How much does a polar bear weigh

1
How much does a polar bear weigh?

• Enough to break the ice Im James Mazzuchelli
  and this is my honors 200 presentation

2
General Overview

• The purpose is to highlight a pattern that has
  repeated itself throughout modern American
  Warfare (the Korean, Vietnam, and Iraqi wars)

3
Korean War The Setup

• During/Following WWII, Communist presence and
  power in the Eastern world surged
• Communist Revolution in China
• U.S.S.R. continued to gain power
• Korea split down 38th parallel
• North Korea forms ties with Communist China and
  becomes Communist
• South Korea forms ties with U.S. and becomes
  Democratic

• The come to arms
• Chinese provide North Korea with advanced
  weaponry (tanks, missles, plentiful guns) and
  form a well-trained army
• Chinese eager to expand communist power
• U.S. provide South Korea with minimally weaponry
  and train a relatively small, poorly trained
  army.
• U.S. reluctant to get involved

4
Unexpected War

• Under beliefs that U.S. Would not respond, North
  Korea crossed the 38th parallel to attack South
  Korea
• U.S. Came to South Korean aid in accordance with
  the Truman doctrine of 1947
• The following quote from a Korean veteran
  expressed the fallacy of U.S. policy towards the
  war.

• Given the huge disparity in artillery, armor,
  air and naval support, the United States should
  have crushed North Korea's offensive within the
  first month of our entry into the war. We should
  have crushed the Chinese as easily, if
  necessarybut our nation's main concern was
  self-gratification. Our political leaders' main
  concern was staying in office. Our military
  leaders' main concern was not upsetting any
  higher level of command. As one consequence, our
  nation could not easily provide fighting forces
  who were adequately armed and psychologically
  prepared to fight. Upon reflection, history shows
  this pattern is one we repeat over and over.

5
An Underestimated Enemy

• The North Koreans were pros. A third of them
  fought in the Chinese civil war, and whipped the
  rest into fighting shape before they crossed the
  38th parallel. They wiped out 5 ROK divisions in
  as many weeks. Had they not paused to re-group,
  had they simply continued their violent assault
  until they either won all or lost all, they would
  probably have captured Pusan and all of South
  Korea before America had time to marshal enough
  force to stop them.

• Against a U.S. force that was conditioned to
  believe the North Koreans would simply require
  diplomacy and otherwise would be blow overs, the
  NKs were initially successful.
• After a length reluctance to commit American
  troops, the necessary measures were taken and the
  North Koreans were driven back above the 38th
  parallel.

6
Vietnam

• Even following the Korean war, Communism remained
  an ever expanding threat
• 1959 Fidel Castro takes over Cuban government
• 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis
• Much like Korea, Vietnam had been divided into
  Communist/Democratic nations
• North Vietnam (Communists) Formed Viet Cong (VC)
  for sole purpose of taking over South Vietnam
• North Vietnamese attack frequently

• Tonkin Gulf Resolution by congress certifies U.S.
  commitment to war
• War unexpectedly difficult/costly
• Draft Activates-1965
• 1969-Troops increase to 536,100
• 1968- LBJ cuts partial air bombing-American unity
  in war effort has weakened
• Unpopular war costs LBJ chance at second term
  announces he will not run
• Nixon takes office wimps out
• U.S. withdrawals all aid to South Vietnam
• North Vietnam takes over
• Over 10,00 Americans died 2000 still remain
  PoW/MIA today

7
Iraq and the War on Terrorism

• Following the 9/11 attacks, America entered a
  state of fear.
• President Bush responded with a resolution to
  stop terrorists and those who support them
• Saddam Hussein soon became the prime target of
  this War on Terrorism

• Overwhelmed by fear and anger, Americans
  generally supported action in Iraq
• Saddams Influence underestimated
• Political leaders expected oppressed Iraqis to
  welcome U.S. troops
• Welcomed with guns and resistance

8
Public Support Fails

• With casualties beyond any expectations and total
  control still a distant hope and fears of
  terrorism diminishing, politicians and American
  citizens alike have ceases to see a point in the
  Iraqi war.

9
The Pattern

• Some event or string of events causes reason for
  Americans to worry (advance of Communism, Cuban
  Missile Crisis, 9/11)
• U.S. politicians use this event to target a
  specific threat/political enemy (Communists,
  Terrorists, Saddam Hussein)
• The fear/anger of citizens allows the government
  to initiate a publicly supported military action.
• The enemy is generally said to be a pushover
  and/or will welcome U.S. presence, drawing more
  public support.

• Minimally prepared troops in small numbers are
  sent under impression of an easy war
• Our troops are initially pummeled by an
  underestimated enemy.
• Said pummeling makes big shots reluctant to take
  measures to win war.
• Pummeling continues
• Public support fails
• Fear of losing an election causes politician to
  withdraw some troops, leaving un-backed American
  troops to pay the consequence.

10
Moral of the Story

• If you are set on going to war, go in with full
  intent to win. Despite any political objective,
  the unfortunate goal of war is to kill people.
  Going easy on an enemy on gets more of our guys
  killed
• The object is not to die for your country, but
  to make the other guy die for his.

11
Sources Used

• http//www.avtt.org/history.htm
• http//www.rt66.com/korteng/SmallArms/pusan.htm
• Stuff I knew this presentation was after all
  done by an honors student.