Showing posts with label IR-one-definition-a-day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IR-one-definition-a-day. Show all posts

Aug 22, 2015

IR-One Definition a Day: Indochina Discovery - Annam

Indochina Discovery
Annam (ənăm`, ă`năm)
Historic region (c.58,000 sq mi/150,200 sq km) and former state, in central Vietnam, SE Asia. The capital was Hue. The region extended nearly 800 mi (1,290 km) along the South China Sea between Tonkin on the north and Cochin China on the south. In addition to Hue, the principal cities in the region are Da Nang(the chief seaport), An Nhon, Quang Tri, and Vinh. In 1954, when Vietnam was divided on a line approximating the 17th parallel, Annam went largely to South Vietnam. The ridge of the Annamese Cordillera separated N and central Annam from Laoson the west; the ridge then swung southeastward and ran along the coast of S Annam, which included the plateaus that stretched to the borders of Cambodiaand Cochin China. The narrow coastal plains of N and central Annamwere interrupted by spurs of mountains that almost reached the sea, as at Porte d'Annam, a pass important in Annamese history.
The origins of the Annamese state may be traced to the peoples of the Red River valley in N Vietnam. After more than 2,000 years of contact with the Chinese, they fell under Chinese rule as the result of a Han invasion in 111 B.C. The region, to which the Chinese gave the name Annam ("Pacified South"; a name resented by the people), comprised all of what later became N Annam and Tonkin. Southern Annamwas occupied by the kingdom of the Chams, or Champa, from the late 2d cent. A.D. In 939 the Annamese drove out the Chinese and established their independence, which they maintained, except for one brief period of Chinese reoccupation (1407–28), until their conquest by the French in the 19th cent.
By 1558 the kingdom was in effect divided between two great families: the Trinh line, whichruled from Hanoi (then called Tonkin) as far south as Porte d'Annam (this area was called Tonkin by the Europeans who arrived in the 16th cent.), and the Nguyens, who ruled from Hue over the territory extending from Porte d'Annam south to the vicinity of Quy Nhon. The ruling dynasties of Hueand Tonkin were overthrown in 1778 and 1786 respectively, and the two domains were reunited (1802) as the empire of Vietnamby Nguyen-Anh, a Hue general, who had procured French military aid by ceding (1787) to the French the port of Da Nangand the Con Son islands. Nguyen-Anh established himself as emperor; his authority was formally recognized by the Chinese in 1803. In 1807 the Vietnamese extended a protectorate over Cambodia, which led in succeeding years to frequent wars against Siam.
After the death of Nguyen-Anh his successor, attempting to withdraw into isolation, mistreated French nationals and Vietnamese Christian converts. This provided an excuse for French military operations, which began in 1858 and resulted in the seizure of S Vietnam (Cochin China) and the establishment of protectorates (by 1884) over N Vietnam (Tonkin) and central Vietnam(Annam). The French, who abolished the name Annam, received recognition for their protectorates from the Chinese emperor. In 1887 Annam became part of the Union of Indochina. In World War II Indochina was occupied by the Japanese, who set up the autonomous state of Vietnam, comprising Tonkin, Annam, and Cochin China; Bao Dai, the last emperor of Vietnam, was established as ruler. After the war Annamese and Tonkinese nationalists demanded independence for the new state of Vietnam, and the region was plunged into a long and bloody conflict (see Vietnam).
(Source: Wikipedia)

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IR-One-Definition-A-Day: NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (1949)

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), 1949

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was created in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.

Signing of the NATO Treaty
Signing of the NATO Treaty

NATO was the first peacetime military alliance the United States entered into outside of the Western Hemisphere. After the destruction of the Second World War, the nations of Europe struggled to rebuild their economies and ensure their security. The former required a massive influx of aid to help the war-torn landscapes re-establish industries and produce food, and the latter required assurances against a resurgent Germany or incursions from the Soviet Union. The United States viewed an economically strong, rearmed, and integrated Europe as vital to the prevention of communist expansion across the continent. As a result, Secretary of State George Marshall proposed a program of large-scale economic aid to Europe. The resulting European Recovery Program, or Marshall Plan, not only facilitated European economic integration but promoted the idea of shared interests and cooperation between the United States and Europe. Soviet refusal either to participate in the Marshall Plan or to allow its satellite states in Eastern Europe to accept the economic assistance helped to reinforce the growing division between east and west in Europe.

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Aug 20, 2015

IR-One-Definition-A-Day: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)



One-Definition-A-Day: Corporate social responsibility

(CSR, also called corporate conscience, corporate citizenship or responsible business) is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR policy functions as a self-regulatory mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards and international norms. With some models, a firm's implementation of CSR goes beyond compliance and engages in "actions that appear to further some social good, beyond the interests of the firm and that which is required by law." CSR aims to embrace responsibility for corporate actions and to encourage a positive impact on the environment and stakeholders including consumers, employees, investors, communities, and others.

The term "corporate social responsibility" became popular in the 1960s and has remained a term used indiscriminately by many to cover legal and moral responsibility more narrowly construed.

Proponents argue that corporations increase long term profits by operating with a CSR perspective, while critics argue that CSR distracts from business' economic role. A 2000 study compared existing econometric studies of the relationship between social and financial performance, concluding that the contradictory results of previous studies reporting positive, negative, and neutral financial impact, were due to flawed empirical analysis and claimed when the study is properly specified, CSR has a neutral impact on financial outcomes.

Critics questioned the "lofty" and sometimes "unrealistic expectations" in CSR. or that CSR is merely window-dressing, or an attempt to pre-empt the role of governments as a watchdog over powerful multinational corporations.

Political sociologists became interested in CSR in the context of theories of globalization, neoliberalism and late capitalism. Some sociologists viewed CSR as a form of capitalist legitimacy and in particular point out that what began as a social movement against uninhibited corporate power was transformed by corporations into a 'business model' and a 'risk management' device, often with questionable results.

