Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Ima Student Josie Tierney-Fife English 9 Advanced 22 March, 2010 9/11: More Than Just a Memory Even though I was only six years old, I still remember September 11th, 2001 vividly. It was a day of great fear, anger, and sadness not only for me, but for all of America. I doubt any of us will forget that day, nor the thousands of innocent lives that were lost. September 11th, 2001: looking back on it, I realized how little I knew about what happened, even though I was alive to see the events of that day unfold on my very own television screen. I could see the towers falling and see the thousands of people running through the streets of New York City, but I didn't know what they were feeling. They were literally running from death, while others just blocks away couldn't run fast enough. It wasn't until I was older that I began to really understand what had happened, and really began to feel the sadness and anger for the events of September 11th. This is why I chose 9/11 as the subject of my paper; I want to learn how something so devastating could happen to our country, and why we were the target of such cowardly attacks. I feel like the only way I can learn about that fateful day is by learning all of the details. I need to step into the shoes of a person on that day, so that I can begin to understand what it was like to live through the disaster. I want to know how our country, and even the rest of the world, responded to the attacks, and what was done to minimize the risk of future terrorism on American soil. At the start of this project, my knowledge of the events of that day was limited. All I really understood was that four planes were hijacked by suicide attackers, thought to be members of alQaeda, a known terrorist group. Two of these planes were flown into the Twin Towers in New York City, killing thousands. Another plane was flown into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, while another crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. I didn't know how this could have happened, or even why people would even dream of killing thousands of innocent people. 9/11 is an area of interest for me not only because I know so little about it, but because of the fact that I was alive to see it happen. I feel like I should know more about what occurred, as it was a major event in our nation's history. It has changed all of our lives forever, even if we don't realize it. For these reasons, I am looking forward to the challenge that writing the I-Search will undoubtedly bring, as well as finally being able to better understand the events of one of the most devastating days in our nation's history. Ima Student Josie Tierney-Fife English 9 Advanced 22 March, 2010 From Research to Writing: My Journey When I learned that we were going to do an I-Search project at the beginning of the year, I had no idea what I wanted to do. Possible topics floated in and out of my mind, but none of them seemed interesting enough for me to choose. I needed to find something that I really found thought-provoking, and would be able to devote almost two months to researching that topic without losing interest. However, much to my dismay, nothing came to mind. As the months came and went, I became increasingly worried about what I would choose when the time came to begin the project, as I realized just how important this paper would be. Finally, it was the week before we began writing, and I had yet to find that perfect topic. I decided I would do a major event or person in history; I have always loved learning about the past, and figured that researching a historical event would definitely keep my interest. I began to think about all of the major events and people in history that I could possibly research: Columbus, the Revolutionary War, Ancient Greece. Still, nothing sparked my interest. Then I remembered; that day nine years ago that changed America forever. Until that point, I had never realized that 9/11 could be considered history, as we are still feeling it's lasting effects today. It was an event that I was alive to see, even if I can no longer remember the details. To me, it was the perfect topic. So, with my confidence soaring, I began the journey of creating my I-Search. My research into the events of 9/11 began with a great deal of frustration. As hard as I looked, I could not find a good online resource. This certainly surprised me, as I believed that 9/11 would be an easy topic to find good information on, especially since it was such a large event in our nation's history. What shocked me even more, however, was not the sheer lack of information, but that the information I did find was extremely biased. It seemed as if every website I found wanted to spread the notion that the events of 9/11 were an inside job; that, somehow, the government was responsible for the thousands of deaths on that day. I was stunned and very angered that American citizens could believe such nonsense, and think that our very own government could possibly plan the deaths of it's own citizens. Despite my anger, these disappointing sources did not slow me down. If anything, they made me want to learn even more; I knew the truth was out there somewhere, but would just take a little extra digging to find. Slowly but surely, I began to compile a list of reputable sources. I searched through every online database and search engine imaginable in order to find them, but soon realized all of this extra effort was worth it. I began to put together a great deal of information, and could finally let out a sigh of relief after the rough first week. These feelings of comfort soon faded when I had to turn to the task of finding someone to interview. Even though every adult was alive on September 11th, 2001, I wanted to find someone who had a closer connection the that day then just what they saw on T.V. I didn't know anyone who was in the World Trade Center that day, nor anyone who was even in New York. I began to worry, but my answer soon came to