Origins of the Vietnam War From 1945â€1954

The causes of the Vietnam War trace their roots back to the end of World War II. A French colony, Indochina (made up of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia) had been occupied by the Japanese during the war. In 1941, a Vietnamese nationalist movement, the Viet Minh, was formed by their leader Ho Chi Minh (1890–1969) to resist the occupiers. A communist, Ho Chi Minh waged a guerrilla war against the Japanese with the support of the United States. Near the end of the war, the Japanese began to promote Vietnamese nationalism and ultimately granted the country nominal independence. On August 14, 1945, Ho Chi Minh launched the August Revolution, which effectively saw the Viet Minh take control of the country. The French Return Following the Japanese defeat, the Allied Powers decided that the region should remain under French control. As France lacked the troops to retake the area, Nationalist Chinese forces occupied the north while the British landed in the south. Disarming the Japanese, the British used the surrendered weapons to rearm French forces that had been interned during the war. Under pressure from the Soviet Union, Ho Chi Minh sought to negotiate with the French, who desired to retake possession of their colony. Their entrance into Vietnam was only permitted by the Viet Minh after assurances had been given that the country would gain independence as part of the French Union. First Indochina War Discussions soon broke down between the two parties and in December 1946, the French shelled the city of Haiphong and forcibly reentered the capital, Hanoi. These actions began a conflict between the French and the Viet Minh, known as the First Indochina War. Fought mainly in North Vietnam, this conflict began as a low level, rural guerrilla war, as Viet Minh forces conducted hit and run attacks on the French. In 1949, fighting escalated as Chinese communist forces reached the northern border of Vietnam and opened a pipeline of military supplies to the Viet Minh.   French paratroopers taking part in Operation Castor, a parachute drop on Dien Bien Phu in the Thai district during the Indo-China war. Hulton Archive/Stringer/Getty Images  Ã‚   Increasingly well-equipped, the Viet Minh began more direct engagement against the enemy and the conflict ended when the French were decisively defeated at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. The war was ultimately settled by the Geneva Accords of 1954, which temporarily partitioned the country at the 17th parallel, with the Viet Minh in control of the north and a non-communist state to be formed in the south under Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem (1901–1963). This division was to last until 1956, when national elections would be held to decide the future of the nation. The Politics of American Involvement Initially, the United States had little interest in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, but as it became clear that the post-World War II world would be dominated by the U.S. and its allies and the Soviet Union and theirs, isolating communist movements took an increased importance. These concerns were ultimately formed into the doctrine of containment and domino theory. First spelled out 1947, containment identified that the goal of Communism was to spread to capitalist states and that the only way to stop it was to â€Å"contain† it within its present borders. Springing from containment was the concept of domino theory, which stated that if one state in a region were to fall to Communism, then the surrounding states would inevitably fall as well. These concepts were to dominate and guide U.S. foreign policy for much of the Cold War. In 1950, to combat the spread of Communism, the United States began supplying the French military in Vietnam with advisers and funding its efforts against the â€Å"red† Viet Minh. This aid nearly extended to direct intervention in 1954, when the use of American forces to relieve Dien Bien Phu was discussed at length. Indirect efforts continued in 1956, when advisers were provided to train the army of the new Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) with the goal of creating a force capable of resisting Communist aggression. Despite their best efforts, the quality of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was to remain consistently poor throughout its existence. The Diem Regime South Vietnam President Ngo Dinh Diem (1901 - 1963) watching an agricultural show just minutes after an assassination attempt had been made on his life. Keystone/Stringer/Getty Images  Ã‚   A year after the Geneva Accords, Prime Minister Diem commenced a â€Å"Denounce the Communists† campaign in the south. Throughout the summer of 1955, Communists and other opposition members were jailed and executed. In addition to attacking the communists, the Roman Catholic Diem assaulted Buddhist sects and organized crime, which further alienated the largely Buddhist Vietnamese people and eroded his support. In the course of his purges, it is estimated that Diem had up to 12,000 opponents executed and as many as 40,000 jailed.  To further cement his power, Diem rigged a referendum on the future of the country in October 1955 and declared the formation of the Republic of Vietnam, with its capital at Saigon. Despite this, the US actively supported the Diem regime as a buttress against Ho Chi Minh’s communist forces in the north. In 1957, a low-level guerrilla movement began to emerge in the south, conducted by Viet Minh units that had not returned north after the accords. Two years later, these groups successfully pressured Ho’s government into issuing a secret resolution calling for an armed struggle in the south. Military supplies began to flow into the south along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and the following year the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (Viet Cong) was formed to carry out the fight. Failure and Deposing Diem The situation in South Vietnam continued to deteriorate, with corruption rife throughout the Diem government and the ARVN unable to effectively combat the Viet Cong. In 1961, the newly elected John F. Kennedy and his administration promised more aid and additional money, weapons, and supplies were sent with little effect. Discussions then began in Washington regarding the need to force a regime change in Saigon. This was accomplished on November 2, 1963, when the CIA aided a group of ARVN officers to overthrow and kill Diem. His death led to a  period of political instability that saw the rise and fall of a succession of military governments. To help deal with the post-coup chaos, Kennedy increased the number of US advisers in South Vietnam to 16,000. With Kennedys death later that same month, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson ascended to the presidency and reiterated the U.S. commitment to fighting communism in the region. Sources and Further Information Kimball, Jeffrey P., ed. To Reason Why: The Debate about the Causes of U.S. Involvement in the Vietnam. Eugene OR: Resources Publications, 2005.Morris, Stephen J. Why Vietnam Invaded Cambodia: Political Culture and the Causes of War. Stanford CA: Stanford University Press, 1999.Willbanks, James H. Vietnam War: The Essential Reference Guide. Santa Barbara CA: ABC-CLIO, 2013.

