Majimbo 13 ya Amerika ya Kaskazini yaliunda Marekani ya Amerika mwaka 1776 baada ya kuishinda Uingereza katika vita vya uhuru wa Amerika. Kupitia itikadi ya "hatima dhahiri" (manifest destiny), Marekani ilipanuka hadi karibu majimbo 50 yakawa sehemu ya muungano huo. Vita vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe vya Marekani vya mwaka 1865 vilithibitisha hatima ya taifa hilo na mfumo wake wa kiuchumi. Mahitaji ya silaha wakati wa vita hivyo yaliweka msingi wa uchumi wa kisasa wa viwanda wa Marekani. Mahitaji ya vita yalichochea sana utengenezaji wa bidhaa, na kuharakisha mchakato wa kiuchumi uliojengwa juu ya matumizi ya chuma, nguvu ya mvuke na nguvu ya umeme, pamoja na maendeleo ya sayansi na uvumbuzi. Tangu katikati ya miaka ya 1880, Marekani imekuwa uchumi mkubwa zaidi duniani kila mwaka.

13 federal states of North America formed United States of America in 1776 after defeating Britain in the American war of independence. Through manifest destiny the USA expanded until nearly 50 states became part of the union. The American civil war of 1865 sealed the destiny of the nation and its economic system. The armament needs of the civil war laid the groundwork for the modern US industrial economy. War needs had enormously stimulated manufacturing, speeding an economic process based on the exploitation of iron, steam, and electric power, as well as the forward march of science and invention. Since the middle of the 1880’s the USA has been the world’s largest economy every year.

Marekani iligeuka kutoka taifa la wahamiaji katika bara la Amerika ya Kaskazini kuwa taifa ambalo leo linazalisha utajiri zaidi ya mataifa manne yanayofuata kwa pamoja. Kijeshi, Marekani inatawala dunia na inadhibiti bahari za dunia. Kisiasa, Marekani inahusika katika masuala na mizozo mingi ya kimataifa. Kampuni za Marekani zinatawala sekta nyingi za uchumi wa dunia, na chapa na alama za Marekani ni miongoni mwa zinazotambulika zaidi duniani kote.

The US turned from a nation of immigrants in the North American continent to a nation today that produces more wealth then the next four nations combined. Militarily the US dominates the world and controls the world’s oceans. Politically the US is involved in most international issues and disputes. US companies dominate most sectors of the global economy and US brands and symbols are some of the most recognised across the globe.

Marekani iliibuka kuwa nguvu kubwa duniani wakati Vita vya Pili vya Dunia vilipokaribia mwisho. Ushiriki wa Marekani katika eneo la Pasifiki la vita hivyo, pamoja na uwezo wake wa kuzalisha kwa wingi mitambo ya viwanda na vifaa vya kijeshi kwa ajili ya washirika, ulikuwa wa maamuzi katika kuhitimisha vita, wakati Uingereza ilikuwa imeteketezwa kabisa kutokana na juhudi za vita za Wajerumani. Marekani iliikalia Japani kwa wanajeshi wake nusu milioni, na iligawana na Urusi na Uingereza jukumu la kuikalia Ujerumani.

America emerged a world power as WW2 drew to a close. US participation in the Pacific zone of the conflict and its ability to produce on mass industrial machinery and military equipment for the allies was decisive in bringing the war to its conclusion when Britain had been completely consumed due to the German war effort. The US occupied Japan with half a million of its troops and shared the occupation of Germany with Russia and Britain.

Vita kimekuwa kiini cha maendeleo ya Marekani kihistoria. George Friedman alieleza hili katika kitabu chake: The Next 100 Years: "Karibu kila nchi nyingine yenye viwanda duniani ilipitia vita vya uharibifu mkubwa katika karne ya 20. Marekani ilipigana vita, lakini Marekani yenyewe haikuwahi kuvipata. Nguvu ya kijeshi na uhalisia wa kijiografia viliunda uhalisia wa kiuchumi. Nchi nyingine zimepoteza muda kujijenga upya baada ya vita. Marekani haijafanya hivyo. Kwa kweli imekua kutokana na vita hivyo."2

