Mercenaries and Private Military Companies

During the first half of 20th century, Central America was under control of some of the most infamous dictators, highly trained military leader, who had a lot of power in their hands. ... In 1899, Keith merged his banana trading company with Boston Fruit Company, founded by Andrew Preston, and established the United Fruit Company. ... An offer from an U.S. company is irresistible. ... The company image was greatly harmed. ... The Great White Fleet of United Fruit Company was considered the world largest private navy at that time and it was a symbol for economically colonizing movement in Ame...

• Word Count: 3191
• Approx Pages: 13
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

William Walker, the Great Filibuster In 1855, William Walker and a rag-tag "army" of mercenaries and pirates landed on the shores of Nicaragua, with the intent of annexing the country for personal gain, the expansion of US interests, and the subjugation and perhaps even the enslavement of Latin Americans, whom Walker himself saw as vastly inferior to whites. ... Immediately asserting his authority, Walker led his mercenaries and the Leonese to victory against the Granada in the Battle of Rivas, was awarded the title of "generalissimo", and soon after declared himself president and ruler of N...

• Word Count: 3500
• Approx Pages: 14
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Much of these "hot spots" were only worsened by the ideological skirmishes waged both politically and militarily through the world's Super Powers. ... This resulted in the camps becoming a magnet for military incursions in and around the camps as anti-Khmer forces attempted to rid the threat. ...

• Word Count: 3604
• Approx Pages: 14
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

For the raj, which did not begin until 1858 when the British government officially took over India from a private trading company, was in fact only the final act in a long, crooked and partly accidental drama. ... Before long, the posts became cities (Calcutta, Bombay, Madras) and their soldier garrisons, small private armies. ... To defend these "civil servants," each of the trading posts also kept a company of "military servants." ... By 1700, the Governor of Bombay would emerge from his private quarters only in palanquined splendor, attended by 40 servants and preceded by underlings wavi...

• Word Count: 5127
• Approx Pages: 21
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Shan armies also have been buoyed by communities of Chinese mercenaries and refugees, the losers of Yunnan's Panthay Rebellion (1855-1873) and the Civil War (1945-1949). ... At a time in which private enterprise in large energy projects in Southeast Asia is booming, investments in the Shan states are beginning to look safe. ... These companies adamantly insist that their operations will benefit the Burmese people. ... In 1990, SLORC also began to pursue developments in the foreign private sector. ... GMS Power Public, a Thai company will fund the dam with US $3 million. ...

• Word Count: 2960
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The United States should have set a limit to what they should do in terms of supporting Israel financially and militarily, what the Israelis should do in terms of better Arab-Israeli relations, and on what terms should the United States back them militarily, for instance if Israel was attacked. ... The foreign policy had failed in limiting Israel's military power, and what they can and can't do. ... By now the Palestinians are outraged at Americans, for letting this onslaught of war go on between them, and not limiting Israel's military power. ...

• Word Count: 3228
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School

They seized imperial territory along their eastern border and fund Prot mercenaries there to aid fighting. ... He invented the private life, where an individual is known more by internal character and personality traits than by social role and past behavior. ... He encouraged industry with state subsidies and protective tariffs; he set up state-sponsored trading companies (including East India Company and the West India Company est 1664). ...

• Word Count: 2103
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Companies such as De Beers and others have contributed to the death and destruction caused in many parts of Africa, in particular Sierra Leone, Angola, and Republic of Congo. ... However once war began between the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC), which was a military government, it became obvious that the center of this clash centered around diamonds, and who controlled the diamond mines. ... De Beers maintained a diamond trading company in Liberia, even though the country itself produced relatively few diamonds. ... The national government w...

• Word Count: 2187
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography

Because of Saving Private Ryan, Steven Speiburg's Dreamworks company was the developer of this award winning title. ... Metal Gear is wonderfully scripted game that puts you in the shoes of Snake, a retired member of a military group known as FOX-HOUND. ... Cloud Strife the main character of FFVII is a mercenary always looking for a way to make money. ... Cloud is more than qualified as he is a former member of SOLDIER the elite military group of the Shinra Corporation which ironically is the target of AVALANCHE. ...

• Word Count: 1982
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School