Why the USA Lost the Vietnam War

Why the USA Lost the Vietnam War For the first time ever, the American army looked weak in front of its people and the world. In January of 1973, the United States of America agreed to withdraw all troops from Vietnamese ground. Many people at the time, considered withdrawing the army from enemy territory, losing the war, however, many Americans opposed American presence in the war and pushed their leaders towards withdrawing the troops.[1] Many things influenced the US to withdraw their troops, primarily the opposition to the war at home, but also the American army’s tactics and the American troops’ morale, which is strongly connected to the war’s opposition. The United States had a tough job in Vietnam, but also fought a war at home. A war against the war. Opposition to the war, in the United States, was extremely large. Civil rights movement all over the country, and anti-war protests pushed and pulled the government during the war days. In 1970, following President Nixon’s move into Cambodia, many universities had protests against the war. During one of these protests, in the university of Kent State, four students were shot dead by the National Guard. This incident only, sparked more protests throughout the country.[2] During the war there was a conscription movement, where people of conscription age who were not studying or working had to sign their names to be drawled. However many of the people who were conscripted were poor or African-American and never had the chance to study or work. Martin Luther King, a black preacher and a leader in the civil-rights movement, spoke up against conscription, or as it was called at the ti me, the ‘draft’; â€Å"They must see Americans as strange liberators. The Vietnamese people proclaimed their own independence in 1954—in 1945 rather—after a combined French and Japanese occupation and before the communist revolution in China.†[3] John Kerry, a veteran of the Vietnam war, soon after his serving time joined and became the spokesman of Vietnam Veterans Against the War. The current United States Secretary of State said; How do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?[4] There were many people who opposed the war in Vietnam, including many soldiers. Due to the fact that lots of soldiers were in Vietnam against their will, many soldiers were against the war itself. This was one of the greatest influences on the soldiers’ morale, during the war. The soldiers deployed in Vietnam, in the beginning of the war, were among the best in history. However that changed as soldiers started to question the real reason to be fighting, the conscription also stirred many conflicts at home and inside the army. Due to discontent within the army, soldiers turned to drugs as a form of mental relief. The use of Heroin and Marijuana were common sight in an army suffering from boredom, lack of discipline and low self-esteem; more than 200 men died from drug abuse. ‘Fragging’ was another big issue within the army. Fragging is the act of murdering your commander, 42 soldiers and 15 marines died from fragging. [5] Many soldiers in Vietnam were fighting in the war against their own will, this was because of conscription. Conscription, o r the ‘draft’ as it was known, forced many people to join the army, and fight in Vietnam. Mostly poor people were drafted, therefore there were many black people in the army, since at the time Africa-American population didn’t have the chance to study or work to avoid the draft.[6] This created many racial tensions within troops and units. The ineffectiveness of the army’s tactics also frustrated many soldiers during Vietnam. Even though the United States had arguably the most well trained troops at the time, the tactics used by the US army were ineffective against the Viet Cong. The army had the most advanced technology, while the North Vietnamese only received guns and ammunition from China. However the North Vietnamese had the upper hand when it came to tactics. They knew the terrain and used guerilla tactics, small scale actions against a much larger and more powerful enemy. America fought a hi-tech war, many helicopters and tanks, as well as air strike, supported American soldiers.