UNIV 3539 Blog

I think the only way you can compare the two is by saying that both are singling out one group of people. However, the Jim Crow Laws just seem to sort of just say what the blacks couldn't do. The only slight similarity I see is between the interracial marriages where the Jim Crow laws say that if you've married someone who is just 1/8 black, then the marriage doesn't count. But then I remember, those very precise Nuremberg Laws which weren't at all confusing, it was indicated that if you were indeed already married to a Jew, you may be considered Jewish also. And then, if you were married to a Jew, you would have to do "hard labor" (i.e. concentration camps). But basically, the two both forbid the blacks and Jews from mixing in with the whites and Germans. In the case of the Jews, the laws were a lot, lot more harsh and tried to be more accurate, but they came out really confusing in some aspects. In both though something I've noticed, is that the people making these laws, trying to keep the peoples apart are treating the targeted group as if they are not really people, and they have no say in how they are treated, that they should just go along with this harsh treatment. Though the Jim Crow laws are wrong, they do not really compare so much to the Nuremberg Laws. On the whole, all the Jim Crow laws are saying is to seperate different institutions amongst the whites and blacks so they never have to deal with one another. This is not fair by any mean, but when you think about it, there was so much prejudice in the south against blacks, that if some of these laws didn't exist, then there might have been even more gang attacks on blacks.However, there are other laws there saying a black can't be buried amongst whites. Now such things as this law are ridiculous. That is definitely pushing it, and that is basically what the Jim Crow Laws seem to do, just keep trying to push the blacks to the edge, and see how far they can actually go.
Then, the Nuremberg Laws basically come out saying all the ways you can be determined a Jew, few of which are actually clear, and the penalties which come as a result. And then they set restrictions upon the Jews. They are extremely harsh and unjust, and completely unacceptable. They take penalties a lot further and are more unfair.So to conclude, you can compare the two based on the fact that they both set restrictions for certain groups and discriminate against them very clearly, but you cannot compare them based on degree of penalties/strictness. The Nuremberg Laws far exceeds the Jim Crow Laws on the basis of injustice and the scale to which one is penalized for not following the laws. And yes, something akin to the Holocaust could most definitely have happened in the United States.

The end of the Cold War was accompanied by a large growth in the number of liberal democracies. In areas where superpowers had been waging proxy wars, and subsidizing local conflicts, many conflicts ended with the Cold War and the occurrence of interstate wars, ethnic wars, revolutionary wars, or refugee and displaced persons crises declined sharply, thus propelling a prosperous standard of living throughout the world.

The New Deal definitely help aided America in getting out of the Great Depression. With the help of Congress, Roosevelt's plan to get America out of its current disposition made a tremendous impact on society. With the emergence of The Civilian Conservation Corps, The Public Works Administration, and The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, America was definitely on its way to recovery. It is my belief that FDR, in many ways, had indeed, "acutally saved the country." Sweden suffered severely during the early years of the Great Depression. In the early 1930s unemployment rose, and reductions in wages caused a series of harsh labor conflicts. The election of 1932 brought a considerable advance to the Social Democratic Party, and to some extent to the Farmers' Party as well, and led to a Social Democratic administration under the leadership of Per Albin Hansson. It offered a comprehensive policy to fight the crisis, including extensive public works and a number of moves in support of agriculture. The economic crisis of the '30s was overcome more rapidly in Sweden than in most other countries. As early as 1936, wages had reached their old level, and by the end of the decade unemployment had become insignificant. Great Britain remained in a kind of chronic slump, which was the result of its loss of overseas markets and which was intensified by its refusal to devalue the pound in the 1920s and Germany responded by massive inflation, because of the continuing struggle with France over war reparations.

A third great calamity engulfed humanity between 1931 and 1945. The Second World War grew from long-germinating seeds: the Spanish Civil War, the Great Depression, the inequitable Versailles Treaty, the unprecedented scale and carnage of the Great War, the paternalistic and racist colonialism of the European powers (and the seething anger it engendered in colonials and competitors), rapacious American capitalism (also racist), and the dizzying pace of technological change that destabilized traditional patterns of life across the globe.

