History Discussions
Discussion: The Cold War: Who Shot First?
The United States accused the Soviet Union of breaking all its wartime pledges and holding Eastern Europe hostage while trying to subvert governments in the West. The Soviet Union accused the US and its allies of trying to surround, and ultimately destroy it. War of words? Or was somebody telling the truth? And where do our 'isms' fit in? In particular nationalism?
Discussion: Cold War and the End of Empires
What accounts for the rather late emergence of African countries as independent nation-states? Is there something peculiar about Africa that delayed its drive for independence? Why has the Arab-Israeli conflict been so persistent? What religious and cultural factors have contributed to the persistent state of unrest in the Middle East and, in particular, in what some people refer to as the Holy Land?
Discussion: The End of the Cold War
What impact did Mikhail Gorbachev's ideas of glasnost (openness), perestroika (restructuring) and demokratizatsiia (democratization) have on Communist society? Were these principles compatible with collectivization and a command economy? Did Communist leaders favor these principles, or did they feel that their hands were tied once they were introduced into Communist society?
Discussion: Communism vs. Capitalism
It would be easy to dismiss the Cold War simply as proof that Capitalism was a better theory than Communism. Easy, but not the whole story. In order for Communism to be relegated to the dustbin of history, it first had to be proven that its struggle against Capitalism was unnecessary and thus irrelevant. How did the US and the USSR close the gap in the last quarter of the 20th Century to allow Communism to go out with a whimper and not a bang?
Discussion: Brave New World
The Cold War is over. Time to do a victory lap and celebrate the primacy of American power. But the celebration seemed short-lived, as there were plenty of other concerns. Nothing is as it should be. Our adversaries are now our allies, and our allies are now competitors. The end of the Cold War knocked down the Iron Curtain, but it also destroyed conventional economic patterns. Is the end of the Cold War proving to be good for world peace, but not so good for world business?
Discussion: Looking Ahead
Read the article entitled "Strategic Collaboration: How the United States Can Thrive as Other Powers Rise." Do you agree with the authors' assertions that the United States needs to engage certain powers to remain safe from present-day dangers? Elaborate.
Case study: 900 minimum words
Case Study: The Creation of Israel and Israeli Settlement in Palestine
Introduction
The nation of Israel was officially created on November 29, 1947 as a result of UN Resolution 181 to provide a homeland for the Jewish people in a region with strong historical significance to people of Jewish faith (as well as Muslim and Christian faiths). This was accomplished by partitioning Palestine, an Arab nation, into two nations, creating animosity among the Arab peoples in the region, particularly the Palestinians, and resulting in decades of conflict between them and the nation of Israel. In the intervening years, Israel has engaged in the practice of expanding its territory into Palestine by creating Israeli settlements there. One of the recent incidents of this practice was address by Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, Executive Committee member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
Instructions
Review the following resources:
• (website): UN Resolution 181 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
• (website): Statement of Dr. Hanan Ashrawi in Regard to Jewish Settlements (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Address the following in a case study analysis:
• According to UN Resolution 181, what are the rights of Arabs in Israel and what are the rights of Jews in Palestine?
• Are the resulting conflicts religious, economic, territorial, or a combination of these? Support your assessment with evidence.
• Is the practice of creating Israeli settlements in Palestine illegal? Assess Dr. Ashrawi's statement that "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is more committed to settlement expansion than to peace."
• What is the US position on this practice and how has this affected international relations?
Case Study: Generation Kill: A Conversation With Stanley McChrystal
Introduction
According to Biography.com, "Stanley A. McChrystal led the Joint Special Operations Command in Iraq during the Persian Gulf Wars and was top Commander of American forces in Afghanistan" ("Stanley McChrystal Biography," n.d.). In the following interview, he describes the challenges of fighting terrorist/insurgent forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• (library article): Generation Kill A Conversation With Stanley McChrystal (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Instructions
Address the following in a case study analysis:
• According to McChrystal, how did the battle against terrorist organizations/insurgencies change after 9/11 and from what factors do they draw their strength?
• What technological methods are used in Afghanistan and Iraq and how have they been used tactically (i.e., what goals are they used to achieve)?
• Have they been successful?
• What is the risk of using technological capabilities against terrorists?
Guidelines
o Addresses all aspects of the question(s), applying experiences, knowledge, and understanding regarding concepts.
o Integrates evidence to support discussion from at least one outside scholarly source. Sources are credited.
o Throughout the whole work, content expresses original thoughts or interprets the subject matter in a different perspective.
o Throughout the whole work, claims are supported with detailed and persuasive examples; accurate facts and circumstances are used for support.
o Throughout the whole work, the text is free of major errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation; demonstrates strong word choice and sentence variety.
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.