CSR is titled to aid an organization's mission as well as a guide to what the company stands for to its consumers. Business ethics is the part of applied ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that can arise in a business environment. ISO 26000 is the recognized international standard for CSR. Public sector organizations (the United Nations for example) adhere to the triple bottom line (TBL). It is widely accepted that CSR adheres to similar principles, but with no formal act of legislation.

(Source: wikipedia)


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YourVietBooks is a selection of books and articles on and about Vietnam. Categories include: Culture, History, Vietnam War, Politics, Biographies, Contemporary Vietnam, International Relations, Doing Business in Vietnam, Reference and Languages, Zen Buddhism, Philosophy, Art and Literature. Some articles are available only in English, French, German or Vietnamese. Our qualified and experienced translators can provide translations of e-books or articles on demand. Read more...



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Jun 27, 2015

[Doko.VN] Documentary on the Cold War_ Cuộc chiến tranh lạnh



(Source: Uploaded on Nov 18, 2011)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPKA1q5rbKM
Video do http://www.doko.vn/ sưu tập



- Chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/tai-lieu/chien-tra...
- Trật tự thế giới mới sau chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/tai-lieu/trat-tu-t...
- Liên Hợp Quốc sau chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/lien-hop-...
- Quan hệ TRUNG - NGA sau chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/quan-he-t...
- Biểu hiện của việc kết thúc chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/bieu-hien...
- Lịch sử QUAN HỆ QUỐC TẾ TRONG VÀ SAU THỜI KÌ CHIẾN TRANH LẠNH
http://www.doko.vn/tai-lieu/lich-su-q...
- Mâu thuẫn trong quan hệ quốc tế sau chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/tai-lieu/mau-thuan...
- Cuộc Chiến tranh lạnh sau chiến tranh thế giới thứ hai (1947 -- 1989)
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/cuoc-chie...
- Chiến lược chính sách đối ngoại của Trung Quốc sau Chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/chien-luo...
- Liên minh an ninh Mỹ - Nhật trong chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/lien-minh...
- Chuyển động của quan hệ Nga - Mỹ sau chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/chuyen-do...
- Sự ra đời của hai khối quân sự lớn nhất NATO và VACSAVA trong chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/tai-lieu/su-ra-doi...
- Nhật Bản trong quan hệ với các nưước khu vực Đông Bắc á thời kỳ sau chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/nhat-ban-...
- Sự đối đầu Xô- Mỹ thông qua việc giải quyết vấn đề Đức trong Chiến tranh lạnh.
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/su-doi-da...
- vì sao chiến tranh lạnh lại xảy ra
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/vi-sao-ch...
- Quan hệ Việt Nam -- Trung Quốc sau chiến tranh lạnh. Thực trạng và triển vọng
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/quan-he-v...
- Lịch sử quan hệ ngoại giao Việt - Mỹ từ sau chiến tranh lạnh đến nay
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/lich-su-q...
- Cạnh tranh Trung-Nhật tại khu vực Đông Nam Á sau chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/canh-tran...
- Sự vận động của quan hệ Nga- Mỹ sau chiến tranh lạnh và ảnh hưởng của quan hệ đó đến Việt Nam
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/su-van-do...
- Tập trung vào quan hệ Việt Mỹ từ sau chiến tranh lạnh đến nay
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/tap-trung...
- vị trí của Liên minh châu Âu trong quan hệ quốc tế từ sau chiến tranh lạnh đến nay
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/vi-tri-cu...
- Sự thay đổi cấu trúc sức mạnh của hệ thống quan hệ quốc tế sau chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/su-thay-d...
- Mục Tiêu Và Sự Điều Chính Sách Đối Ngoại của Mỹ Sau Chiến Tranh Lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/muc-tieu-...
- Đặc thù của các quốc gia Đông Âu sau chiến tranh lạnh, vai trò của nó trong chiến lược đối ngoại của Việt Nam và ngược lại vai trò của Việt Nam trong chiến lược đối ngoại của Đông Âu
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/dac-thu-c...
- các nhân tố tác động đến quan hệ Nga -- Eu sau chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/cac-nhan-...
- Qúa trình tranh giành ảnh hưởng giữa Nga và Mĩ ở các nước thuộc SNG thời kì sau chiến tranh lạnh
http://www.doko.vn/luan-van/qua-trinh...



 About YourVietbooks.com YourVietBooks is a selection of books and articles on and about Vietnam. Categories include: Culture, History, Vietnam War, Politics, Biographies, Contemporary Vietnam, International Relations, Doing Business in Vietnam, Reference and Languages, Zen Buddhism, Philosophy, Art and Literature. Some articles are available only in English, French, German or Vietnamese. Our qualified and experienced translators can provide translations of e-books or articles on demand. Read more...

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Jun 1, 2015

IR Useful References - Cold war - US-Soviet bi-polarity

Useful References for IR Studies: Cold war - US-Soviet bi-polarity - pp. 71-75
Danh sách tra cứu các thuật ngữ về Quan Hệ Quốc Tế (trang 71-75). 
References in Vietnamese:
Lich su the gioi hien dai quyen II – Cold war - US-Soviet bi-polarity - pp. 71-75, Editions NXB DHSP, Authors Tran Thi Vinh, Dinh Ngoc Bao, Le A, Do Thanh Binh, Vo Kim Cuong, Truong Vu Xuong (2008). Chúng tôi xin bổ xung phần từ vựng tương đương tiếng Anh để tiện việc tra cứu thêm. (Note by Anh Tho)
References for English : Dictionary of International Relations, Penguin Reference, Graham Evans & Geoffrey Newnham (1998) as Ref. I &  Hutchinson Dictionary of World History (1998) as Ref. II.