The direct causes of the war are obvious?the rise of fascism in Italy, National Socialism in Germany and jingoistic militarism in Japan. All three members of the Tripartite Pact (the Axis) had enormous popular support at home. The aggressive policies of the Axis leaders provoked the war. In Asia it began with the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931, in Africa with the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1935, in Europe with the German invasion of Poland in 1939, and in the United States with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 (the U.S. Navy had engaged German submarines in the Atlantic in April and the encounters escalated throughout the year). By 1942, most nations worldwide had declared for either the Axis or the Allies?few countries were neutral.

With a scale and scope previously unseen and unimagined in human history, the conflagration of World War II irrevocably changed the world. By summer?s end in 1945, the world had entered the nuclear age and uncharted territory. A seemingly endless Cold War with its MAD threat (Mutually Assured Destruction) and limited hot wars (Korea and Vietnam) resulted.

Ordinary people the world over keenly felt the shock of total war. Killed, wounded in body and mind, tortured and abused, made homeless, isolated, despairing and afraid, the peoples of the world suffered as never before. As a result of the war, every single person was potentially at risk?war knew no limits.

And yet, within a generation, the world seemed remarkably different. Despite the Cold War, the United States had grown far more prosperous and the material standard of living reached unprecedented heights. A ravaged Europe recovered?with help (the Marshall Plan). Japan rose from the ashes to become the world?s third greatest economy. Throughout Africa and Asia new nations arose from the wreckage of colonialism. Why?

They discussed the idea of the master race, and created a mythology of German heroism that encouraged loyalty to the group and glorified death for the country. Hitler and many Germans like him, was an enthusiastic student of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel who argued that the State ?has the supreme right against the individual, whose supreme duty is to be a member of the State.? Hegel foresaw in the early 1800?s that ?Germany?s hour? would come and that the country?s mission would be to redevelop the world. A German hero would complete this mission. Like Hegel, another German philosopher more directly portrayed the conventionality and obedience necessary for a secure State. Heinrich von Treitschke espoused that it was of no consequence what you thought about anything, just as long as you obeyed German law. Germany?s tradition also produced Friedrich Nietzsche who preached the coming of a master race and the superman who would conquer, impose a glorified state, and purify the master race. Finally, German legends were full of heroes and heroines like Hagen, Siegfried, and Brunhild, who were so superbly depicted in Richard Wagner?s opera, the Nibelungenlied. Heroes such as those, inspired Germans including Hitler, to think of themselves as larger than life and capable of bringing great glory to Germany through both life and death. I do not believe that anything akin to the Holocaust would ever happen in the United States unless it was an unforced issue. For instance people are attracted to different type of people. So when someone finds a spouse they are choosing that person to be with and it is mutual. Today?s physical standards are for everyone to be fit and thin. So with our standards getting higher, the amount of people in this kind of shape are growing as well. The master race of blonde hair, blue eyes, and muscle bound is something that will never happen under a controlled situation besides in the breeding of animals.

Master Race deals with Nazism overtaking German society. In 1933, in Berlin, with a unique blend of nationalism, militarism, and racial theory, Hitler persuaded millions that they were the master race, that they were unique and special, with a special destiny. He promised a more orderly and united society, free of industrial conflict and ripe with opportunityand new jobs. He was a very liked and popular leader at that time.
To build national unity, the Nazi's turned to blame: They blamed the Allies of the First World War were responsible for the country's economic distress, weak leadership of the 1920's contributed to Germany's problems. And then of course they really blamed the Jews. Nazi's drew on old hatred and old jealousies. Horst Slesina recalls that "it was a process which developed slowly, but surely, and took over all sections of the population who had never thought about it before."
Those who were not considered a threat to the German race, their lives improved during this time span, but Jews, blacks, homosexuals, mentally/physically challenged, or a Gypsy were the ones whose lives were not improving.The Nazis were determined to expand their territory, and by 1941 the decision to systematically kill all Jews-the "Final Solution" had been made. After this "Final Solution" was put into order, that is when many Jews were sent to concentration camps and were killed in many numbers, and to the Nazis it was no big deal to kill off as many Jews as they could, they did not feel bad about killing them.
Since 1933, Nazi Germany had sung the rousing songs, and shared the glow of early military success. Twelve years later, May 1945, Germany surrendered unconditionally. Only now would the true cost of the Nazi pursuit of a special racial destiny be exposed. Even today, this time is known as such a terrible time in history, and will never be forgotten.