War historically has been central to America’s development. George Friedman outlined this in his book: The Next 100 Years: “Virtually every other industrialised power in the world experienced devastating warfare in the 20th century. The United States waged war, but America itself never experienced it. Military power and geographical reality created an economic reality. Other countries have lost time recovering from wars. The United States has not. It has actually grown because of them.”2

Ilikuwa Marekani ndiyo iliyojenga ulimwengu wa baada ya vita. Baada ya kutumia silaha ya kiteknolojia iliyoendelea zaidi wakati huo, yaani silaha za nyuklia, kumaliza Vita vya Pili vya Dunia kwa pigo moja, Marekani ilikuwa katika nafasi nzuri ya kuamuru masharti ya ulimwengu wa baada ya vita; Umoja wa Kisovieti pekee ndio ulioonekana kuwa kikwazo. Wakati mkutano wa Yalta wa mwaka 1945 ulipogawa nyara miongoni mwa washindi, mkutano wa Bretton Woods uliunda Shirika la Fedha la Kimataifa (IMF), Benki ya Dunia na Mkataba Mkuu wa Ushuru na Biashara (GATT), na pia ulifanya Dola kuwa sarafu ya akiba ya dunia. Hatua hizi zote ziliimarisha ushawishi wa Marekani kwa mfumo rasmi, ambao Ulaya ulikubali kwa sababu ulikuwa umeharibiwa vibaya na vita. Taasisi ya Brookings ilithibitisha katika ripoti yake: "Marekani imeona mashirika yote ya kimataifa, ikiwemo Benki ya Dunia, kama vyombo vya sera za nje vinavyotumika kusaidia malengo na madhumuni mahususi ya Marekani… Mitazamo ya Marekani kuhusu jinsi uchumi wa dunia unavyopaswa kupangwa, jinsi rasilimali zinavyopaswa kugawanywa na jinsi maamuzi ya uwekezaji yanavyopaswa kufikiwa, yalikitwa katika Katiba na sera za uendeshaji za benki hiyo."3

It was the United States that constructed the post war world. Having used the most technologically advanced invention at the time – nuclear weapons, to bring to an end in one stroke to WW2, America was well placed to dictate the terms of the post war world, only the Soviet Union presented any obstacle. Whilst the Yalta conference in 1945 distributed the spoils amongst the victors the Bretton Woods conference created the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the General Agreement on taxes and Tariffs (GATT), it also made the Dollar the world’s reserve currency – all this institutionalised US influence, which Europe accepted as it was devastated by the war. The Brookings institute confirmed in a report: "The United States has viewed all multilateral organisations including the World Bank, as instruments of foreign policy to be used in support of specific US aims and objectives…US views regarding how the world economy should be organised, how resources should be allocated and how investment decisions should be reached were enshrined in the Charter and the operational policies of the bank."3

Wakati usanifu majengo wa baada ya Vita vya Kidunia vya Pili ukijengwa, vita mpya ilikuwa inaanza – Vita Baridi. Marekani na Umoja wa Kisovieti zilishindana wao kwa wao. Badala ya kuivunja Japani na Ujerumani, Marekani iliamua kuzigeuza kuwa mataifa ya kibepari yaliyofanikiwa, kama uzito wa kupinga upanuzi wa Ukomunisti. Wakati Ulaya ilipokea msaada kupitia Mpango wa Marshall kwa ajili ya ujenzi upya, Japani na Ujerumani kwa miongo kadhaa zilipata upatikanaji wa teknolojia ya Marekani, jambo lililosaidia sana maendeleo yao ya kiuchumi ya haraka.4

As the post –WW2 architecture was being constructed a new war was beginning – the cold war. The US and the USSR competed with each other, the US rather then deconstructing both Japan and Germany decided to turn them into successful Capitalist nations as a counter weight to the expansion of Communism. Whilst Europe received aid through the Marshall plan for reconstruction, Japan and Germany for decades received access to US technology which significantly aided their rapid economic development.4