me. I was sharing my problem with a friend who was in a different English class, and who also happened to be doing 9/11 as a topic for her I-Search. She told me how her teacher, Mr. Werner, used to live in New York, and was there on the day of the attacks. She said she was planning to interview him, and asked if I wanted to, as well. I was very excited, and the next day I went and set up an appointment for an interview. The date was set for that next week, so I began to prepare. With the interview appointment came another problem; I had no ideas for questions to ask. 9/11 is a very serious, emotional topic, and I didn't know how I would approach it in an interview. However, possible questions slowly began to come to mind, but I still went into the interview day rather nervously. Thankfully, however, Mr. Werner proved to be a wonderful interviewee, and answered almost all of my questions before I even asked them. His knowledge and experience about 9/11 would prove to be very useful, and I felt very optimistic about the great deal of writing ahead of me. The next step in the process was finishing my notecards. Even though I had found some good sources, I still felt there was a large gap in my information; I had plenty of facts about what happened, but not enough on who was behind it. So the search began for another source, which I certainly wasn't looking forward to. I quickly gave up on trying to find it online, and instead turned to the library. I had looked on the internet for books about 9/11, and narrowed the list of possible choices down to just a few. I went to the library, not expecting to find any of the books on the shelf. However, I was very lucky to find the perfect book there. Called Perfect Soldiers, it was all about the people behind 9/11, which was exactly the sort of information that I was missing. The book was packed full of information, from the hijackers private lives to the planning of the 9/11 attacks, and proved to be an immensely valuable resource. As I began to gather more and more resources and information, I was extremely thankful for my notecards. As I began to finish them up, however, I was shocked to see just how many I had. I had over 75, each filled with information! How could all of this information possibly be put together into one organized paper? It was then that I began to truly panic for the first time. Just a few days later, we began writing Part 3 if the I-Search: the heart (and lengthiest part) of the paper. I was surprised, and greatly relieved, to see how easily the notecards flowed together to create Part 3. However, despite the large amounts of information I had compiled, I was still missing some information about the history of the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. With the deadline looming in the near future, I was not very confident that I would find what I was looking for in the short amount of time I had left to write. However, I was lucky to be able to find two great websites that had exactly what I was looking for. Finally, I could turn my attention to revising the paper I had spent so much time and effort creating. I feel very proud about all of the work I put into it. Despite my original worries, I was able to create an informative, quality piece of writing that I am proud to call my own. Ima Student Josie Tierney-Fife English 9 Advanced 22 March 2010 September 11th, 2001: The Day That Changed the World If you can remember the morning of September 11th, 2001, you will most likely never forget the horrific images shown on nearly every television channel, nor the thousands of lives that were taken in the blink of an eye. You will never forget that strange mixture of sadness, confusion, anger, and fear that enveloped the country, uniting it's people in a way that had never been achieved before, or even since. Even if only for a day, the United States of America was just that: united. People on the streets stopped to see of others were okay, while some risked their lives the save others. Beneath all of this unity and caring, however, there was a much more “evil” presence; someone was responsible for this atrocity, and that someone was the radical terrorist group al-Qaeda. This massive loss of life was part of a complex plan, aimed at killing as many Americans as possible in one shot . How they could possibly watch as their dastardly plan went into action is beyond comprehension. However, it is important for us as a country to understand exactly what happened on that fateful day, and who was behind the unthinkable acts. As the events of September 11th 2001 retreat into the memories of the old while the young make their way into the world, it is important for us to remember: to never forget the thousands of innocent lives that were taken on the morning of September 11th. PREVIOUS ATTACKS September 11th, 2001 did not mark the beginning of terrorist attacks against the United States. In fact, there were several warnings about what was to come. As stated in the 9/11 Commission's Executive Summary: “Islamist extremists had given plenty of warning that they meant to kill Americans indiscriminately and in large numbers.” al-Qaeda even sent warnings months before that “something very, very, very big” was coming to the Americans. However, the CIA was focusing it's attention on possible attacks on American allies overseas, rather than looking on their own shores. Unfortunately, all of these red flags for a possible attack on American soil were not acknowledged until too late (United States). Osama Bin Laden was born in 1957, son of the wealthy road builder Muhammed Bin Laden. Muhammed died in a flying accident while his son was still a child, leaving him with a large portion of his estate: estimated to be hundreds of millions of dollars. When he grew older, Osama Bin Laden studied economics and engineering, hoping to take over the family business. However, Bin Laden, a particularly devout Muslim, decided to take action when Soviets entered Afghanistan (McDermott 99100). The Soviets invaded in order to aid