According to the U.S. Immigration Commission?s Dictionary of Races of People (1911), Anglo-Saxons are at the top of the racial hierarchy while the lowest rung is occupied by the southern Italian ?race.? In 1924 a Virginia law prohibited whites from marrying anyone with ?a single drop of Negro blood.? Virginia was not unique; marriage between whites and blacks was illegal in thirty-eight states. Also in that year, Congress passed the Immigration Act, a series of strict anti-immigration laws calling for the severe restriction of ?inferior? races from southern and eastern Europe. Jim Crow ruled in both law and custom.

By 1935, racial attitudes in Nazi Germany crystallized in the Nuremberg Laws that stripped Jews of the protections of German citizenship and started the descent into the barbarisms of the Holocaust. In addition to claiming the lives of approximately six million Jews, three million non-Jewish Poles were killed during the Holocaust. Over two million Soviet prisoners of war were systematically brutalized and killed. Other victims of the Holocaust included the disabled (Operation Euthanasia), Jehovah's Witnesses, homosexuals, non-fascist political activists, outspoken members of the clergy, and members of the pitifully small German resistance (for example the students of The White Rose). The Nazi program of genocide was also applied to the Roma (Gypsies).

In what ways were American and German racial views similar? How did they differ? Could something akin to the Holocaust have happened in the United States?

On the Line talks about the assembly line coming into our factories and making work a whole lot more effective. The 1920?s were a time where North America became modernized. Whether it was the music, the culture or the growth in technology, this time era is known to most people as the point where America advanced itself to become a world renowned country. An advancement that will be focused on is the Ford Model T. During this time owning a car was a symbol of wealth. Henry Ford, the creator of the Model T, made a system that revolutionized the automobile industry as we know it today. Henry Ford made it possible for people with an average income to own a motor vehicle by creating the assembly line and the theory of mass production. With the help of the Model T, the assembly line was created, but greatly the method of mass production was created because of this too. With the help of the assembly line mass production became to be a way of producing, not only in the United States but all around the world. Products would now be made in bulk and at an efficient rate because of the introduction of the Model T. Another method that was created from all of this was the method of interchangeable parts. Interchangeable parts helped increase the productivity and made tings more efficient.

Although the effects of the Great Depression were most keenly felt in industrialized countries, the economic tsunami spanned the globe. Chilean workers died from starvation as the mining and nitrate industries collapsed. In the United States one in four workers lost their jobs and were unable to find another for years. Former businessmen sold apples on street corners. There was no social ?safety net? in place to help people survive the economic dislocation. The Hoover administration decided to do relatively little in response, believing that the cycle of boom and bust was inherent and unavoidable in the capitalist system.

In the 1932 presidential election, Americans overwhelmingly voted for change. Franklin Roosevelt?s ?New Deal? dramatically addressed the crisis with a series of programs that fundamentally altered the role of government in American life. In his inaugural address, Roosevelt resolutely declared ?that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.? Most Americans were glad that, at last, their government was doing something. Did the New Deal end the depression? Had FDR ?actually saved the country? as Mancil Milligan (and countless others) believed?

Other countries dealt with the Great Depression in different ways: How did Sweden and Great Britain respond to the crisis? How did Germany respond?

I believe Ford was too intrusive with his employees. I believe that if you are a hard worker and prove to be one, you deserve the $5 wage. However, I do see his side of the story. This was during a time of a depression. People who needed money that were good people, not drinking, gambling, or producing out of marriage children should deserve that extra raise. He was trying to keep people?s lives on track and help society by rewarding the people who lived good lives. A lot of people during this time were losing hope and didn?t see reasons to stay with their morals. This was the reason he was giving to his employees to live better lives. If I owned a company I wouldn?t want to be giving bonuses and raises to people who are going out and spending on drugs and gambling it away. I would want to give it to a person who is in desperate need of money to help support his or her family and not waste it. He was trying to give the money to the people who were not going to through that money away at a time was money and jobs were scarce.

