History Courses For Dr. Christopher C. Lovett
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History Courses For Dr. Christopher C. Lovett |
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Updated as of 2 October 05 Today in History: On October 2, 1780, Major John Andrι, a British spy associated with Benedict Arnold, was executed on this day in history. Quote of the Day: "In my view we are much worse off now than when we went into Iraq. This is not a partisan position. I voted for these guys." A senior figure at a military-sponsored think tank as told to James Fallows in "Bush's Lost Year" in The Atlantic Monthly (Oct. 2004) Take the Ann Coulter Quiz Where are you politically? Take the Neocon Quiz and find out. "History is Far too Important to be left to History Professors" Teaching isn't such a novel idea
Bibliography:
History of Disease Contemporary Terrorist Organizations Map of Islamic Terrorist Cells in the U.S.A.
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When Devils Walked the Earth: Terrorism in the Nineteenth CenturyModern World CivilizationSpring 2008Legacy of the French Revolutionary The Jacobins established organs of state security that guaranteed compliance. These included the Committee of Public Safety, Committee of General Security, and the Revolutionary Tribunals. These organizations forced the French public either to comply or face the wrath of the state. As well as hunting down threats to the state either at home or abroad.Charlotte Corday: The Real Deal A strikingly attractive woman of 25 would not to appear a terrorist. Who came from a minor Norman family. She was greatly influenced by the Philosophes, particularly Rousseau. She also supported the Republic, but not the Jacobins. Whom she believed drove the Republic to the lowest point.But She Became an Assassin of Marat Because of . . . Of the treatment her Parish Priest received at the hands of the Jacobins. Since he refused to swear loyalty to the state, he lost his parish and had to go into hiding. A hunting party finally found him and he was executed. She decided at some point that she must strike a blow against the Jacobins.The Death of Marat Charlotte Corday arrived in Paris on 12 July 1793. Marat, her target, by this time was at the height of his popularity. But Marat was sick, and Corday was disappointed since she planned on murdering him in the middle of the convention. Now she had to improvise. She decided to go to his residence and kill him there. At 7:00 she arrived at Marats residence armed with a letter and knife. His maid did not what her to enter, but Marat yelled to her to let her in. Then she went to the his bath and stabbed him to death.The Use of Germ Warfare Earlier, it was common for medieval armies to catapult corpses of diseased bodies into walled cities. But during Pontiacs Uprising, Jeffery Amherst gave the Ottawa Indians blankets contaminated with smallpox. This broke the back of the Indians. The first time Germ Warfare was used in North America.The Situation in Ireland The Troubles in Ireland have a long history. Before the recent unpleasantness, the opposition to the British was non-denominational. This was obvious by first by Whiteboys and Rightboys. Who attacked anyone the membership believed took advantage of the Irish tenants. Murder and other violent acts were common.The Legacy of 98 The Irish rose up against the British under the banner of the United Irishmen. And invited the French to send an army to help. The leaders included Wolfe Tone, Edward Fitzgerald, Robert and Thomas Emmet. This rising, and others like it, failed. But there was considerable violence and brutality on both sides. Which only fanned the flames of hatred for years.Irish Nationalism and Terrorism at Mid-Century Ireland underwent, like other European regions, a wave of youthful nationalism. Much like Young Italy, Young Russia, Young Ireland sought improvements for the Irish. The question was how to accomplish it. The British from Dublin Castle kept a close watch on Irish nationalism. Some Irishmen lost faith of trying to work within the system. They thought the only way to bring about change was by revolutionary action. Which included use of terrorism. This became known as the Fenian Movement.The Fenian Movement This was the work of James Stephens who sought to create a new, Irish revolutionary movement. This was modeled after what he saw in Europe. He wanted to create a similar organization in Ireland, with slightly better security than the United Irishmen. But likewise he wanted to link up with the Irish of the Diaspora, especially in America.Goals of the Fenians The goal was to raise an Irish Army in America and then invade the Old Sod. They actually invaded Canada. The