[7] Because the North Vietnamese used guerilla tactics they were able to avoid many of the United States’ attempts at attacking. Their bases were in jungles, invisible to aircrafts, and when they went on missions they stayed very close to the Americans so their enemy wasn’t able to call in airstrike. Vietcong and North Vietnamese commanders and higher positions, had the luxury of living underground. Although t unnels were small and uncomfortable, they were away from the battlefield assessing options. The United States’ main strategy at finding North Vietnamese bases, was search and destroy. Search and destroy is a counter-guerilla strategy where a unit is assigned the mission of searching and destroying enemy or enemy base, hence the name search and destroy.[8] However many North Vietnamese spies and officials hid within villages, this frustrated units and soldiers burned whole villages in order to tell commanders that the mission was successful. These events of burning villages were named zippo-raids, and led to many debates inside the US on whether what the army was doing in Vietnam, was unethical. In addition to controversy, the struggle of finding proper tactics also brought discontent to the army, resulting in poor morale. In the early 1970’s, many people questioned the true purpose of the war, soldiers struggled through their missions, and the army failed to have successful tactics against the poorly-trained North Vietnamese. This ultimately led to the end of the war, after there were many in-house movements against the war, racial tensions within the army and the country were never higher, soldiers suffered and struggled through missions, and US’ commanders failed to even grasp an effective strategy against the North Vietnamese and Vietcong powers. In January of 1973, the United States of America was no longer part of the Vietnamese conflict. Works Cited Brown, Robert. 2009. Guerilla Warfare. November 27. Accessed November 21, 2014. http://school.eb.co.uk/levels/advanced/article/110197. Karnow, Stanley. 1983. Vietnam A History. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. Kerry, John. 1971. Anti-War Speech. April 22. Accessed November 11, 2014. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yixdveuf0GQ. King, Martin. 1967. Martin Luthor King Jr. and the Global Freedom Struggle. 4 April 1967 Beyond Vietnam. New York, April 4. Michaels, Jim. 2013. In the 1970s, the U.S. military struggled with morale. July 04. Accessed November 10, 2014. http://www.usatoday.com/story/nation/2013/07/03/afghanistan-advisers-george-lepre-haynes-vietnam-conrad-crane/2484665/. Schutts, Jeff. 2011. The Tet Offensive and the Media. Accessed November 10, 2014. http://www.historyandtheheadlines.abc-clio.com/ContentPages/ContentPage.aspx?entryId=1199250currentSection=1194544. Spector, Ronald. 2014. Vietnam War. Accessed November 05, 2014. http://school.eb.co.uk/levels/high/article/75317#. 2012. The War in Vietnam; Vietcong and American tactics. March 2. Accessed November 21, 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/vietnam/thewarinvietnamrev1.shtml. [1] Spector, Ronald. 2014. Vietnam War. Accessed November 05, 2014. http://school.eb.co.uk/levels/high/article/75317#. [2] Karnow, Stanley. 1983. Vietnam A History. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. [3] King, Martin. 1967. Martin Luthor King Jr. and the Global Freedom Struggle. 4 April 1967 Beyond Vietnam. New York, April 4. [4] Kerry, John. 1971. Anti-War Speech. April 22. Accessed November 11, 2014. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yixdveuf0GQ. [5] Michaels, Jim. 2013. In the 1970s, the U.S. military struggled with morale. July 04. Accessed November 10, 2014. http://www.usatoday.com/story/nation/2013/07/03/afghanistan-advisers-george-lepre-haynes-vietnam-conrad-crane/2484665/. [6] Karnow, Stanley. 1983. Vietnam A History. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. [7] 2012. The War in Vietnam; Vietcong and American tactics. March 2. Accessed November 21, 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/vietnam/thewarinvietnamrev1.shtml. [8] Brown, Robert. 2009. Guerilla Warfare. November 27. Accessed November 21, 2014. http://school.eb.co.uk/levels/advanced/article/110197.