The major results of the Peace Conference at the Palace of Versailles were that Germanyhad to be completely disarmed and had to give up the territories that were wanting independece. They also had to take full blame and were required to pay for all the damages and restoration that was needed. Germany's economic status soon plumeted to devistating since they were in debt to so many people, soon they didn't have any money for themselves to help their own people. Germany began to have a hyper inflated economy. The prices were going up daily and the people were going hungry. Six million were unemployed. With looking at the disasterest state the country was in because of the war, Hitler saw a way to take everyone's hopes and dreams of a better country and rose to the top and soon gained power over the country.

Even though Wilson's 14 points had a great purpose and meaned well, it still did not hit on what was the main reason for World War I which I believe is why World War II came so closely after.

The U.S. did not join the League because Senator Henry Cabot Lodge and several other Republican Senators were highly against it. They didn't want to see internationalism and didn't want to be a part of any other country's problems.

I believe the US should have entered into the League of Nations simply because it was their idea to begin with. It was our responsibility to make sure it was followed through with.I think even if the US entered into the League, the war was inevitable. The people of Germany were desperate for food, shelter and hope. Hitler knew exactly what they wanted and needed. Whether the US was in it or not, Hitler was there and hid everything he was doing.

test

On The Line deals with Henry Ford and his concept of mass production. This unit talks about his idea of an assembly line so that more and more cars could be made in a faster amount of time. His employees began feeling the amount of stress the assembly lines brought to their lives. With the expectation of needing more and more cars made, the workers began having to work harder and longer hours. In a sense, the workers became apart of the machine itself. Ford and other employers began to play their workers more money in order to keep them with their company and they large work load. The production techniques used to make cars, radios, biscuits, and other comsumer products could also be used to produce armaments on an unprecedented scale. This capacity to produce arms increased the power gap between industrialized and nonindustrialized nations. In 1941, as a result of a strike at the Rouge plant, which was when workers were given the right to unionize and bargain collectively with management, the Ford Motor Company did the same and entered into a contract with the United Auto Workers that modeled the American industry for the future. This newly formed American industry was a good thing when the United States went into WWII because the most productive workers and modern assembly line in the task of entering the war.

The major results of the Peace Conference are as follows: Geographically, Germany was disarmed, and the Rhineland was demilitarized. Austria was prohibited from ever merging with Germany, Czechslovakia was created as a buffer to the east, and a restored Poland contained the Polish Corridor, which cut through Germany to the Baltic Sea; Economically, Germany was required to accept full responsiblity for World War I and was required to pay reperations equal to all civilian damges resulting from the War; Politically, Clemeceau agreed to the establishment of the League of Nations, and Wilson agreed to Clemenceu's demand for harsh peace against Germany. It is my belief that the League adequately addressed the issues that brought about the Great War. The reason the U.S. did not join the League was because Senator Henry Cabot Lodge and his constituents had strong reservations about Article 10 of the League covenant, and they did not want to be prohited from declaring war, thus they did not join the League. It is also my belief that our participation in would not have prevented World War II. The League was unable to prevent the rise of Hitler and the rearment of Germany because nationalism and imperialisn was prevelant during that time, and they did not react sufficiently to the invasions in 1931 and 1935 against Japan and Ethiopia, which did not give them enough muscle and credibility to disarm Germany.

Following the Armistice, the victorious Allies, United States (Woodrow Wilson), Italy (Vittorio Emanuele Orlando), Great Britian, (Lloyd George), and France (Georges Clemenceau) the ?Big Four? met to draw up the agreement. Germany the defeated power was not asked to join in the agreement process. This factor may have been one the reason that the Treaty did not with stand time. Of course, the secret treaties that were engaged between the victorious countries during the war were deemed as harsh by President Wilson and did not withstand reticule either.

Short-term treaties were placed on Germany with the Treaty of Versailles, Austria with the Treaty of Saint-German, Bulgaria with the Treaty of Neuilly, Hungary with the Treaty of Trianon, and Ottman Empire with the Treaty of Sevres. The League of Nations was formed to meet medium to long-term goals for the countries involved. In reality it solved very little of the problems that actually caused the first war. It did cripple the losing countries economically which aided in the cause for WWII.

