Civil War History - Secession and PoliticsWas it Slavery, or was it States Rights? Perhaps it was the election of Lincoln? What were the real reasons for Southern Secession and what were the political issues in this time of war? Find your answers here in the Secession and Politics Disussion.
>David,
Strident?
Loud, harsh, grating, or shrill; discordant
This an insult? <
It's a healthy anglo saxon word. Discord to the fabric of the Union.
I don't personally insult; do you find disagreement insulting?
>"Secession isn't free. It isn't law."
Show me the law that demanded perpetuity of the union. <
I don't see where I have to. Constitutional process is federated with primacy in commonwealth affairs yielded to the national Congress. Nothing in the law of the land proscribes a state from walking out of the Union. But nothing in the law dictates how the Union will treat such an act. And such an act is hostile to the interest of the Union.
>"I can only do what Lincoln did in fact do and take the opposite tack; that secession is an outlaw act against the interests of the Union."
Sounds familar. I believe other countries had same idea. USSR for one. And the Computer on the film 2001. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Dave" <
Okay Tommy. You want to point out the Soviet Union as a model, it is predicated on your bias. Mine is that any state with the force of its laws and the political will to maintain itself, will do so. The Unions volunteer army was as fervid and sanctimonious as the CSA's. The union remains pluralistic, federated, and ONE UNION.
Mine is that any state with the force of its laws and the political will to maintain itself, will do so.
Might make right eh? Good to be on the winning side. Then you can afford to be self righteous.
And yes, I do feel being called strident quite isulting. But if you contend it was not meant to be insulting I will take your word for it. For now. I have no problem with anyone disagreeing with me about anything. But being called strident has nothing to do with that as far as I can discern. Nor are such comments condusive to debate.
(Message edited by aphillbilly on September 03, 2004)
I would argue that a nation is a group of people who decide to make common cause because, at the time they reach this decision, their political and social aspirations are compatible and they feel that they are collectively distinct from any other country. A nation is thus clearly self-defining: it requires no agreement or permission from any other body of people in order to exist.
So the only purpose that the nation state serves, its only justification for existing, is that it meets the aspirations of all its constituent parts and they continue to consent to be part of it. The nation state is the creature of the people(s); it has the subordinate role in the relationship.
What happens when the various elements which comprise the nation cease to agree on the direction it should take? When one or more parties decide that their aspirations are no longer fulfilled within the existing union? The only conclusion consistent with a love of liberty is that the dissenting parties should go their own ways. The alternative conclusion is that the machinery of the state may be employed to annihilate those people who no longer wish to be part of it. And this violence is justified on the basis that there is no clear legal precedent for a peaceful separation.
In essence, the argument is that the United States government had to kill and coerce millions of Americans because it wasn’t possible to locate the precise paragraph, or sub-clause, in the Constitution which would allow a peaceful solution. Put the law books aside for one moment and consider this as a simple matter of morality. Was it right to slaughter people for wanting to govern themselves? And, if it was right to do this in 1861, would you be prepared to support the same use of lethal violence in a few years time if a group of American states announced that they intended a peaceful separation from the U.S.A.? Could you really stomach it?
In the 1770s British farmers and merchants in the American colonies took up arms against the government because they felt their interests had diverged to a decisive degree from those of their fellow Britons in the mother country. How ironic that the grandchildren of these farmers & merchants should cling to centralized power with a zeal which would have done credit to the worst of the Romanovs. How did the spirit of liberty become so badly perverted in two short generations?
Rest assured that the above was written in a friendly spirit and with the ready smile of a mischievous foreigner.
>In the 1770s British farmers and merchants in the American colonies took up arms against the government because they felt their interests had diverged to a decisive degree from those of their fellow Britons in the mother country. How ironic that the grandchildren of these farmers & merchants should cling to centralized power with a zeal which would have done credit to the worst of the Romanovs. How did the spirit of liberty become so badly perverted in two short generations?
Rest assured that the above was written in a friendly spirit and with the ready smile of a mischievous foreigner.
Bill <
Gee Bill, when in British history was England such a magnanimous hippie commune of open minded libertarians?
Lets get serious. No nation state provides for its own self destruction in law or practice. I don't recall the Empire having any qualms about asserting its moral and military domain until the exchequer went belly up?
Those sanctimonious 18th Century founders weren't interested in Democracy. They briddled at mercantilism, and longed for greater profits and empire for themselves. They achieved that end in an 8 years long war that they managed to pimp France into turning global.
