Abstract This paper looks at the history of the ethnic diversity of Yugoslavia and the way that these cultural and ethnic divisions were the cause of the war with Bosnia. It examines the issue of nationalism and how this term has been used by all the nations within Yugoslavia's borders in an attempt to rule or expel other ethnic groups.
From the Paper "Yugoslavia was a nation under the Soviet sphere of influence, yet it was largely an artificial nation made up of entities that did not get along and that tried to divide up the region once the threat of Soviet force was removed. The current ethnic conflict in what was formerly Yugoslavia has roots that extend far back into history. The ethnic groups in the region have long been divided by cultural differences, religion, and language. Efforts to unify the region failed until after World War I, when the impetus to come together increased for economic and security reasons. Yet, the state that emerged was always tenuous because the union did not satisfy the needs of all the groups equally. The former Yugoslavia is perhaps the most unstable of all the former Soviet satellite states, and even though the direct attack on Kosovo was stopped by U.N. forces last spring, stability is unlikely in the foreseeable future."
Abstract The writer argues that Chechnya is just one example of the fact that the old Soviet Union was never truly unified and instead kept the various provinces in line through sheer force. The paper looks at the history of the fall of the Soviet Union and the opportunity this gave the tiny Chechnya to fight for independence. The paper then gives details of the war and the ways in which the Chechyns have found success.
From the Paper "Chechnya is about the size of Connecticut, with a population of 1.3 million people, making up less than one percent of the population of the Russian Federation from which it set out to secede. The war that stated there was seen from the firs as having the chance to deal a blow to the endangered and incipient democratic reforms in Russia (Church 116). Indeed, the debacle in Chechnya did cause a shift in the way other republics viewed Russia. In 1996 and 1997, most of the 89 regional governments in the Russian Federation held elections for governors. In the past, these positions had been filled by people appointed by Moscow, and a governor who disobeyed could be replaced by someone more obedient. Now, many of the regions elected governors who were independent-minded, and less than half of Moscow's hand-picked candidates won the 1996 elections. These new governors no longer fear Russia's military power precisely because Chechnya's small guerrilla army handed Russia such a humiliating defeat. This now means that he only power Moscow has left is that it controls the purse strings. This is problematic as well given that Russia's national treasury is nearly empty and that Moscow has been forced to cut its flow of money to the regions, further weakening the central government's control over the regions ("Russia--Republics")."
Tags: war, Soviet, Union, independence, Moscow, guerilla
This paper discusses the Cold War, the heightened tension that existed between the two major powers of the world, the United States and the Soviet Union, during the period following the World War II until the end of 1980s.
Abstract This paper discusses that the Cold War dominated international politics while it lasted as the two major world powers, United States and the Soviet Union, were locked in intense political and ideological rivalry. The author points out that although the Cold War started after the Second World War, it had its roots in the events that occurred towards the end of World War I. The author believes that the policies of Perestroika and Glasnost by the Mikhail accelerated the collapse of Communism and ended the Cold War.
From the Paper "One of the most serious Cold War events was the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. It occurred in a dangerous standoff between the Soviets and the US when the latter discovered the secret deployment of Soviet nuclear missiles in Communist Cuba. Only sensible decision making by the US President (Kennedy) and the Soviet leader (Khrushchev) who ignored the advice of "hawks" prevented a nuclear holocaust. Events that led to the ultimate collapse of the Soviet Union were triggered by the policies of the Reagan administration which stepped up military spending that the ailing economy of the Soviet Union was unable to match. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 to prop up a communist regime resulted in a costly war for the Russians and proved to be the last straw."
Abstract This paper explains the new single European currency being used in 12 countries in Europe, so far. Specifically, the paper explores why the government of England decided not to join the singular currency, showing both the advantages and disadvantages of using one currency. The paper evaluates the Euro, in general, and looks at its impact on the UK's tourism industry.
From the Paper "Because most of the cross-border countries of UK are members of EMU, the tourism industry of UK faces a high risk of price competition with the EMU nations, through comparisons in terms of travel fares and hotel accommodations. Travel cost in UK is likely to be more expensive, than
that of a country within the Euro zone, because of the cost of currency conversion. Single currency within the Euro zone may attract more travelers because of the convenience of not needing to convert currencies. In this view, in contrast to the possible increase in tourism rate among countries within the Euro zone, UK may experience a struggle in their tourism industry because of the inconvenience and cost UK's currency may bring to travelers."
Abstract This paper examines the ice cream business in Russia in the form of the Ice-Fili company, a mid-sized producer of ice cream in Russia and the top ice cream producer in that country. The paper shows that the Russians have a particular love of ice cream, which makes the market attractive in terms of having a large number of eager consumers ready for an ice cream product (though this is a market that has declined in recent years).
