U.S. Involvement In Nicaragua Essays - Nicaraguan Revolution

U.S. Involvement in Nicaragua U.S. Involvement in Nicaragua Not very many Americans know the truth that lies beneath the U.S.' involvement in Nicaragua. Most would be surprised to find out that U.S. armed forces and politicians violated U.S. laws and deliberately sabotaged Nicaragua's stable government by paying the dictator's henchmen to kill Nicaraguan citizens. The United States is considered one of the major superpower nations in this world. It is highly influential to other countries and often takes responsibility to intervene with other another country's problems?especially when it deals with the spreading of communism. When Nicaragua's dictatorship was overthrown by the popular Sandinistas, a communist regime was successfully put in place. The U.S. immediately feared that Nicaragua's surrounding countries would eventually become communist due to the Domino Theory. The negative impact of becoming further engaged in the Nicaraguan politics was destructive to both the U.S. and Nicaragua. These actions destabilized the Nicaraguan economy, encouraged civil violence, and motivated members of the American government to violate certain laws to continue their aid to the guerillas. To fully comprehend the negative impacts of U.S. intervention in Nicaragua, one must be somewhat familiar with Nicaragua's history. The period in which the Somoza family ruled Nicaragua started on New Year's Day in 1937, when Anastasio Somoza Garcia had himself elected president. The Somozas ran Nicaragua as their own private estate; "...all three Somozas were dictators who ran the affairs of their country to their personal benefit and against the interests of the vast majority of their countrymen" (Walker 16). Under their dominion, life for the Nicaraguan citizens was harsh, because they suffered from abject poverty. They lived in inadequate housing, ate and dressed poorly, and were overall extremely oppressed by their leaders' corruption. When the people finally realized that life wasn't going to get any better, they decided to turn to their only other option, the communist Sandinista government. The U.S. were so anti-Communist that they began to send large sums of money to Somoza's Guardsmen (who the leaders of the Contras) in order to sabotage the Sandinista government. One of the goals the U.S. would like to achieve when dealing with Third World nations is to help them become more industrialized and economically stable. Unfortunately, the opposite of this occurred in Nicaragua. Before U.S. involvement, Nicaragua's economy was reasonably sturdy in the sense that there was a consistent flow of money in and out of the country. "With increasing investment in Nicaragua, as a result of the Alliance for Progress, and the Central American Common Market, this was a period of unprecedented progress" (Pastor, 35). It is obvious that stronger nations would not invest their time and money into a country that was economically declining, thus displaying that at this time, Nicaragua was doing quite well for a Third World nation. With the correct equipment and help from richer nations, Nicaragua could have benefited from the high quality of its land and resources, which would raise the citizen's yearly income and help with overcoming destitution. U.S. money for the reconstruction of Managua after the incredibly huge "Christmas Earthquake" in 1972 never reached where it was most needed. Instead, Anastasio Somoza Debayle (the president of Nicaragua at the time) "transformed a tragic national loss into a personal financial gain" (Pastor, 36). Somoza's greediness enticed him to pocket the money instead of directing the funds where they were intended to go. Thus very little was done to help the disaster victims and this is just another example of how his dictatorship was oppressive to the people. This quandary could have been simply avoided if the U.S. had sent an official to manage the money and secure its proper usage. Through the 1960's, Nicaragua received from the U.S. $92.5 million in economic aid, and $11 million in military aid. From 1971 to 1976, Nicaragua received three times that amount in economic aid but less in military. (Pastor, 43) From these statistics, it seems that Nicaragua's economy is being supported by U.S. funding more each year. It is fair to say Nicaragua's economy was dependent on U.S. aid. When Somoza issued terror raids on his people, the U.S. chose to impose sanctions withdrawing all funding to Nicaragua. By advertising Somoza's acts of human brutality, the U.S. was able to persuade other countries to consider terminating their current aid to Nicaragua. Not only did Nicaraguan slip further into debt, but also the situation worsened for the poverty-stricken people. "Nicaragua's economy had failed to attain its prerevolution level in 1983. Investment had stagnated or declined, depending on the sector. The external debt, which was high at $1.5 billion in 1979, reached $3.8 billion in

