America at War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

America at War - Essay Example Eisenhower said that "a vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment". The two factors - peace and military might - are naturally at odds with each other and as such it is strange to find that the terms are so often promoted in conjunction with one another. Indeed, America continues along this line of logic still today, albeit in a different way than the former President had imagined. Eisenhower truly believed that the best way to secure peace for his nation was to become impenetrable; he thought that building one of the strongest military forces in the world would dissuade any potential enemies from acting out in a violent manner and taking American lives. Certainly it can be said that no other nation has waged war on America in the years following the Farewell Address, however the crucial difference between Eisenhower's vision and current American military exploits is the use of force upon other nations like Afghanistan and Iraq. Modern America pursues enemies t hat it perceives as ideological and terrorist threats; in the attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq the United States has sought to retaliate for calculated attacks on American soil. The very presence of terrorism in the modern United States can show both how Eisenhower was justified in his belief of military might for peace, and how despite this proven ideology enemies find ways to strike. America's military strength means that no other nation in the world would seek open combat; therefore opposing views and enemy forces will not be represented by other states but as smaller, dynamic organizations. The President also stressed his belief that America should not rely on the emergency weaponry that could be created by its own individual citizens at short notice; this was the military history of Eisenhower and he was concerned that in the future America should be able to count on its own federal arms reserve. The President had seen the world thrown into war as Nazi Germany and Japan tried to conquer foreign nations and eradicate entire groups of people they considered expendable. Stopping the German forces became one of the most difficult tasks the Allied forces would ever face, and as a result it is understandable that President Eisenhower worried about the future state of his country's military. Certainly in the face of international advancements in terms of arms, the United States could not afford to sit back and hope it would have no need for its military forces to be well-equipped. At the point of the Farewell Address, American federal funding had been vastly increased to its military and Eisenhower expressed his hope that this would continue to be increased as the country invested in scientific research that could change the face of the military completely. The President does not seem to have taken into consideration the fact that at the cue of the United States, other developed nations would decide to bulk up their own military forces in response. Specifically, take the Cold War into consideration and it is easy to see how this idea of an impenetrable nation is inextricable linked to the perception of a dangerous nation. In advancing further and

John quincy adams Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

John quincy adams - Research Paper Example ncy, born on 11 July 1767, spent most of his early years in Braintree with his parents John and Abigail Adams who taught him classics, Mathematics, and languages. John Quincy, at the age of ten, began travelling to Europe with his father who was a diplomat, enabling him to serve as a secretary of state at a young age. John Quincy spent time in Paris and studied art, music and fencing, and when he was old enough, went to Massachusetts where he specialized in law up to 1790. Quincy was a lawyer for a short period until he was drawn to civic discourse that was a precursor to his life in the public office. John Quincy became a lawyer after graduating at Harvard University, until the age of 26 when he got an appointment to become minister for the Netherlands. Quincy then got promoted to Berlin Legation and became elected in 1802, as a Senator. He worked for six years until he got an appointment of being minister for Russia. Quincy Adams was one of the greatest State Secretaries who worked under President Monroe, and this is evident in his arrangement of England’s joint occupation of Oregon country and the formulation of the Monroe Doctrine. However, Quincy declined calls from Madison to become one of the judges of the Supreme Court in 1811 (Hewson 41). The 1824 presidential elections won by John, was the first ever after the passage of the Twelfth Amendment, and with the collapse of the competition that used to exist between the Federalists and Republicans, personal and sectional conflicts arouse to replace party politics. John Quincy Adams had an embodiment regarding parties, but enforced political principles that focused on antislavery, and this challenged Jacksonian democracy. In addition, his high-minded stances weakened him as a president especially during sessions in the congress. President John Quincy had programs, which were meant to create a national market, and included the creation universities, canals, and roads among other initiatives. His strategies