3 Interesting Wiki Searches
Week 2 (Photos at the bottom)
1. 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition
Also known as “The World’s Fair” and “The White City” this showcase of supreme wealth, ability, and class was held in Chicago over 120 years ago. Inside one building alone was enough to stuff: The Great Giza Pyramid, the U.S. Capitol, Madison Square Garden, Winchester Cathedral, and St. Paul’s Cathedral all at the same time. It was built in 2 years. Did you know that in times past, there were these magnificent “World’s Fair” events that were held in different countries to showcase their significance? There have been these supreme fairs since 1791, the origins lead back to the country of Bohemia (Czech Republic). There have been fairs in America, England, Austria-Hungary, Spain, France, Belguim, Italy, China, Japan, and the list goes on. Did you know that these fairs still go on today? The last one was in 2020 Dubai.
Well the 1893 Chicago exposition was the successor to the one held in Paris, France where they presented Le Tower di Eiffel. America put it’s pride on the line and made it our mission to out-do the Eiffel Tower. It is said that in the last week before opening day, there were 120,000 workers on the fairgrounds finishing the buildings and all the attractions. On its busiest day the park had 300,000 visitors. Walt Disney’s father worked as a furniture maker at the fair, and always talked in praise about his time working there. America presented the world’s first Ferris Wheel, there were attendees like Susan B. Anthony, Teddy Roosevelt, Tesla, Houdini, Joplin and even Hellen Keller.
2. Unit 731
Japan and China have had a long-lasting racial feud for millennia. Historically speaking, China has seen Japan as a much smaller and inferior group of people. They have a history of trade and war and competition for land for thousands of years. Right before WW2 started they were already fighting each other. At this time Japan was supposed to have a better equipped army and strategies and they even organized a group of scientists to conduct experiments on Chinese POW’s to study the effects of disease like Syphilis and Cholera. This was the creation of Unit 731. They would inject a woman with Gonorrhea's and then force themselves on her just to study what happens to a fetus if it contracts an STD in the womb. There were studies on prisoners, or “logs” as they would call them at the unit, to see at what temperature does human flesh start to die. There were organs being harvesting on site, sometimes peoples brains. No people were killed before their operations since the whole purpose was to “study” the effects of disease on a live subject. No antiseptics or antibacterial substances were used.
It is quite ironic that the unit was first proposed as the “Epidemic Prevention Department” in the army. It is speculated that over 400,000 Chinese prisoners were slaughtered at the camps and that 500,000 people were killed as a result of the studies that were done at the unit. One crazy thought that doesn’t leave my mind is that there is no notion that Japan’s back was behind a wall and the creation of Unit 731 was mandatory for Japan’s survival, it really seems that Japan saw an opportunity to overcome their long-standing rivals and decided on complete dehumanization and annihilation. Japan seized the opportunity to be seen as an equal to the world, even if it meant treading through these demonic passages. The scientists saw their “work” as an opportunity to be seen as significant to their countrymen. Dark. For many years afterward, the Japanese public denied the existence of Unit 731. Only until recently did a Japanese commander visit a gathering of the victims of this massacre and publicly admit that these atrocities were done. There have been no reparations.
3. AZOV Brigade
This topic I pulled out of my memory from about 2 years ago. When all the news of a war breaking out between Russia and Ukraine was first popping off. I remember hearing that Russia was “targeting Nazi-ism” in the Ukraine. My first thought was how ridiculous it seemed that a country as evil as Russia was now tasked with killing Nazis. I only knew Russia as an enemy to my nation. “The Big Red Scare.” I knew that we were sworn enemies and the only time American men stood side by side with Russians was during WW2 to defeat an evil that was so pure it was a no-brainer that we had to work together to rid the world of this. Well it was now 80 years later in the year 2022 and here I heard of Vlad Putin targeting Nazis in the Ukraine.
The rumors of these extreme right-wing militants come to a head with the AZOV Brigade or AZOV Battalion from the city of Mariupol, Ukraine. They are a group of self-volunteered soldiers who were organized to defend their land against the Russians. First known as the, “Black Corps” they were made an official branch of the army in 2014 but have origins that lead back to “political groups since the early 2000’s. However since then there have been “credible allegations” of human rights violations against the Ukrainian soldiers including: the rape and torture of a man with mental disability, illegal looting of civilian homes, and torture. Since it’s conception the group has been tied to far-right wing activists, something worth noticing is that the logo or insignia of the group is directly taken out of the book of the Nazis. The “Wolfsangel” patch is seen on their arms which is something you would see an S.S. guard wearing during the reign of Adolf. Funnily enough I have literally the same patch tattooed on my leg which I wish I would have known before inking it onto my skin permanently (I thought it was a 47)
I find it interesting how Ukraine has found many supporters of it’s war in America. It is no surprise by this time our government has approved $175 Billion for aid in the small European country. Its very curious to see how the “good fight” is being supported by primarily liberal Americans and is actually being fought by far-right wing extremists. Russia claims it’s “de-nazifying” Ukraine and America is against it. Ukraine claims that although there were ties to Neo-Nazism at the beginning, the brigade has spent years depoliticizing itself and becoming more focused on defending the country. Now one thing worth considering is that there have been claims that Russian spies infiltrated Ukraine’s political groups to spread disinformation on it’s people. I read about this for an hour and honestly, still am unsure of what to think. I can pronounce none of the names without sounding racist. Nevermind the laptop scandal with our current president’s son, I doubt anyone I know can even definitively say they know what is going on in Europe.
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-Dam