the Marxist government of their close partner Afghanistan, which had for years been under attack from the Afghan mujahideen, or fundamentalist guerilla fighters. Bin Laden supported these rebels, and joined forces with other individuals to create the Office of Services, an organization that helped Arab volunteers make their way to Afghanistan to join the fight (McDermott 99-100). He later took over the operation, and declared himself the official leader of the mujahideen resistance. After the defeat of the Soviets in the late 1980's, Bin Laden began to develop another jihad organization, or holy war campaign, which he called al-Qaeda, or “The Base”. From then on, his new organization became the leader in world terrorism, creating their own plots and aiding others in an attempt to win what they believed to be a holy war against the United States (McDermott 126). Bin Laden, who began to rapidly gain support, promised his fellow Muslims that he would bring honor to those who were “victims of successive foreign masters.” In order to do this, Bin Laden began to recruit, train, and deploy soldiers to fight, using money donated from his many supporters. He even made an alliance with the Taliban: a fundamentalist militia that promised to provide shelter and protection for Bin Laden and his followers. On February 26, 1993, the World Trade Center in New York City was attacked by a small group of terrorists, linked to local radical mosques within the city, as well as al-Qaeda. On that day, Ramzi Yousef, a relative of a major contributor to the al-Qaeda organization, was the mastermind of the attacks. 1,500 pounds worth of explosives were sent to an underground parking lot beneath the North Tower of the World Trade Center in a large rental van. The massive bomb was detonated at 12:18PM, when the Tower was at near capacity. Six people were killed by the blast, and thousands more injured (National). The bomb, which is estimated to have cost Yousef around $3000, caused over $300 million in damage (McDermott 133). It destroyed the buildings emergency systems, leaving people stranded inside the smoke filled tower (National). Yousef disappeared after the attacks, but before he left he delivered a letter to five different publishing organizations, including the New York Times. In the letter, he spoke on behalf of his radical allies, demanding that the U.S “ Stop all military, economical, and political aid to Israel,” along with no longer interfering in the Middle East (McDermott 133). He stated: If our demands are not met, all of our functional groups in the army will continue to execute our missions against the military and civilian targets in and out of the United States. For your information, our army has more than hundred and fifty [sic] suicidal soldiers ready to go ahead. The terrorism that Israel practices (Which is supported by America) must be faced with a similar one (qtd. in McDermott 133-134). Another plot to destroy major landmarks in New York City was planned by Omar Abdel Rahman. Rahman was the spiritual leader of local radical muslims, and was known as “one of the chief theoreticians of modern Islamist movements around the globe” (McDermott 132). Rahman's plan, which involved blowing up the Holland and Lincoln tunnels of the city, was quickly noticed by authorities, leading to a swift arrest (United States). Later that same year in October 1993, two U.S Black Hawk helicopters were shot down by Somalian tribesmen over their capital, Mogadishu. 18 U.S soldiers were killed, and 73 were injured. It was later discovered that these attacks were funded by none other than al-Qaeda (United States). Ramzi Yousef, mastermind behind the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, had yet another idea for the perfect revenge against the United States. His uncle, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was “impressed” by his nephews 1993 attack, was also a part of this new plan. Together, they devised a strategy that would involve U.S airliners, hoping to blow up dozens of aircraft at once in the skies. Yousef operated from Manila, Philippines, creating a network of al-Qaeda operatives to carry out his plan. He experimented with different explosive devices in his apartment, fabricating what he believed to be the perfect device to smuggle onto an aircraft. His plan was to send five men, each bringing explosives onto a plane and assembling and depositing them in the plane's lavatories. They would then exit the planes at the next airport, detonating the bombs by remote as the planes (carrying a majority of American passengers) made their way across the Pacific. However, police in Manila were able to uncover the plot before it could be put into action, arresting many of the al-Qaeda operatives involved. Yousef was able to escape, but a worldwide search quickly followed. Within months, Yousef was tracked down and arrested in February 1995 (McDermott 144-154). If you think the list of early al-Qaeda threats couldn't possibly get any longer, it does. On August 7, 1998, two trucks filled with explosives made their way into the U.S embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Driven by al-Qaeda operatives, the bombs exploded within the compounds, killing 224 people, including 12 Americans. Thousands were injured (McDermott 177). For the first time, the eyes of the United States were focused on al-Qaeda. Even Osama Bin Laden, the suspected man behind the later 9/11 attacks, was under the spotlight. Up until this point, he was only believed to be “financier of terrorism, not a terrorist leader.” However, in February 1998, Bin Laden had issued a fatwa, or a rule of Islamic law, declaring that it was every Muslims duty to kill any American, anywhere, at anytime due to the Americans “aggression” against the Muslims of the world (United States). This public declaration did not reach the ears of the United States, however. In fact, just hours after he issued the fatwa, he posed for pictures in front of, oddly enough, a map of Africa: where, just seven months