Helping them
Time and time again, the foreign invaders took advantage of the Natives Americans living on the lands the foreign invaders wanted to possess. Even though the Indians knew that the different ships coming to their land meant danger, they still helped them by giving them food and shelter. This is presented as being ironic especially considering the way in which the Indians were later treated by those they helped.
Making business with the enemy
The author notes that in the 1850s, a tribe leader signed a peace treaty with the US government, a treaty the soldiers broke only a few months after. As a result, the violence between the Navaho tribes and the US soldiers escalated again until 1860 when a new peace treaty was signed. After that, the Indian tribes began trading with the US soldiers, the same soldiers who only months before used to kill them and abuse them. This idea is presented as being ironic especially what keeping in mind that fact that the US soldiers broke the treaty again only a few months after signing it.
Not so bad after all
In the second chapter, the author notes the struggles the Indians had to face between 1860 and 1865. The Indians were forced to move from one reservation to another until General William Sherman allowed them to return to their own lands. The narrator presents this fact as being ironic especially considering the fact that Sherman was known for his cruelty towards Indians and was known for his hatred.
Better to surrender
In the third chapter, the author talks about Little Cow and some of his men. When it became clear that Little Cow could not win, some soldiers decided to turn themselves in, believing that the white men will forgive them. Ironically, the whites pushed for the Indians’ execution and more than half of the men who surrendered were executed as a result.
Do not shoot at them
In the fourth chapter, the author discusses the Cheyenne tribe and how for a long time they tried to maintain peace with the white settlers. For example, the author mentions an incident when an Indian leader was killed by a group of white soldiers. In an effort to maintain peace, the second in command, Black Kettle, urged his men to not shoot at the white soldiers. Ironically, Black Kettle and his men were accused of being the ones to start the incident even though in reality they were the ones who tried to stop it from becoming even worst.