The Maid of Lorraine essays

The Maid of Lorraine essays Courage, strength, spirit, and determination are just a few of the ways to describe one of the greatest heroes to ever live. Joan of Arc worked to reunite France at an age when most people would be at the end of their high school careers. She led an army to battle at an age when most people, today, are hanging out with friends and looking forward to college. Joan, however, was planning battles and strategizing attacks. She put her life on the line for her country simply because St. Catherine asked her to. The story of Joan of Arc is true yet a myth because she was referred to as the Maid of Lorraine, who was always thought to be a myth. Joan made this myth a reality. Joan of Arc is the story of a girl who united her people in an effort to reunite France and through her many triumphs and tragedies she is still looked up to today. As Linda Seger points out, The hero is introduced in ordinary surroundings, in a mundane world, doing mundane things (309). This was precisely how Joan was introduced in the movie, Joan of Arc. Joan was first introduced to the audience while she was at church with her family. She was ten years old at the time and during the introduction, Joan received a sign from St. Catherine and was mystified by it. As a result, she ran out of the church and then returned after the service was over to ask for another sign and why she received the sign. During the next seven years Joan received many signs from St. Catherine. The next scene showed Joan when she was seventeen years old and had made her decision to go speak to the King of France. This is the turning point that Seger refers to in her essay, Creating the Myth. This is the catalyst that sets the story in motion (Seger 310). This was also when the myth of the Maid of Lorraine was created. On Joans journey to the Kings palace, the group she was traveling with stopped at Sir Roberts castle. Joan was n...

Hotel Amenities Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Hotel Amenities - Term Paper Example General information about hotel amenities is given at the start of the paper, followed by description of some of the very important and interesting hotel amenities. Two examples of renowned hotels are given in later sections, to make clear what kind of hotel amenities are in trend these days. The report is summarized in a concluding paragraph, and MLA referencing style has been used properly. Perks are very interesting and important factors of the hotel stay experience. Amenities are much more than that, adding real meaning to the hotel experience. These are the special little things that make the hotel stay a quality time that the customer cherishes for many days to come. With amenities, the hotel stay becomes worry-free and relaxing. It no more remains a boring and still kind of journey, and the person gets to enjoy many interesting services and facilities in his leisure time. This also attracts more clientele, as the customers share their experiences with others. Another advantage is for the hotel authorities, as the public spends money on the premises to avail the services. This way, the hotelkeepers make added marginal income. Nowadays, nearly every high standard hotel offers amenities to the customers, who enjoy seeing their vacations and leisure time being converted into something extraordinary. Some of the amenities are available inside the room; while, some are available in the wide premises of the hotel. Those available inside the room include high speed internet access, high definition Flat screen LCDs and plasma LEDs, iPod/mp3 equipped clock radio, desk and comfortable desk chair, cable television channels, dual telephone lines with voicemail, custom climate controls, irons and ironing boards, hair dryers, lockers, and safes. Amenities that are available in the whole premises include car parking, laundry service, concierge service, currency exchange available at the front desk, multi-lingual staff, luggage storage, business center, safety deposit bo x, fitness center, in-room dining, club lounge, and gift shop. Let’s discuss some of these amenities in detail. Staying fit and in shape is very necessary, not only when you are at your homes, but also while travelling. Work-out and burning those extra calories and fat is something which should not be ignored even when a person is away from home. Fitness center is one of the most favorite amenities of many customers, especially those who are conscious about their health and overall well-being. Those, who are already members of fitness clubs off the premises, can maintain their fitness routine while they are staying at the hotel. This helps them continue their exercises and whatever services they enjoy at the fitness club. Many hotels have fitness clubs that offer services like stationary bikes, treadmills, weight lifting, health experts, exercise-training professionals, cable TV monitors, and fresh fruit presentations. People can come into the fitness clubs whenever they want because these offer services throughout the day. Some hotels also offer group exercise classes to give training about yoga and cardio. Specialized personal training classes and sessions are also offered so that people can maintain their fitness regime inside hotel premises. This makes them feel at home. Specialized training equipment is also offered, related to sauna and steam baths. The fitness center is accompanied with other fitness amenities, like jogging and