later, he would carry out his long awaited plan to attack the U.S. Embassies (McDermott 177). The United States responded to the embassy bombings by launching cruise missile strikes on alQaeda targets: a training camp in Afghanistan and a chemical factory in Sudan, both of which had connections to the terrorist organization (McDermott 209). They also issued a worldwide search for Bin Laden, hiring foreign agents to find and kill Bin Laden. However, his whereabouts were unknown, and the search went unsuccessful. The United States also tried to persuade the Taliban to break their alliance with al-Qaeda and expose the whereabouts of Bin Laden, but the attempt proved fruitless. Meanwhile, unknown to the United States, the 9/11 plot was in it's second year of planning, and would continue to go unnoticed until that fateful September day (United States). The attention gathered by the 1998 embassy bombings did little to slow down al-Qaeda. On October 12th, 2000, an al-Qaeda team based in Aden, Yemen filled a small motorboat with explosives and rode out to meet the U.S.S Cole, a U.S Navy vessel (United States). It was anchored in Aden Harbor at the time of the explosion, which ripped a large hole into the side of the ship and came very close to sinking the massive vessel (McDermott 209). Out of a crew of 293, seventeen soldiers were killed and forty injured. Osama Bin Laden is believed to be responsible for planning the attack (National). Before 9/11, all terrorist attacks targeted at the United States killed less that 1000 Americans (Hampson). Looking at the death toll of 9/11, the difference is shocking; in one day alone, more Americans were killed by a single terrorist attack than in all of history. However, even these previous attacks should have been huge warning signs for what was to come. BEFORE THE ATTACKS The World Trade Center complex in New York City held tens of thousands of people on any given day, making it one of the largest business complexes in the country. So it isn't that big of a question as to why the World Trade Center was the main target for the 9/11 hijackers; in a single attack, thousands of lives could be taken at the hands of a few individuals. Although the World Trade Center complex is no longer standing after the atrocities of 9/11, it remains important that we understand it's history, and just how important the complex was to the city of New York. Since the end of WWII, the idea of a world trading complex being built in New York City was under consideration. However, no one wanted to take the responsibility of building such a large facility. Then in the late 1950's, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey took notice. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey “conceives, builds, operates and maintains infrastructure critical to the New York/New Jersey region’s trade and transportation network.” It is responsible for the construction of countless ports, bridges, airports, tunnels, and parks in New York alone. Established on April 30th, 1921, the Port Authority has since been a major part of New York's infrastructure (The Port Authority). In 1962, the Port Authority pinpointed the perfect location for what was to be a major business complex. The Port Authority “fixed its site on the west side of Lower Manhattan on a superblock bounded by Vesey, Liberty, Church and West Streets.” However, fitting what the Port Authority wanted to be a complex with over 10 million square feet of office space proved to be a challenge. Head architect Minoru Yamasaki poured over hundreds of possible building designs before settling on what was believed to be the perfect fit for the tight space: two tall towers surrounded by other low-rise office buildings. With the final designs in place, building could commence. The ground breaking ceremony was held on August 5th, 1966. Building continued for several more years, but the North Tower opened it's doors for a few occupants in 1970. The entire North Tower was not completed until 1972. Throughout the years of construction, the two towers opened their doors to tenants as more space was completed. Finally, on April 4th, 1973, the World Trade Center Complex was officially declared open for business with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The total cost to build the complex was a whopping $1.5 billion (“The World Trade”). The World Trade Center complex housed a total of seven buildings, the most famous being the Twin Towers. The two buildings alone equaled an amazing 10 million square feet of space. Each tower was 110 stories, and were the world's tallest until the building of the Sears Tower in Chicago in 1974 (“9-11”). The Port Authority turned away criticism about the towers safety, most of which came from Empire State Building owner Lawrence Wien. Wien ran an ad in the New York Times claiming that an airliner would accidentally fly into one of the towers someday, as he believed they were too high (“911”). As described by Perfect Soldiers author Terry McDermott: “Eerily, another of the buildings' engineers once bragged that the towers were designed to withstand the impact of an airliner; people laughed when they heard that anyone would even consider such a thing.” Over 200 miles away in Arlington, Virginia, the Pentagon serves as a home to the U.S Department of Defense. With America on the verge of entering WWII in 1941, the military was struggling to find office space for it's ever growing War Department. Rather than build several temporary structures, it was decided that it was time for a new, permanent home for the nation's military command. Engineer Officer George E. Bergstrom was responsible for the initial plans, which were quickly approved by the War Department. As stated on the Pentagon's website: Plans for the building proceeded swiftly. Bergstrom with architect David J. Witmer developed plans for a unique reinforced concrete building that would consist of five concentric pentagons separated by light wells and connected by radiating spoke-like corridors. It would have