The victors were not as viciously banal as the French Revolutionaries and discarded a Confederation Charter that threatened disestablishment of what they had gained, because the individual state governments were incapable of functioning to mutual common advantage. The states themselves agreed that they were incompetent and submitted to a common government; unwillingly but decisively.
Madisons federated Republic was a trade off, beautifully arcane; worthy of Aquinas. A Republic honoring its colonial roots and wedding its demos to the individual states politically, but at the same time declaring that it has a national citizenry with high order rights embedded in a document that transcends the old colonial states.
Native Americans didn't want to have their liberties encroached upon. African slaves didn't want their liberties encroached upon. Mexicans and Spaniards expected their sovereignty to be honored; and we invaded Canada twice. Lets not over romanticize the spirit of liberty; she is just as likely to be an ugly crone kissing the bloody lips of a severed head of one her victims.
The Civil War was a national crisis over the loss of a national election. It was a subversion of Constitutional process. That challenge was met as much to defend the universality of the Constitution as it was to do anything else.
Mischieviousness noted. Forgive my Yankee dourness reinforced by 20 years of bureaucratic scribbling....
Article 1, Section 10-1: No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation. Does this article alone not prohibit states from forming their own government?
Shawna, let's change history just a moment for the sake of discussion. Let's say that SC declared secession in the wake of the Tariff of Abominations, and the US government said, fare thee well.
If SC decided to enter into a trade treaty with the country of Texas a few years later, would that have violated the Constitution?
You want to point out the Soviet Union as a model, it is predicated on your bias. Mine is that any state with the force of its laws and the political will to maintain itself, will do so.
Yes, I see once again, it boils down to might makes right. I find the doctrine of might makes right to be thoroughly contradictory to everything our republic stood for. And I can not imagine the Madisons or Jeffersons as proponents of such naked despotism.
"Force [is] the vital principle and immediate parent of
despotism." --Thomas Jefferson: 1st Inaugural, 1801
"To coerce a State would be one of the maddest projects ever devised: no State would ever suffer itself to be used as the instrument of coercing another." ~ Alexander Hamilton, New York
"To coerce a State would be more like a declaration of war than an
infliction of punishment, and would probably be considered by the
party attacked as a dissolution of all previous compacts."
~ James Madison, Virginia
"The majority, oppressing an individual, is guilty of a crime, abuses its strength, and by acting on the law of the strongest breaks up the foundations of society."
-- Thomas Jefferson
"The first question that offers itself is, whether the general form and aspect of the government be strictly republican. It is evident that no other form would be reconcilable with the genius of the people of America, and with the fundamental principles of the Revolution, or with that honorable determination which animates every votary of freedom, to rest all our political experiments on the capacity of mankind for self-government. If the plan of the Convention, therefore, be found to depart from the republican character, its advocates must abandon it, as no longer defensible."
-No. 39 of "The Federalist," James Madison
"Among a people consolidated into one nation, this supremacy is completely vested in the national legislature. Among communities united for particular purposes, it is vested partly in the general and partly in the municipal legislatures. In the former case, all local authorities are subordinate to the supreme; and may be controlled, directed, or abolished by it at pleasure. In the latter, the local or municipal authorities form distinct and independent portions of the supremacy, no more subject, within their respective spheres, to the general authority, than the general authority is subject to them, within its own sphere. In this relation, then, the proposed government cannot be deemed a national one; since its jurisdiction extends to certain enumerated objects only, and leaves to the several States a residuary and inviolable sovereignty over all other objects.” – Federalist #39
I completely understand your point and the answer is obvious. But if the right to secession existed under the Constitution, wouldn't the opposition to it have been less severe? Abraham Lincoln was one of the most brilliant lawyers of his time and his legal arguments in support of invasion were of the highest quality.
What I do find strange and less than honest, was President Lincoln's choice of words ("there shall be no violence unless it be forced upon the national security etc.)in his Inaugural Address. This almost guaranteed that war would come.
>Yes, I see once again, it boils down to might makes right. I find the doctrine of might makes right to be thoroughly contradictory to everything our republic stood for. And I can not imagine the Madisons or Jeffersons as proponents of such naked despotism. <
What it boils down to are the operating principles of the Constitution of a federated Republic where life, liberty, equality under the law and the efficacy of a Union dedicated to those principles is at stake. Despotism may be intolerable, but consensus and abiding by the law of the land is part and parcel of representational government. Quiting the system, or selectively repressing the rights of undesirable democratic tendencies to maintain control over your electorate is no less despotic than the impulse to Union that you seem to think should have dropped its pants and put its hands in the air because slaveholders declared the Union to be null.
Andy Jackson and Zacharay Taylor both said there would be secession over their dead and bleeding bodies. Such a pity there were four nitwits before Lincoln...
