Loading ...The Wounded Knee Massacre: 118th Anniversary of US Genocide
ByThis week Winter Rabbit at Native American Netroots has a good overview of several genocidal actions by the US army and white militias in a post, “The Wounded Knee Massacre: 118th Anniversary.”
The massacre allegedly began after an Indian, who was being disarmed,
shot a U.S. officer. … Hotchkiss guns shredded the camp on Wounded Knee Creek, killing, according to one estimate, 300 of 350 men, women, and children
(photos: Thomasson, William B)
A wikipedia article adds these details:
The Wounded Knee Massacre was the last major armed conflict between the Oglala Lakota and the United States. It was described as a massacre by General Nelson A. Miles in a letter to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. On December 29, 1890, 500 troops of the U.S. 7th Cavalry, supported by four Hotchkiss guns (a lightweight artillery piece designed for travel with cavalry and used as a replacement for the aging twelve-pound mountain howitzer), surrounded an encampment of Miniconjou Sioux (Lakota) and Hunkpapa Sioux (Lakota). The Army had orders to escort the Sioux to the railroad for transport to Omaha, Nebraska. One day prior, the Sioux had given up their protracted flight from the troops and willingly agreed to turn themselves in at the Pine Ridge Agency in South Dakota…. They were met by the 7th Cavalry, who intended to use a display of force coupled with firm negotiations to gain compliance from them. The commander of the 7th had been ordered to disarm the Lakota before proceeding. During the process of disarmament, a deaf tribesman named Black Coyote refused the order to give up his rifle because he didn’t understand. . . . By the time it was over, more than 200 men, women and children of the Lakota Sioux lay dead.
(For more photos and details see here)
Unlike in Germany, the U.S. genocide against indigenous Americans has yet to be recognized and faced. No appropriate reparations or real national apology yet. Don’t we still live a fundamentally immoral existence as a nation?
(Note: Native American Netroots is an important site to know about: It is
a forum for the discussion of political, social and economic issues affecting the indigenous peoples of the United States, including their lack of political representation, economic deprivation, health care issues, and the on-going struggle for preservation of identity and cultural history.
)
In light of trying with all of might, while working through the difficulty of completing the reading, “Masters of Death: The SS-Einsatzgruppen and the Invention of the Holocaust” by Richard Rhodes (2002) who notes the German Nazis under Hitler exterminated an estimated 95%+ of all Jewish folks residing in Lithuania alone between 1941-1943…and still finding it too difficult to even pick up and complete the reading of Shirer’s “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” (which probably most everybody else has read)…I have to say, that in my own way, and with the greatest appreciation and humbleness, Germany totally KICKS ASS (the ultimate compliment) for their apology and their taking full responsibility of their history (reparations included). The U.S.?..for both its genocide, slavery, and continued oppression of both groups….no comment at this time…. Just embarrassment and great sadness to put it mildly….
I don’t think that Germany/Germans take responsibility of history, not all victims of the Holocaust were compensated and the genocide in Namibia just about 30 years before Hitler-Germany is forgotten in Germany and reparations are denied. Germany also doesn’t do enough to combat racism, the blindness towards racism given the German history is stunning and also very disappointing.
jwbe–I understand the younger generations of today in Germany are questioning much as to how or why they should share responsibility for the history, much like the ongoing questioning of white Americans today and over the last several or many decades here in the U.S. And perhaps true that not all victims were compensated (including non-Jewish groups that shared the same fate as many of the Jewish communities), but the nation has done much more in terms of both facing and taking responsibility for its history than the U.S. (for that I repeat the highest compliment I know)Also, I understand the laws in Germany prohibit Nazi prophaganda, speech, and so on. Or there are limitations on “Freedom of Speech”. There are pros and cons to that, which is a different discussion altogether. Though one of the dangers of it, however, ties into the blindness you mention for sure, leading to other undesirable and even potentially dangerous unintended and unforseen consaquences…. I cannot speak to the blindness beyond that, but I suspect what you say is very much the truth as I have heard similar things from others, etc. who have been there in the last couple of decades.
