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[[Image:National Park Service 9-11 Statue of Liberty and WTC fire.jpg|right|300px]]

[[Image:National Park Service 9-11 Statue of Liberty and WTC fire.jpg|right|300px]]

The '''Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001''' occurred when [[al Qaeda]]-affiliated [[Islam|Islamic]] extremists hijacked four transcontinental airliners and used them to strike targets in the [[United States]], succeeding in destroying the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and a portion of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.; the fourth aircraft, in which the hijackers are believed to have targeted the White House or the Capital Building, crashed into an empty field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers fought back to re-take control.   

The '''Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001''' occurred when [[al Qaeda]]-affiliated [[Islam|Islamic]] extremists hijacked four transcontinental airliners and used them to strike targets in the [[United States]], succeeding in destroying portions of the World Trade Center, including the Twin Towers, in New York City, and a portion of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.; the fourth aircraft, in which the hijackers are believed to have targeted the White House or the Capital Building, crashed into an empty field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers fought back to re-take control.   

The sheer audacity of the attack and the heavy loss of life that resulted from it caused the Bush Administration to declare a war on terror with the determination to hunt down terrorists world-wide; within two months of September 11, [[Afghanistan]] was completely occupied by American forces, driving the ruling Taliban from power and causing the main suspect of the attacks, [[Osama bin Laden]], to flee into hiding.

The sheer audacity of the attack and the heavy loss of life that resulted from it caused the Bush Administration to declare a war on terror with the determination to hunt down terrorists world-wide; within two months of September 11, [[Afghanistan]] was completely occupied by American forces, driving the ruling Taliban from power and causing the main suspect of the attacks, [[Osama bin Laden]], to flee into hiding.

The impact of the crashes took out any hope of getting to victims and survivors on the affected floors and the floors above; many people desperate to get away from the smoke and fire jumped.  Both towers were designed to survive the impact of a 1960s-era jet, but the Boeing 767 was larger and carried more fuel; it was determined later that the heat from the burning fuel weakened the central steel structure and supports.  At 9:59 am the south tower collasped; the upper floors had lost support in the damaged area and fell - pancake style - to the ground.  At 10:29 AM the north tower fell in a similar manner.  The death toll was around 2,750, including more than 300 firefighters and 100 police officers and other rescue workers.

The impact of the crashes took out any hope of getting to victims and survivors on the affected floors and the floors above; many people desperate to get away from the smoke and fire jumped.  Both towers were designed to survive the impact of a 1960s-era jet, but the Boeing 767 was larger and carried more fuel; it was determined later that the heat from the burning fuel weakened the central steel structure and supports.  At 9:59 am the south tower collasped; the upper floors had lost support in the damaged area and fell - pancake style - to the ground.  At 10:29 AM the north tower fell in a similar manner.  The death toll was around 2,750, including more than 300 firefighters and 100 police officers and other rescue workers.

===Washington, D.C.===

===Washington, D.C.===