The acts of terror a part of American history

Introduction

People always wonder which methods terrorists use to commit attacks and what motivates them. As a rule, terrorists use different methods to attack citizens. However, all of them have the same goal – to undermine US security and instill fear into people. Indeed, the below-mentioned terrorist attacks inflicted serious harm on the USA.

Los Angeles Times Bombing

The Los Angeles Times bombing occurred on October 1, 1910, in the Los Angeles Times building (McCann 37). Obviously, the targets of this attack were the owner and general manager of the newspaper who supported an anti-union movement. Prior to this attack, there had been numerous union-generated attacks in different parts of the country. Early in the morning, bombs, which were packed in a suitcase, exploded. A huge fire led to the death of 21 people (McCann 38). The authorities found culprits only after half a year. They were two brothers named James and John McNamara, who were radical members of the International Association of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers.

Preparedness Day Bombing

The Preparedness Day bombing in San Francisco was the worst attack in the history of this city. It occurred on July 22, 1916, during the Preparedness Day Parade, which celebrated the entrance of the USA into World War I (McCann 50). During the parade, a bomb hidden in the suitcase exploded. As a result, 10 people were killed and 40 received injuries (McCann 51). At first, the court convicted two labor leaders of the attack and sentenced them to death. However, later, it was discovered that the men had given false testimony, and they were released. The identity of criminals was never determined.

1919 Anarchist Bombings

The 1919 anarchist bombings were several explosions and attempted bombings committed by the Italian anarchists. It was one of the most dramatic attacks in US history. The attacks were conducted simultaneously in different cities. Its targets were famous government officials. These attacks led to a large-scale government crackdown on anarchist activities called the “Palmer raids” (McCann 54). On June 2, the U.S. Attorney General, A. Mitchell Palmer, heard a strong thump at his front door while entering his house. This explosion shook the house and shattered windows of the neighboring houses (McCann 54). Similar explosions occurred in Boston. The terrorists nearly destroyed Judge Hayden’s house by a pipe bomb made with shrapnel packed around dynamite. A series of other anarchist bombings also took place in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and some other states.

Erich Muenter

Eric Muenter was a German professor at Harvard University, who poisoned his wife. After her death, he changed his name to Frank Holt and started working as a German professor at Cornell. When World War I began, the USA gave weapons to its Allies. However, Muenter, as a German, did not like this act and tried to force the US to stop military supplies. He initiated a massive terror campaign to stop the war and bring a victory to Germany. On July 4, 1915, he got into the Capitol and planted a big bomb next to the Senate chamber (McCann 43). However, an explosion occurred only at midnight when the building was empty. The only victim was a guard knocked off his chair by the blast.

Airline Hijackings

Due to the rapid growth of air travel during the 1940s and 1950s, terrorists started to hijack planes (McCann 90). The first mid-air bombing took place on October 10, 1933 in Indiana, and this crime was never solved (McCann 90). The next accident happened in 1955, when a man put a bomb into the suitcase of his mother who traveled by plane in order to receive her life insurance money. The first international hijacking occurred in May 1961 (McCann 91). The terrorist from Miami drew a gun and demanded to fly to Cuba instead of Key West. However, after arriving in Cuba, he was arrested for espionage and spent many years in jail. In 1975, he received permission to leave Cuba and return to the USA. Nevertheless, when the man came to America, he was arrested for hijacking a plane in 1950. A similar incident happened in 1961 when another man raised a gun and demanded to fly to Havana. After this, the American administration proposed life imprisonment for hijackers.

1993 World Trade Center Bombing

On February 26, 1993, a bomb planted by Arab terrorists in a garage beneath the WTC killed six people, and more than one thousand were injured (McCann 164). The driver of a truck containing a bomb committed an attack. When a massive bomb exploded, it ruined five floors, leaving a big hole. The explosion resulted in clouds of smoke, which penetrated into the ventilation system of the Tower One of the WTC. Immediately after the explosion, The New York Times published an article followed by a telecast on CBS, claiming that the Iraqi people might have organized the terrorist attack. Journalists stated that an isolated group of intruders under the ideological leadership of sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman had organized a terrorist attack in New York.

Conclusion

The acts of terror have become a part of American history. The development of air travel gave birth to a new type of terrorism, i.e. airline hijacking. Other attacks were conducted by using traditional methods (for example, bombs). Often, the main targets were government officials, executives, and newspaper editors. As a rule, terrorists pursued their political goals that took the lives of many innocent people. All in all, terrorist attacks were aimed at compromising US security and harming American people.

by Robert Phelps from https://essaysworld.net/rewrite-my-essay