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Nineteen terrorists from Al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes, deliberately crashing two of the  planes into the upper floors of the north and south towers of the World Trade Center complex and a third plane into the pentagon in Arlington Virginia. At the crash and above, 1,360 people died; none survived. Below the crash line, 72 died and more than 4,000 survived. Floors could not be determined for two people who died in the north tower. In the south tower, united airlines flight 175 struck 78th through 84th floors.

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At the time, America has just gotten off from the Vietnam war. The war was clearly lost, and America was hurting. Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, Soviet powers invade. Osama Bin Laden fights in the war against the Soviets. As a way to stop the potential spread of communism, America decided to help Afghanistan. "The US government saw this as an opportunity to win the war against the USSR there for America sent weapons, money, and supplies to Afghanistan through Pakistan. Afghanistan would eventually drive out the Soviet aggression. America thought they had won and secured a new ally but they were mistaken."

Social Impact: The Soviet invasion had various impacts on both Afghanistan and the Soviet Union. In Afghanistan, it created a long and destructive conflict that resulted in the displacement of many people worldwide, the destruction of infrastructures, and the loss of many lives. This invasion also led to a rise in the rebellion of armed resistance groups like the mujahideen who sought to overthrow the Soviet-backed communist government. This group contributed to later problems throughout the Soviet Union. This included many deaths and injuries revolving around soviet soldiers of up to 15,000, causing the public to be unhappy with the war effort and government foreign policies.

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Osama Bin Laden, an army general, would go on to form Al-Qaeda with Muhammad Atef. With Afghanistan and Pakistan being invaded and fighting against the Soviets, they had gained weapons from America. This drove Bin Laden to replicate the Islamic victory. PBS states, " The Soviets’ humiliating defeat by mujahedeen forces in their 10-year long war inspires Osama bin Laden and other Islamic radicals to believe their victory in Afghanistan can be replicated around the world. At the end of the war, many of the “Afghan Arabs,” as the radicals were called, returned home. Osama bin Laden returns to Saudi Arabia.”.

Political Impact: The establishment of Al-Qaeda had both domestic and international impacts on society. In Afghanistan, foreign fighters like Osama bin Laden supported groups like the mujahideen. The experience of fighting fostered in these groups in Afghanistan helped to form a strong network to fight against the Soviet Union. The Al-Qaeda ideologies and beliefs influenced other terrorist organizations and groups, as well as, Islamic movements in the region. This group's presence and ideologies had a major effect on international relations, such as creating more cooperation among countries in trying to prevent terrorism.

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In 1993, a truck armed with a bomb went into a parking garage of the World Trade Center and blew up. It killed six and injured hundreds. The government found out the bomb was linked to Islamic extremists. PBS states, "Several people eventually convicted in the bombing are linked to the Office of Service’s Al Kifah Center in Brooklyn; four of these men are connected to Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman. Rahman, a blind Egyptian cleric who was the spiritual leader of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, is later convicted of conspiracy for his involvement in a plot to blow up New York City landmarks. He is sentenced to life in prison."

Social Impact: This bombing and attack in New York City had lasting effects on society towards terrorism, foreign policies, and security within the country. It led to the public’s concern and threat of later or future attacks that could occur through terrorism. It put residents of New York in shock, which caused fear and anxiety to most regarding the safety of their city. The bombing also had a wide impact on Muslim communities. It led to discrimination against Muslim communities in the U.S. causing many to be faced with suspicion and unfair prejudices. This tragic event caused the government and society to approach terrorism and security with more caution to prevent such acts.

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In 1998, America had 2 of its embassies bombed in Africa, one located in Nairobi, Kenya, and the other located in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The Kenya bombing resulted in over 200 deaths and 4,500 injuries, while the Tanzania bombing caused 11 deaths and 85 injuries. PBS states, "One of the bombers, Mohamed Al-‘Owhali, a Saudi, flees the scene. During the investigation, a search of the apartment of Khalid al-Fawwaz, the head of Al Qaeda’s London office, reveals manuals virtually identical to those found in the luggage of Ahmad Ajaj, who was connected to Ramzi Yousef and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. "

Political Impact: The bombings caused tensions between the U.S. and the governments of Kenya and Tanzania, along with other countries within the region. These tensions came from the concerns of whether the governments could provide the necessary security for citizens from terrorist attacks. Within the U.S. there was an increased emphasis on preventing terrorism and holding the perpetrators accountable for their actions. Security measures were taken more cautiously in which anti-terrorism laws were enhanced and stronger security in diplomatic facilities. For example,  the Anti-terrorism and Death Penalty Act gave the government more authority to investigate and stop terrorist acts.