The one thing however that as far as I know still holds very much true that challenges the blindness and always will as long as they remain in existance, are the preserved museums, artifacts, and so on, from WWII (which are graphic as I understand). A relative of mine was stationed in Frankfurt for two years during the early 90’s and he said they never repaired the bullet holes from WWII in the walls of the buildings and other structures in the general area he was residing. Also, I understand they preserved the concentration camps and they can be toured, and so on. The feeling of them, as described by someone who has been to Dachau is unsettling to say the least as the atrocities that occurred in real life during the Holocaust does not reflect the uninhabited and very still and quiet land it rests upon. She shared her emotions and descriptions as she flipped through pictures she took while there. But it is all in tact. I understand Germany has also preserved other concentration camps, so as to never forget. They could have easily done otherwise. They could have easily confronted their own history very differently in a variety of ways. But I think they (post-Nazi Germany, which I just call Germany) has done much in the best way they could and knew how, and to the best of their ability. So, in the sense of acknowledging, apologizing, taking responsibility for their history, and reparations, they are way ahead of the U.S. and being in a nation that does none of the above? I commend Germany for that. They cannot reverse their history and the great damage done to humanity just as the U.S. and their/our history, but I think Germany as a nation has taken very serious strides to express a very genuine and sincere apology. And I do not believe healing and eventual forgiveness can begin without first an apology.
No nation is perfect nor will never be. The most important thing for Germans, as well as for peoples of any nations, is to always be critical of their government–always. So, with that said, whether you are in Germany or the U.S., are German, American, or whatever, I think critiquing contemporary Germany with regard to racism or any other type so social inequality is perfectly valid, important, and necessary.
If you don’t mind me asking and if you feel comfortable responding, jwbe–when thinking about the discussion above with relation to Germany, what do you think about the U.S.’s lack of response for its own atrocities? Even refusal to give an apology without reparations for its own genocide and slavery? (and ongoing oppression, racialized ghettos, racialized criminal “justice(?)” system, etc.)
Anyway, thank you for sharing your viewpoint and critique–I still personally have to commend Germany as a nation.
I guess I have further thoughts…another contrast between Germany and the U.S. is it does not have Hitler (or other Nazi related stuff) on its money, any flags, or his highest ranked officers, etc. It does not preserve its history for glory and pride–it’s preserved so as not to forget. In the U.S. on the other hand, the Hitler’s are the hero’s. The history is preserved for pride–completely flipped. Slave owners, men who killed tribal folks with joy, and highest ranked KKK folks are on our money, flags, statues, etc. celebrated and honored as heros throughout the nation and in schools, colleges, and universities, etc. I’m not sure there is an Adolf Hitler University in Germany and if there is, I have never heard of it. Or any universities named after SS guards or other Nazi officials for that matter. So, that’s another difference.
But also, I would have to suggest that I do not see why it would be problem for the German people or government to push for further reparations to other groups that were denied, overlooked, or ignored…. Very interesting….
>I understand the younger generations of today in Germany are questioning much as to how or why they should share responsibility for the history,
already the war-generation of Germans didn’t see a reason to feel responsible and the vast majority was opposed to paying reparations. West-Germany only demonstrated “guilt” or whatever because Nazi-Germany was defeated and West-Germany wanted to be a part of Europe again. West-Germany wasn’t in the position after WWII to make own choices. Germany’s military had to be limited etc.
Yes I think, there are some positive actions like prohibiting hate speech, stormfront wouldn’t be possible in Germany and there is also no access from Germany to this site for example.
But I think that the true challenge of dealing honestly with the entire German history and genocides doesn’t happen in Germany and therefore also the words “don’t forget” become quite empty phrases, because we Germans have already forgotten some parts of our history.
