Mrs. D'Ag's Blog: 2014

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Counterculture and anti-war Music of the 1960s

Pete Seeger Lyrics
Waist Deep In The Big Muddy Lyrics

It was back in nineteen forty-two,
I was a member of a good platoon.
We were on maneuvers in-a Louisiana
One night by the light of the moon.
The captain told us to ford a river,
That's how it all begun.
We were -- knee deep in the Big Muddy,
But the big fool said to push on.

The Sergeant said, "Sir, are you sure,
This is the best way back to the base?"
"Sergeant, go on! I forded this river
'Bout a mile above this place.
It'll be a little soggy but just keep slogging.
We'll soon be on dry ground."
We were -- waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool said to push on.

The Sergeant said, "Sir, with all this equipment
No man will be able to swim."
"Sergeant, don't be a Nervous Nellie,"
The Captain said to him.
"All we need is a little determination;
Men, follow me, I'll lead on."
We were -- neck deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool said to push on.

All at once, the moon clouded over,
We heard a gurgling cry.
A few seconds later, the captain's helmet
Was all that floated by.
The Sergeant said, "Turn around men!
I'm in charge from now on."
And we just made it out of the Big Muddy
With the captain dead and gone.

We stripped and dived and found his body
Stuck in the old quicksand.
I guess he didn't know that the water was deeper
Than the place he'd once before been.
Another stream had joined the Big Muddy
'Bout a half mile from where we'd gone.
We were lucky to escape from the Big Muddy
When the big fool said to push on.

Well, I'm not going to point any moral;
I'll leave that for yourself
Maybe you're still walking, you're still talking
You'd like to keep your health.
But every time I read the papers
That old feeling comes on;
We're -- waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool says to push on.

Waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool says to push on.
Waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool says to push on.
Waist deep! Neck deep! Soon even a
Tall man'll be over his head, we're
Waist deep in the Big Muddy!
And the big fool says to push on!

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/

Friday, March 28, 2014

The Erosion of Neutrality, 1935-1940

The United States adopted a policy of neutrality during the 1930s. However, over time that policy was modified and eventually abandoned. See the links below for documents relating to US neutrality policy in the 1930s and 40s.

Your task is to examine the following documents using the documents analysis worksheet provided. Then, analyze how this documented policy affected American neutrality (fill in the chart from Classjump) . Finally, determine the cause of the change in policy. You will likely need to research events in Europe that were occurring around the same time.