America’s Working Poor Response

Tens of millions of men and women in America struggle because they are stressed out about not making enough money even though they are working as hard as possible. In her book Nickel and Dimmed, Journalist, Barbara Rehiring writes about her research working as a minimum wage employee attempting to get by in Americas tough economy, she describes in depth the struggles that the minimum wage workers suffer through and she witnesses them first hand as she goes under cover and works these Jobs herself.Middle class Jobs are being replaced by low income bobs, the people in these Jobs are referred to as â€Å"the working poor†,and are not able to make ends meet at the end of the month. People in America working minimum wage Jobs struggle on a daily bases to get by, this causes them anxiety due to their lack of a health care plan, living situations, and injuries that occur at work. Health insurance premiums are rising and some employers no longer offer this benefit, the low wage worker s are the ones that are particularly affected by this major issue.Employees without health coverage, are unable to get preventative care r proper treatment for an illness, may become sicker later on. In chapter one of her book â€Å"Serving in Florida† Rehiring describes her co worker Sail's situation, â€Å"Gall, for example,†¦ Is supposed to be on the company health plan by now, but they claim they have lost her application form and to be beginning the paper work all over again. So she spends $9 a pop for pills to control the migraines she wouldn't have, she insist, If her estrogen supplements were covered. (27) Without the company behind them, employees will end up paying more for Individual health coverage than their employers would have paid to put them on group coverage. Similar to Rehearing's situation, Morgan Spurious and his flange Alex attempt to survive 30 days living of a minimum wage salary, as n the TV episode â€Å"30 days: Minimum Wage†. In the ep isode there Is a scene where Splotch's hand Is Injured and swollen because of the manual labor he is doing. Due to the lack of medical Insurance he chooses to try out a free clinic provided by the community for the low Income families Instead of the emergency room.Once he Is there he realizes that getting checked by a doctor wont e so easy since there Is so many people In line and the clinic only takes the first twenty. He then has to resort to the emergency room where he Is charged more that he can afford to pay because of his low Income. Even though the communities attempt to help the working poor, not everyone Is available to take advantage of the benefits. While there Is no easy solution to the problem of health Insurance, It Is obvious that leaving employees on their own to find Insurance, rather than Glenn them the benefit of group rates, Is not the solution.America's Working Poor Response By carpenter kook â€Å"Serving in Florida† Rehiring describes her co worker Sail 's situation, â€Å"Gail, for she spends $9 a pop for pills to control the migraines she wouldn't have, she insist, if employees will end up paying more for individual health coverage than their there is a scene where Splotch's hand is injured and swollen because of the manual labor he is doing. Due to the lack of medical insurance he chooses to try out a free clinic provided by the community for the low income families instead of the emergency room.Once he is there he realizes that getting checked by a doctor wont e so easy since there is so many people in line and the clinic only takes the first twenty. He then has to resort to the emergency room where he is charged more that he can afford to pay because of his low income. Even though the communities attempt to help the working poor, not everyone is available to take advantage of the benefits. While there is no easy solution to the problem of health insurance, it is obvious that leaving employees on their own to find insurance, r ather than giving them the benefit of group rates, is not the solution.

Progressive Discipline †Employee/Labor Relations Essay

Discipline within the workplace is and has been a controversial subject. With so much at stake, employers and employees have different opinions on types of discipline and the effectiveness of these processes. One largely debated form of workplace discipline is progressive discipline. Should employees be encouraged to rehabilitate in the workplace? Should management be protected against legal action if they are to terminate an employee for unacceptable performance or behavior? There are many different situation and answers to these questions. Progressive discipline has become standard in unionized environments, and is becoming more common in other settings, such as government, hospitals, and high-school classrooms. ((Pinker, S, 2010) Progressive discipline is practice of establishing a series of steps of escalating seriousness and cumulating in the major (termination). (Dad, D., 2011) Within these boundaries lie other steps that are used with progressive discipline. These steps usuall y include a verbal warning, a written warning with increasing punishment, and a suspension-most likely without pay. The idea of this type of discipline is to give the employee ample opportunity to turn problems around. (Dad, D. 2011) Discipline within the workplace can take place for a number of reasons, and there are times where discipline is appropriate and inappropriate for certain wrongdoing. Infractions of company policy, tardiness, misbehavior, and other misdemeanors are examples of where the use of progressive