>If you don’t mind me asking and if you feel comfortable responding, jwbe–when thinking about the discussion above with relation to Germany, what do you think about the U.S.’s lack of response for its own atrocities? Even refusal to give an apology without reparations for its own genocide and slavery? (and ongoing oppression, racialized ghettos, racialized criminal “justice(?)” system, etc.)
I think the difference is that the US can be the unchallenged bully and acts accordingly. White Americans (as a group) don’t know how it feels to suffer, how it feels when your cities are bombed or when other nations would feel free to station their missiles and armies there etc., I think for many white Americans war is just another TV-show and they are shocked, when the soldiers they send around the world actually die because war isn’t the entertainment many seem to believe, I don’t know.
White America doesn’t lose their children to cluster bombs etc, white America doesn’t truly understand what they do to the rest of the world and feels no need to think about it, because America is still on the winning side, I don’t think that nations act ‘decent’ as long they don’t have to do.
To be honest, from many years on internet as well as some visits to America I get the impression that many white Americans act like spoiled children without any true depth or understanding of more complex issues. The refusal of paying reparations also displays for me the disconnection from other people living in the same country, and glorifying the past by creating lies and illusions displays a sad state of white America’s soul which prefer lies to true life.
I believe, only if you can also accept and deal with the negative sides of your history you will be able to feel your own humanity and what this system of white supremacy wants to make out of you and how you define yourself in such a system. Whites have to be able to deal with their tears which will come when you start feeling history and the present and I think only these tears will truly change something in oneself to honestly trying to make history a history which won’t repeat itself. Because it is not just a ‘race’ which suffered, but human beings and you will realize that the concept of ‘race’ can’t be more powerful in your life than the concept of humanity.
>I’m not sure there is an Adolf Hitler University in Germany and if there is, I have never heard of it. Or any universities named after SS guards or other Nazi officials for that matter. So, that’s another difference.
But there are still streets with names of former colonizers. But you are right, this honoring Southern history and plantations and the Confederate Flag waving is odd and offending.
>But also, I would have to suggest that I do not see why it would be problem for the German people or government to push for further reparations to other groups that were denied, overlooked, or ignored…. Very interesting….
The majority of Germans doesn’t want to pay reparations and affected groups don’t have the lobby and (also American support) Jews have.
Many Germans I think also don’t know that further victims of the Holocaust where all people who were differerent: dissidents, Blacks, Romas, disabled, homosexuals etc.
Some problems I see with dealing with history the way Germany does, it’s a convenient way to ignore institutional racism towards PoC. There is a denial of the presence of non-white Germans and PoC are in most cases associated with ‘foreign’. Because of Hitler in post-war Germany the word “Rasse”/race is tabu, therefore there are no statistics available with which you could prove discrimination based on race. But without facts it becomes difficult to challenge the systemic racism. Many, also anti-racist groups, confuse anti-racism with pro-immigrant rights or anti right-wing-extremism. Both is important but with that PoC become again ‘invisible’ and ‘non-German’.
You know, you could go to prison by lifting your arm and saying Heil Hitler but the German N-word can still be printed in school-books…
jwbe, I’m glad you’re here at this website and I hope you continue to share perspectives throughout the various posts that are to come. I appreciate your discussion on both the U.S. and Germany and think you’re [definitely right on with relation to the U.S.] and your own nation. I’ve never been to Germany and what I know is only based on books and accounts of people who have been there. With that, I am unable to be critical of the German nation as perhaps needs be with relation to reparations, etc. (and admittingly am not a point where I can be due to lack of experience and limited knowledge and just being thankful that they at least did something…more than the U.S. can and will do…) and as you are doing. And being in a nation where cultic type white supremacist groups are denying the Holocaust, and all said above…I still appreciate, perhaps what little in all reality, Germany has done to at least ensure the history cannot be entirely denied. Anyway, thank you very much for the most excellent dialogue and cheers to you!
