John Lennon said “Give Peace a Chance”. Does this sound like a man who should be investigated by the FBI? John Lennon was one of the greatest musicians of all time. What many people don’t know is that he was also investigated by the FBI for most of his adult life. He was an activist and spoke out against the government and the War in Vietnam multiple times. John Lennon and his fellow Beatles started speaking out against the government on June 30 1966. His relationship with wife Yoko Ono was a big influence in his protest against the war. It was because of his ideas that the FBI feared that people would start to follow his beliefs and act out against the government.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono always new they were being watched. But they never knew how closely they were being watched. The investigation started when the FBI first learned that Mr. Lennon donated over $75,000 to an organization that was planning to breach the Republican National Convention in 1972. President Nixon got involved with the fight against John Lennon and tried to have him deported because of his peace activism in 1972. But the judge denied the request and Mr. Lennon stayed.
Mr. Lennon began fighting out against the war when he moved to America and met Jerry Rubin, Abbie Hoffman and Bobby Seale; they were three very big activists in New York at the time. As John Lennon started doing more and more with these three men, the FBI became more suspicious and watched him even closer. His FBI files kept getting bigger. Many other celebrities also demonstrated during the anti-war movement, but John Lennon wanted to end the Vietnam War. He tried many different strategies at different times. One of John Lennon’s most famous antiwar acts towards the government was his “Bed In” that occurred in 1969. He and Yoko Ono sat in their bed in their hotel room for two weeks singing for peace. John Lennon was never violent or rude. He spoke his mind in peaceful ways and always said what he believed should happen.
The FBI had over 300 files on him. They explained what he did daily and every protest he sang at and participated in. Dr. Weiner was the first citizen to be able to look at a few of the FBI files and how unnecessary they were. The FBI never got actual evidence that Mr. Lennon was doing anything illegal or that he was trying to undermine the United States government. The case eventually closed on December 8th 1972. The more the FBI watched him the more paranoid he became. The FBI wanted him to ultimately become a “hermit” where he wouldn’t leave or talk to anyone. By December of 1972 they got their wish. Mr. Lennon never left home until 1980. John Lennon was assinated December 8th 1980. He was a wonderful activist and musician. Did he deserve to be investigated? Was it necessary to investigate him? Or was he just doing what everyone else was afraid to do? Speak out for what he believed in.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
Russia Invades Polan
On September 1st, 1939, 1.8 million German troops invaded Poland. They invaded on three fronts; East Prussia, West Germany and South Slovakia. Germany had 2600 tanks, the Polish had 180. The Germans had over 2000 aircraft and the Polish only had 420. Germany’s "Blitzkrieg” idea had never been heard of or seen before at war. These tactics caught the Polish off guard. By September 14th 1939 Warsaw was surrounded by the Germans. Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3rd. The Polish people did not receive help from anyone and the Germans occupied Poland.
Why didn’t anyone help Poland in there time of need? No one wanted to fight Germany. Germany was a bully and did what it wanted toward other countries. People got tired of the Germans pushing everyone around and France and Britain were the first two countries to declare war on Germany. Russia and other countries including the United States soon followed. The great European plan was for Russia, Great Britain and the United States to eliminate the German Nazi’s occupation throughout Europe.
Why did Russia invade Poland? It was their job to fight Germany on the Eastern front and they reached Poland first. By July 1944, Poland had been occupied by Nazi Germany for almost over five years. Meanwhile, Germany was fighting another war against the Allied Powers that included the United States, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. The plan was to get together with the Allied Powers and liberate most of Europe from the Nazis. But, in 1943 it was obvious that Russia reached the borders of Poland before the other Allied Powers. The only thing Russia and the Poles had in common was their enemy, Nazi Germany. Many of the Poles wanted a democratic government and Stalin, the leader of Russia, wanted a communist government. In time it became obvious that Russia’s intentions were not to help Poland but to help itself.
The Russians and the Poles did not trust each other. Many of the Russians living in Poland argued with the Polish people. Stalin broke off the Polish-Soviet relations soon after Stalin approved the mass murder of Polish POWs. During the summer of 1944 the Russian Army advanced to Poland. During the same time the Warsaw Uprising occurred. The Russian Army stopped at the Vistula River and refused to continue on their advance. Many people argue that they chose not to continue and help the Nazis kill more people. Others believe that they truly could go no farther. Many of the facts show that they chose to stop and not continue. Stalin allowed the killing of thousands of innocent people. This helped Hitler continue with his mission.
It was during this time that about 16,000 Polish insurgents were murdered. Over 6,000 were wounded. Between 150,000 and 200,000 civilians died form mass murder controlled by German troops and observed by the Russians who were sitting across the Vistula River. Many of the Warsaw, Poland buildings were destroyed. Germans systematically covered the cities block to block. When the Russians finally invaded Warsaw Poland, defeating the Nazi’s, over 85% of the city was destroyed. I find this historical event very controversial from the information I have researched it appears that the Russians simply stood by and watched as thousands of Polish people were murdered. Why didn’t the Russians invade and help all those people? Why did Stalin allow this to happen? Was the expansion of the Soviet Union more important than people’s lives’? What kind of person would allow this to happen?
Why didn’t anyone help Poland in there time of need? No one wanted to fight Germany. Germany was a bully and did what it wanted toward other countries. People got tired of the Germans pushing everyone around and France and Britain were the first two countries to declare war on Germany. Russia and other countries including the United States soon followed. The great European plan was for Russia, Great Britain and the United States to eliminate the German Nazi’s occupation throughout Europe.
Why did Russia invade Poland? It was their job to fight Germany on the Eastern front and they reached Poland first. By July 1944, Poland had been occupied by Nazi Germany for almost over five years. Meanwhile, Germany was fighting another war against the Allied Powers that included the United States, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. The plan was to get together with the Allied Powers and liberate most of Europe from the Nazis. But, in 1943 it was obvious that Russia reached the borders of Poland before the other Allied Powers. The only thing Russia and the Poles had in common was their enemy, Nazi Germany. Many of the Poles wanted a democratic government and Stalin, the leader of Russia, wanted a communist government. In time it became obvious that Russia’s intentions were not to help Poland but to help itself.
The Russians and the Poles did not trust each other. Many of the Russians living in Poland argued with the Polish people. Stalin broke off the Polish-Soviet relations soon after Stalin approved the mass murder of Polish POWs. During the summer of 1944 the Russian Army advanced to Poland. During the same time the Warsaw Uprising occurred. The Russian Army stopped at the Vistula River and refused to continue on their advance. Many people argue that they chose not to continue and help the Nazis kill more people. Others believe that they truly could go no farther. Many of the facts show that they chose to stop and not continue. Stalin allowed the killing of thousands of innocent people. This helped Hitler continue with his mission.
It was during this time that about 16,000 Polish insurgents were murdered. Over 6,000 were wounded. Between 150,000 and 200,000 civilians died form mass murder controlled by German troops and observed by the Russians who were sitting across the Vistula River. Many of the Warsaw, Poland buildings were destroyed. Germans systematically covered the cities block to block. When the Russians finally invaded Warsaw Poland, defeating the Nazi’s, over 85% of the city was destroyed. I find this historical event very controversial from the information I have researched it appears that the Russians simply stood by and watched as thousands of Polish people were murdered. Why didn’t the Russians invade and help all those people? Why did Stalin allow this to happen? Was the expansion of the Soviet Union more important than people’s lives’? What kind of person would allow this to happen?
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