America's Darkest Day

“Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.” 

These were the words delivered by President George W. Bush after the devastating 9/11 terrorist attacks shook the nation of America and the whole world along with it. This was an unprecedented act of pure barbarism which drove the USA to spearhead the mission against terrorism. Nobody had attacked the global superpower like this till date. Such an attack makes us question the reason behind it and how it was carried out successfully? 

We find the answer to this question in Letter to America, written by Osama bin Laden in November 2002. It cites numerous reasons for al-Qaeda's offences against USA. The leader of the Islamic network expresses his wroth over American offences.  America had overtly supported the Israeli Jews and had been continuously attacking the Islamists in Palestine. America had also supported India and Russia in their campaigns against them while also intervening in Somalia, Lebanon and Algeria. Osama furthers his argument by stating that the American citizens will have to bear the vengeance of the Jihadists. This has been blamed on the democratic nature of the nation which allows the citizens to elect their representatives. As the citizens have chosen their leaders who support the Jews, they cannot be exonerated from the crimes of their nation. It is the American taxpayer's money which funded the American military; American men and women fight the Jihadists; and have affirmed their support for the Israeli suppression of the Palestinians. Osama asserts that his religion encourages him to seek revenge for he and his people have been oppressed. The al-Qaeda had also started viewing the USA as a diminished force after its failed missions in Vietnam and Lebanon. Osama deemed USA to be a "paper tiger". 

Osama bin Laden

Khalid Sheikh Mohammad

The head of the attack was Khalid Sheikh Mohammad. Awaiting trial since his arrest in 2003, KSM was drawn to Jihad as a teenager in the 1990s during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. He partnered with Osama bin Laden and proposed the idea of hijacking planes to attack USA. He recruited members from Middle Eastern countries and made them undergo training to operate planes in the USA. Mohammad Atta, the main hijacker, stumbled upon his fellow hijackers on a train in Hamburg, Germany. They eventually contacted the al-Qaeda's headquarters and prepared for a suicide mission. 

As the terrorists completed their pilot training at various centers in USA, doomsday approached. A total of 19 terrorists boarded 4 different flights headed for various destinations. Armed with knives, cutters and a brainwashed radical mind, the hijackers crashed the  American Airlines flight 11 from Boston into the North tower of the Twin Towers. The first impression that everyone had was of an accident but when the second place crashed into the South Tower it became evident that America was under attack. The Twin Towers, which symbolized the financial prowess of the USA, turned to ruckus in a matter of minutes. Chaos ensued as people rushed to save their lives. Thousands of first responders risked their lives to pull out as many survivors as possible out of the rubble. As toxic fumes billowed out of the burning rubble, many of the firefighters and paramedics were later diagnosed with cancer and lost their lives to it. People on the upper floors of the towers jumped to their deaths to avoid burning alive.  

The burning Twin Towers

The Pentagon Buillding

The third plane crashed into the Pentagon building in Washington D.C.. The building, a five-sided concrete fortress was saved from worse damage due to its concrete structure. Potentially thousands of lives were saved as a result of the concrete body and low-rise. The fourth plane crashed in an empty field in Pennsylvania. The flight had been delayed by half an hour which allowed the passengers onboard to learn of the events unfolding in New York. As their flight was hijacked soon too, they realized that they were going to meet a similar fate. They mustered courage and makeshift weapons like boiling water and cutlery to attack the terrorists. This passenger revolt proved to be successful as the hijackers were forced to crash the plane at a site much before their intended target. The original target is speculated to be the Capitol building in Washington D.C.. 

An estimated 3,000 people died during the attacks. Billions of losses were incurred. President George W. Bush declared a war on terrorism which started with the overthrow of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. American military presence continued in Afghanistan until the American government pulled back all its troops in August, 2021. Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden was shot dead in his safe haven in Abbottabad, Pakistan in a manhunt which culminated a decade after the 9/11 attacks. The US soon reasserted its global ascendancy as its war on terror proved to be largely successful. 

Caricature by Veertej

11th September 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. We, DaHistorians, commemorate this post to the innocent people who lost their lives during these attacks and the valiant first responders who have selflessly served their nation during calls of need. May God bless their souls.

Thank you

Written by Vaibhav Jain

Caricature by Veertej Singh