unprepared” (America and Word War II 610). However, due to the fact that while preparing for the war there was an increase in economic growth, African Americans and women became more involved in industry and the military, and President Roosevelt incorporated several acts and embargos that encouraged Americans to produce more supplies as well as permitted Britain and France to purchase goods from the United States, it can be argued that America was in fact prepared for its entry into World War II. The external threads of continuity, such as economic, social, political, and geographic factors, had a greater impact on the United States preparedness for war, which resulted in the overall success of the Allied Powers.
We've come a long way since the early styles of warfare seen in the American Revolution and the Civil War. World War I was the first war where the United States proved to the world we were a formidable power. Made up almost entirely of immigrants, America sent to Europe an armed force the fight against the Germans. The war brought a divided nation together as one. It represented pride and unity. The World War I victory portrayed the United States as a world superpower. Americans living in the early 1900s saw the war as a "just cause", and supported our actions abroad. World War II came just 20 years later. This time it was a single attack that drew us into the war. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor led us into World War II. The country furious with the cowardly assault; rallied, and stood behind the President's decision to send troops to the South Pacific and Europe. The American view on the war was very supportive. The country went to work manufacturing equipment offsetting the economic failure of the depression the United States was dealing with previous to the war.
Texas prides itself on a strong heritage and history. Events that happened when Texas fought to gain independence will forever remain preserved and idolized in the heart of every true Texan. One of the most famous events that occurred during the fight for independence happened at a place that was not well-known and did not hold much importance at the time, but because of the events that occurred there, it will forever be a place of remembrance and pride. This place is known as The Alamo. This paper focuses on the articles written by Brian C. Baur, Richard R. Flores, and Paul Andrew Hutton over The Alamo.
World War II was based on the idealistic view of Americans, especially concerning the people’s perspectives on how America was being perceived, and how they wanted to be seen. The American public, witnessing foreign tragedy worked to push against suppression in order to rise in equality. Coming out of the Great Depression America was extremely cautious about intervention in foreign affairs spurring an isolationist view. When determining their entrance into World War II America thought about the immense amount of casualties brought from World War I and the lack of positive consequences. Much of the changes enveloping society were a continuation of the new deal policies.
National Park Services, U.S. Department of Interior. Nps.gov, 27 Dec. 2004. Web. The Web. The Web.
Thank you Mr. Wiesenthal for letting me be able to read and respond to your book The Sunflower. The Sunflower has showed me how ruthless it was for Jewish people in the Holocaust. In your book Karl, an SS solider, tries to get your forgiveness for the wrong he has done to the Jewish population. For a person to ask for forgiveness means that they have realized that they have done wrong and want to repent for their mistakes. The big question in your book was “What would you do?” I would’ve done exactly what you did I wouldn’t have granted the solider my forgiveness because he didn’t deserve it.
The position to choose between forgiving one’s evil oppressor and letting him die in unrest is unlike any other. The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal explores the possibilities and limitations of forgiveness through the story of one Jew in Nazi Germany. In the book, Wiesenthal details his life in the concentration camp, and the particular circumstance in which a dying Nazi asks him for forgiveness for all the heinous acts committed against Jews while under the Nazi regime. Wiesenthal responds to this request by leaving the room without giving forgiveness. The story closes with Wiesenthal posing the question, “What would you have done?” Had I been put in the position that Wiesenthal was in, I would ultimately choose to forgive the Nazi on the basis
The world plunged into World War II in 1939, from the unsettlement between countries. Different countries had different ideas about world affairs. Some countries preferred appeasement and other countries preferred collective securities to solve problems such as the turmoil in Germany. According to the circumstances of Europe during 1939, from economic depression and unsettlement between countries, collective security was the best answer. Appeasement was attempted, but it turned out to be a failure.
Headquarters, Department of the Army (2014). Technical Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives Force Employment (ATP 3-11.24).
All dramatic productions feature the elements of drama. Following a viewing of the scene ‘Someone’s crying’ from the 1993 movie ‘The Secret Garden’ three of the elements of drama have been assessed. Role, character and relationships have been utilised in ‘The Secret Garden’ to create anxiety and suspense, enticing the viewer to solve the mysteries the Secret Garden presents. The protagonist in the scene is a young girl, around the age of ten who during the night leaves her room to explore her residence. The protagonist narrates the scene; she begins by stating that the ‘house seems dead like under a spell’. This makes the viewer anxious and fearful for the safety of our young protagonist. The protagonist is brave. She pushes open a door and
The sunflower, original only to the Americas, has become one of the most important plants throughout the world due to its adaptability, diversity, and sustainability. It is a key component in cooking, human health, soil detoxification, and has been use in medicine, art and poetry.