From the Paper "Ice-Fili is a mid-sized producer of ice cream in Russia and the top ice cream producer in that country. The industry is embedded in the larger Russian economy and serves the Russian ice cream market. Russians have a particular love of ice cream, which makes the market attractive in terms of having a large number of eager consumers ready for an ice cream product (though this is a market that has declined in recent years {"Russians Refuse to Eat Ice Cream Despite Their Great Fondness for the Product" para. 1]). Ice-Fili has had trouble surviving in the New Russia since the collapse of the former Soviet Union. Ice-Fili must also compete with major international producers of ice cream such as Ben & Jerry's, though that company left the market in 2001."
Abstract This essay addresses communism in the USSR, and why it was doomed to fail. Reasons behind the break-up of the USSR are discussed as well as Mikhail Gorbachev's structural overhaul, Glasnost and Perestroika and the effects of these policies. Lastly, the paper addresses why the USSR break-up occurred relatively peacefully.
From the Paper "The seeds of disintegration of the Soviet Union were sown even as it formally began in 1922. Even as the shift to communism was made through the barrel of a gun, numerous individuals, ethnic groups and organizations such as the mainstream churches resisted their new communist masters. And while their resistance was stifled by violent and brutal measures, such as occurred in 1956 in Hungary and in 1965 in Czechoslovakia, resistance to communism continued, albeit underground. Like a festering boil in which pressure builds up over time, resistance to the central communist authorities in Moscow, within Russia and ultimately throughout the Soviet Empire, increased steadily. "
Tags: communism, glasnost, gorbachev, perestroika, soviet, union
Abstract A paper detailing the war that ravaged the Balkans in the early 1990?s, which uncovers the humanity of an extraordinarily patriotic population of that land and the incredible suffering endured by them.
From the paper:
"Often our lives are difficult and too busy for us to be able to digest all the information that comes our way every day. Consequently, more often than not, we tend to overlook information that, we feel, does not directly impact us. Even when we do pay attention, the information is presented so matter-of-factly that it frequently leaves us emotionless, unaffected, and therefore unmoved to act.
While Bosnian Muslims and Croats cried out for help, the world stood quietly by and did practically nothing to deal with the main cause of their suffering - the ravaging warfare."
Tags: balkans, bosnia, cleansing, croatia, ethnic, mostar, muslims, race, religion, sarajevo, violence, war, yugoslavia
Abstract This paper looks at "Operation Allied Force" NATO's bombing campaign against Serbia during the Kosovo War in 1999. The history of the conflict is presented in detail, with particular attention being placed on the humanitarian needs of the population that was being devastated by this war. The author presents several arguments against the bombing, and discusses why these arguments are wrong, or do not apply to Kosovo. In addition to the human rights angle, the author also looks at the political reasons for NATO's intervention, first and foremost being, regional stability and the fear that the war would spread.
From the Paper "Detractors argue that the clear acceleration of Serb ethnic cleansing of Albanians in Kosovo that occurred concurrently with Operation Allied Force demonstrates that the war did not aid the Kosovars; however, given the ominous signs of ethnic cleansing, the argument is insupportable. After all, whether Serb atrocities and ethnic cleansing occurred over one month or six months is low impact. Although the Kosovars did suffer much before the end of the war, the war's ultimate result-- protection from Serb atrocities and the fall from power and trial of Slobodan Milosevic-- will allow the Kosovars to more securely recover from the harm that they have suffered, and be more secure in the future than they would have under continued rule by Milosevic."
Abstract This paper examines the part the Balkans had to play in the outbreak of World War I. It argues that whilst Russia, Serbia and Austria all viewed hostilities as local to the area, Germany deliberately exploited the situation to create European war.
From the Paper ?The racial struggle cannot be avoided ? perhaps it will not take place now, but it will probably take place in one or two years.? Kaiser Wilhelm II, 10 December, 1912 That the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand provided the spark for World War One there can be little doubt. However, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and many of his generals, cabinet and advisors, had been looking for an excuse to instigate European war, and more specifically the Schlieffen Plan, before Russia's military power grew to rival that of Germany?s."
Tags: archduke, austria, europe, germany, russia, schlieffen, serbia, war, wilhelm, wwi, world, war, i
Abstract The paper discusses major economy-related events that occurred during the two periods studied. An overview of the major events of each period is given and the features of each period's economy are laid out. With respect to the 1970s, 1977 is examined as the "crisis year" and failed economic stabilization programs are looked at.
From the Paper "Turkey is a unique country that lies partially in Asia and partly in Europe. The Asian and the European part of the country are separated by the Bosporus, which is the water link between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Although the areas constituting Turkey have a very ancient history, the modern day Turkey became a Republic in 1923 under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey's economy is a mixture of modern industry and ancient agriculture that has undergone many ups and down throughout its history. In this paper we will focus on the economy of Turkey in the 1970s & 1990s, and discuss the major economy-related events that occurred during this period."
