In 1978, my mother took my sister and me to escape Vietnam to Songkhla, Thailand. We arrived in San Antonio, Texas, nine months later, in July 1979. This is where I began my “American” education. It is this education system and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) through the medium called “television,” that sheds light on me as I become aware that what happened to my home country was not the fault of my own people. Unfortunately, growing up in “America” as a foreign child, barely speaking English, moving from city to city and changing schools every year is not easy. In a flash, the awareness of what was happening to my country vanished as it was reduced to a means of survival. I'm alone in this strange country and this strange society, and I have to do what I do to make it at the age of twelve. Memories of my beautiful country, my home, schools and friends appeared in my mind from time to time, yet I had no time to reflect on them. The questions of why we left our country and came to such a distant place called “United State of America” are never “real” answered. Until now, July 9, 2011, I am taking History 21 class, led by Professor Toshio Whelchel. Thirty-two years later, I am asked to compose an essay for my semester title: “Modern American History: From the Overthrow of Hawaii to the Philippine War.” The anxiety in my stomach churns and my eyes start to tear up, not because it's the midterm, not because I forget how to write, not because writing is my weakness... but the memories. April 30, 1975, the glare of bullets penetrating the night, the dark stench of smoking corpses, as bombs rained down on us and guns fired on innocents... middle of paper... Unfortunately for the Philippines and Hawaii , their resources and their people are the targets of Western imperialism, capitalism, racism, industrialization and military power in the name of “democracy”. Against their will, these people must endure imposed Western ideology and sacrifice their lives in the struggle for self-government. On the other hand, those who came armed with intentions would use any means possible to achieve what they came for. For some conniving characters who seek personal fortunes and protect their own interests, they walk a fine line of morality. Where they cannot apply forces, propaganda is their powerful ally. This is an endless cycle of how the empire rises and falls. What goes down in history for future generations are the doctrines of why and how to obtain the resources that allow a nation to rise or fall..