The Geneva Accords of 1954

The Geneva Accords of 1954 were an attempt to end eight years of fighting between France and Vietnam. They did that, but they also set the stage for the American phase of fighting in Southeast Asia. Background Vietnamese nationalist and communist revolutionary Ho Chi Minh expected that the end of World War II on September 2, 1945, would also be the end of colonialism and imperialism in Vietnam. Japan had occupied Vietnam since 1941; France had officially colonized the country since 1887. Because of Hos communist leanings, however, the United States, which had become the leader of the western world after World War II, did not want to see him and his followers, the Vietminh, take over the country. Instead, it approved Frances return to the region. In short, France could wage a proxy war for the U.S. against communism in Southeast Asia. The Vietminh waged an insurgency against France which culminated in the siege of the French base in northern Vietnam at Dienbienphu. A peace conference in Geneva, Switzerland, sought to extricate France from Vietnam and leave the country with a government suitable to Vietnam, Communist China (a Vietminh sponsor), the Soviet Union, and Western governments. Geneva Conference On May 8, 1954, representatives of Democratic Republic of Vietnam (communist Vietminh), France, China, the Soviet Union, Laos, Cambodia, the State of Vietnam (democratic, as recognized by the U.S.), and the United States met in Geneva to work out an agreement. Not only did they seek to extricate France, but they also sought an agreement that would unify Vietnam and stabilize Laos and Cambodia (which had also been part of French Indochina) in the absence of France. The United States committed to its foreign policy of containment of communism and determined not to let any part of Indochina go communist and thereby put the domino theory in play, entered the negotiations with doubt. It also did not want to be a signatory to an agreement with the communist nations. Personal tensions were also rife. U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles reportedly refused to shake the hand of Chinese Foreign Minister Chou En-Lai. Main Elements Of the Agreement By July 20, the contentious meeting had agreed to the following: Vietnam would be divided in half along the 17th Parallel (in the thin neck of the country).The Vietminh would control the northern section, the State of Vietnam would control the south.General elections would occur in both north and south on July 20, 1956, to decide which Vietnam would govern the whole country. The agreement meant the Vietminh, who occupied significant territory south of the 17th Parallel, would have to withdraw to the north. Nevertheless, they believed that the 1956 elections would give them control of all Vietnam. A Real Agreement? Any use of the term agreement with respect to the Geneva Accords must be done loosely. The U.S. and the State of Vietnam never signed it; they simply acknowledged that an agreement had been made between other nations. The U.S. doubted that, without United Nations supervision, any election in Vietnam would be democratic. From the outset, it had not the intention of letting Ngo Dinh Diem, president in the south, call the elections. The Geneva Accords got France out of Vietnam, certainly. However they did nothing to prevent an escalation of discord between free and communist spheres, and they only hastened American involvement in the country.

The Economic Crisis Of Iceland - 931 Words

Even though freedom for the private sector is a virtue, there should be government regulation in place due to corporate official’s inability to satiate their hunger for personal wealth endangering the global economy and the event in 2008 which was the global economic crisis occurring which could have been prevented or at least lessened. Iceland is known for its beautiful landscapes and vast expanses of nature. Human civilization sparsely dots the land creating an aura of solitude everywhere you go. Iceland can boast that it has good education, clean air, and barely any crime. However, in 2000 the government in Iceland initiated a plan for a broad policy of deregulation. Which would begin a set of disastrous events. Iceland began with†¦show more content†¦American accounting firms audited the Icelandic banks and investment firms which found nothing to be out of the ordinary. Credit rating agencies reported that Iceland was blooming in the economy. Credit rating agencies promoted the banks to the highest possible rating of Triple-A in 2007. Then in 2008 Iceland’s banks collapsed causing countless people to lose their savings. Unemployment tripled in the six months. Government regulators, whose job was to ensure financial stability, had done nothing. One third of Iceland’s regulators worked at those banks. This problem exists the U.S. In September of 2008 the U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy and the collapse of AIG, the world’s largest insurance company, initiated the global financial crisis. The effect this had on shares globally was catastrophic. This in turn cost the world tens of trillions of dollars, doubling the national debt of the Unites States and rendering thirty million people unemployed. This crisis was not an accident. It was caused by an industry which had no supervision. Since the 1980’s the rise of the U.S. financial sector has led to a series of increasingly dire financial crisis. Each one of them causing more damage while the industry has made more and more money. After the Great Depression the U.S. had forty years of economic growth without another crisis.Show MoreRelatedIceland Economic Crisis Essay796 Words   |  4 Pages In 2008, there was global economic crisis that people lost their jobs, savings and homes. Iceland has a stable democracy, but they have low employment and government debt. Gylfi Zoega said Iceland had good health care and education. Also, not much crime and good place where families can live. Iceland allowed multinational corporations, such as Alcoa, it build huge aluminum-smelting plants. In Iceland, the government privatized their 3 largest banks. The 3 banks borrowed 120 billion dollars. TheRead MoreShould Iceland Adopt Canadian Dollar?1387 Words   |  6 Pages Econ 345 Assignment 2 Topic: Should Iceland adopt Canadian Dollar? 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The entireRead MoreIs the banking industry responsible for the economic disaster in Iceland?1759 Words   |  8 PagesWith about 320,000 people, Iceland has only about as many inhabitants as an average German city. Nevertheless, the island republic is among the richest nations in the world with one of the highest living standards. Iceland is a member of the United Nations, NATO and the European Economic Area, as well as many other international organizations. â€Å"Is the banking industry responsible for the economic disaster of Iceland?† Until the 80’s, Iceland was a more regulated economy with many interventions byRead MoreThe Treaty Of Rome Established The European Economic Community ( Eec )940 Words   |  4 PagesThe Treaty of Rome established the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957. With this treaty member countries goods would not be taxed, but outsiders’ goods would. The member countries of the EEC specialized their products and their economies flourished. Then in 1992 with the Maastricht treaty a single economy was created along with a single currency (euro) and a regional bank. The EEC established a currency that is a major player in international business. The single currency is good on the domesticRead MoreThe Economic Crash Of The United States And Iceland1555 Words   |  7 PagesThe Economic Crash of 2008 in the United States was caused by subprime mortgages, and the housing market crash, and could’ve been prevented or minimalized by many people within the economy taking pre cautionary actions. The Economic crash of 2008 had effects on nations around the globe. One of the nations that experienced the most difficulties was Iceland. In late September of 2008 the Iceland government had to purchase the nations 3rd largest bank from going bankrupt. â€Å"Iceland†¦was the first countryRead MoreWhat Is The Business Cycle? Essay1088 Words   |  5 Pagesindicators. 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Supersize Me Paper Free Essays