From Vietnamese into English
  • Afghanistan = Afghanistan (1979) pp. 531 Ref. II
  • 1989 = Nineteen-eighty-nine (1989), pp. 373-74, Ref. I.
  • bá chủ thế giới / Quyền bá chủ = Hegemony. See Imperial Presidency, pp. 244-45, Ref. I.
  • Bức tường Berlin (ba-linh) = Berlin Wall (1961-1989), pp. 66 Ref. II see Checkpoint Charlie
  • Cach mang Cuba = Cuban Revolution. See Cuban Missile Crisis.
  • Chạy đua vũ trang = Arms race, pp. 485. See SALT.
  • Chiến dich phong tỏa Caribê = Carribean Embargo. pp. 110-11, Ref. I.
  • Chiến dich Phong tỏa Berlin = Berlin Blockade. See không vận cua Đồng minh : Berlin Allied Airlift (1948) pp. 66 Ref. II
  • Chiến dich Phong tỏa Vịnh Con Heo = Bay of Pigs, pp. 110-11. See naval blockade or quarantine, pp. 110-11, Ref. I.
  • Chiến tranh Đông Dương lan thu II = Second Indochina War
  • Chiến tranh Hạt nhân = Nuclear War pp. 391, Ref. I. Vũ khí hạt nhân : Nuclear Weapons, pp. 392, Ref. I. Giải trừ quân bị : Disarmament, pp 131, Ref. I.
  • Chiến tranh Lạnh = Cold War, pp. 70-74. See Coldwar and IR, pp. 75-76, Ref. I – pp.142, Ref. II
  • Chiến tranh Lạnh trong Quan hệ quốc tế = Coldwar and IR, pp. 75-76, Ref. I.
  • Chiến tranh Triều Tiên = Korean War (1950-1953), pp. 293-95, Ref. I.
  • Chiến tranh vùng Vịnh = Persian Gulf War, p. 432, Ref. I.
  • Chủ nghĩa đế quốc = Imperialism, pp. 244-45, Ref. I.
  • Chương trình phục hưng Châu Âu = European Recovery Programme or Marshall Plan, pp. 315-16. See COMECON.
  • Cộng sản quốc tế = Comintern (Communist International) pp. 145 Ref. II.
  • Đoàn kết = Solidarnosc (Solidarity- 1980) pp. 531 Ref. II.
  • Giai quyet khủng hoảng = Crisis Management, pp. 104-06, Ref. I.
  • Hiệp định an ninh My-Nhat = Sino-US Security Treaty (Agreement)
  • Hiệp định Helsinki = Helsinki (CSCE) Accords (1975) pp. 223, Ref. I.
  • Hiệp ước = Pact, Treaty, Agreement, pp. 543, Ref. I.
  • Hiệp ước Bruxelles = Treaty of Brussels (forerunner of NATO), pp. 88 Ref. II.
  • Hiệp ước Bắc Đại Tây Dương NATO = NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation), pp. 350-54. See Warsaw Pact, pp. 569, Ref. I or pp. 618, Ref. I2.
  • Hiệp ước Vac-xa-va = Warsaw Pact (Eastern European Mutual Assistance Pact), pp. 569, Ref. I. See Brejnev doctrine.
  • Hiệp ước Yalta = Yalta Agreement (ended 1989), pp. 584, Ref. I.
  • Học thuyết Brejnev = Brezhnev doctrine, pp. 57, Ref. I or pp, 83, Ref. I2.
  • Học thuyết Clinton = Clinton doctrine, pp. 68-70, Ref. I.
  • Học thuyết Gorbachev = Gorbachev doctrine, pp. 207-08, Ref. I.
  • Học thuyết Nixon = Nixon doctrine, pp. 375, Ref. I.
  • Học thuyết Reagan = Reagan doctrine, pp. 464, Ref. I.
  • Học thuyết Truman = Truman doctrine, pp. 545-546, Ref. I
  • Hội đồng Tương trợ kinh tế, HĐTTKT = Comecon (dissolved in 1991), pp. 80, Ref. I. See CMEA. See Cominform (Communist Information Bureau) pp. 145 Ref. II.
  • Hội nghị Ianta = Yalta Conference. pp. 584, Ref. I. See Hiệp ước Yalta : Yalta Agreement (ended 1989), pp. 584, Ref. I.
  • Hội nghị Potxdam = Potsdam Conference, pp. 584, Ref. I. See Gorbachev doctrine
  • Hội nghị quan su Ban Mon Diem (Trieu Tien) = Military conference in … Korea
  • Khối ANZUS = ANZUS Pacific Security Treaty (1951) military alliance, replaced by SEATO (1954). See Pacific Basin, pp. 411-12, Ref. I.
  • Khối Cento = CENTO (Central Treaty Organisation) – military alliance that replaced the Baghdad Pact (1959), collapsed in 1979.
  • Khối NATO = NATO bloc, pp. 350-54, Ref. I.
  • Khối SEATO = SEATO (South East Asia Treaty Organisation)
  • Khu vực Đông Địa Trung Hải = The East Mediterranean Region – Eastern Mediterranean
  • Khủng hoảng chinh tri = Political Crisis. See Crisis, pp. 101-04, Ref. I. See Crisis Management.
  • khủng hoảng Ten lua tai Cuba ( ?) = Cuban Missile Crisis (1962), pp. 110-11, Ref. I. See Bay of Pigs.
  • Lịch sử thế giới Đương đại = Contemporary World History
  • Liên minh quân sự = Military alliance. See NATO.
  • Nghiên cứu Chiến lược = Strategic studies, pp. 518-18, Ref. I.
  • Quan hệ quốc tế = International Relations, pp. 274-275, Ref. I.
  • Quan hệ xo-my = Soviet-US Relations. See SALT, pp. 485, Ref. I
  • Quan sát viên Liên Hợp Quốc = UN Observer. See UN, pp. 551-53 Ref. I. See also Điều lệ LHQ : UN Charter, pp. 551, UNO, pp. 552, Hội đồng Bảo an LHQ: UN Security Council, pp. 493-494, Tổng thư ký : Secretary General 488-490.
  • Su doi dau giua hai cuc xo-my = The Soviet-US bipolarity. See unipolarity, pp. 550, bipolarity, pp. 52,
  • Tên lửa = Missile. See missile gap, pp. 331, Ref. I.
  • Trật tự thế giới mới = New World Order, pp. 371, Ref. I.
  • Truc tiep doi mat = Face-to-face, eyeball to eyeball confrontation, pp. 52
  • Tư tưởng = Ideology, pp. 236-237, Ref. I.
  • Van de dong au = The East Bloc Problem
  • Xu Huong Hoa Hoan Dong Tay = Détente, pp. 125-126, Ref. I.
