Abstract Michael S. Sherry is a professor of history at Northwestern University. His research and writing focuses on the role played by military force and strategy in American foreign policy. His book, "The Rise of American Air Power: The Creation of Armageddon" won the 1988 Bancroft Prize in American history.
This paper discusses the evolution of U.S. land based missile forces in the context of Ronald Powaski's "Return to Armageddon: The United States and the Nuclear Arms Race, 1981-1999".
1,150 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 1 source, 2002, $ 44.95
Abstract The paper focuses on how the negotiations involving the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the Strategic Arms Reduction treaties, and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, all affected U.S. nuclear armaments. In the end, even though American land based missile forces have been reduced due to these treaties, the threat of nuclear war remains. .
Abstract The end of the 19th century in the United States brought immense change: the exponential growth of industrialization and decline of farming; the influx of immigrants into the factories and second-generation integration into socio-economic arenas; the awakening of women as equal partners; a radical change in political outlook; the emphasis on social reform; the rise and fall of civil rights; the increasing impact of organized labor; and the interaction between international issues and domestic policies. In short, it was a time of total unrest, upheaval, and movement. This paper shows how, in less than 400 pages, Nell Irvin Painter captures the turmoil of moving from an agrarian society to an urban, industrial one, leaving the reader greatly impressed with the accomplishments of this age, but saddened as well with the negative consequences.
From the Paper "However, difficulties arose when trying to pass legislation. Essentially, the farmers were a very heterogeneous group, from poor sharecroppers to well-to-do planters, whose ideas often conflicted. As a result, the Populists or people's party was formed to support such issues as government ownership of railroads and telegraphs, more land grants given to settlers, flexible currency based on silver, graduated income tax, postal savings banks, direct elections and an eight-hour day. ?The corporation has been placed above the individual,? stressed Populist presidential candidate General Weaver, "and an armed body of cruel mercenaries permitted in times of public peril to discharge police duties which clearly belong to the State" (Painter, 99)."
Abstract This paper explains that the roots of the belief in a glorious kingdom, which is part natural and part supernatural, are found in the hopes of the Jews for a temporal Messiah and in the Jewish apocalyptic. The author explains that, for thousands of years, legendary leaders such as King Solomon, the Egyptian pharaohs and Napoleon Bonaparte, have fought over Megiddo, called Armageddon in the New Testament, located in modern day Israel, and where the Bible says the end of the world will occur. The paper describes the grey goo scenario, first posed by Eric Drexler in his book on nanotechnology, "Engines of Creation", in which he describes how small nano-scale robots built to replicate themselves using any organic material, self-replicating nanobots, which eventually cover the world with grey sludge competing for the remainder of the planet's resources with microscopic earth munching robot swarms.
From the Paper "The Christian faith is one such religion that is based on the day of judgement. There are dozens of references in the Old Testament and the New Testament of the Bible that concern the end of the world. It is called by many phrases such as the "Day of the Lord," "the Day of the Son," "The Last Day," "The Day of the Son of Man," or the "Second Coming". For Christians this means that Christ will return to gather the just and annihilate the evil, and to found a glorious kingdom on earth filled with the highest spiritual and material blessings. All the saints will participate in this event and Christ is said to reign for one thousand years."
Abstract It discusses the possibility that there should have been a safer alternative to the threat of nuclear Armageddon. Points discussed include the Soviet's motivation for placing a missile site in Cuba in the first place and the lack of knowledge on our part that may have contributed to exacerbating the situation.
Abstract This paper discusses the tragedy at Waco. It describes the Branch Davidians which were a group that broke away from the Seventh Day Adventist Church and who were faithful to David Koresh. The paper discusses the sequence of events that led up to the tragedy and the ways in which survivors stories differ about details of what happened and who was responsible.