At the end of the Haynie-Webster debate, Haynie very proudly sent a copy of the speeches to Madison for him to admire, as author of Virginia nullification address. Madison sent it back to Haynie, telling him he was an idiot if he thought that Madison/Jeffersons tiff with Adams had anything to do with disunion.
Did the south worry about despotism when it demanded that the rest of the country silence and repress abolitionists as disturbers of the peace? All depends on just whose ox is getting gored...
"Europe has always been a mess throughout history. There have been dictators after dictators taking over their neighbors... fights between borders... In fact- Can you trust Europe today? they have been so volitle throughout history it is disgusting. In fact, every continent around the world that has multiple nation states living side by side has had many more bloody wars that we had here. "
"What have we done since the twentieth century that have not been for the good of others? "
Frank,
To that, here is my rebuttal
1863- Japan- On July 16, US forces attacked Shimonoseki, Japan, to avenge an insult to the American flag. The attacking troops were from the USS Wyoming.
1864- Japan - US forces were used to intimidate and extort concessions demanded by the US Minister to Japan against Yedo. The campaign lasted from July 14 to August 3.
1866- Mexico - In an act of unjustified aggression, US troops under General Sedgewick, took the Mexican city of Matamoras in November. In three days the US troops were ordered to withdraw and the President of the United States repudiated this attack
1866- Mexico - In an act of unjustified aggression, US troops under General Sedgewick, took the Mexican city of Matamoras in November. In three days the US troops were ordered to withdraw and the President of the United States repudiated this attack
Midway Islands - On August 28, Captain William Reynolds of the Lackawanna took formal possession of these islands for the U.S.
1870- Panama - On February 22, a US naval force comprising the USS Nipsic, the USS Nyack and the USS Guard raided Panama at Caldonia Bay to survey the Isthmus of Darien for a canal. This operation was known as the "Darien Expedition" and commanded by Commander Thomas O. Selfridge Jr.
1873- Columbia, Bay of Panama - US forces entered the area May 7 through 22 and again September 23 to October 9 to protect American economic interests during hostilities over control of the government of the State of Panama.
1893- Independent Hawaii - US troops are dispatched to Hawaii to support the provisional government of Sanford B. Dole against the native Hawaiians. Dole and the other American sugar growers had earlier overthrown the native Hawaiian monarchy. US troops remained in Hawaii from January 16 to April 1.
1895- Columbia - During March 8 through 9 US troops land at Bocas del Toro to protect American interests during an attack on the town by a Columbian bandit.
1898- Spain - The Spanish-American War. Spain withdrew from Cuba and ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States.
1899- Philippines - In the wake of the Spanish-American War and the ceding of the Philippines to the United States, the Filipinos, demanding their independence, revolt. Large numbers of US forces are used to crush the native revolt and the war lasts until 1902. The Filipinos, under Emilio Aguinaldo had supported the Americans against Spain, but when the terms of the peace treaty were made known, the Filipinos turned against the United States, their new imperialist overlords. Samoa US troops land in Samoa to enforce US interests and end up taking part in a bloody conflict over the royal succession on the island. China - Boxer Rebellion
Wake Islands - Commander Taussig of the USS Bennington formally takes over the Wake Islands for the United States.
Columbia, State of Panama - US troops land to protect US financial interests and keep transit lines open during serious revolutionary disturbances, November 20 to December 4. The troops from the USS Iowa and the USS Machias actively suppressed popular Panamanian demonstrations.
1903- Panama - Once negotiations with Colombia collapsed over Panama, ten US warships aided a Panamanian rebellion against Colombia, resulting in the de jure independence of Panama, although in reality the state remained a US asset until 1999. US troops were landed on November 4, 1903 and stayed until 1914 to enforce US interests and oversee the construction of the Panama Canal.
1905- Mexico - US marines aided Mexican dictator Porfirio Díaz in crushing a worker's strike at Sonora, Mexico.
1906-Cuba - US troops occupied Cuba to "restore order and establish a stable government" against a popular insurrection on September 6. They remained until 1909.
Philippines - US troops from the USS Pampanga fought pro-independence insurgents against the American colonial regime on Jolo Island. One US soldier was awarded the Medal of Honor.
1909- Nicaragua - After liberal president José Santos Zelaya has the audacity to propose that American mining and fruit companies in Nicaragua be required to pay taxes, and worse, refused to do business exclusively with American firms, opting to allow European firms into Nicaragua - the US forces him to resign through threat of force. He is replaced by Adolfo Dííaz, who before his career as an American puppet president was the treasurer of one of the major American mining firms in Nicaragua.