From English into Vietnamese
  • Afghanistan (1979) pp. 531 Ref. II = Afghanistan
  • Nineteen-eighty-nine (1989), pp. 373-74, Ref. I. = 1989
  • Hegemony. See Imperial Presidency, pp. 244-45, Ref. I. = bá chủ thế giới / Quyền bá chủ
  • Berlin Wall (1961-1989), pp. 66 Ref. II see Checkpoint Charlie = Bức tường Berlin (ba-linh)
  • Cuban Revolution. See Cuban Missile Crisis. = Cach mang Cuba
  • Arms race, pp. 485. See SALT. = Chạy đua vũ trang
  • Carribean Embargo. pp. 110-11, Ref. I. = Chiến dich phong tỏa Caribê
  • Berlin Blockade. See không vận cua Đồng minh : Berlin Allied Airlift (1948) pp. 66 Ref. II = Chiến dich Phong tỏa Berlin
  • Bay of Pigs, pp. 110-11. See naval blockade or quarantine, pp. 110-11, Ref. I. = Chiến dich Phong tỏa Vịnh Con Heo
  • Second Indochina War = Chiến tranh Đông Dương lan thu II
  • Nuclear War pp. 391, Ref. I. Vũ khí hạt nhân : Nuclear Weapons, pp. 392, Ref. I. Giải trừ quân bị : Disarmament, pp 131, Ref. I. = Chiến tranh Hạt nhân
  • Cold War, pp. 70-74. See Coldwar and IR, pp. 75-76, Ref. I – pp.142, Ref. II = Chiến tranh Lạnh
  • Coldwar and IR, pp. 75-76, Ref. I. = Chiến tranh Lạnh trong Quan hệ quốc tế
  • Korean War (1950-1953), pp. 293-95, Ref. I. = Chiến tranh Triều Tiên
  • Persian Gulf War, p. 432, Ref. I. = Chiến tranh vùng Vịnh
  • Imperialism, pp. 244-45, Ref. I. = Chủ nghĩa đế quốc
  • European Recovery Programme or Marshall Plan, pp. 315-16. See COMECON. = Chương trình phục hưng Châu Âu
  • Comintern (Communist International) pp. 145 Ref. II. = Cộng sản quốc tế
  • Solidarnosc (Solidarity- 1980) pp. 531 Ref. II. = Đoàn kết
  • Crisis Management, pp. 104-06, Ref. I. = Giai quyet khủng hoảng
  • Sino-US Security Treaty (Agreement) = Hiệp định an ninh My-Nhat
  • Helsinki (CSCE) Accords (1975) pp. 223, Ref. I. = Hiệp định Helsinki
  • Pact, Treaty, Agreement, pp. 543, Ref. I. = Hiệp ước
  • Treaty of Brussels (forerunner of NATO), pp. 88 Ref. II. = Hiệp ước Bruxelles
  • NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation), pp. 350-54. See Warsaw Pact, pp. 569, Ref. I or pp. 618, Ref. I2. = Hiệp ước Bắc Đại Tây Dương NATO
  • Warsaw Pact (Eastern European Mutual Assistance Pact), pp. 569, Ref. I. See Brejnev doctrine. = Hiệp ước Vac-xa-va
  • Yalta Agreement (ended 1989), pp. 584, Ref. I. = Hiệp ước Yalta
  • Brezhnev doctrine, pp. 57, Ref. I or pp, 83, Ref. I2. = Học thuyết Brejnev
  • Clinton doctrine, pp. 68-70, Ref. I. = Học thuyết Clinton
  • Gorbachev doctrine, pp. 207-08, Ref. I. = Học thuyết Gorbachev
  • Nixon doctrine, pp. 375, Ref. I. = Học thuyết Nixon
  • Reagan doctrine, pp. 464, Ref. I. = Học thuyết Reagan
  • Truman doctrine, pp. 545-546, Ref. I = Học thuyết Truman
  • Comecon (dissolved in 1991), pp. 80, Ref. I. See CMEA. See Cominform (Communist Information Bureau) pp. 145 Ref. II. = Hội đồng Tương trợ kinh tế, HĐTTKT
  • Yalta Conference. pp. 584, Ref. I. See Hiệp ước Yalta : Yalta Agreement (ended 1989), pp. 584, Ref. I. = Hội nghị Ianta
  • Potsdam Conference, pp. 584, Ref. I. See Gorbachev doctrine = Hội nghị Potxdam
  • Military conference in … Korea = Hội nghị quan su Ban Mon Diem (Trieu Tien)
  • ANZUS Pacific Security Treaty (1951) military alliance, replaced by SEATO (1954). See Pacific Basin, pp. 411-12, Ref. I. = Khối ANZUS
  • CENTO (Central Treaty Organisation) – military alliance that replaced the Baghdad Pact (1959), collapsed in 1979. = Khối Cento
  • NATO bloc, pp. 350-54, Ref. I. = Khối NATO
  • SEATO (South East Asia Treaty Organisation) = Khối SEATO
  • The East Mediterranean Region – Eastern Mediterranean = Khu vực Đông Địa Trung Hải
  • Political Crisis. See Crisis, pp. 101-04, Ref. I. See Crisis Management. = Khủng hoảng chinh tri
  • Cuban Missile Crisis (1962), pp. 110-11, Ref. I. See Bay of Pigs. = khủng hoảng Ten lua tai Cuba ( ?)
  • Contemporary World History = Lịch sử thế giới Đương đại
  • Military alliance. See NATO. = Liên minh quân sự
  • Strategic studies, pp. 518-18, Ref. I. = Nghiên cứu Chiến lược
  • International Relations, pp. 274-275, Ref. I. = Quan hệ quốc tế
  • Soviet-US Relations. See SALT, pp. 485, Ref. I = Quan hệ xo-my
  • UN Observer. See UN, pp. 551-53 Ref. I. See also Điều lệ LHQ : UN Charter, pp. 551, UNO, pp. 552, Hội đồng Bảo an LHQ: UN Security Council, pp. 493-494, Tổng thư ký : Secretary General 488-490. = Quan sát viên Liên Hợp Quốc
  • The Soviet-US bipolarity. See unipolarity, pp. 550, bipolarity, pp. 52, = Su doi dau giua hai cuc xo-my
  • Missile. See missile gap, pp. 331, Ref. I. = Tên lửa
  • New World Order, pp. 371, Ref. I. = Trật tự thế giới mới
  • Face-to-face, eyeball to eyeball confrontation, pp. 52 = Truc tiep doi mat
  • Ideology, pp. 236-237, Ref. I. = Tư tưởng
  • The East Bloc Problem = Van de dong au
  • Détente, pp. 125-126, Ref. I. = Xu Huong Hoa Hoan Dong Tay

