Comparing The Wounded Knee Massacre And New York Times

The Wounded Knee Massacre took place on December 29, 1890 near Wounded Knee Creek, in South Dakota. Both, the New York Times and the London Times have published articles on this event. However, their interpretations of the event are quite different. It is interesting how the same event can be portrayed in two completely contrasting ways. Specifically, the New York Times justifies the American's actions towards the Native Americans, whereas the London Times portrays the American's actions as unacceptable towards the Native Americans.
New York Time's article, Indians Ready to Fight: The Pine Ridge Agency Placed in Imminent Peril, describes how the Indians are preparing for war and causing a state of fear for the Americans. The wives and children
Already, based off the title, one can assume that a war is in the process of beginning. The second paragraph describes how the Americans have increased the number of Indian scouts by five-hundred men, meaning they are preparing for an Indian outbreak. Further into the article, Indian Commissioner Belt sent the following statement to the agents of the tribes in Dakota: "your attention is invited to the prevailing threatening excitement among the Sioux of North and South Dakota and some other Indian tribes connected with the 'Ghost Dance'...it is very important, in view of the tendency of such excitement to spread and obtain a general hold upon the Indians".2 One key word in the quote above is "threatening", meaning that the Americans felt threatened by the Indians, which is how the New York Times portrays the
The dance is endurance based and lasts usually three consecutive nights. When the dance ends, they proceed with a feast, killing cattle. Often, one or more participants do not make it out alive, for the exhaustion and wounds are too much to handle. The following was reported to General Miles, from the Americans, "it is not warlike, but is full of the ideas and superstitions created by this strange fanaticism". 6 Therefore, the Americans proceeded with the war, even though it was reported not to be warlike.
The article, The war of Extermination Against the Sioux, from the London Times, describes how the Americans are getting stronger and stronger. The reasoning behind the Indians hatred of the Americans is because of the American policy. For example, the quote, "they (Americans) cannot escape from this conclusion, that if the Indians are still incorrigible, cruel, treacherous savages, and if they are the inveterate haters of the white man, they are what they are by reason of the United States policy". 7 Overall, the London Times is arguing that the Indians had every right to hate the