Which event demostrated that the
continental U.S. is not geographically
protected from an enemy attack by
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans?
The Civil War, World War I,
Gulf War of 1991, or the terrorists
attacks of September 11,2001
I know the Civil War and the terrorists
attacks occured on U.S. soil.
Can you help?
September 11, 2001 is the answer they are after. The Civil War, although fought here, was not an attack by a foreign country.
Hawaii and Alaska were not states when they were attacked by Japan in 1941 when we entered WW II, but they were territories. Germany and Japan also attempted attacks on Oregon and the northeast from submarines, but were unsuccessful. The Atlantic and Pacific oceans were an effective barrier to attack.
To answer the question, we need to understand the events mentioned and analyze which one demonstrates that the continental U.S. is not geographically protected from an enemy attack by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
1. The Civil War: The Civil War was fought on U.S. soil, but it was not an attack by a foreign country. It does not demonstrate the lack of geographic protection from the oceans.
2. World War I: Although the U.S. participated in World War I, it was not directly attacked by enemies on its mainland. Thus, it does not demonstrate the lack of geographic protection.
3. Gulf War of 1991: The Gulf War primarily involved Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, and the U.S. led an international coalition to liberate Kuwait. It does not demonstrate an attack on the mainland U.S. or the lack of geographic protection.
4. Terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001: The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, orchestrated by the extremist group Al-Qaeda, involved the hijacking and intentional crashing of airplanes into the World Trade Center towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. This event demonstrated that the continental U.S. is not geographically protected from enemy attacks by the oceans. The terrorists were able to bypass the ocean barriers and carry out their attacks on U.S. soil.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as they directly demonstrated the vulnerability of the United States to attacks, regardless of the protection offered by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.