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Apr 1, 2015

IR - One Definition A Day - International Organisations


One-definition-a-day: International Organisations (p. 270, Ref. 1)

Formal institutional structures transcending national boundaries which are created by multilateral agreement among nation-states. Their purpose is to foster international cooperation in areas such as security, law, economic and social matters and diplomacy. They are a relatively recent phenomena although many commentators, from the Ancient Greeks onwards, have advocated their creation in one guise or another. In fact they began to emerge in the context of the nineteenth-century European state system where there were specific and self-conscious attempts to facilitate international intercourse and to provide a functional enabling procedure for common international endeavours.

The first of these was the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine in 1815 and the most well known was modern International Telecommunication Union (ITO). In the twentieth century these organisations have proliferated to such as extent that on almost every issue, over and above the traditional state-to-state diplomatic network there exists a more or less permanent framework of institutions through which collective measures can be realised.

Modern international organisations are of two basic types, the 'public' variety known as intergovernmental organisations (IGOs) and the 'private' variety, the international non-governmental organisations (INGOs). Foremost examples of the former would be the League of Nations and the United Nations and of the latter, the International Red Cross and Amnesty International. Common characteristics of both types are voluntary membership, permanent organisation, a constitutional structure, a permanent secretariat and a consultative conference. 

IGOs are established by treaty thus their competence is initially limited to the specifics of the convention, but organisational task expansion to meet new contingencies will commonly follow if the IGO is to respond to change. In this way, although states retain ultimate authority, international organisations not only provide a means for cooperative action but also multiple channels of communication which on varying levels overlie traditional diplomatic structures. For example, it has been estimated that at present over 389 public and 4'700 private international organisations are operative on a day-to-day basis in world politics.

The theory of international organisation has evolved from developments in such areas as internationalism, trans-nationalism, complex interdependence, the study of regimes, functionalism, federalism and integration. 

The central focus of all these concerns is an attempt to get beyond the political, social and economic fragmentation which has traditionally characterised the more parochial and individualistic views of classic realism. While it is not easy to access the extent to which international organisations have contributed to the growth of internationalism, two basic views can be identified. 

On one hand, they are seen as early prototypes for an emerging global governance, and on the other they are regarded as ineffectual and largely symbolic subterfuges for unilateralism, which is the 'real' or 'proper' source of international behaviour. Neither extreme adequately captures the role of international organisations in contemporary world politics. Although doubts persist as to whether they are autonomous international actors with a defined legal personality, few deny that they have made an enormous contribution to the management of international relations.


(Source: Penguin Dictionary of IR)




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IR - One Definition A Day: IMF_International Monetary Fund

IR - One Definition A Day: IMF (International Monetary Fund)


The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was established as part of the Bretton Woods system in 1944. Subsequently it became part of the UN structure. In conjunction with the World Bank, the IMF was regarded as one of the central institutions for the managment of post-war economic relations.

The IMF, as the name implies, was intended to supply international liquidity to member states finding themselves in balance of payments difficulties. In addition the Fund was to manage a system of stable (rather than fixed) exchange rates. A particular currency would have a 'par value' which was expressed in terms of dollars. Alteration of that rate would be effected, with the approval of the Fund, if the states' external payments balance was held to be in 'fundemenatal disequilibrium'. 

As already stated, in addition to its supervision of the exchange rate regime, the Fund lends money to member states in balance of payments difficulties. It is always assumed that the monetary authorities of the recipient state would take appropriate measures to correct such imbalances and indeed it has become a feature of the IMF lending that so-called 'conditionality' stipulations would be part of the 'rescue package'. 

Recognition of the right to lay down such conditions is indicated by the recipient government issuing a 'letter of intent' to the IMF. This whole procedure - of laying down conditions which are then accepted in the letter - is clearly a significant erosion of state sovereignty. Although an accepted and expected feature of the IMF's conduct it is not without controversy. The IMF has a tradition of requiring states in receipt of its loans to make structural adjustments to rectify the disequilibrium. Thus raising taxes and interest rates and cutting public expenditure, including subsidies, are typical IMF-preferred policies.

The linchpin of the original Bretton Woods arrangement was the US dollar. The gold/dollar exchange rate had been fixed at 35 dollars per ounce in 1934 and it was assumed that this exchange rate was, to all intents and purposes fixed and immutable. During the early post-war period of reconstruction the principal concern about the dollar was its shortage. 

Although the US balance of payment began to move into deficit during the 1950s it was not regarded as serious. As long as the dollar shortage remained other states in the system were willing to see the US running deficits which were financed by the export of dollars. The IMF system was, in fact, a gold exchange standard with the dollar regarded as being 'as good as gold' for these purposes. The IMF system of stable exchange rates established as a fundamental principle of the system after 1944 began to be seriously questioned towards the end of the 1960s. By 1961 the great emerging problem was the US deficit. By running a deficit the US was funding the system but equally was running the risk that, if confidence collapsed, then a forced devaluation of the dollar would be necessary.