Vita baridi vilisababisha maendeleo mengi ya kijeshi, ambapo Marekani iliongoza katika mbio za silaha na anga dhidi ya Umoja wa Kisovieti. Marekani iliunda kambi ya Magharibi iliyojumuisha mataifa mengi ya kidemokrasia huria duniani kote, kama kizuizi cha kukabiliana na kambi ya Mashariki. Hili liliiwezesha Marekani kueneza utamaduni wake duniani kote. Hollywood ikawa kitovu cha mtindo wa maisha wa Kimarekani, ikipenya akilini mwa hadhira ya kimataifa. Mlaji wa Kimarekani alipewa heshima kubwa kwa sababu ya ndoto ya Kimarekani iliyoweza kufuatiliwa, na wanafalsafa na wanafikra wa Kimarekani waliongoza katika mawazo ya kisiasa na kifalsafa.

The Cold War resulted in numerous military developments which the US led in its arms and space race with the Soviet Union. The US created the Western bloc which consisted of most of the liberal democracies around the world as a counter weight to the Eastern bloc. This allowed the US to disseminate its culture around the world. Hollywood became central to the American way of life infiltrating the minds of the global audience. The US consumer became idolised for the American dream that could be pursued and American philosophers and thinkers led the way on political and philosophical ideas.

Mwishoni mwa karne ya 20 Marekani ilikuwa nguvu kuu isiyo na mpinzani duniani, baada ya kuishinda Ukomunisti, kuifanya NATO kuwa shirika kuu la usalama duniani, na kutawala uchumi wa dunia. Ilionekana kuwa kuna uwezekano mkubwa kwamba dunia ingeendelea kuandika na kuchapisha kuhusu ubora wa Marekani kwa miongo mingi ijayo.

At the end of the 20th century the US was the unrivalled world power, having defeated Communism, established NATO as the world’s default security organisation and dominated the world economy, it was considered very likely that the world would be writing and printing about US prowess for decades to come.

Marekani katika karne ya 21, hata hivyo, ni nguvu ya kidunia tofauti sana na ile ya karne ya 20.

The US in the 21st century however is a very different global power to the one of the 20th century.

Leo Amerika inavuja damu kutoka majeraha mawili wazi nchini Iraq na Afghanistan, ambayo hayaonyeshi dalili za kupungua. Vita vyote viwili sasa vimedumu kwa muda mrefu kuliko Vita vya Pili vya Dunia. Jeshi la Marekani, lenye teknolojia ya juu kabisa katika historia, limeshindwa kuwashinda kundi la wapiganaji wanaotumia silaha zilizobuniwa katika miaka ya 1960. Kutokana na hali hiyo, limelazimika kutegemea wawakilishi mbalimbali ili kuepuka aibu. Vita vya Iraq na Afghanistan, pamoja na ukweli kwamba Marekani imeshindwa kujiondoa, vimelinganishwa na Vita vya Boer vya mwaka 1899, ambavyo vinachukuliwa kuwa mwanzo wa mwisho wa Dola ya Uingereza. Maelezo ya vita hivyo yanafanana sana na hali ya Marekani nchini Iraq na Afghanistan.

Today America is bleeding from two open wounds in Iraq and Afghanistan that show no signs of abating. Both wars have now lasted longer than WW2. The US army, the most technologically advanced in history has been unable to defeat a band of fighters using weapons developed in the 1960’s. As a result it has to rely on a variety of surrogates to avoid embarrassment. The Iraq and Afghan wars and the fact that the US has been unable to extricate itself has been compared to the Boer war of 1899, which is considered the beginning of the end of the British empire. The details of the war bear a similar resemblance to the US in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Baada ya kufanikiwa kumaliza vita vya Omdurman huko Sudan, ambako jeshi la Uingereza lilikuwa na idadi ndogo kuliko adui kwa uwiano wa mbili kwa moja, Uingereza, kama ilivyofanya Marekani, ilitoa sababu zake za vita. Himaya hiyo ilidai kwamba haki za watu wanaozungumza Kiingereza, ambao walitendewa kama raia wa daraja la pili, zilipaswa kulindwa. Lakini kwa kweli, Waboer, ambao walikuwa wakulima waliokuwa wakiishi juu ya migodi ya almasi, na pamoja na ugunduzi wa dhahabu mnamo mwaka 1886, wageni wengi walikimbilia eneo ambalo leo ni Afrika Kusini ili kushiriki katika msisimko wa kutafuta dhahabu. Mwaka 1899, eneo la Waboer la Afrika Kusini lilikuwa likizalisha asilimia 25 ya dhahabu yote duniani.