British had informers monitoring the Fenians now called the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Stephens barely avoided arrest and was deposed. The leaderships were arrested. Following a series of skirmishes in 1867. Then terrorists commenced.The Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) It was a small, secret, revolutionary movement better known as the Fenians in the 1850s and 1860s. They led an unsuccessful rising in 1867 (much like all previous Irish Risings in 1798 and later). They were hopelessly divided over leadership. The organization received a new breath of life following the release from prison of Jeremiah ODonovan and Rosa and John Devoy in 1871. With no hope of revolutionary activity in the foreseeable future, the IRB Supreme Council agreed to work with the Irish Parliamentary Party led by Charles Stewart Parnell.IRB Actions in England On Sept 18, 1867, the IRB broke intercepted a Police van taking two IRB prisoners to a local prison near Manchester. Thirty men with revolvers freed the prisoners. A police sergeant were killed in the attack. The British then rounded-up hundreds of Irish and found some suspects. Who were actually members of the IRB. Three were tried and eventually hanged. Giving the nationalists their heroes.The Clerkenwell Prison Incident This involved an attempt to free Richard OSullivan Burke, who was the arms organizer for the IRB. On Dec. 12, while Burke was supposed to be exercising in the prison yard. The authorities figured out that an attempt was about to be made. And altered his routine. When the bomb went off, the wall was crumpled and 12 Londoners and over 30 others were killed or seriously injured.The IRB Mobilizes for the Land Issue With no prospect of revolutionary action, the IRB leadership agreed to work with Parnell. They wanted to mobilize tenant farmers to press for land reform called the new departure between 1879-82. It was hoped that this would weaken the British position in Ireland and create the seeds for revolutionary activity. Meanwhile the IRB commenced dynamite campaign in English cities. Setting the stage for the Phoenix Park murders.The Phoenix Park Murders The most violent terrorist acts in Irish history in the 19th Century were the Phoenix Park Murders. Which took place on May 6, 1882 in Dublin. The victims were Lord Frederick Cavendish and Thomas Henry Burke. The murderers were part of the Irish Republican Brotherhood called the Invincibles. Cavendish was the Secretary for Ireland and Burke was his Under- secretary.Links to Parnell and the Irish Parliamentary Party? Conservatives wanted to link Parnell with the Invincibles in order to put Home Rule to rest. However, the Invincibles were closely associated with the Land League to conduct terrorist actions, ie, political assassinations. They originally wanted to assassinate the former Secretary for Ireland, William Buckshot Forster. Perhaps for his role in the Great Famine.The Perpetrators The Invicibles were led by John McCafferty, an Irish-American. But James Carey, a Dublin Slum Lord, was the leader of the death squad. Others were Joseph Brady, Joseph Smith, Michael Kavanaugh, James Fitzharris, and Thomas Kelly. Using 12-inch surgical knives, Thomas Kelly knifed Cavendish, while Brady cut Burkes throat. Passers-by discovered the bodies and sought the police.The First Attempts The Dublin squad went to Burkes residence in Phoenix Park only to discover he had left for work. Then they went to the Royal Oak Tavern near Phoenix Park to wait for him to arrive. This time they had 20 men with them. But Burke returned home by another route. The death squad was too intoxicated to carry out the murder. Later, a police informant notice one of the leaders hanging around the park.Public Reaction to the Murders The Invincibles left black calling cards at local newspapers taking credit for the murders. The public was shocked. The English public saw this as an example of the barbarism of the Irish as Punch demonstrated. The police broke the case by using informants that fingered the ring leaders. Two turned states evidence, five were hanged, and three sentenced to penal servitude. A parliamentary commission exonerated Parnell.Long-Term Impact of the Murders Only further divided Irish Protestants and Irish Catholics. Only leading to a further separation between the North and South. The terror in England only made the Conservatives more resistant to Home Rule. American Irish ultimately won out by continuing their efforts for violent action. Terrorism achieved its long-term goals which continued until 1916.The Coming of Alexander II (1855-81) Alexander II ascended to the throne at a time of considerable upheaval. First he had to end the Crimean