When the collapse of confidence in the dollar eventually came in 1971 it was both spectacular and momentous. Speculative attacks upon the dollar were encouraged by a series of poor trade figures which seemed to suggest that the link between gold and the dollar might have to be suspended or ended altogether. In August 1971 the US President announced that the convertibility of the dollar into gold was temporarily suspended. At the end of a year a joint meeting of the Group of Ten (G10) and the Excutive Directors of the Fund agreed to devalue the dollar 10 per cent against the other currencies in the Group. These decisions effectively brought down the Bretton Woods  system of stable exchange rates. Following a second dollar devaluation in February 1973 the system was abandoned and the new era of 'floating' rates replaced it.

Cautious and considered deliberations of these changes were reduced by the first oil shock in 1973-4. Suddenly states were moving massively into credits or debit on their balance of payments. Any chance of structured reform was abandoned and floating continued into the future. The Jamaica Agreement of January 1976 amended the Articles of Agreement of the Fund to legitimize floating. In reality there has been a good deal of 'managment' of the float by the central banking authorities of the principal G10 states since. The Jamaica Agreement also confirmed that for the future the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) would be the principal reserve asset of the Fund.

The debt crisis of the 1980s was a significant issue area in IMF management strategies. The IMF-Mexico resource package of November 1982 extended almost 4 billion dollars of IMF credit lines in return for structural adjustments such as reducing the budget deficit and subsidies from the Mexican government. Further IMF conditionality included a 5 billion dollar credit from commercial banks to match the IMF monies. The Mexican agreement became the model for other IMF-sponsored rescue packages. 

These atttempts at debt crisis management proved to be a Faustian bargain for many recipients. Growth rates significantly deteriorated as debt as a proportion of GNP rose. IMF structural adjustment demands were the object of party political atttacks from opposition groups. Eventually a new initiative under the so-called Brady Plan allowed for debts to be re-negotiated to reduce interest payments and, in some cases, to rescind the debt totally. Throughout the IMF has continued to insist upon structural adjustments as condition for debt relief.


French translation by Anh Tho Andres @YourVietnamExpert.com
Vietnamese translation by Cuong Phan
German translation by Han Dang-Klein 

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IR - One Definition A Day: Persona non grata

IR - One Definition A Day: Persona non grata

Term normally associated with diplomacy whereby a receiving state declares that it is unwilling to accept or receive a diplomat representative of another state. This may occur at the initial stage of appointment (agréation) or more usually it may occur after the granting of persona grata (acceptability) when the diplomat concerned has violated the rules of normal diplomatic behaviour. The declaration of persona non grata represents a serious diplomatic initiative since it involves expulsion or at least a request that the diplomat be recalled to his country of origin. Tit-for-tat expulsions are not an uncommon feature of contemporary international relation.

(Source: wikipedia)

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IR - One Definition a Day: International Relations (IR)


One-Definition-A-Day: International Relations (IR), (p. 274, Ref. 1)

This term is used to identify all interactions between state-based actors across state boundaries. The term can immediately be compared with, though is broader than, international politics. Indeed, the latter is subsumed as one, and certainly one of the most important, sub-fields of international relations. Thus international law is part of international relations but not international politics. Law is, after all, certainly in its customary form, created by interactions between state-based actors. Similarly international economic relations are part of international relations but not international politics. This is not to say that political calculations will not intrude into these areas, but only that they can be separated for the purposes of analysis.

International relations (IR) is thus an interdisciplinary and heterogeneous area of study. It has no unifying methodology because, taken with three examples mentioned above, international economics is an empirical social science, international law is far more normative than most social sciences while international politics is eclectic, borrowing from a number of traditions and divided in many minds into a rather unruly flock of activities. It should also be noted that the above listing is illustrative rather than exhaustive, diplomatic history, which again has its own methodology, being an obvious omission.

Despite its multidisciplinary and fragmented nature, most students of international relations view it as a sub-discipline of political science, broadly conceived. Although the main professional societies in the Anglo-American world have specifically and deliberately avoided using the term IR in order to indicate its multidisciplinary character (The International Studies Association and the British International Studies Association) the majority of members are in fact drawn from the study of politics. Indeed the domain of IR is often still referred to as 'international politics' despite the differences noted above. This terminological imprecision can also be noted in related labels such as 'world politics', 'foreign affairs', 'international affairs' and more recently 'international studies' and 'global politics'. Foreign policy analysis, security studies, International Political Economy and normative theory are the most vibrant sub-fields and these also are dominated by political scientists.

History and approaches

As a separate fields of academic inquiry distinct from International law, Political Theory and Diplomatic History, IR effectively began with the establishment of its first chair at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1919. The first general theoretical perspective was popularly labelled idealism and was characterized by a belief in progress; that the international system could be transformed into a fundamentally more peaceful and just world order.

From the start therefore IR was policy-orientated. Thereafter the subject underwent a succession of waves of theoretical activity which inspired a number of 'great debates' within the discipline. In rough chronological order (mindful that these 'schools' are not exclusive and do overlap) these are: realism, behaviorism, neo-realism, neo-liberalism, world systems theory, critical theory and postmodernism. These perspective shifts often involved bitter disputes about methodology, epistemology and ontology. However, there is now general acceptance within IR that given the range and complexity of the subject matter, a wide variety of theoretical approaches might be an asset rather than a liability. 

Most of these paradigm controversies were centred on the work of analysts in the USA and Europe (sometimes, inaccurately referred to as the 'Anglo-Amercian tradition' which tended to concentrate on great power/superpower issues. IR students in the Third World or South by and large, by-passed these debates and not unnaturally focused on particular policy problems with their states or regions. 

Overall theoretical perspectives, if developed at all, usually had their origins in Marxist/Leninist theories of imperialism in dependency theory and structuralism. With the ending of the Cold War, IR like its subject matter is in the state of flux. The two dominant perspectives are neo-realism and neo-liberalism but the general uncertainty about the continued validity of the state as the key actor in world politics, has led to doubts about the ability of IR in its present form, to survive as a separate area of academic study.

