1. Why do our views of regions change after certain events?
Changing Views
Why do our views of regions change after certain events?
Definitions
Middle East – countries in the “cradle of life,” where Africa, Europe, and Asia coincide.
Taliban – militant group based in Afghanistan
September 11, 2001 – a series of planes were flown into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania
NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization formed between USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, and the majority of Western Europe
Nazi Germany – Hitler’s Germany from

2. Nazi Germany
Hitler was democratically elected, in 1933, and took control of an economically failing Germany. His goal was to reclaim the borders of Germany that were stripped away, following the reparations of WWI, under the Treaty of Versailles (1919). When Britain & France attempted to stop Germany’s reabsorption of these territories, WWII began.
American views of Hitler were much more negative than what is portrayed in movies.
War posters showed that Americans desired to see him fall, and wanted to see Hitler pay the price for killing “our boys.
Wartime Propaganda, begun in WWI, heavily influenced attitudes on all sides. The purpose was to dehumanize the enemy.

3. Germany and America today
Compared to American sentiments towards Germany in WWII, our relationship is much less strenuous now.
A few things can show America and Germany have a healthy connection. Ford, an American Company, is a strong automaker in Germany, while BMW is just down the road in Greer. What are a few other Germany Automakers that are popular in America?
Germany and America have strong ties now, especially after World War II. The United States

4. Italy and Japan
In World War II, America was also at war with Italy and Japan. However, the Pacific Theater was put on hold until the conclusion of the European conflict. Prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the US had frozen Japanese assets & blocked all oil from reaching them. While the US fought Hitler’s German forces, the Japanese spent their remaining resources fortifying their islands.
Benito Mussolini and Emperor Hirohito desired to help Germany destroy the allied forces, and for Japan, they held control of most of the Pacific Ocean. Americans’ views of the Pacific theater of the war were much more vile than of Germany. While in Europe, Italy and Germany were held in contempt.
America used the first two and only Nuclear weapons deployed against humans on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. For the loss of life, many felt it was justified.
The President, Harry Truman, felt it saved more lives, for America, than it cost the Japanese.
While the Japanese sustained 2,350,000 casualties, only about 225,000 resulted from the nuclear bombs.

5. Italy and Japan Today
So how do we view two countries associate with Hitler, Pearl Harbor, and World War II?
Japan has been closely aligned with America since the two atomic bombs were used. America has a constant occupation, militarily, since World War II.
What about your views of Italy and Japan?
In the past, no “patriotic” American would have went to Rome and Tokyo. Now, both are huge tourist attractions for Americans. Many student programs offer a chance to visit each city.
What about their automakers?

6. The Middle East
American and Middle East relations have not always been so strained.
However, Middle Eastern beliefs against the Western world result back to the Crusades, when Christians and Muslims lost thousands of lives.
In the early 1950s, the United States helped Israel become a nation, forcing out the Muslims that had lived there since the Middle Ages.
Cuban Missile Crisis (Oct. 1962) – The U.S. placed nuclear missiles in Turkey & Italy. Russia responded by placing missiles in Cuba. The 13 day confrontation was nearly a mutually assured destruction (MAD). On Oct. 28th, both nations agreed to remove missiles.
Throughout the Cold War, the U.S. & Russia armed & trained various nations throughout the Middle East, fighting a war by proxy (indirect means).

7. The Middle East
In 1980, Saudi Arabian ambassadors from America were captured and held for over 400 days. It was not until more than a year later that President Regan secured their safe release.
In 1993, militant terrorists attacked the World Trade Center with a bomb loaded truck.
In 2001, the Pakistani and Afghanistan based forces bombed the World Trade Centers with two planes. Each tower was destroyed in the resulting collapse. What happened afterward?

8. Assignment
Discuss Middle Eastern and American relations after Sept. 11
Discuss Chinese and American relations