From the Paper "The web site of a Canadian group that works towards religious tolerance states that the Branch Davidians were a group that broke away from the Seventh Day Adventist Church and formed their own religious community in 1919. They believed that Christ would soon return and the end of the world (the "Downfall of Babylon") would occur. The "Kingdom of David" would then be established. In 1984, after a succession of leaders, Vernon Howell joined the group and married a prominent member's daughter. In 1987 he took control of the group. The membership did not generally call themselves Branch Davidians, but the name was commonly used in the media and so became popular. Vernon Howell changed his name in 1992 to David (after King David of the Israelites) Koresh (after the Babylonian King Cyrus) and renamed the Mt. Carmel Center where they lived the "Ranch Apocalypse." He believed the final battle of Armageddon, predicted in the Bible, would start at the Branch Davidian compound (Branch Davidians, 2005)."
Abstract This essay compares the conception of the term "terrorism" by Noam Chomsky in "Who are the Global Terrorists" and Michael Ignatieff in "Liberty and Armageddon". The paper argues that both have essentially different views on this subject and it discusses each of their views in detail, pointing out in which ways they differ most.
From the Paper "Terrorism as Defined by Noam Chomsky and Michael Ignatieff Two positions on global terror could not be more different than those taken by Noam Chomsky in "Who are the Global Terrorists?" and Michael Ignatieff in "Liberty and Armageddon." In both articles, the respective authors deal with the topic of modern global terrorism. However, they display a markedly different understanding of the issue. Chomsky argues that the Western liberal democracies, lead by the United States and Israel, have been guilty for decades of countless cases of state sponsored terrorism and transgressions, while Michael Ignatieff completely ignores potential Western guilt while arguing for an increase in the effort of the war on terror."
Abstract In this article, the writer first discusses the origins of the name of Satan. The writer then explains that one of the most widely debated aspects concerning the origin of Satan revolves around the question as to exactly what extent the power of evil is manifested in Satan. The writer maintains that perhaps the most powerful image of Satan in today's world is linked with the concept of Armageddon, a time in the distant future, or in the distant past, when Satan and his evil minions will gather together to battle God and Christ for the ultimate and supreme control over man and the universe. The writer concludes that Satan remains an elusive yet easily recognizable figure, due to the fact that this personage of evil and destruction has survived untold numbers of revisions for more than three thousand years and continues to pervade the minds and hearts of believers and non-believers alike.
From the Paper "However, other theological scholars and students of ancient religions have devised another path toward associating evil with Satan via non-canonical Hebrew literature which supports the idea that not only is Satan a true adversary of God but is also the leader of the fallen angels, contained in such works as The Book of the Secrets of Enoch and several Islamic texts. Yet also Satan eventually evolves into the ultimate symbol of evil, the ancient Hebrews offered "no suggestion of any dualism, neither temporal, spatial or ethical," meaning that Satan was either pure evil or was not. Additional apocalyptic literature maintains this stance but it was only in later Judaism when Satan was viewed as being a dualistic figure. Tom Radcliffe points out that as the Jewish church became established and grew in prominence, many of its enemies were linked to Satan, such as heretics and the Syrians."
Abstract This paper explains the origin of Satan from Jewish, Islamic and Christian view points and texts. The author points out that one of the most widely debated aspects concerning the origin of Satan revolves around the question as to exactly what extent the power of evil is manifested in Satan. The paper relates that the contemporary views of Satan are not that much different from the beliefs of the ancient Israelites or those of the later Christians. The author concludes that Satan, as a personage of evil and destruction, remains an elusive yet easily recognizable figure even in modern times.
From the Paper "In the "Gospel of Mark" as in that of "Paul", one finds multiple references to the name of Satan, but in the other gospels, the authors use various forms and deviations. In the "Gospel of John", the reader is told that Jesus experienced an epiphany similar to what God accomplished cosmologically in creation, being "the separation of light from darkness," i.e. the separation of good from evil. The appearance (or perhaps indication) of Satan in the "Gospel of John" is related in several ways."