I think it is important that different nations, anti-racists from different nations try to establish an exchange of experience. I have learnt a lot by reading and writing on American message boards or reading American authors about racism, some topics aren’t a topic in Germany like white privilege for example.
But I think that the way we Germans are educated at school about the Holocaust differs to the way America teaches history. And the teachers I had were able to let us feel the sameness of us and of the victims of the Holocaust, not their “otherness”.
I agree with the international dialogue–and it does seem to be occurring too, which is most awesome. And I suspect you are very much correct with the teaching of history being different. I bet it is even quite different between regions within the U.S. as well…. Here I will bypass sharing my own personal experiences. But let me say, from what I gather, either the Holocaust is used as an example to contrast what a “civilized” nation the U.S. is *cough cough*, people don’t want to talk about it or don’t care about (the “it’s over with, now get over it” type of attitude), it being downplayed in other ways with heavy antisemitic undertones, or people arguing it never occurred (this I am not aware of being taught in the history presented in public schools, however). And I’m sure numerous other possibilities not even mentioned here. Certainly, the “otherness” of both Germans and the victims is clear….
It sounds as though you have very fine education from wonderful people. Again, I look forward to learning more. Thank you
you are welcome.
I think I had some great teachers. The difference is also I think that many of the teachers at the time I was young and at school experienced WWII as children
jwbe~just had to come back and share something I did not know (that has nothing really to do with the post above, but points the gross ignorance of Americans, such as I…)–we were spending some time with some friends from Europe a couple of days ago and they mentioned there is no Wal-Marts in Germany. I was of the understanding that they dominated all industrialized countries…but I asked another person (American) who keeps up on world news if he knew that and he said he wasn’t aware of that–although he quickly suggested: “Just give it time…”. Well I looked into it and Wal Mart was already there and failed!
The great U.S. exploiters pulled out of both Germany and South Korea about the same time back in 2006 because of their ethnocentric American attitudes tied to business relations and unwillingness to learn about the cultures (including language), the nations found the corporation’s treatment of employees in violation with the labor laws, and so on. Perhaps other people who visit here already knew all this, but I certainly most did not–so just had to swing by and give another cheers!
yes, when Wal Mart had to leave Germany it was just great:-)
And the next should be the American Army, for me they don’t have the right to still occupy Germany
haha–yes the U.S. arrogance is just too much in too many ways…. I can’t get over the Wal-Mart thing–it’s great. A definite congrats for that
Most awesome
at least one who seems to be as happy about this as I am
Oh yes–I would love to see Wal-Mart (and other corporations–Nike for example) collapse. I think nations such as Germany and South Korea set a positive example for the rest of the world through rejecting such corporations and refusing to participate in a type of consumerism that supports the terrible exploitation of third world nations and the most vulnerable people throughout the world, refusing to let that corporation exploit the workers and in violation of labor laws, etc.. It sends a strong message to both Wal-Mart and the U.S.
As terrible as it may be, I do on occasion even find myself in Wal-Mart here for various reasons. But the majority of my shopping is done at other retailers or local establishments. Over the last few years I think it is mainly because I’ve been in more rural areas. But I try not to support that corporation. So an embarrasing confession on my part here….
And you pointed out a privilege that we have in the U.S. that I had never really thought about before–the fact that we don’t have other nations occupying our territory. I have never seen a person wearing a non-U.S. uniformed. I don’t know how I would feel or what I would think if I were to see something like that. But at the same time, it is almost as if this nation should have their own complexes here if they are our allies? Or any nation we occupy, they should likewise have infantry here? It’s all one sided. The U.S. is a very paranoid nation and cannot fathom the notion of reciprocity. It’s about greed and capitalism. Employers exploit their workers to very high degrees, many do not have any pension plans or health insurance, get vacations, etc. And oddly enough, many of those same people are heavily anti-union. It’s a backwards nation. It’s nice to see that other nations are fighting and resisting it and not allowing the same trends to infect their own nations. It says a lot for those who are in power over there, and of the people. It’s very neat. So I guess a belated congrats, really!