discipline can be justified. There also may be instances where discipline is not appropriate; arbitrators have drawn a distinction between voluntary and involuntary unacceptable behavior on part of the employee. (Eden, G., 1992) If an employee’s infraction is due to a lack of their personal skills or knowledge, other forms of discipline can be recommended. Also, if the behavior is so serious that it is grounds for immediate dismissal, progressive discipline may not be required. A progressive disciplinary approach combines the concept of stiffer penalties for more serious violations with that of increasingly more serious penalties for recidivism. (Billikopf, G., 2006) When applying a progressive disciplinary approach, there are rules that should be followed to be sure the steps are applied and the treatment is fair. The first thing a manager should consider is that communication is key. There needs to be sure that there is certain understanding between the person applying the rules and the person who is subject to them. The manager should explain the infraction and follow it with a clear statement of the expected behavior. Also, there should be justification of what the next step in the process will be as far as discipline if the violation is repeated. Managers can use the seven steps of just cause to be sure a proposed disciplinary action if firmly and fairly grounded. (Seven Steps of Just Cause, 2007) The University of Iowa lists these steps as: Notice, Re asonable Rules and Orders, Investigation, Fair Investigation, Proof, Equal Treatment, and Penalty. An employee must be able to easily access the rules and regulation of conduct that is expected of them and they should also be periodically reminded of them. Sometimes, this can result in a need for re-orientation, sign copies of receipts of the Employee Handbook, and/or coaching from management. Training is a better approach than taking punitive steps. One reason is that Courts expect employers to â€Å"meet people halfway†. Offering employees ways to improve via training not only helps them to correct the problem, but it also shows that the company is a responsible employer that is willing to rehabilitate. (Falcone, P., 2000) Notice is the first and one of the most important steps of progressive discipline. If an employee is not clear on what is expected, how can they be required to produce the optimal results? Management will need to be certain that they are applying reasonable rules and orders. They should check with the collective bargaining units to make sure they are not in violation of any agreements. Also, they want to make sure they apply these rules consistently and make sure they are related to the necessity of the business. (The Seven Steps of Just Cause, 2007) When a manager deems that a behavior in unacceptable or inappropriate, they should conduct an investigation. This can give the manager time to express their concerns and also give the employee time to respond. Sometimes, an employee may not be aware that their behavior is unacceptable or their performance is not meeting expectations. The investigation can ease the process. It gives the manager time to explain the concerns and give the employee a specific time frame to deliver results. Having an unbiased investigation can sometimes correct an issue before other or any disciplinary actions are needed. Once the employee is aware of the undesirable behavior, the manager can then start to consider all evidence, p ro and con, and continue to conduct a thorough investigation. Investigations should be timely and occur before discipline is imposed. (Seven Steps, 2007) Also, an employee has a right to have union representation or to have another employee present during the investigation. The manager needs to be sure that they make the employee aware of this. In the United States, such an opportunity to request the presence of a co-worker is based on the Weingarten case. The National Labor Relation Board (NLRB) has determined that an employee’s request for a co-worker to be present involves protected concerted activity, and thus should be extended to all employees, even those not covered by a collective bargaining unit. (Billikopf, G., 2006) When disciplinary action is to be imposed on an employee, there needs to be substantial proof that a violation was committed; the more serious the infraction, the larger the burden of proof. When an employee is accused of improper behavior that could lead to dismissal, embarrassment, or criminal prosecution, a fals e accusation could put the manager in a bad position. If someone will be disciplined or terminated for dishonesty, theft, sexual harassment, assault, threats of violence, or working under the conditions of drugs or alcohol, management needs to be certain of the employees’ guilt. (Billikopf, G., 2006) The company and manager need to be aware of the policies and be sure that they are exercising equal treatment of employees when applying progressive discipline. The rules need to be applied even-handedly, justly, and without discrimination. (Seven Steps, 2007) Although there are not many instances where the violations of one employee are identical to another’s, management must take into consideration the severity of the infraction, the previous history of the employee, the employees’ attitude, and the mitigating circumstances. (Billikopf, G., 2006) Sometimes managers can find it easier to apply rules evenly if they discuss the instances with each other. Privacy should remain a main concern when discussing and manager sh ould use concealment and modification when communicating