1911- Honduras - US troops land in Honduras in support of former president Manuel Bonilla against the legitimate regime of Miguel Dáávila, whose liberalism was opposed by Washington. Bonilla's revolt was financed by American banana tycoon Sam Zemurray and led by the American mercenary, Lee Christmas, who became Commander-in-Chief of the Honduran Army.
Philippines - A large force of US troops landed to fight insurgents against the American colonial regime at Basilan. Five US troops were awarded Medals of Honor.
China - US forces land at various locations to guard US property, protect westerners, and enforce US interests. Troops were stationed at Wuchang, Hnakow, the US cable station at Shanghai, Nanking, Chinkiang, Taku, and elsewhere.
1912- Cuba - US troops land at Kentucky Island (August 24-26) and Camp Nicholson (August 26-30) to enforce US interests by crushing a revolt mistreated and heavily exploited sugar workers.
1914- Mexico - Mexican refusal to salute the U.S. flag provokes the shelling of Veracruz by a U.S. battleship and the seizure of parts of the city by U.S. Marines. The entire American Atlantic fleet provided troops to create the Naval Brigade, comprised of the 1st & 2nd Seaman's Regiments for the amphibious invasion which was launched on April 22. After three days of fighting 15 US troops were killed and 56 wounded. 28 Medals of Honor were awarded to US troops. This US attack on mexico results in the resignation of Mexican President Victoriano Huerta who was viewed as troublesome to Washington.
1915- Haiti - US troops land on July 18 to suppress a popular insurrection and remain in Haiti until 1934, turning Haiti into an American protectorate. The US installed president of Haiti was banned from the U.S. Officers' Club in Port-au-Prince because he was black.
1916- Mexico - In the sole act of aggression by Latin America against the United States, Pancho Villa attacked Columbus, New Mexico, killing 17 Americans. US troops immediate respond.
1917- Cuba - US troops landed to enforce American interests - securing the delivery of Cuban sugar to the US during World War I. Most of the US forces left in 1919, however a small force (two companies) remained at Camaguey until 1922. 1921- Guatemala - US President Calvin Coolidge incites Guatemalan rebels to overthrow President Carlos Herrera in the interests of the United Fruit Company
Panama - US naval forces demonstrated off the coast. The show of force was meant to warn Panama against going to war with Costa Rica over a border dispute.
Costa Rica - US naval forces demonstrated off the coast. The show of force was meant to warn Costa Rica against going to war with Panama over a border dispute.
Kingman Reef - On May 10 the US annexed Kingman Reef
1926- Nicaragua - The coup d'tat of General Chamorro aroused popular unrest. US forces first landed from May 7 to June 5. A second landing starting on August 27, 1926 was maintained until 1933. US troops were used to crush popular opposition to the government. The US Secretary of State (Kellogg) justified this suppression of popular will on the grounds of a "Nicaraguan-Mexican-Soviet" conspiracy to establish "Mexican-Bolshevist hegemony" within striking range of the US Panama Canal
Continued
(Message edited by aphillbilly on September 04, 2004)
1930- Dominican Republic - The US trained and backed Rafael Leonidas Trujillo establishes himself as dictator.
1932- Iowa Formers - As state officials roamed through the country side testing cattle for bovine tuberculosis and killing the animals found to be so infected, hard pressed Iowa farmers suffering from the Great Depression began to resist. This began the "Cow War". In September, two state veterinarians, escorted by 65 policemen confronted some four hundred farmers. The farmers, prevented from stopping the state officials opted instead to attack their empty cars. Gov. Dan Turner declared martial law in Cedar County and used the Iowa National Guard to crush the revolt.
American Veterans - Needy veterans formed the "Bonus Army" to demand soldier's bonuses promised earlier and marched on Washington DC. After refusing to vacate government property and a bloody clash with District of Columbia police, President Hoover called in Federal troops which broke the demonstration
1933- Iowa Farmers - Iowa farmers formed the Farm Holiday Association to resist the forced sale of their farms. In April, the group attacked a judge in plymouth County, dragging him out of the courthouse and beating him. Nearby, in Crawford County, a large crowd of dispossessed farmers attacked state police at a forced farm sale. Gov. Herring declared martial law in both Plymouth and Crawford Counties and called out the Iowa National Guard. Major General Matthew A. Tinley was appointed commander of the district and hundreds of troops from the 133rd Infantry and 168th Infantry were deployed to crush the farmer's protest. The troops imposed curfew, travel restrictions and sweep operations against disenfranchised farmers. The revolt was quickly crushed once the troops intervened against the farmers.