War. Then he had to deal with the issue of serfdom. Plus countless other issues that Russia needed to address. And it was up to him and no one else. First he ended the war, then liberated the serfs in 1861.But There Was Trouble in Russia The reforms did not go far enough for many younger Russians. In 1861-63 emerged an amorphous organization dedicated to reform called Land and Liberty, or in Russian, Zemlya i Volya. Land and Liberty felt that Russia had not gone far enough and violence could be used to achieve those end. Then out of the blue in 1866, D. V. Karakozov attempted to kill Alexander II in the Winter Garden. Why would he try something like this?Alienated Youth While Alexander II introduced reforms concerning local government, the judicial proceedings, and in education. It was not enough to satisfy everyone. Students, many from the privilege classes, wanted more. Turgenev discussed this situation in his novel Fathers and Sons. The young people that Turgenev described were called Nihilists since they rebelled against everything sponsored by the the previous generation. It would be these people attracted to the revival of Land and Liberty in 1876 and decided that all they had to do was go to the people. But who were the people? The peasants but the peasants didnt trust them. Still, they though that they knew what the people wanted.The Spiritual Guru to Land and Liberty This was Mikhail Bakunin. Who not only was involved in most of the revolutionary events of the 19th century. Likewise he wrote a number of works, often how-to-do books on revolutionary activity. These included Principles of Revolution and The Revolutionary Catechism. But he showed them how to infiltrate existing institutions by disguise and deception. He advocated that revolutionaries ID their enemies and kill them. Some in Land and Liberty favored terrorism and Alexander Soloviev tried to kill Alexander II in April 1879.Alexander Soloviev: A Terrorist The Tsar was the principal target. He was a former school teacher. His attempt was made on April 14, 1879. A month later he was executed. In Oct. 1879 Land and Liberty divided, those who advocated terrorism created the Peoples Will.Declaring War on the Tsar The next attempt came on Feb. 17, 1880, after Stefan Khalturin found a job in the Winter Palace as a carpenter. He smuggled dynamite into the Winter Palace. And set the changes as a mine under the dinning room of the Winter Palace. Unbeknownst to the Peoples Will, the dinner was delayed. When the mine went off, 67 people where either killed or badly wounded, but the tsar was not harmed. The Peoples Will contacted the government and notified the authorities that they would call off the campaign when a constitution was adopted, censorship was terminated, and censorship came to an end. Loris Melikov was tasked with both devising a constitution and infiltrating the terrorist organization since he was the Minister of Interior.Frustrations Mount The leadership of the Peoples Will became more frustrated that the Government had not take them on their offer. They decided on another attempt to kill Alexander II. The plot included Sophia Perovskaya, Andrei Zhelyabov, Gesia Gefman, Nikolai Sablin, Ignatei Grinevitski, Nikolai Rysakov, and Timofei Mikhailov.The Okhrana Hot on the Trail The Okhrana discovered the plot. And arrested Andrei Zhelyabov in February 1881. However, he refused to cooperate with the secret police. But he told them that nothing they did would save the life of the tsar. The date was set for 1 March 1881. The Peoples Will knew the Tsars route from the Mkhailovsky Palace to the Winter Palace and kept eyes on the Tsar as he traveled back with a Cossack escort. Sophia Perovskaya gave the signal.The Attack All along the route the Peoples Will kept eyes on the Tsar. Bombs were thrown by Nikolai Rysakov and Timofei Mikhailov. The first two bombs landed behind Cossacks. Alexander decided to get out and check the wounded. Then Ignatei Grinevitski threw a third bomb that exploded between the legs of Alexander. Alexander died shortly after being taken to the Winter Palace.The Results of the AttackDid the Peoples Will Achieve Their Aims? A massive Secret Police crack down. The new Tsar Alexander III was totally opposed to reform. The Peoples Will was crushed.The First Kansas Terrorist Many would say that the first terrorist from the state was Terry Nichols. If you feel that way, you would be wrong. For the first Kansas original was none other than John Brown. Who committed a series of atrocities at Pottawatomie Creek. In retaliation for other events. Were those acts considered terrorist in scope and intent?Background to the Pottawatomie Creek Massacres Earlier Border Ruffians from Missouri had burned