I apologize–some of that did not make sense–I meant to say, in the nations we have military complexes, those very nations should be allowed to have their own military complexes here. It should go both ways.
However, I just got news about 5 minutes ago that the IRS has informed many employers and employees of a very large corporation that Obama is requiring all employees to provide health insurance for their employees–so, jwbe, the tide may be turning here in the U.S. in positive ways? I hope he makes positive changes likewise internationally–I believe he will.
>I think nations such as Germany and South Korea set a positive example for the rest of the world through rejecting such corporations and refusing to participate in a type of consumerism that supports the terrible exploitation of third world nations and the most vulnerable people throughout the world,
the problem is that Germany has its own chains like Lidl or Aldi, not truly better than Wal Mart I think.
>I have never seen a person wearing a non-U.S. uniformed. I don’t know how I would feel or what I would think if I were to see something like that.
Every time I think about it I become angry. I could manage it to never make contact with US soldiers here in Germany, I know other Germans who find it “cool” or whatever to go where the American soldiers are, to a certain degree for me this is a sell-out or perhaps also a not truly thinking about it what it means that a foreign nation does have the power to station its military here.
But still, Wal Mart was pushed out–when I saw the comparison of net profit between Wal-Mart and the other corporations you mentioned above? I will see if I can find them and bring them back.
And, jwbe, I can only imagine–you pointed out a very clear privilege in the U.S. and one that was pretty much invisible at least to me prior. I personally haven’t even seen men and women in Canadian or Mexican uniform in the U.S. I am sure both nations have seen the U.S. uniform in their homelands… When people enlist in the military here, many get options of “which” nations they would like to be in-they (the recruiters) are like used-car sales men. And if I were to travel abroad and see U.S. troops in other nations (particularly nations at peace, such as Germany) I would have taken it for granted in a sense–it would not have suprised me in any way as I know Germany is one of the countries our troops are stationed at–in this sense, I would not have critically questioned it. Why would I have more than likely not of questioned it? Either way, or both ways (never seeing foreign troops on U.S. soil or visiting another nation and seeing U.S. troops on foreign soil–regardless of how much I were to either support or be in opposition of their presence–or simply neutral), it’s invisible privileges for me/us.
I don’t know–but thank you nonetheless for pointing out invisible privileges we have in the U.S.–even though, it was very obvious for you. I hope you will continue to keep on doing so. Thank you
Here are those figures (I apologize if it doesn’t turn out right here–but here’s the link: http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/publikationen/pdf/w024.pdf –don’t know if it is peer reviewed, and there are of course many other pages that discuss issues even beyond this author):
From p. 7:
Table 1: The World’s Top Retailers (2001)
Rank Company Country Revenues
($ billion)
1 Wal-Mart Inc. USA 217,8
2 Carrefour France 62.2
3 Royal Ahold Netherlands 59.6
4 The Kroger Co. USA 50.0
5 Metro Germany 44.3
6 Albertson’s Inc. USA 38.2
7 Kmart Corp. USA 34.6
8 Safeway Inc. USA 34.3
9 Costco Wholesale Corp. USA 34.1
10 Tesco United Kingdom 34.1
11 Rewe Group Germany 33.6
12 Aldi Group Germany 29.0*
…
16
Edeka/AVA Group
Germany
25.1
…
18
Tengelmann Group
Germany
23.1
…
25
Schwarz Group
Germany
16.7*
Source: Lebensmittelzeitung (Internet edition) (2002a) (* = Estimates)
A
There is a German article about Walmart in Germany, ‘the chronology of a failure’, which was a failure to introduce the American way of life and doing business. McDonalds was more effective doing this, but there is no competition for McDonalds.
I would be interested in checking it out–the successful resistance is truly most awesome in many ways. Thank you
This is the link. http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/0,1518,429049,00.html. You speak German? If not I can try to translate the most important