The terms and sanctions placed on Germany may have actually opened the door for the rise of National Socialism or the Nazi movement. Germany and its uprising leader Hitler basically recused Germany from the Treaty and League of Nations and began to build an army. The people of Germany were bitter because of sanctions placed on Germany and were looking for leadership that would stand up and fight for a better Germany. The leadership that stood up unfortunately was Hitler.

The Treaty of Versailles required Germany to financially repair the countries that they invaded which could have been with money, ships, trains, livestock and other valuable natural resources. The army was disbanded to 10,000 and much land was taken. This lead to further distress on the country that had been torn apart from war also. This is another factor that leads to Hitler?s rise. He dead lettered most of the treaty, which gained the people loyalty. Germany alone lost approximately 13% of it European domain and an entire colonial empire.

The United States Senate would not ratify the Treaty of Versailles and therefore never joined the League of Nations even though President Wilson Fourteen Points was the center of same. The Senate believed that this would cause United States to be dragged into another World War.

Employers definitely should not have any say over their workers' private lives. The reason being is whatever a individual does outside of the workplace is that individual's own private matter. I believe as long as one is not slandering the name of the company, the private lives of workers', should be just that, private. An employee's personal life has not affect whatsover on how a person performs or fufills their duties at work. Additionally, I believe Ford's dictation of how a person should live, i.e., refraining from gambling, drinking, family size, are absolutely ludicris. These demands are indeed intrusive. As it relates to Ford's attempt to force assimilation on his workers (American values), is intrusive as well. As stated in the readings, the goverment's demand as well as employer's demand to force assimilation was met with hostility with the evolving population. This individuals wanted to keep and maintain their cultural differences because it kept them connected to their homeland as well as distinctly different. The freedom to pratice one's own beliefs helps them to maintain individuality.

Red Flag-Lost Peace Blog

The major results of the Peace Conference at the Palace of Versailles were that Germany had to give up territories which lead to the springtime of Nations during the 1920?s. Economically, the Germans were devastated by the punitive damages they had to pay to the Allies which would take seventy years. They had a hyper inflated economy. The prices were going up daily and the people were going hungry. Six million were unemployed. When looking at how the Peace Conference affected German politics, it gave Hitler an easier way to gain power. He gave the Germans hope again.

The treaty and the League did not adequately address the issues that brought about the Great War. They ignored the German dissatisfaction which I believe lead to World War II.

The U.S. did not join the League because the Congress voted not to ratify the treaty. Americans feared that being apart of the League of Nations would draw them into another unwanted war. They were an ocean away and did not want to be in the middle of the European problems.

Could U.S. participation have prevented World War II? Possibly, since Wilson in his first proposals of peace did not seem to the German?s to be as harsh as the final draft. The German may not have been so desperate to believe Hitler?s rhetoric. Probably, the war would have still happened. Americans more than likely did not have any better listening skills than the rest of the nations.

The League was unable to prevent the rise of Hitler and the rearmament of Germany because they created the perfect environment in Germany for Hitler to take power. The treaty was so harsh on the Germany people that they became desperate for hope and change. The Germans were starving and six million were unemployed. Hitler came along with hope and a new life back on top. The League had no teeth to enforce any laws or the treaty. Germany faced no consequence for breaking the treaty.

Amy Cox (Wiley)

Henry Ford?s concept of mass production was honed to perfection in the early decades of the 20th century with the Model T. The techniques of the moving assembly line brought a supreme efficiency to the use of labor, materials, time and space. Ford passed some of the savings on to the customer. Although the first Model T was sold for $850, the price eventually dropped to under $300. Ford produced the Model T from 1908 until 1927, building fifteen million cars.

The dehumanizing production conditions led to a yearly employee turnover rate greater than 400 percent and daily absenteeism of fifteen to twenty percent. To combat this ?waste,? Ford introduced the Five Dollar Day in 1914 as an incentive to lure good workers. [Average daily wage in the automobile industry at the time was $2.94!] To determine who was ?fit? to receive the $5.00 wage, the company organized the Sociological Department to examine the private lives of employees. Investigators from the Sociological Department visited workers' homes and suggested ways to achieve the company's standards for "better morals," sanitary living conditions, and "habits of thrift and saving.?