1934- Ohio Factory Workers - The Electric Auto-Lite Strike in Toledo, Ohio, saw two strikers killed and over two hundred wounded by the National Guard. Some 1,300 National Guard troops, including eight rifle companies and three machine gun companies, were used to crush the strike.
Anti-Union Terrorists} - Once the Minneapolis Teamsters strike began, anti-Union terrorists under the umbrella of the "Citizens Alliance" immediately engaged in strike breaking activities against the workers. After a number of clashes between workers and terrorists, in which at least two workers were killed, Governor Floyd B. Olson called out the Minnesota National Guard to restore the peace. The "Citizens Alliance" was broken and the Teamsters won the right to organize in Minneapolis.
1935- Canada - The US Army and G-2 intelligence developed a comprehensive plan for the invasion and conquest of Canada. In February 1935, the War Department arranged a Congressional appropriation of $57 million dollars to build three border air bases for the purposes of pre-emptive surprise attacks on Canadian air fields. In August 1935, the US held its largest peacetime military manoeuvres in history, with 36,000 troops converging at the Canadian border south of Ottawa, and another 15,000 held in reserve in Pennsylvania. The plan also authorized the immediate first use of poison gas against Canadians and to use strategic bombing to destroy Halifax if it could not be captured
1937- Nicaragua - With US approval and tacit support, the Somoza Family gained control over Nicaragua - The legitimate government of Juan Sacasa was overthrown by the National Guard, led by General Anastasio Somoza. Somoza appointed himself President and acquired dictatorial powers. Members of his family ruled Nicaragua for the next forty years
1938- Iowa Workers - The Iowa National Guard was used to break two worker's strikes. One against the Maytag plant at Newton and the other was against the Swift packing plant at Sioux City.
1941- Japan - On December 8, one day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States declares war on Japan, thereby entering World War II. On December 11, Germany and Italy declare war on the United States as part of their agreement with Japan. This brings the United States into the Allied Powers in full.
Germany - Months before the US formally entered World War II, on April 10, the USS Niblack attacked a German U-boat. This was the first engagement between US and German forces related to, but not part of, World War II.
1942- Axis Powers - On November 8, US forces landed in French North Africa under General Eisenhower. In the Pacific, General Douglas MacArthur was placed in command of all Allied forces.
1943- Axis Powers - World War II continued. In 1943 the US shipped 6500 planes, 138,000 motor vehicles, and tons of steel and machinery to the Soviet Union. This enabled the Soviets to launch their successful offensives against Germany in 1943. Allied forces, including Americans, invaded Sicily on July 10. On September 3, the Allied invasion entered into southern Italy under General Eisenhower. On September 3, Italy surrendered, although the Germans stepped in and took much of northern Italy, which was placed under Mussolini.
African Americans - In Detroit, a major race riot developed involving an estimated 100,000 people, whites and blacks. The riots were suppressed by the US Army.
Honduras - The United States embassy begins actively aiding dictator Tiburcio Caríías Andino in silencing domestic dissent as being contrary to the war effort. Among the first victims was the liberal El Cronista newspaper.
1944- Axis Powers - World War II continued. Allied forces invaded central Italy. On June 6, the Normandy invasion began. By the end of the year, most of France was liberated from Germany. Allied forces, led by the US, began bombing Japan proper.
1945- Axis Powers - World War II continued. Allied forces, spearheaded by Americans, entered Germany by February. Anglo-American forces liberated northern Italy from the German backed puppet regime of Mussolini. On May 1, the Battle of Berlin began. May 8 was "V E Day", or "Victory in Europe Day". On August 6, the United States destroyed Hiroshima in the world's first nuclear attack. On August 9, a second nuclear bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. On September 2, Japan formally surrendered. However, the US state of war with Germany was maintained until 1951.
Korea - After the December 27, 1945, Moscow Conference, the United States established a military government over South Korea which remained in power until 1948. However, on September 6, 1945, the people of South Korea had established the popular People's Republic of South Korea. This government was popularly elected by several regional governing committees that had been administrating food distribution and keeping order. However, with the arrival of US troops, this popular government was crushed and the military government was established under the command of Lieutenant General John R. Hodge.
Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh, who was ill with malaria is saved by a US Office of Strategic Services (OSS, forerunner of the CIA) team. Later in the year, in September, an OSS team led by Colonel A. Peter Dewey landed in Saigon to collect intelligence. On September 26, 1945, Col. Dewey was killed in an ambush in Saigon. Both the French and the Vietminh blamed each other for the assassination. In view of how the situation developed, later the US adopted the position that the Vietminh were responsible. This was the first American killed in the Vietnam conflict.