Lawrence, the center of anti-slavery activity in Kansas. Then Senator Charles Sumner was severely beaten by Senator Preston Brooks of South Carolina. Brown and his sons then on the night of May 24, 1856, and traveled to Pottawatomie Creek to administer justice at three small farms.The Border Ruffians Raid LawrenceThe Massacres Doyle Farm James and his two sons, William and Drury, were murdered, but his wife, daughter, and fourteen-year old son were spared. Allen Wilkinson Farm Allen Wilkinson was taken prisoner and two saddles and a rifle were confiscated. Harris Farm Killed only one individual, William Sherman. The victims were hacked to death with short swords. Browns two sons, John Jr and Jason, were apprehended and nearly lynched not far from Lawrence.Was He a Fanatic? Was he a Terrorist?The Fate of Brown Brown and his family left Kansas. And becomes involved in a larger conspiracy to cause a massive slave uprising in the South. His co-conspirators were known as the Secret Six. But first weapons had to be procured for the uprising. Those weapons were at Harpers Ferry, VA. The rest is history. Was he a model for Terry Nichols?The Secret Six Theodore Parker Thomas Wentworth Higginson Samuel Gridley Howe Franklin Sanborn George Luther Sterns John Murray ForbesThe British Model Against the IRB Dublin Castle managed to infiltrate the IRB and other Irish terrorist/nationalist organizations. Despite the level of internal control the Irish employed murder to deal with informers and potential informers. The infiltration, particularly of the Fenians, allowed the British to knew fairly soon what the Irish were up too. And may explain why the Invincibles were arrested as quickly as possible. Capital punishment was often administered and worked well before the Irish public became aroused as they did during the Easter Rising.The Russians Following the Assassination of Alexander II Controlled education. Gave additional powers of control to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Okhrana. Upgrade censorship. Expanded infiltration of subversive organizations. Summary executions, including the death of Lenins brother Alexander. Use of internal exile.New Threat to the Russian Regime In 1901 the Social Revolutionaries formed by Victor Chernov and others playing key roles. The goal was to confiscate all land. The land would then be divided among the peasantry. The Party also advocated the creation of a constituent assembly to write a constitution for Russia. For the workers they advocated an 8 hour day. The SRs were also influenced by the Peoples Will and organized a terrorist wing. Called the SR Combat Organization.The SR Combat Organization Gregori Gershuni was selected to head this branch. Membership was secret from the rest of the party. But instead of targeting the Tsar, they targeted the tsars agents. First targets were the Minister of Education, D. S. Sigyapin and later the Gov. of Ufa N. M. Bogdanovich. To help Gershuni, he was assigned a Deputy, Evno Azef.The Okhrana Infiltration of the SRs and Bolsheviks Evno Azef was a double agent. He arranged the arrest of Gershuni. While an Okhrana agent, he arranged the assassinations of the Minister of Interior V. Plehve and Father Gregori Gapon. He did this while being paid 1,000 rubles a month as an informant!The Problem for AzefTaming the Terrorists: Peter Stolypin He made a name for himself by suppressing the SRs around Saratov in 1906. Nicholas II then appointed him Prime Minister. He then began a land reform program to separate the people from the SRs. He granted more freedom to the local units of government. Then he introduced summary court-martial proceedings that over 3,000 SRs or SR suspects were tried and executed. Then in 1911, after the country was pacified, he was assassinated by reactionary elements in the government.How Effective Was the Okhranas InfiltrationSuccesses of the Okhrana in Perspective The Russian Revolution was not the result of the lack of surveillance by the Okhrana. But the failure of the regime itself. Even following the victory of Lenin and the Bolsheviks, they still faced a problem with the SRs who remained active. As was the case of Fanya Kaplan, who attempted to kill Lenin on August 30, 1918. She fired three shots, two entered his body and were too difficult to remove.SR Campaign Against the Bolsheviks Fanya Kaplan was quickly captured and shot on Sept. 3. Yakov Sverdlov ordered that her remains be destroyed so that not a trace remains. Moisei Uritsky, head of the Petrograd CHEKA was also assassinated. The Bolsheviks responded by complete suppression. Mass executions. The Bolsheviks were not to make the same mistake made by the Okhrana.
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