Remarks: ONE DEFINITION A DAY is a campaign by YourVietBooks.com to encourage young Vietnamese talents to practise their translation skills and learn more on Vietnam's Culture, the Land and the People. Volunteers are welcome to contribute their translated version of today's DEFINITION in the comments below.

Original Title in English: Dictionary of International Relations, Penguin (1998) by Authors Graham Evans and Jeffrey Newnham

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IR - One Definition A Day: AICs - North-South

IR - One Definition A Day: AICs - Advanced Industrial Countries

UN abbreviation for North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australasia. These states are often referred to simply as the North in documents such as the Brandt Report 1980.

The North
The term 'North' is a loose, portmanteau concept used in the advanced industrial countries (AICs). It is particularly popular in political economy and, in terms of developmental models, it may be regarded as being synonymous with the growth of the First World. Systems analysis tends to juxtapose it with the equally amorphous concept of the south. Indeed, the popular title of the first Brandt Report was 'North-South?'

The South
A collective noun used in the context of international political economy to identify a group of state actors. The first Brandt Report referred to the 'South' as broadly synonymous with 'developing' and 'poor' (Brandt, 1980, p. 31). The burden of the Brandt case was that the term was a dialectic antithesis to north and that the 'divide' could and should be bridged by Northern policies of self-interested cooperation. Gill and Law (1988) criticîze 'South' as contestable label but then proceed to use it, thereby selling the pass of conceptual clarity for the sake of convenience. Unlike the term 'Third World',  'South' is not derived from a particular ideological persuasion but it is rather a stipulative term for a typology of state action as the Brandt usage demonstrates.
The case against using the term at all in the analysis of international relations (IR) is that there is so much differentiation within the classification as to render it useless. At the top end of the range are the NICs as the archetype middle income growth-orientated economies. At the bottom end are located the 'famine belt' states of the fourth world. The end of the Cold War era in world politics and the collapse of communism has left the South with an absense of alternatives to the Northern model of market economics. In many parts of the South economic inefficiencies are compounded by political corruption and failure of leadership. Defections from Southern ranks will continue as individual states break out of the vicious cycle of low income-growing population-low growth. This will lead to an increasing fragmentation of Southern solidarity. The nightmare scenario for the rump of the South may be Northern indifference more than anything else.

North South
(à compléter)

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IR - One Definition A Day: Bretton Woods System

IR - One Definition A Day : Bretton Woods

A series of multilateral agreements on international economic relations were reached at Bretton Woods (BW/US) in July 1944 under the aegis of the embryo UN. Forty-four states agreed to a Final Act establishing an IMF and an International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The proposals that were discussed at BW were the outcome of a series of bilateral nogotiations conducted between the US and the UK over the previous two years. The IBRD was described by the London Economist in 1945 as a 'much simpler project which has attracted neither much discussion nor much hostility...'. 

The IMF, on the other hand, was from its inception more controversial. The two states concerned with these preliminaries, the US the UK had ratehr divergent ideas about the future monetary regime. These differences were made public in, respectively, the White Plan, originating in the US Treasury, and the Keynes Plan, originating in the UK Treasury. White envisaged a Stabilisation Fund made up entirely of contributions from member states. Keynes envisaged a Clearing Union based on the overdraft principle and employing a new unit of account - the 'bancor'. Whereas the total available liquidity remained constant under White - so that drawing rights equalled liabilities - in the Keynes scheme additional liquidity could be pumped into the system to enable debtor states to overdraw. Conversely, creditor states would provide the main collateral in this arrangement.

The Anglo-American differences over the putative IMF are sometimes peresented as the conservative versus the radical views of the future. It should be noted, however, that both schemes tended to reflect the perceived national interests of the parties advocating them. In the event, the US bargaining position was more credible and the Bretton Woods conference produced a fund which bore a close family resemblance to the White Plan.

The term 'Bretton Woods system' is often used to refer to these two institutions and to the regimes established. Both have changed considerably since their inception. Accordingly, the reference to 'Bretton Woods' is of historical, rather than contemporary, validity.


(Source: wikipedia)


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IR - One Definition A Day: Free Trade

IR - One Definition A Day: Free Trade (p. 183-184, Ref 1)

A trading system between two or more actors. The essence of free trade is that goods are imported without any restrictions, such as tariffs, being placed upon them. 

From an economic standpoint, free trade increases competition and efficiency. Producers have access to foreign markets, while consumers have access to imports. As a result of free trade the greater specialisation occurs in economic activity throughout the system. Individual members become less self-sufficient and more dependent upon others. Consequently, free trade is often associated with the growth of interdependence among actors. As a system of organising economic relations it may be directly contrasted with autarky or self-sufficiency.
The advocacy of free trade is usually associated with economic liberalism, at least in its classical phase. Many of these ideas were resuscitated after 1945 under the Bretton Woodssystem of international economic relations. Under the hegemonial influence of the United States, the major institutional framework for post-war relations was established. 

Similarly the later negotiations for an international trade regime, under the defunct International Trade Organisation (ITO), and the substitute General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) reflected the same liberal free trade philosophy. The same outlook influenced the Marshall Plan and post-war tariff-cutting negotiations under GATT. Free trade regimes have been most successful in manufacturing (secondary) sectors of economic activity. Agricultural production has rarely been truly free whilst free trade in service industries is technically difficult to implement. As a result the call for 'fair trade' as opposed to free trade is increasingly heard in these sectors.

The philosophical assumptions behind free trade have been criticized by the compensatory liberals and others. The rise of the Third World has thrown these doubts into sharp relief because the alleged shortcomings are not simply a matter of intellectual fashion or preference. Writers such as Prebisch (1964) have argued that if terms of trade penalize certain economies a system of free trade will leave some states permanently at a disadvantage. If those penalized are those that can least afford it, then free trade can exacerbate and widen inequalities within the system. Demands for a free trade regime that ignore such structural inequalities have been opposed by the Third World. 