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On September 11, 2001, America had one of its biggest tragedies. The twin towers in the World Trade Center had been hit by two commercial airplanes. The Pentagon had been hit by a commercial airplane. The last had been fought over between passengers and the hijackers. It crash-landed in a field in Pennsylvania, but its main destination was a government building in Washington, D.C. The hijackings had soon been associated with a past plot from Al-Qaeda which had been seen to use planes as weapons. PBS states, “U.S. investigators discover evidence they believe links Khalid Shaikh Mohammed — wanted and still at large for his role in the 1995 Bojinka plot — to the Sept. 11 hijackings. A few weeks later, U.S. officials say they believe that Khalid Shaikh Mohammed is the operations chief of Al Qaeda. It is also later reported that the National Security Agency had intercepted telephone conversations between Mohamed Atta and Khalid Shaikh Mohammed before Sept. 11, but had not “properly” translated them at the time. Officials quoted in one story refused to describe the content of those conversations."

Political Impact: This horrific event caused national security policies to be created like the USA Patriot Act which enabled investigators to gather information when looking into the full range of terrorism-related crimes. This act helped expand their powers to stop future terrorist acts. This event also caused the U.S. to build mutual connections and relationships with other countries in trying to prevent terrorism and be more secure. It also played a role in affecting civil liberties. It created debates regarding a need for better surveillance and security in determining when such attacks would occur. Changes in immigration policies also occurred. The requirements and security were stricter, meaning increased inspections of people from certain countries in an effort to prevent terrorism.

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How one man escaped from the top of the World Trade Center | Exclusive | 9 News Australia

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Social Impact: The attacks resulted in the loss of about 3000 lives, creating trauma and grief for not only the families and friends of such loses but the communities and people who witnessed this event. The trauma and loss caused from this event resonated with people worldwide and a sense of national unity was bestowed upon many people. Many came together in supporting one another to portray bravery in face of adversity. Although many showed bravery, the attacks also instilled fear and anger among the public. Concerns were raised among the public as to more terrorist attacks occurring. In the video a man describes how he escaped from the top of the World Trade Center. As he talks about this event, he described the intense fear and panic everyone has as he tries to escape and how sad it was to see people helpless and unable to get out in time. The amount of trauma and fear this event instilled in people worldwide shows how horrific this event truly was, leading to an increase in national security and surveillance.

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How one man escaped from the top of the World Trade Center | Exclusive | 9 News Australia

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The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, were unprecedented events in our nation's history. The country reacted with shock, confusion, and sorrow. With a strong desire to prevent similar events in the future, policymakers quickly assessed the existing security and vulnerabilities of the country's infrastructure. Following 9/11, the federal government moved quickly to develop a security framework to protect our country from large-scale attacks directed from abroad, while enhancing federal, state, and local capabilities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from threats and disasters at home.The attack sprang from a destabilized Afghanistan and the rise of Al-Qaeda. The day proved a stunning turning point, triggering the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and, later, Iraq.

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Political Impact: This speech highlighted a higher focus on foreign policies in the countries, Iran, Iraq, and North Korea as part of an “Axis of Evil”. This was because of their pursuit of mass destruction and terrorism and shifted attention toward these countries which influenced military strategies. The speech gave justification for the war on terror through military action although controversies were shown over mass destruction and weapons in Iraq. His speech helped him gain support through his foreign policy agenda where he was taking a stand against terrorism through military action, however, some debated the effectiveness of military action and whether it was necessary.

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President George W. Bush gives his "State of the Union" address just months after the 911 attacks. These excerpts show that, Republican or Democrat, it was an historic moment in time. Emotions ran high as Bush spoke to the country and the Congress.