about employees. The last of the seven steps of just cause is the application of penalty. Penalties must remain fair, not arbitrary or capricious or based on emotion. (Seven Steps, 2007) When deciding on a penalty to implement, there should be a few factors taken into consideration. The use of progressive discipline includes the increased severity of recurring actions, so the prior use of this type of discipline on the employee should play a large factor in how a penalty is applied. The person applying the rules should be aware of the employee’s length of service and prior infractions and factor those into their considerations. A study done by Janice Beyer of State University of New York at Buffalo and Harrison Trice of Cornell University stated: Data from two samples of supervisors in a large corporation show that (1) supervisors used discipline primarily as a response to certain behaviors and when the work context was supportive of its use; and (2) use of discipline had small but significant effects on the subsequent work performance of target employees. The study took into account different dependant and independent variables such as employee age, characteristics, social settings, supervisor age, education, and ideologies. The results showed that most supervisors in the samples used some form of discipline to deal with employees they considered difficult. Over 95 percent had at least one informal discussion with the problem employees. The great majority-76 percent- used both constructive and confrontive topics in these discussions. (Beyer, J. M., & Trice, H. M., 1984) Written warnings were used in 49 percent of cases. Even suspensions without pay were used quite frequently; 27 percent of these problem employees had been suspended, for an average of about 4 days. Discharge was used with only 3 percent of the cases, but another 7 percent of these employees left the company. Clearly, despite the strong international unions that represented most of these employees in these companies, it is possible to get rid of some disruptive employees. (Beyer, J. M., & Trice, H. M., 1984) WORKS CITED Anonymous. (2005, May 11). WRONGFUL DISMISSAL: Progressive discipline needed to terminate for cumulative misconduct. Canadian Employment Law Today, (437), 3421-3424. Retrieved from ProQuest database. (212227123) Bank’s Failure to Follow Progressive Discipline Justified in Light of Clear Policy; No Disparate Treatment. (2007, June 1). Fair Employment Practice Guidelines, (625), 4-5. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. (25537303) Beyer, J. M., & Trice, H. M. (1984, December). A Field Study of the Use and Perceived Effects of Discipline in Controlling Work Performance. The Academy of Management Journal, 27(4), 743-764. Retrieved from http://links.jstor.org/sici=0001-4273%28198412%2727%3A4%3C743%3AAFSOTU%E2.0.CO%3B2-R Billikopf, G. (2006, August 11). Discipline and Termination: Labor Management in Ag. Dad, D. (2011, March 16). Progressive Discipline and the tenure clock. Eden, G. (1992). An Oxymoron? Les Presses de l’Universite Laval, 47(3), 511-524. Falcone, Paul. (2000) A blueprint for progressive discipline and terminations. HR Focus. 77(8), 3. Paul Berube v. Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, Inc., No. 08-1229-cv (2d Cir. Oct. 15, 2009), http://www.legale.com. Pinker, S. (2010, February 27). The Great Discipline Dilemma. The Globe and Mail, p. b.17. Retrieved from ProQuest database. (382583397) Progressive Discipline Steps. (2007, August 9). Employee and Labor Relations. Retrieved from Office of the Vice President for Research website: http://www.uiowa.edu The Seven Steps of Just Cause. (2007, February 28). Employee and Labor Relations. Retrieved from Office of the Vice President for Research website: http://www.uiowa.edu Wright, T. (2006, January 23). Fired Worker can sue employer for not following discipline policy. Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

I Am A Master Of Social Work Degree - 1537 Words

I regularly reminisce about my grandmother singing, row your boat gently down the stream, merrily, life is but a dream. This nursery rhyme is a significant part of one of my earliest memories and as an adult has developed a new meaning for me. My decision to apply for graduate school to pursue a Master of Social Work degree is one more destination in the stream of my life. Following the culmination of my undergraduate studies, I was recruited into the Children’s Corps and received training for graduates interested in working in the child welfare system. After my training, I immediately began employment as a case planner at JCCA. My main goal as a case planner is to help children find permanency through reunification with parents, adoption or legal guardianship. My experience at JCCA has allowed me to develop my interpersonal skills and increased my ability to work with a diverse group of people. I was likewise able to acquire skills around assessing individual needs and connec ting them with the resources to meet those needs. In the first few months of employment, I worked specifically with younger children then my caseload shifted to older teens. One youth, in particular, was 18 years old expressed that he was ready to sign himself out of foster care. My youth had experience with the criminal justice system, lacked permanent adult resource and was failing school. He expressed that he felt unwanted and that his life did not matter. He was also never offered or engaged inShow MoreRelatedThe Master Of Social Work Program With Walden University839 Words   |  4 PagesPersonal/Professional Goals I