five stories and include a six-acre interior court, numerous ramps and escalators, a large shopping concourse on the first floor, taxi stands and bus lanes, and parking for 8,000 cars (The Pentagon). Construction on the Pentagon began, eerily enough, on September 11th, 1941: exactly 60 years before it fell victim to attack on 9/11. With America at the time involved in WWII, the builders had to lessen their use of vital war materials including bronze, copper, and metal. As a result, the Pentagon wasn't as decorated and beautiful as once planned. Instead they had to make use of other materials, such as concrete. However, the builders speed and craftsmanship was impressive. The massive building, which sprawls over 29 acres and contains 17.5 miles of corridors, took only 16 months to build. The total cost of building was $83 million. The Pentagon was officially opened on January 15th, 1943, and immediately became home to the U.S War Department. During WWII, it housed about 33,000 workers on any given day. When the war ended in 1945, the government was unsure of what to do with the unneeded facility. Eventually, it was decided that it would become the official home to the nation's military headquarters. It continues to be one of the largest office buildings in the world, and remains the headquarters for the U.S Department of Defense (The Pentagon). Both the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were important to our country in their own way. The World Trade Center was an important part of our nation's economy, while the Pentagon housed the headquarters to our nation's military. Both suffered great losses at the hands of just few individuals, who had planned and discussed the events of 9/11 down to every last detail. THE PLAN For years before the September 11th attacks, many radical Muslims believed that the U.S was to blame for all Muslims suffering throughout the world. This was due mainly to the fact that the U.S supported Israel, whom Islam considered their largest enemy. Says Abdul Hakim Murad, a key figure in the planning of the 9/11 attacks: “If you ask anybody, even if you ask children, they will tell you that the U.S. is supporting Israel and Israel is killing our Muslim brothers in Palestine. The United States is acting like a terrorist, but nobody can see that” (qtd. In McDermott 130). Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who worked with his nephew in the foiled 1994 Manila plane bombing attempt, was not slowed down in the least after his close call with authorities. Even though his nephew and co-conspirator was in jail, Khalid Sheikh presented a new idea to Osama Bin Laden in 1996. He brought the idea from Abdul Hakim Murad, a close friend of his nephew, Ramzi Yousef. Khalid Sheikh was first introduced to Murad before the Manila plot, and believed his idea for an attack against the United States was brilliant. Murad's idea was to hijack a plane, and use the plane itself as a weapon by dive-bombing it into a building. Potential targets he considered were the Pentagon or CIA headquarters. Khalid took an immediate liking to the idea when he first heard it, and promised to propose it to Bin Laden. However, Bin Laden believed the plan to be too simple. Thus Khalid proposed a new plan; he wanted to hijack ten aircraft at once, with five targets on the West and East coasts of the United States. Bin Laden loved the complexity of this new idea, and the two began to research potential targets. They looked through books on American skyscrapers, and two skyscrapers in particular made the list: the Sears Tower in Chicago and the Library Tower in Los Angeles. However, they soon began to question whether or not attacking the United States in such a way was “proper Islamic behavior.” One of the major worries was that in attacking such large public buildings, they could potentially be harming innocent Muslims. However, these worrying thoughts did not last long, as it was soon reasoned that if a Muslim were killed when working with Americans, they were being punished. If they were killed as an innocent bystander, they would go to “paradise” as a martyr. With these troubling thoughts behind them, the planning could continue (McDermott 167-168). Khalid Sheikh was immediately appointed head of planning the attack, and asked Bin Laden for money and pilots: people who were willing to give their lives for jihad. Khalid Sheikh began trying to make the plan more elaborate and dramatic, wanting to prove to the Americans that they were a force to be reckoned with. Khalid wanted to be one of the ten pilots to hijack an aircraft. However, instead of crashing his plane, he would kill all those aboard the aircraft and land at an American airport. There, he would give a speech “denouncing U.S. Policies in the Middle East,” and even go as far as talking to media. However, Bin Laden did not like this unnecessary risk, and decided to make some major changes to the plan himself. In 1999, he reduced the number of planes that would be hijacked from ten to four (McDermott 177). From there, Bin Laden handpicked the four pilots who would carry out the plan: Mohamed elAmir Atta, Ziad Jarrah, Marwan al-Shehhi, and Hani Hanjour. All were sent to the U.S months before September, 2001, where they attended separate flight schools. Atta and Shehhi traveled together, spending their first week in the States in New York. In search of a flight school, they traveled to Florida, where they enrolled at Huffman Aviation. Jarrah, who had been in the United States for a few months before the arrival of Atta and Shehhi, was enrolled at the Florida Flight Training Center just a short distance away. However, Jarrah never met Atta and Shehhi, even though they would all take part in the hijackings on September 11th (McDermott 195). Hanjour, who was already licensed as a commercial pilot, did not arrive in the United States until months later, when he decided to take flight training once more. He traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, where he enrolled at JetTech Flight School (McDermott 213). With the pilots nearing the end of their training by the spring of 2001, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed began dispatching the rest of the hijacking crews to the United States. All had come from al-Qaeda camps, and were recruited for the plan by excelling in hand-to-hand combat: a vital skill in overtaking an aircraft. They were sent to the U.S in small groups, meeting up with the pilots in various cities. All blended into American life well. They bought gym memberships, lived in the suburbs, and rented cars. They even acquired drivers licenses or other forms of identification. However, in order to cover these and other living expenses, each hijacker was continually wired money from different, lowprofile al-Qaeda members or allies. With nineteen men in place, the plan was ready to be put into action (McDermott 220). Khalid Sheikh and Bin Laden had already selected the targets for the attacks: The Twin Towers, The Pentagon, and the U.S capital. The date they chose was Tuesday, September 11th, and the hijackers in America began to prepare. They purchased their airline tickets and “moved into position,” occupying several different cities. Mohamed el-Amir Atta and one other hijacker drove from Boston to Portland, Maine on the night of September 10th. “The two of them spent the evening shopping at Wal-Mart and eating at a Pizza Hut before turning in.” Across the country, the other hijackers spent their last nights in a similar fashion. The next morning, the hijackers followed the plan and headed to the airport. All got past security, even though many were carrying box cutters and chemical sprays, which were against FAA regulations. Many set off alarms while passing through security, but were waved on through without further inspection. As a result, all nineteen hijackers made it onboard their respective aircrafts without trouble, and carrying deadly weapons that would be unleashed upon unsuspecting passengers (McDermott 234-235). TIMELINE OF 9/11 September 11th, 2001 was a day of great confusion, anger, sadness, as well as a mass of other emotions that took hold of every American citizen. The first building attacked on that day was the World Trade Center's North Tower, which was hit at 8:46AM when American Airlines Flight 11, piloted by Mohamed el-Amir Atta, tore a hole into the side of the building stretching from floors 94-98 (National). Great confusion and fear swept the city of New York. Television stations interrupted their broadcasts to show the smoke pouring out of the North Tower. Even the newscasters were confused, believing that a small, two or four passenger plane had hit the building (Werner). Seventeen minutes later at 9:03AM, United Airlines Flight 175, which was piloted by Marwan al-Shehhi, hit the South Tower, with the hole stretching from floors 77-85 (National). People everywhere, already watching their televisions, watched in shock as the second plane crashed into the South Tower. Immediately after, buildings across the country began to evacuate in fear of further attacks, including the Sears Tower in Chicago (Werner). At 9:25, the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, ordered a nationwide ground stop. This meant that all flights planned to take off were cancelled. Fifteen minutes later, they ordered all planes to land at the nearest airport. There were 4,546 planes in the air at the time (National). The only aircraft allowed in American airspace were jet fighters that were dispatched to patrol the skies of New York and Washington. An aircraft carrier was sent by the Navy to New York Harbor, as well (Hampson). While New York was beginning to respond to the attacks on the Twin Towers, at 9:37AM American Airlines Flight 77, piloted by Hani Hanjour, hit the Pentagon in Arlington, sending Washington into a frenzy (National). Just a short while later, another hijacked plane--United Airlines Flight 93-- crashes into a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania at 10:03. The hijacked Flight 93 had been headed towards the U.S capitol: the forth and final target in the 9/11 plot. However, the passengers had been able to contact loved ones with cell phones, and had since learned of the other three hijackings. They knew their plane was headed for the same fate, and decided to take action. They began planning a counterattack, hoping to overthrow the hijackers and take control of the plane in order to save other innocent lives. Despite being fought off several times, the brave passengers were ultimately successful; they were moments from breaching the cockpit when the hijackers decided to crash the plane to prevent the passengers from being successful in their assault. Due to the courage of the Flight 93 passengers, countless lives were saved (“9-11”). The U.S. Government was immediately shut down after the second World Trade Center attack, with it's top officers being closely protected. Both the Congress and the Cabinet were ushered into safe locations, and all government buildings were closed. First Lady Laura Bush, with her husband in Florida, made a quick statement to America after an education hearing with the Senate was postponed: “Parents need to reassure their children everywhere in our country that they're safe” (qtd. in Fournier). Shortly after, she was escorted to a secret location. Even President Bush's daughters, 19 year-olds Jenna and Barbara, were escorted to safe locations: Jenna being at the University of Texas and Barbara at Yale University at the time of the attacks. It seemed, oddly enough, that the President himself wasn't evacuated as early as others. President Bush started the day by visiting a school in Sarasota, Florida. He did not receive news of the first plane attack until 9:00AM from his White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card. He decided to wait for more information before making any drastic decisions, and continued to read to the classroom he was visiting. Finally, at 9:30AM, President Bush is briefed by