1946- Panama - The US Army opens the notorious "School of the Americas" in US controlled Panama to train Latin American right-wing terrorists in the arts of torture, terrorism, insurrection, economic sabotage, and other skills.
1947- Greece - During the Greek Civil War, the United States firmly supported the neo-fascist government in Athens against the people of Greece. In the last five months of 1947, the US sent 74,000 tons of military equipment to the Greek rightists, including artillery, dive bombers, and stockpiles of napalm. 250 US Army officers were also sent to Greece, under the command of General James Van Fleet to serve as "advisors" to the right-wing forces. Van Fleet developed what later bacame a standard policy against popular insurrections - the policy of forcibly removing thousands of rural Greeks in an effort to isolate the popular guerrillas and remove their base of support. This US military involvement continued until the popular Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) called for a cease-fire in 1949.
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(Message edited by aphillbilly on September 04, 2004)
1950- Korea - The United States begins its "police action" intervention in Korea, popularly known as the Korean War on June 27. US General Douglas MacArthur was appointed commander in Korea on July 8. By September 13 the US and South Koreans launched a major offensive successfully reversing much of North Korea's earlier advances. On October 9, US forces crossed the 38th parallel, thereby invading North Korea. However, a North Korean counter-offensive on November 1, began to drive the US forces back. After another American offensive was initiated on November 24, substantial Chinese forces intervened on behalf of the North. By the end of 1950, the Chinese\North Koreans had successfully driven the American\South Koreans back to the 38th parallel.
Vietnam - After the United States recognized Boa Dai's regime, the united States began subsidizing the French. At the same time, the Chinese began subsidizing the Vietminh. On August 3, a Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG Indochina) of US Special Forces arrived in Saigon. This early team did not play a direct combat role, merely an "advirsory" one and they complimented the ever growing number of US political, diplomatic, and economic advisors flooding into South Vietnam. By September 17, the 128 MAAG soldiers began supervising the French use of US provided military equipment. By the end of 1950, the United States was paying for half of France's war expenditure in Vietnam.
1951- Korea - The Korean War continued. A major Chinese\North Korean offensive resulted in Seoul being taken on January 4. On January 25, American\South Korean forces launched a limited offensive. On March 14, the American\South Korean forces retook Seoul. On April 3 the American\South Koreans reinvaded North Korea. General MacArthur was relieved of command on April 11 and succeeded by General Matthew B. Ridgeway because MacArthur demanded that the President should launch a full nuclear strike against both North Korea and China. A Chinese\North Korean counter-offensive that began on May 15 generally failed.
Iran - The US Central Intelligence Agency succeeded in overthrowing the government of the democratically elected Mohammed Mossadegh by means of a military coup after he threatened to nationalize British Petroleum holdings in Iran. The democratic government was replaced by the brutal dictatorship of the Pahlevi Shah of Iran, whose CIA trained secret police force, SAVAK, brutally crushed all opposition and popular dissent.
Canada - As part of its WMD testing program, the US disseminated potentially toxic zinc cadmium sulfide throughout downtown Winnepeg, Canada.
1954- Guatemala - President Eisenhower funded a right-wing military coup against the Indian-dominated popular government of Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala. Arbenz' error had been in expropriating 234,000 acres of land owned by United Fruit although he offered the company compensation for the land. The popular government had been legally elected and was overthrown by a mercenary force that had been trained by the CIA in Honduras and Nicaragua and supported by four US fighter planes flown by US pilots. After the invasion, Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas, who had received US military training at Fort Leavenworth, KS earlier, was installed as dictator. Armas, once installed in power, returned all 234,000 acres of land to the Rockefeller-owned United Fruit Company, abolished the tax on interest and dividends to foreign investors, eliminated the secret ballot, and jailed thousands of political critics. Not surprisingly, CIA Director Allan Dulles was also a shareholder in United Fruit.
1956- China - Starting in 1956, the CIA began financing, supporting, and supplying the Tibetan resistance movement against the Chinese. Most of the Tibetan resistance fighters came from the eastern region of Kham. The operation, codenamed "St. Circus", largely involved the training of Tibetan resistance fighters at Saipan and Camp Hale, Colorado, where they were taught guerrilla warfare. Once trained, the Tibetan fighters would be airdropped by the CIA into Tibet with weapons and equipment, where they were supposed to link up with other resistance fighters and the Dalai Lama's government in Lhasa. After the Chinese crackdown on the Tibetans and the Dalai Lama was forced to flee Tibet, the CIA backed resistance fighters moved their base of operations to Mustang, Nepal, where they continued to launch attacks on the Chinese. Lhamo Tsering became the chief field officer for the CIA in Tibet and Mustang. At its height, the CIA maintained some 2,000 Tibetan resistance fighters, structured in a conventional military organization, at the base at Mustang. In 1969 the CIA abruptly dropped all support for the Tibetan resistance. Although the resistance managed to struggle on until 1974, the lack of US financing and supplies after 1969 eroded their effectiveness.