Should employers have any say over their workers? private lives? Were Henry Ford?s efforts to insure his workers learned English, lived in single-family homes, didn?t drink or gamble, and adopted American values appropriate or too intrusive?

Sorry- accidentally posted my writing assignment to the blog...

***This entry was also made at the Memphis ecourse site***



War Propaganda was one of most widely used tactic to entice young men to come to the aid of their country. Slogans used in the United Stated such as that ?Our country will always be proudest of those who answered the FIRST CALL? (Leslie-Judge Co.1917) was one of many that encourage those who could to sign up to fight. The enticement was the reason that many young men joined their country in the fight but did not have any idea of what to expect. This same young men that spoke on the PBS series ?Killing Fields? would not give you the same grandeur of the War or the cause.

The conditions that these men were expected to live and fight in were deplorable at best which had to take away from the courageous optimistic feelings that they entered the war.

The United Stated did come to the rescue in a since as this war could have gone much longer with millions of more lives lost. We entered the war with fresh, healthy bodies of young men who had not yet lost their vigor to fight. This vigor would bring fight back to those who were in despair over the promise of a short war. In addition, our force commanders kept the troops together. By the time United Stated entered the War, the non accomplishing war tactics of sending in troops knowing one can not win, had all but ended.

Germany may have fought to end but the troops were discouraged and beaten. If Germany had stuck to their original plan, the war may have ended in very different manner with Germany and allies victorious. Furthermore, they did not expect the United States to act as quickly nor did they expect as many men to be sent to fight. With nowhere to go and now out gunned the spread-thinned German army and allies had been beaten with great empires l

The Age of Hope was a time of mass interest in science. New ideas and new inventions fueled this time. Europe was having its own industrial revolution at this time and the people were living better than ever. Electricity had come about and it was used in every shape and fashion in order to make living better for everyone. Even the poor could go and watch movies. It was a great time for most everybody. Most people were starting to use electricity for everything, heat, entertainment, and even just to show off wealth. There were huge displays at the fairs and people were loving everything. This period was called the age of hope for a reason, it was called this because it was a time were even the poorest of the poor could wish for the greatest of all things, and not have to know that they are just imagining it. It might actually happen one day.

Killing Fields

During the War there were many soldiers ready and willing to go to war for their country. New weapons called for new tactics. Most of the soldiers didn?t get to see these new tactics because they used the same tactics but with the new advancements in automatic rifles, it sent them to their death. After seeing how these new weapons could be used, the war was taken over by slaughtering soldiers everyday on the battle field. Fox holes and trenches came into use and many generals planned out every move with great thought, for it could be there last.

As in the, "Age of Hope," Europeans were being to evolve and adopt the principle of Liberalism. They were beginning to demand social equality and believed that if they went to war, they would not only be able to express themselves freely but, to physically defend themselves and their beliefs. I believe that that the real reason that Europeans were so eager to go to war is because they believed that if they all banded together and fought for a just cause they would inevitably win the war; it was just a matter of going for it and getting it over with. Additionally, there had been a sense of peace and tranqulity throughout and soldiers were eagerly anticipated a victory that was sure to come quickly and easily. The experiences of ordinary soldiers and their expectations were vastly different. As stated in the broadcast, soldiers expected excitement adventure, and glory. However, when the soldiers actually began fighting, it was a different story. According to the readings, in training soldiers were taught how to properly salute an officer, which was a skill, or lack thereof, that could be utilized in the trenches on the battlefield. There was fierce fighting and soldiers were dying by the millions, due to poor training. The conditions of the actual war was not expected. Men would be shot and left for dead and because so many of them were dying, their carcasses were eaten by rats and left to decompose in the trenches. Food was scarce and soldiers were forced to eat horsemeat to gain substinence; men suffered from lice and inhaled poisonous gas. The Great War finally ended in favor of the U.S. and the Allies. The reason the war ended is because Germany ran out of supplies and their defense was weakened because they were outnumbered by the U.S. and the French closed the Belgium frontier, which resulted in them losing their main supplies: oil and food. The American troops indeed saved the day. It is my belief that the allies truly won. They outnumbered the Germans and worked a skill plan to bring Germany to its knees.