National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. Thirty minutes later at 10:00AM, President Bush boards Air Force One, planning to head to Washington. However, his flight was diverted to the Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana when his pilots heard news of the attack on the Pentagon. President Bush proceeds to call Vice President Cheney, and tells him to put the nation's military on high alert. He made a brief public statement, reassuring Americans he was in close contact with his command post in Washington. After a short stay, he once again boards Air Force One at 1:30PM and heads to a secret destination, which was later found out to be the Nebraska Offutt Air Force Base. The Base was at the time home to the U.S. Strategic Command: the control center for U.S. Nuclear weapons. It was also once home to the “doomsday plane,” which would supposedly serve as a mobile White House in extreme emergencies, such as nuclear war. After a seemingly endless stay, President Bush was cleared to head back to the Washington at 4:36PM. He arrived at the White House at 7:00, and immediately began preparing to speak to the nation. At 8:30, he addressed the nation, saying: Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended. I want to reassure the American people that the full resources of the federal government are working to assist local authorities to save lives and to help the victims of these attacks. Make no mistake: The United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts...We have taken all appropriate security precautions to protect the American people... The resolve of our great nation is being tested. But make no mistake: We will show the world that we will pass this test. Five minutes later, the President attends a National Security meeting, and goes to bed shortly after (Fournier). Even though the day was over, the massive rescue and cleanup operations were just beginning. No one wanted to even guess how many people were dead or injured, because they knew the numbers were too high for them to easily comprehend. As Senator John McCain said shortly after the attacks:"I don't think our lifestyles will be the same for a long time" (qtd. in Hampson). AFTERMATH The harrowing events of September 11th not only caused great destruction and loss of life, but it also brought the people of New York City together in a way no one could have imagined. As the first plane tore through the North Tower of the World Trade Center, 3000 gallons of jet fuel it was carrying ignited massive fires, which would eventually cause the great building to collapse. Just minutes after the North Tower was attacked, the same act was repeated on the South Tower; except this time, the plane caused greater damage on lower floors, which would cause this tower to fall first at 9:59AM. Under a half an hour later, the North Tower collapsed. The collapse of the towers set fire to other surrounding buildings, including the other five buildings in the World Trade Center complex. Eventually all of the seven buildings of the World Trade Center collapsed. Other damage was caused by the large, hot clouds of ash and debris that worked their way through the streets of New York City (“9-11”). Immediately, hospitals sent doctors to the scene to care for the injured. Firefighters from around the country were sent to New York to aid the New York Fire Department in the search for survivors beneath the tons of rubble (Holt World History). Meanwhile, in Arlington, a similar scene was taking place at the Pentagon. Hundreds of people died instantly as the plane crashed into the west side of the building, and raging fires snaked their way through the vast corridors. Thankfully, however, a majority of the section that the plane hit was unoccupied at the time, due to renovations taking place in the section's offices. This ultimately saved many lives. However, a total of 184 people were killed at the Pentagon due to the attack (The Pentagon). In Pennsylvania, there was no hope for survivors. The plane had carved a crater in a field, with debris and fires tossed about the grass. Fire crews proceeded to extinguish the flames, and then turned their attention to the disasters unfolding around them in New York and Virginia (Holt World History). Rescue and recovery operations were extremely dangerous in both New York and Arlington. Raging fires, loose rubble, and other risks had to be considered with each step. In fact, many police officers and firefighters wrote their names, phone numbers of loved ones, and other personal information on their arms with marker in case something were to happen. In New York, another danger after the collapse of the towers was the air, which was filled with toxins: glass fibers, asbestos, silica, lead, harmful jet fuel molecules, and diesel exhaust. On September 11th alone, over 300 workers in New York City were hospitalized for eye or lung problems (“9-11”). The City of New York lost 343 firefighters, 23 police officers, and 37 paramedics in the fight to save lives from the rubble of the World Trade Center. Even then, only 11 people escaped from the rubble alive. With the large mass of people who died, DNA technology was used to identify remains found. However, 40% of the victims remain unidentified, and many more were never recovered (National). With both New York City and Arlington in desperate need of emergency funds, Congress immediately passed a $40 billion relief package. The money was to aid in relief efforts, security efforts, and to provide the families of victims with compensation. Donations from around the country, and even the world, began pouring in. People lined the streets to give blood, while others gave all the money they could scrape up to one of hundreds of charitable organizations. On September 21st, a special telethon was held by actors and musicians: an effort that raised $150 million for relief organizations (Holt World History). Through all of this sadness and suffering, the country surprisingly grew stronger. Especially in New York City, people came closer together for