Social Anxiety Disorder And Social Phobia - 1803 Words

Social anxiety disorder or social phobia, is can be progressively debilitating condition which may affect individuals for the duration of their lives and with low rates of recovery among patients (Chartier, Hazen, Stein, M.B, 1998). Studies have shown that the disorder has an early onset with symptoms manifesting on average at age 16 in most adolescents. Social anxiety disorder features intense feelings of irrational fear of possible embarrassment and scrutiny of others during social situations (Canton, Scott, Glue, 2012; Ruscio et al., 2007). The effects of this disorder can be especially disabling as individuals have an increased risk of suffering from comorbid disorders including depression and substances dependeancy (Stein,†¦show more content†¦CBT uses various treatment strategies to help patients work on maladaptive behaviors by targeting symptoms, reduce the stress caused by them and helping client acquire skills that will allow them to change their way of thinking and responding to stress inducing situations. In this approach, the therapist focuses on the here and now (Zborowski, 2014) while assisting the patient by supporting and encouraging them to use personal resources to confront problematic behaviors. Both classical and operant conditioning are methods used in behavioral interventions, although elements modeling are often incorporated. Several methods and techniques are used during CBT such as systematic desensitization, exposure, relaxation, positive and negative reinforcement, cognitive modification, problem solving and stress management. Exposure and relaxation methods will be discussed during this paper, as most of the trials used these methods during treatment. During exposure, patients are repeatedly exposed to an anxiety producing stimulus and encouraged to resist from engaging in avoidance behavior. The patient then rides out the anxiety producing stimulus until it subsides allowing for emotional habituation (Leichsenring et al., 2006). Patients are also thought relaxation techniques to allow them to manage and reduce stress during situation of high anxiety. Another technique used in one of the studies discussed later is cognition modification. This methods helps patients identify