1957- Indonesia - After years of disinformation campaigns, and attempt to use ****ographic films as a blackmail device, and finanacing President Sukarno's political opposition, the CIA launched direct operations against the Indonesian government. The CIA set up headquarters in Singapore, training facilities in the Philippines, and other bases in the region. The CIA began a massive campaign to arm political rebels in Indonesia. US Navy submarines began transporting rebel infiltraitors into Sumatra and US Air Force planes were used to air drop weapons and equipment to rebel forces already in the country. US forces from the Seventh Fleet also went ashore.
Iran - In 1957 the CIA, along with British intelligence, created the SAVAK secret police for the Shah of Iran. SAVAK quickly became an enormous intelligence monstrosity, infiltrating all aspects of Iranian society as well as running extensive networks abroad, largely focused on Iranian students overseas. Virtually independent from the start, the Shah himself had to create a separate "Special Intelligence Bureau" based in one of his palaces just to keep tabs on SAVAK. SAVAK operated as a virtual independent government in Iran, running all its own facilities and lacking virtually any oversight. The organization also became notorious for its extensive use of various torture techniques against any and all opponents of the Shah's regime, regardless of orientation. After the popular riots and demonstrations against the Shah's brutal police state in 1978, SAVAK responded with a massive crackdown, which killed some 12,000 to 15,000 Iranians and wounded\maimed up to another 50,000. The organization was finally outlawed and dismantled after the Islamic Revolution and most of its leadership that remained in Iran was executed. Those abroad were given safe haven by the United States and Britain. Many of them came to lead many of the Iranian monarchist exile groups. Throughout the entire brutal life of SAVAK, it remained closely related to supported and 'advised' by the American CIA.
Laos - The CIA's Civil Air Transport (CAT, also known as "Air America") began its permanent presence in Laos on July 1, 1957.
1958- China - After the Chinese government began shelling the rebel islands of Quemoy and Little Quemoy (under control of the Nationalist rebels in Taiwan), the US deployed an aircraft carrier and four destroyers to Taiwan to defend the rebels. On September 8, the US ships escorted rebel supply ships to the islands under Chinese attack, and the Chinese, opting not to confront the United States, withheld their fire, allowing the convoy safe passage.
Lebanon - Eight thousand US troops are landed in Lebanon at the request of Jordan and President Chamoun of Lebanon in reaction to the July 14, coup in Iraq. The US troops made sure that the pro-American government was not overthrown by the people. But by November, through a UN negotiated settlement, the US troops were withdrawn.
Indonesia - The rebellion that the CIA began organizing in 1957 finally erupted in Indonesia. CIA pilots supported the rebel offensives with bombing and strafing missions on the Indonesian government forces. The Indonesian military attache to Washington, Col. Alex Kawilarung, defected from his country and became the CIA's frontman leading the rebel forces against President Sukarno. The CIA bombing intensified on May 15 when CIA pilots bombed the Ambon marketplace on a Sunday morning, killing hundreds of Christians on their way to church. On May 18, the Indonesians successfully downed one of the CIA planes and captured its pilot alive. Allen Lawrence Pope, an Air Force pilot during the Korean war and CIA pilot involved in supplying the French in Vietnam, remained an Indonesian prisoner for four years. The Indonesians quickly made this confirmation of US involvement public. After this incident, and the continued failure of the CIA backed rebels to win significant victories over the government, the United States began curtailing its support for the rebels. By July, the Indonesian government had successfully crushed the US-backed rebels.
1959- Haiti - The US military helps "Papa Doc" Duvalier become dictator of Haiti. Duvalier's "Tonton Macoute" secret police terrorized the population by means of machetes, incredibly sadistic multilation and torture, and voodoo superstition. Before the fall of the Duvalier family, who are rescued by US forces, over 100,000 Haitians were killed and even more mutilated and tortured. At no point does the United States criticize their puppet's ruling style.