support and comfort. As said by Jonathan Werner: “What was amazing was the difference in New York... The degree to which the city was transformed: people were caring about one another... It was like a small town for a period of time, which was really amazing and sad that it took this to do it.” Even across the world, countries showed their support for the U.S. One image that was particularly striking was that of the French newspaper Le Monde's headline: “WE ARE ALL AMERICANS.” Even past enemies of the U.S, such as Cuba, stated that they would stand by and support the U.S. 9/11 not only changed America, but changed the entire world, as well (Holt World History). However, some people weren't as sympathetic. In parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan, “thousands of men brandishing swords and axes declared their willingness to join in jihad against America,” while others “cheered at footage of the planes flying into the World Trade Center.” However, not all Muslims approved of the attacks. For example, Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat publicly denounced the cowardly attacks, and was even seen donating blood for the American victims (Esposito). 9/11 is estimated to have cost the country between $35 billion and $109 billion. Certain businesses in particular suffered the most. Hotels lost about $22 billion in sales, while restaurants lost about $14 billion (“Cost”). After the attacks, the New York Stock Exchange was shut down for four days, reopening to one of the “worst weeks in the history of NYSE.” However, the industry hit the hardest by the attacks was undoubtedly the nation's airline companies. Business was shut down for days, and the cost of new security measures crippled even the largest companies. “They laid off thousands of workers, and at least one smaller carrier went out of business.” To help ease the pain, Congress approved a $15 billion bail-out package for the airline industry alone (Holt World History). On September 20th, President Bush once again spoke to the nation during a joint session of Congress. He assured the nation that those responsible would brought to justice, saying: “Whether we bring our enemies to justice, or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done” (qtd. in Holt World History). He continued to announce that the nation would “wage war on terrorism itself,” focusing on terrorist organizations and their supportive governments throughout the world. In order to prevent future terrorism on American soil, the Bush administration created the Office of Homeland Security, which would oversee the nation's security measures, especially those of the airline industry. Tom Ridge, former governor of Pennsylvania, was appointed head of the Office (Holt World History). As the nation's war against terrorism commenced, President Bush “sought to fight terrorism using economic, diplomatic, and military means.” He began by stopping all funds going to groups with terrorist ties, and electing Secretary of State Colin Powell to “build an international coalition against terrorism.” President Bush was even able to gain the support of other Middle-Eastern countries such as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. On October 7th, 2001 the U.S began it's offensive in Afghanistan. With help from Great Britain, ground troops entered the country and quickly captured al-Qaeda members. They also sent air-strikes to numerous al-Qaeda bases (Holt World History). Along with their occupation of Afghanistan, the United States also kept a close eye on neighboring nations, such as Iraq, whom they believed to be supporting al-Qaeda and housing numerous nuclear weapons. As a result, “the United States and Great Britain led a military coalition to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in early 2003” (Esposito). With the War on Terror in full swing, the United States took the first step in what would become a long process of recovery (Holt World History). Although 9/11 was not the first attack on the United States from al-Qaeda, it was most definitely the deadliest, as well as most remembered. It was a day filled with terror and sadness: feelings that for many were not eradicated for years. With almost 3,000 americans killed in under an hour, 9/11 left a devastating impact on the country and it's citizens. Unfortunately, it took such a devastating event to teach us how to improve our the security of our nation. Since that time, our nation's security has improved greatly while the events of 9/11 move farther back in our memories. However, 9/11 will never be forgotten completely; it's everlasting scar remains a symbol of the indestructible strength and willingness of this great country of ours. Works Cited “Cost of 9/11.” Wilson Quarterly. 33.4 (2009): n.p. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Feb. 2010. Esposito, John. “September 11, 2001.” The Islamic World: Past and Present. (1 Dec 2004): n.p. SIRS. Web. 31 Jan. 2010. Fournier, Ron. “Bush Faces Test of Historic Proportions.” Newsday. (2001): n.p. SIRS. Web. 31 Jan. 2010. Hampson, Rick. "Minute by Minute, Fear Envelops the Country." USA Today. (Sept. 11 2001): n.p. SIRS. Web. 10 Feb. 2010. Holt World History: The Human Journey. United States: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2005. Print. McDermott, Terry. Perfect Soldiers. HarperCollins Publishers Inc.: New York, 2005. Print. National September 11 Memorial and Museum. National September 11 Memorial and Museum, 2008. Web. 29 Jan. 2010. The Pentagon. n.p. 2008. Web. 7 March 2010. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, 2001. Web. 16 March 2010. “The World Trade Center.” skyscrapers.org. The Skyscraper Museum, n.d. Web. 11 March 2010. United States. The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. The 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States: Executive Summary. Washington: GPO, 2004. Print. Werner, Jonathan. Personal Interview. 10 February. 2010. “9-11.” history.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 7 Feb. 2010.