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In March 2003, “U.S. forces invaded Iraq vowing to destroy Iranian weapons of mass destruction and end the dictatorial rule of Saddam Hussein. When intelligence of the weapons proved illusory and a violent insurgency arose, the war lost public support. Saddam was captured, tried, and hanged and democratic elections were held. More than 40,000 British troops are committed in support of the invasion.” With this America's citizens' views on the war shifted and chose a more diplomatic approach to a solution. However, we had support from our allies and our soldiers who supported the US government to continue with their plans.

Social Impact: The invasion of Iraq caused many casualties and the displacement of many people to occur. The civilian population suffered from lots of violence through military action and it disrupted services like education. And healthcare. Massive anti-war protests worldwide occurred where millions of people gathered on the streets in cities everywhere. These protests highlighted that the war was unjustified and should not happen as it would just further everyone’s suffering and certain country’s instability. The service members who fought in the military suffered from immense trauma and the many tours they went on caused them to not be able to see their families as much.

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After the 9/11 attacks the United States launched a campaign to identify and eliminate the terrorist ringleaders with deadly force. “Most famously, in 2011, when president Barack Obama ordered a secret military mission with seal team six into Pakistan that resulted in the killing of Bin Laden.” This was a hard decision to make because it is against the international humanitarian law to kill someone from another nation who has surrendered. However Obama was willing to take a risk and launch the attack on Bin Laden.

Political Impact: Osama Bin Laden's death was seen as a victory in the global war on terror and caused significant damage to the Al-Qaeda group. The U.S. military was in higher spirits due to the fact they were able to eliminate and track down a high-profile terrorist. President Obama who ordered the operation that led to his death helped him gain a political boost as it proved he was a strong leader regarding national security issues. Although the Al-Qaeda group was weakened, ideologies taught by Osama Bin Laden in other terrorist groups carried on with his beliefs. His death helped serve as some closure for the 9/11 victims even though it didn’t erase their loss and pain they still had.

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Former Navy SEAL Robert O’Neill Recalls the Night He Killed Osama bin Laden

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Social Impact: America finding out Osama Bin Laden had been killed was a moment of unity. As the hate against Al-Qaeda grew, so did Americans patriotism.

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Former Navy SEAL Robert O’Neill Recalls the Night He Killed Osama bin Laden

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The attack on Pearl Harbor was “a surprise military strike by the Japanese Navy Air Service on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, in the United States, just before 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 7, 1941.  The attack killed 2,403 U.S. personnel, including 68 civilians, and destroyed or damaged 19 U.S. Navy ships, including 8 battleships.” After this attack on the nation more support by American civilians encouraged the United States to declare war on Japan along with the axis powers.

Historical Synthesis: At the time, the United States was a neutral country in the World War II conflict’s until Japans attack. This historical event relates to our event of 9/11 because it was a surprise attack on the nation and after the event was over they caused a massive rise in American patriotism and a rise to go to war.

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As the attack happened at a time where America wasn’t prepared, America has advanced in their precautions. The attacks caused a revolution of safety as some might say. The difference in airport technology alone will show the effects it’s had on America. Not only has it had effects on America structurally, but also socially. It was shown that 78% of Americans believe there is discrimination against Muslims. This also shown with a Palestinian protest at the University of Mississippi where white college students threw bottles and yelled racial slurs towards the protesters. Hopefully America can overcome this hate.

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https://www.911memorial.org/learn/resources

https://www.state.gov/22nd-anniversary-of-the-september-11-2001-attacks/#:~:text=On%20September%2011%2C%202001%2C%20terrorists,homeland%20in%20our%20nation's%20history.

https://www.harmreductionohio.org/for-many-on-sept-11-survival-was-no-accident/#:~:text=At%20the%20crash%20and%20above,the%2078th%20through%2084th%20 floors.

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/09/02/two-decades-later-the-enduring-legacy-of-9-11/

https://www.georgewbushlibrary.gov/research/topic-guides/global-war-terror

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/timeline-al-qaedas-global-context/