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The Viet Minh, or League for the independence of Vietnam, was a nationalist organization that was created during World War II. It was an underground army established by Ho Chi Minh fighting against foreign occupation by using guerrilla warfare. The Viet Minh de-emphasized the communist social revolution to attract broadest possible coalitions. After Germany had conquered France, German's ally, the Japanese, moved into Vietnam. Japan did not have enough resources to rule over Vietnam as France had. The lack of control over the Vietnamese led to the formation of many nationalist organizations. The most effective being the Viet Minh.
In 1960, the National Liberation Front (NLF) was founded by the main members of the Viet Minh. The NLF operated in South Vietnam and swore to overthrow the South Vietnamese government in order to reunify Vietnam. The Viet Minh began to fade as their members began to join the NLF. During the French Indochina War (1946–1954), the VPA (Vietnam People's Army) was often referred to as the Viet Minh. In the context of the Vietnam War (1959–1975), the army was referred to as the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) or the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). This allowed the U.S. Military, and the general public, to distinguish northern communists from the southern communists, or Viet Cong. However, northerners and southerners were always under the same command structure.
by Dancing with Fire June 20, 2011
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by Dancing with Fire June 2, 2011
Get the Sweet Talk mug.The Gulf Cartel is one of the oldest and most powerful of Mexico’s criminal groups but has lost territory and influence in recent years to its rivals, including its former enforcer wing, the Zetas.
The Gulf Cartel is one of Mexico’s most storied, wealthy and established operations. Working with Colombian suppliers, this group moves drugs north from its stronghold in Tamaulipas, and is known to outsource other activities, especially those related to human trafficking, to local “enforcer” gangs. Its one-time boss, Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, was considered the country’s most powerful underworld leader at one point, and its enforcers, the Zetas, Mexico’s most feared gang.
by Dancing with Fire July 9, 2011
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by Dancing with Fire January 16, 2011
Get the al Qaeda mug.Dictator who ruled Chile with an iron fist from 1973 to 1990. Pinochet headed the military junta that controlled the country after a coup that deposed the democratically elected president Salvador Allende. During his reign, Pinochet ordered the violent suppression of all political opposition to his government. A commission determined that his military and government were responsible for human rights violations, including more than 2,000 deaths and untold numbers of disappearances.
All opposition parties were banned, the press was censored and dissidents up and down the country were abducted and executed without trial. The notorious Caravan of Death, an Army death squad flew the length of the country by helicopter in October 1973, extinguishing 97 influential opposition figures. Even dissidents that had fled the country were not out of Pinochet’s reach. Operation Condor, tracked the numerous Chileans that had fled into exile. No-one was safe from Pinochet’s paranoid anti-communist drive. General Prats, Augusto Pinochet’s predecessor in the role of Commander in Chief, was killed in Buenos Aires in 1974.
Pinochet is pronounced Pino – Chay. The t is silent.
Pinochet is pronounced Pino – Chay. The t is silent.
by Dancing with Fire June 19, 2011
Get the Augusto Pinochet mug.by Dancing with Fire December 10, 2012
Get the Faded Holy Soldier mug.Iaido is the art of reacting to a surprise attack by counter attacking with a sword. An in-depth reading of the Japanese characters for iaido is: I = being, AI = harmony, DO = way. "The way of harmonizing oneself in action." The Iaidoka (a practitioner of iaido) wields a sword: not to control the opponent, but to control himself. Iaido is mostly performed solo as a series of Waza. The Iaidoka executes various techniques against single or multiple imaginary opponents. Each Waza begins and ends with the sword sheathed. In addition to sword technique, practitioners require imagination and concentration in order to maintain the feeling of a real fight and to keep the Kata fresh. In order to properly perform the waza, Iaidoka also learn posture and movement, grip, and swing. Iaido is never practiced in a free-sparring manner.
Iaidoka practice to prepare for a surprise attack, where an immediate, efficient solution to the problem of aggression is necessary. Therefore, the technique is highly refined. Every unnecessary movement is cut away. Technique is simple and direct. The training method is aimed towards development of the practitioner’s every mental and physical resources. Iaido is an authentic martial art that proved its martial values in a time of constant battle and warfare, that was preserved and passed on directly from teacher to student over generations in an unbroken lineage for 450 years. Iaidoka developed the mind towards an ultimately peaceful, harmonious, and active state ready to react and deal with any life situation.
by Dancing with Fire May 13, 2011
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