Sex Offenders Release into Society free essay sample

As sex offenders are being released back into society, our sex offender registry laws must be revisited to ensure the safety of our communities. There are more than 650,000 registered sex offenders living among us in the United States today, but some of these are juveniles that are labeled sex offenders and should fall under a different category because their sexual behaviors were consensual (Belkin 2011). Sex offenders should be required to register as a sex offender upon their release into society in order to keep their community safe and aware of their presence. The life of a typical sex offender is characterized by the crime committed, rehabilitation, sentence served, and return to society. In the article â€Å"States Resist Federal Sex-Offender Registry† Ana Campoy explains, states are resisting the federal government’s attempts to enact the â€Å"Adam Walsh Child Protection Act† (Act) nationwide, because of the cost and reliability. Texas officials believe the laws in place are already effective, and their communities are protected from sex offenders with their existing registries. Ana Campoy explains, those states that refuse to endorse the â€Å"Act† will lose federal funding, and the participation of every state is necessary for the â€Å"Act† to work. Some states believe that implementing the â€Å"Act† would decrease the standards of the present registry systems, and lack the focus on the dangerous risks involved with sex offenders. Ana Campoy clarifies the importance of all states complying with the â€Å"Act† in order to improve the current registry systems in place. Nationwide, increased numbers of underage teens are being placed on sex offender registries because of careless consensual acts with a younger partner. Their names appear on sex offender registries next to some of the most dangerous and violent sex offenders in their state. After being labeled a sex offender their life is over, and they better forget about good jobs. No one will believe that they are not guilty of a horrific crime even if it was something as minor as sending a nude picture of themselves via text (Belkin 2011). In Georgia if a sex offender fails to register with local law enforcement where they reside an extra 30 years can be added to their sentence. A sex offender cannot live or work close to schools, churches, parks, or any other place where children are present. Local law enforcement has noted that many sex offenders have relocated to other areas because of the strict laws. A local mother, Monica Lukisavage, whose daughter was abducted by a neighbor says, â€Å"Nothing is going to be 100% effective unless every single offender goes to jail. † People that reside in Georgia believe the tough restrictions are necessary to keep their communities safe, and the strict laws will detour sex offenders from repeating their crimes (Chen 2009). All sex offenders upon release from prison should be required to register with local law enforcement. It’s understandable that some so called sex offenders should not have to be registered for life, but the ones that actually caused physical harm to others have to be to keep society safe. The majority of people would agree that it’s important to keep a close eye on sex offenders. Works Cited Belkin, Lisa. â€Å"When a Sex Offender Isn’t. † The New York Times, 13 July 2011. Web 16 Mar. 2012. . Campoy, Ana. â€Å"States Resist Federal Sex-Offender Registry. † The Wall Street Journal, 9 April 2011. Web16 Mar. 2012. . Chen, Stephanie. â€Å"After Prison, Few Places for Sex Offenders to Live. † The Wall Street Journal, 19 Feb. 2009. Web 16 Mar. 2012. http://online. wsj. com/article/sb123500941182818821. html. Sentence Outline Thesis: Sex offenders should be required to register as a sex offender upon their release into society in order to keep their community safe and aware of their presence. The life of a typical sex offender is characterized by the crime committed, rehabilitation, sentence served, and return to society. I. Sex offenders should be required to register as a sex offender upon their release into society. A. Registering will keep communities safe. B. Law enforcement will know the whereabouts of sexual offenders. C. Neighborhoods will be able to pinpoint unsafe areas. II. Sex offenders must follow the rules of their probation. A. Do not reside within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, playgrounds, or anywhere children gather. B. Mandatory curfews from 10 p. m. to 6 a. m. C. Must take polygraph once a year. D. Must keep a driving log. III. The federal government wants all states to comply with the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. A. Some states feel the â€Å"Act† is costly and unreliable. B. Federal government will cut off sex offender registry funds to the states that don’t comply with the â€Å"Act. † C. Participation nationwide is required for the â€Å"Act† to work. IV. Georgia’s strict rules make it a difficult place for sex offenders to live. A. Failing to register an address could add 30 extra years sentence. B. Sex offenders are listed on a publicly available database. C. Sex offenders can never live or work near any banned area. D. A sex offender can never volunteer at church or attend. V. Should all sex offenders be listed on registries? A. Not those that were convicted of having consensual sex as teenagers. B. People convicted of streaking or sending a nude self-photograph via text should not be considered a sex offender. C. Violent predators, pedophiles, and child pornographers should be listed on sex offender registries for life.