This paper explains the importance of foreign policy, in relation to other factors, in influencing the relationship between James I and the Puritans in the years 1603 - 1625.
Abstract In this article, the writer looks at the relationship between James I and the Puritans, focusing on the significance of foreign policy. The writer notes that the Puritan's view regarding foreign policy, although the Millenary Petition of 1603 acknowledged James's authority over all such matters, was stringently anti-Spanish. The writer maintains that in the eyes of the Puritans, Spain was something of a Catholic super-power and, along with the traditional hatred of the Spanish, they took the more extreme view that the Pope was the "Anti-Christ" and that all Catholics were irretrievably evil. The writer points out that when compared to James's tolerant attitude, this was potentially dangerous for both parties. The writer notes that before 1618, foreign policy did little to damage James's relationship with England's Puritans, who were largely conformist. The writer concludes that after 1618, however, with the increasingly serious negotiations with Spain over the match, the Puritans became far more concerned about James's tolerant attitude towards Catholicism and, in a Millenarian point of view, the potential danger of James failing to ensure a Protestant victory in the Battle of Armageddon.
From the Paper "James's 1618 Book of Sports was, by going against extreme Puritan Sabbatarianism, a further attempt to separate the conformist Puritans from the non-conformist individuals, which added to his lengthy list of such efforts. These endeavours, whilst casual, did help James in recognising some extremists, but also helped to further alienate some - such alienated groups would have been particularly adverse to any foreign policy sympathetic to Catholic powers (and more prepared to resort to extreme measures), which was especially dangerous because most such Puritans were by no means poor: Puritanism required, to some extent, literacy, and literacy was largely restricted to richer members of society, who were therefore more likely to be MPs, or MPs' more important constituents (as part of the Gentry). Such Puritans were, fortunately for James, rare (partly owing to their emigration) and so they had little effect. Puritans in Parliament were conformists at least to the extent that they recognised parliament, and so had little effect on foreign policy - the reasons for anti-Spanish sentiment in Parliament were varied, but had little to do with extreme Puritanism. Until 1618, there was little reason for souring the relationship between James and the majority of Puritans (specifically) through domestic policy, finance, the constitution or other areas, as the dissatisfaction that could arise from these problems were not religious issues. After 1618, however, with the increasingly serious negotiations with Spain over the Match (now with Charles, since Henry, James's older son, had died), the Puritans became far more concerned about James's tolerant attitude towards Catholicism and, in a Millenarian point of view, the potential danger of James failing to ensure a Protestant Victory in the Battle of Armageddon."
Abstract This paper discusses the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, written around 96 CE in Asia Minor by John the Elder, probably a Christian from Ephesus. The paper describes the visions contained in the book and then discusses its structure, imagery and language, and what these reveal. The paper also looks at the opposing views on the reliability of the predictions made by the Book of Revelations.
From the Paper "Researchers have also found certain inaccuracies and points of contention. The troubling seven-headed Beast, which rises from the sea and demands to be worshipped as God, symbolizes Rome, the city of seven hills (BBC Team 2001). The number 666 of the Beast has led to speculations and computations, which ascribe its value to Nero. But late 19th century British archaeologists found manuscript fragments of the Book of Revelation, which give the number of the Beast as 616. This number points to the Emperor Caligula who built a statue of himself in the temple of Jerusalem. This greatly offended the Jews of the time. The image of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse was adapted from the Hebrew prophet Zacariah. The red horse was Zacariah's symbol for war and destruction, the black horse for famine, the pale horse for death, but the white horse for vengeance and salvation. The word "Armageddon" was apparently drawn from al-Megiddo, which was a place in the Jazreel Plain found in modern-day Israel. Many of John the Seer's own battles occurred in this place in the first century. He could have envisioned Megiddo as the suitable location for the final battle between good and evil (BBC Team)."
Tags: worship apocalypse, Battle of Armageddon, the Four Horsemen