Madison Montz Health Psych Super Size Me Reaction Paper It is no secret that our nation is becoming more and more obese. So what is causing the widespread issue of obesity? Well, there are a variety and combination of reasons such as overeating, lack of exercise, fast food, processed food, dieting, genetics, and sedentary lifestyles. Morgan Spurlock decided to tackle one aspect of this problem with his idea of examining McDonalds. We will write a custom essay sample on Supersize Me Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now He followed three rules as during this journey: he could only eat what was available over the counter, including water, no super sizing unless it was offered, and he had to eat and try every item at least once. Before Spurlock began his McDonalds diet, he went to numerous doctors and nutritionists and everyone told him that he was in shape and in good health. In 30 days, Spurlock consumed as much McDonalds as most nutritionists would advise someone to have in 8 years! He revealed to the public the truth about fast food. Something many already knew, but found it easier to avoid the fattening truth. I was very surprised, not to mention grossed out, to learn that about 95% of the commercials that children see are for foods filled with sugars and fats. Children are bombarded with images of fast food by media advertising. Most Americans understand the marketing strategy of McDonalds: to appeal to the young. That is why they have a clown for a mascot, Happy Meals which include children’s toys, and just about every location has a â€Å"play zone† for kids. The food is fast, comparatively cheap, and hot, which makes it a convenient dinner-choice for parents, especially after a long day. So who is to blame: kids, parents, or the business? In my opinion, it is 100% the parents’ responsibility to see that their children eat well and get adequate nutrition. Children do not have the knowledge, understanding, or maturity to choose what’s healthy to eat; of course they’re going to want food that tastes yummy and appeals to them! Businesses have one main goal in mind: to make money. In fast food, that often equates to using cheap ingredients and doing what it takes to make it taste good so that it is marketable. No business is holding a gun to parents’ (or children’s) heads, forcing them to buy their product. It is the sole responsibility of the parent, who has the knowledge and the maturity, to decide what is healthiest for their child to eat. Fast food companies have even come out with healthier side and drink options for children; instead of French fries, they can have apple slices and instead of shakes or sodas, they can have milk. The parents are the ones ordering the meals and paying for them (with their wallets and their health)! This movie sends the message that eating at McDonalds is a clear and present danger. Super Size Me not only examined the damage a fast food diet is capable of doing to a person, but it shows it visually. I learned that even the McDonalds foods that would be considered healthy, including the yogurt with granola, have more fat than a chocolate or caramel sundae, and even the ketchups are tomato concentrates filled with sugars! Therefore, customers need to closely examine the content of items served at McDonalds and beware of super sizing. I think it is easy to point the finger instead of taking responsibility for oneself and what individuals put into their bodies. In conclusion, Spurlock became addicted to this diet. Food can be much like a drug that the body gets used to. He found that eventually this food pumped him up when he was feeling depressed. That is why people keep coming back to fast food and why Americans are overweight. Junk food is addictive. I believe that overweight people should empower themselves by realizing the solution is simple: by eating healthier, smaller portions and moving more, you will feel better and have more energy! I think McDonalds faces a similar issue that the tobacco companies deal with: people try to sue them for selling them a product that harmed their health, even though the people buying the product knew the dangers but went ahead and did it anyways. It all gets traced back to responsibility. We live in America, the country of the free, and we all make the conscious choice, daily, as to what we’re going to eat that day. Bottom of Form How to cite Supersize Me Paper, Papers