Tags: economic, crisis, stabilization, program, Demirel, Ecevit, Ozal
Critical review of 1982 work on origins & evolution of containment of Soviet Union from WWII through 1970s. Military planning, Cold War ideology, leadership, geopolitics and detente.
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 3 sources, 1996, $ 47.95
From the Paper "The doctrine of containment of the Soviet Union, first set forth in detail in a celebrated article by George Kennan in the late 1940s, was the essential strategy of the United States during the Cold War era. In its most essential terms, containment as a doctrine argued that an ultimate confrontation with the Soviet Union was neither inevitable nor necessary; that if the United States and its allies could hold their ground and buy time, that would in the end be sufficient.
Events, indeed, have borne out Kennan's argument. Well into the 1980s, the Cold War still appeared as though it might persist indefinitely. But from 1985 on, the Soviet system collapsed from its own internal tensions, nearly bloodlessly and indeed all but effortlessly. A final confrontation did indeed prove unnecessary; containment succeed in its objectives, albeit after.."
Examines the relationship in a global context, legal, ethical and religious issues, politics, anti-immigrant bias and abuse, the situation in the U.S., examples, refugees and asylum-seekers.
2,250 words (approx. 9 pages), 9 sources, 1999, $ 79.95
Abstract Immigration has been on the American national agenda for some time, with many complaining that immigration is out of hand and that limitations on immigration are needed. One issue is whether too many people are coming from certain regions of the world, or whether those who are coming are sufficiently prepared to take their place in the American economic system.
From the Paper "INTRODUCTION
Immigration has been on the American national agenda for some time, with many complaining that immigration is out of hand and that limitations on immigration are needed. One issue is whether too many people are coming from certain regions of the world, or whether those who are coming are sufficiently prepared to take their place in the American economic system. Internationally, the immigration picture is even more difficult, with many immigrants moving from one place to another to escape war, persecution, and economic devastation. Immigration is usually treated as a political issue, certainly a domestic political issue for the country receiving large numbers of refugees or immigrants, but also as an international political issue because it affects how contiguous countries behave toward one another. Immigration ..."
In the autobiography of Ivanovich Kanatchikov, A Radical Worker in Tsarist Russia, Kanatchikov is radicalized by his work experience. He lives at a time of major change as many of the peasant class who worked the farms were being transferred by circumstances and economic change to urban factories where the work was very different. The radicalization of this worker takes place as he moves from the rural to the urban region, from farm work to factory work, from a state of political apathy to a state of political concern, and from worker to radical.
Kanatchikov's early life is in the rural regions, and there is no indication that this was some sort of ideal life later changed by the harshness of the factories. The life of the peasant was no better and perhaps worse than that of the factory ..."
Abstract This paper provides an insight to the European Union. It begins with a brief history from the Treaty of Paris in 1951 with 6 countries until the current 15 member countries. It examines the effect of enlargement such as the political, economical, and cultural benefits and shows how adding the prospective countries would instill a greater sense of safety and peace. It looks at the 13 countries who are currently being examined to enter the European Union, the necessary economic and political conditions that must be met and the extent to which each individual country meets them.
From the Paper "After having gone through two major world wars, Europe was ready for a settlement. This basic idea was the start of the need for a unification of the European countries, since this unification would be the key to finally keeping peace. In 1946, Churchill called for a "United States of Europe" that would have control over the production of coal and steel, two German resources that were known as being instrumental catalysts of war. The allied countries after the war felt that if Germany continued to have complete control over these resources, a future outbreak of war could be possible. As a result of this the six countries, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, became the founding members of the European Coal and Steel Community by signing the Treaty of Paris in 1951."
Abstract This paper examines the historical relationship between Turkey and the European Union and analyze the five demands most recently placed on Turkey by the EU in order to be considered for full membership into the organization - Turkey must pursue political and economic reforms; address human rights issues; improve its relationship with Greece; support UN mediation efforts in Cyprus and finally Turkey must not object to Cyprus? EU membership.
From the Paper "Turkey spans two continents. It wants to play a role in the affairs of both. Turkey is active in affairs of the Middle East, the Turkish-speaking former Soviet Republics such as Turkministan, and in European political, security, and economic organizations. Turkey is a member of every European organization except the European Union. It plays an active role in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) which protected western Europe against Soviet aggression. Turkey has wanted to join the European Union for a long time. The EU has rebuffed it for many reasons including Turkey;s political structure, human rights abuses, and having a weak economy. But Turkey feels like the real reason that they have not been accepted is that they are a Muslim nation. This paper will examine the historical relationship between Turkey and the European Union and analyze the five demands most recently placed on Turkey by the EU in order to be considered for full membership into the organization."