1960- Ecuador - After the popular Jose Maria Velasco Ibarra was elected and refused to comply with US demands that Ecuador break relations with Cuba and begin an active campaign against domestic Communists, the US launched a series of operations in Ecuador. These included extensive infiltration of Ecuadorian political groups, both Left and Right, as well as the creation of numerous phoney organizations to stimulate destabilization and agitate political disturbances. The CIA extensively infiltrated the government as well, virtually taking control of the national postal service as well as the immigration department. Using control of the mail and communications, the CIA collected intelligence while simultaneously running multiple disinformation campaigns to cause splits and divisions among Ecuadorian Communists and others deemed a threat. The CIA also began financing and manipulating Ecuadorian right-wing groups, especially using religion as an Anti-Communist lever, creating militant right-wing anti-Communist religious formations. The CIA would also bomb right-wing groups and lay the blame on the Left in order to further encourage anti-Communist violence and revenge terrorist attacks. The CIA then organized the overthrow of Velasco, who was replaced by Vice President Carlos Julio Arosemana, a paid CIA employee (US$1,000 a month). However, this paid CIA agent also refused to break off relations with Cuba, so US operations in Ecuador continued. In March 1962 the CIA used its influence in the Ecuadorian military to threaten a coup if Arosemana did not comply with US demands regarding Cuba. Forced by the military to accept a new cabinet, amounting to a de facto coup, Arosemana complied with US demands. The military coup resulted in a popular revolt of the people, but this was quickly crushed by the US trained and armed military. In 1963, the CIA and and Ecuadorian military dropped the pretense and replaced President Arosemana with an overt military junta. The military immediately outlawed communism and began using the CIA's Subversive Control Watch List to round up Communists and other Leftist throughout the country. Through the standard "state of emergency", the military suspended all civil liberties in Ecuador, the 1964 elections were cancelled. The CIA having a proper American dictatorship installed, ceased all disruption operations in Ecuador and overtly supported the junta as an ally against Communism.
Soviet Union - Although US spying flights over the Soviet Union were not uncommon during the period, such operations became undeniable on May 1, 1960 when the Soviets shot down a US U-2 spy plane over its territory and captured its pilot, Francis Gary Powers. Sentenced to ten years as a spy by the Soviets, Powers was released in a spy exchange with the United States on February 10, 1962.
Cuba - President Eisenhower authorized the CIA to begin operations against Fidel Castro in Cuba. The CIA tries to assassinate Castro with exploding cigars and poisoned milkshakes. The CIA also launches a terrorist campaign in Cuba in hopes of destabilizing the regime, including burning agricultural fields, blowing up vessels in Cuban ports and industrial sabotage.
1961- Cuba - A Cuban rebel force, armed and trained by the United States and supported by US military logistical support and the Alabama National Guard attempted an invasion of Cuba. This "Bay of Pigs" invasion turned into an utter fiasco and was easily beaten back by Cuba.
Dominican Republic - The CIA assassinates Rafael Trujillo, a murderous dictator supported by the United States since 1930. Trujillo's business interests had grown to some 60% of the entire national economy and were becoming a threat to American business interests.
1962- Cuba - As the Cuban Missile Crisis developed, on October 24, President Kennedy imposed a air and naval blockade on Cuba. This was coupled with US military flights over Cuban airspace. On November 20, the United States ended its blockade of Cuba after the crisis was resolved with the Soviet Union.
Guatemala - In March 1962, popular unrest against the US backed military regime of General Miguel Ydigoras Fuentes erupted, started by students, but soon joined by workers and peasants (almost all of whom were Indians). In order to crush the popular will of the Guatemalan people, the US quickly increased military aid to the Ydigoras regime and set up a training facility Izabal Province staffed by US Special Forces and Guatemalan officers trained at the notorious American "School of the Americas". The Guatemalan military launched an immediate reign of terror, under US supervision, starting with hundreds being abducted and killed.
Brazil- The CIA begins an active operation in Brazil to prevent Joãão Goulart from taking control of Congress. yet another instance of subverting democracy to defend 'democracy'.
1963- Dominican Republic - The CIA overthrew the democratically elected Juan Bosch in a military coup and installs a repressive right-wing junta.
Vietnam - On November 1, the South Vietnamese military, led by General Duong Van Minh, overthrew the civilian government of Diem with CIA approval and cooperation. Diem had lost US favor and although the CIA did not play a direct role, it was aware of the plot from the start, supported it by promising non-intervention by US forces and quick recognition of the succeeding military regime. President Kennedy personally instructed the US State Department and Ambassador Lodge in Saigon to support the coup.
Iraq - From February to November 1963, the CIA extensively aided the Iraqi Ba'athists (the party of Saddam Hussein) in a large national massacre of Iraqi Communists. Among those slaughtered were Salam 'Adil, First Secretary of the Iraqi Communist Party.
Continued
(Message edited by aphillbilly on September 04, 2004)
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