am interested in the Master of Social Work program with Walden University because I have always had an interest in the various aspects and components of the profession. I am interested the opportunities that a job in human services and helping profession will allow. A social work degree is accepted for a mass variety of careers and organizations. I have researched a multitude of programs that focus on Master of Social Work. After a lot of consideration Walden has myRead MoreStrengths And Weaknesses Of Social Work Practice And Educational Need1322 Words   |  6 PagesFourth, I am going to write about strengths and weaknesses in relation to social work practice and educational need. One of my strongest strengths as a social worker is patience. It helps me to persevere enthusiastically towards conquering goals and objectives when assisting my clients. Patience keeps alive the objective in mind to meet. Physical or psychological exhaustion only reaffirms the importance of patience. For that reason, it’s important to be patience with what we start out with the aimRead MorePersonal Statement On Social Work1740 Words   |  7 Pagesmany love helping people, empowering them at the same time is my ultimate goal. Throughout this essay, I hope to show how vital it is for me to obtain a Masters in Social Work. I will be doing this by presenting my experience and relationships that have influenced my selection of the social work career, my understanding of the responsibilities of the profession, my role and responsibilities that I assume in the profession, my reasons for selecting the program and thoughts, and thoughts on how the missionRead MoreBecoming A Master Level Social Worker752 Words   |  4 PagesSocial workers are each created in unique ways. Some are affected personally or by issues, people, and/or situations around them. I carry my own personal experiences from good to bad ones. Becoming a master level social worker provides me with a larger spec trum to where I could dedicate myself. Accomplishing a master degree in social worker puts me a step closer to obtaining a licensure, being a therapist, a supervisor, a program director, and many other things. As social workers we carry differentRead MorePersonal Goals : My Professional Goals1159 Words   |  5 Pagesmotivation for pursuing a degree: My professional goals were never clear until this last year when I started my job with Marion Construction Company as an office manager. I truly feel I have found a career path that I was meant to be in and I want to be the best at it and that is why I feel that getting my masters is so important. I would love to be an HR manager or HR educator in the future and by having my masters in HR that will open those paths for me! Personal goal wise I want to be able to supportRead MoreHow I Changed My Life And Career883 Words   |  4 Pages Malaysia, I was taught giving and helping from an early age. My mother often taught a crocheting class in our home to a group of impoverished Indian women. She was trying to empower them by giving them the tools and knowledge to create crafts that they could use to sell and support themselves and their families. Sitting on the floor of our modest home as a teenager, surrounded by these Indian women, I did not know this would help form my life and career. At the time, I thought I was just theRead MoreAdmission Essay1360 Words   |  6 Pagesto true colors I am a green. The twenty words that best describes me are analytical, calm, cool, investigative, strength, creative, strategic thinker, knowledgeable, visionary, enthusiastic, independent thinker, future focus, objective, tough minded, meaningless dialogue, emotional displays, subjective thinking, social function, challenging and flexible. The degree I am going to peruse is Health Services Administration. I plan to be in school for a total of eight years. I plan to be inRead MorePersonal Statement. My Aspirations Within The Field Are1315 Words   |  6 Pagesthe field are to advocate for social change and advance the quality of life of the underrepresented Latino community in the City of Philadelphia. I am certain that earning a Master in Social Work will equip me with the tools necessary to do this in a caring and supportive way. I am a firm believer of social change and that by helping our communities, change can be achieved. I am passionate about children, families and minorities. Being from a minority group myself, I am able to relate to those whoRead MoreMy Portfolio Of Your Psyd Program826 Words   |  4 PagesI am very pleased to once again tender to the Capella Graduate Admissions Committee my portfolio of interest in your PSYD Program in Clinical Psychology. As a Native-African Practitioner-In-Traini ng, I am cognizant of the growing challenges confronting the workforce of our American society which is becoming more culturally diverse. As a result, this diverse workforce has equally become an asset in serving the adequate needs of a multicultural population that also comprise our patient populationsRead MorePersonal Statement On Child And Family Studies1244 Words   |  5 PagesOne of the greatest pieces of advice that I have received is that if you do something that you love, you will never work a day in your life. It took me changing my major three times to find what I am truly passionate about. After I changed my major to child and family studies I enjoyed learning everyday and applying what I learned from class into the real world. The knowledge that I obtained through my classes assisted me through my experiences as a nanny, a student worker for the department of child