The New International Economic Order (NIEO) and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) have been used by this constituency to press for changes in the trade regime that will recognize and compensate for these difficulties.


(Source: Ref 1, Dictionary of IR, Penguin Reference)



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IR - One Definition A Day: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

IR - One Definition A Day: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) - Doctors Without Borders

Established in 1971 by a group of former International Red Cross (IRC) medics, MSF is now the world's largest non-governmental organization (NGO) providing emergency medical relief. Consisting mainly of doctors, nurses, surgeons and logistical experts it has six operational sections in Europe and twelve branches world-wide. It is an independent body but it often works in conjunction with other humanitarian agencies, notably the IRC and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). It maintains a strictly impartial status and believes in the cosmopolitan notion of an absolute right to humanitarian assistance. It scorns the Westphalian principle of non-intervention and, if necessary, is prepared to work clandestinely with people in need, and to speak out publicly against human rights abusers. Apart from providing medical refief in man-made conflicts or in natural emergencies, the bulk of MSF work is in primary health care. It is therefore not a one-shot operation; an important part of its remit is reconstruction and long-term amelioration of local conditions. In 1997 the MSF's largest relief effort was in Rwanda where it had 360 expatriate volunteers and over 1'500 support staff in Burundi, Tanzania, and Zaire. Other recent major emergency missions include Bosnia, Angola, Sudan and Afghanistan. 


ONE DEFINITION A DAY is a campaign by YourVietBooks.com to encourage young Vietnamese talents to practise their translation skills and learn more on Vietnam's Culture, the Land and the People.

Vietnamese translation: Volunteers are welcome to contribute their translated version of today's DEFINITION in the 'comments' below.

About YourVietbooks.com
YourVietBooks is a collection of books on Vietnam for Readers who are interested in Vietnam's History, Culture, Language, Economy, or Business. Most titles are in English, but some are only available in French or Vietnamese. We can provide interested parties an accurate translation of some parts of the books for your research purposes. Translations are done by YourVietnamExpert's qualified and experienced translators. contact@yourvietnamexpert.com

IR - One Definition A Day: Neutrality

IR - One Definition A Day: Neutrality

Unlike neutralism with which it is often confused, neutrality is a legal concept which involves established rights and duties, both for the state which refrains from taking part in a war and for the belligerents themselves. 

Like other international legal concepts, the laws of neutrality were formed mainly by treaties in the 17th and 18th centuries, subsequently entered customary law and were then codified by judicial rulings and international conventions in the 19th and 20th centuries. Under the UN Charter, although neutrality is recognized no member can assume the posture of a neutral if the security council has sanctioned a proposed action against an aggressor. In this sense, it can conflict with notions of the Just War. 

Generally, a state is presumed neutral if by word or deed it has not declared support for one or other of the belligerents. In that case, certain specific rights and duties are delineated. For example, belligerents must not violate the territorial integrity of neutrals. Their commercial activities on land, sea and in the air are to be respected so long as they are sanctioned by international law. In return, neutrals are to remain impartial, they are not to aid any of the belligerents directly or indirectly and they are expected not to allow their citizens to do so. 

In particular, they should not permit neutral territory to be used for war purposes. Clearly these rights are always enjoyed precariously and neutrality must not be confused with demilitarization. In fact, because of the conditions imposed by international law, neutrality involves the ability to defend one's territorial integrity.

Neutrality can be proclaimed in unilateral declarations, as the US did in 1793, but also in multilateral treaties. In 1815, for example, The Perpertual Neutrality of Switzerland was guaranteed by the Congress of Vienna. This was later reaffirmed by the Versailles Treaty in 1919, and by the League of Nations in 1933. In 1830 the London Conference proclaimed the neutrality of Belgium (it was in violation of this that the UK formally entered the First World War). 

In 1907 the Second International Hague Peace Conference reaffirmed the territorial inviolability of neutrals and codified their rights and obligations at sea. Difficult areas in this respect involve the laws of blockade, the definition of contraband and the whole process of neutral shipping plying between ports of the belligerents. The issues of trade and commerce are notoriously thorny and the general rule of thumb is encapsulated in the phrase notoriously 'free ships give freedom to goods'. 

In other words, the nationality of a ship determines the status of its cargo. Enemy goods on a neutral ship, if they do not fall into the category of contraband, are thus not subject to seizure. However, as with so many things 'contraband' often lies in the eye of the beholder, and belligerents have rarely hesitated to intervene if there is any possibility at all of neutral activity giving aid and succour to the enemy. 

The rights of neutrality have been largely ignored in both World Wars and few states - with the continuing exceptions of Switzerland and Sweden - saw neutrality as a viable policy for maintaining independence. In total or nuclear war conditions, neutrality appears a very quaint proposition. However, in 1955 the Austrian Peace Treaty provided for the perpetual neutralization of Austria. Although technically this was self-neutralization, it was directly promoted by the Soviet Union and agreed to by the United States, the United Kingdom and France. The extent of Austrian autonomy rather than mere acquiescence in this regard is difficult to assess.

Other concepts associated with neutrality are 'neutral territories' and 'neutral zones'. The former usually refers to uninhabited territories that divide two states and which are under joint supervision, for example, the desert territory on the borders of the Iraq and Saudi Arabia or that between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait (which was in fact divided in 1965 after the discovery of oil pools). 'Neutral zones' refer to sanitary or security zones formed during a war, to protect civilian populations under the supervision of the International Red Cross. 

These were first established at Madrid during the Spanish Civil War of 1936 and have since become common practice especially in conflicts in the Middle East. Article 14 of the Geneva Convention of 1949 provided for the establishment and recognition of sanitary and security zones which were specifically designated for the wounded and the sick (whether they were combatants or non-combatants) and for the protection of civilian populations. In similar fashion, 'safe havens' were declared by the UN and the Allies in Bosnia and Iraq respectively during the conflicts in Yugoslavia and the Persian Gulf War.


(Source: Wikipedia)

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