After successfully concluding the war of Omdurman in Sudan where the British army was outnumbered two to one. Britain just like the US presented their reasons for the war, the Empire argued the rights of the English speaking people, who were treated as second class citizens had to be protected. In reality the Boers – farmers, resided over diamond fields and with the discovery of Gold in 1886, many foreigners hurried to what is today South Africa to participate in its Gold rush. In 1899 the Boer area of South Africa was producing 25% of the world’s gold.

Dola ilikabiliana na takriban wakulima 45,000 wa Transvaal na Orange Free State ambao walijua jinsi ya kuilinda ardhi yao; walikuwa na uungwaji mkono wa wakazi wengi wa asili, na walitumia mbinu za kivita za msituni (guerrilla) ambazo zilikuwa vigumu kudhibitiwa, hasa wakati Dola ya Uingereza ilikuwa na jeshi kubwa sana uwanjani. Matokeo yake, Dola ilitumia mbinu za kikatili, zikiwemo kuchoma moto vijiji vyote, kuweka kambi za mateso kwa wakazi, na kufanya mauaji ya haraka bila kesi.

The Empire faced around 45,000 farmers the Transvaal and the Orange Free State who knew how to defend their land, they had the support of most of the indigenous population and utilised guerrilla tactics which was impossible to contain when the British Empire had such a large army on the ground. As a result the Empire resorted to brutal tactics that included burning down whole villages, creating concentration camps for the population and resorting to summery executions.

Mabundi walishikilia msimamo hadi mwaka 1902 walipojisalimisha hatimaye. Ingawa Uingereza ilishinda vita kwa maana ya kwamba iliwashinda adui, kwa kweli ilikuwa imepoteza. Kufikia mwisho wa vita, Uingereza ilikuwa na wanajeshi 450,000 uwanjani wakipigana dhidi ya kikosi cha wanamgambo 45,000 tu. Uingereza ilipoteza wanajeshi 45,000 na ilikuwa imetumia fedha nyingi mno katika juhudi za vita, na imeliweka jeshi lake katika hali ya kuvunjika. Zaidi ya hayo, mbinu zake za kikatili ziliidhoofisha sababu ya Uingereza milele, nyumbani na ughaibuni. Wakati mamlaka zote za wakati huo zilipoyaanika hadharani mbinu za Uingereza, ndani ya nchi yenyewe nafasi ya Uingereza duniani ilihojiwa, kwa kuwa ilikuwa ni vigumu kueleweka kwamba unawaua watu wengi ili kuwapa uhuru.

The Boers held out until 1902 when they eventually surrendered. Whilst Britain actually won the war as they defeated the enemy in reality they had lost. By the wars end Britain had 450,000 troops on the ground fighting a mere militia of 45,000. Britain lost 45,000 troops and had massively overspent in the war effort and has stretched its military to breaking point. However its brutal tactics undermined the British cause forever at home and abroad. Whilst all the powers of the day exposed British tactics, domestically Britain’s role in the world was questioned when you kill the masses in order to give them freedom.

Sasa tukiruka hadi leo, mfanano ni wa kushangaza. Marekani ilidanganya kuhusu silaha za maangamizi makubwa, ushindi wa haraka ukatoa nafasi kwa miaka mingi ya kukalia nchi, na hilo limeleta rushwa na uzembe katika ngazi ya juu kabisa. Gharama kwa Marekani imekuwa kubwa sana na bado inaendelea. Guantanamo Bay imedhoofisha bidhaa kuu ya Marekani kwa zaidi ya robo karne, yaani haki za binadamu. Vilevile, jeshi la Marekani linaonekana kuwa limezidiwa majukumu, na nafasi ya Marekani inaonekana kutokuwa endelevu.