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Geopolitical Actions Of The German Empire Prior To The First World War – A Modified Dime Analysis –, Gregory A. Mauck

Masters Theses

It is said that the victors write the history. That adage is demonstrably true for the history of the First World War. The German Empire, Das Deutsche Kaiserreich, has shouldered most of the blame for the war for most of the past century. Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles declares this German guilt in no uncertain terms. But is this a fair assessment? A study of pre-war German diplomatic and military actions provides a method to partially assess the culpability of Germany for the Great War. A fair analysis of that geopolitical activity shows that the actions of the …

The European Case For Kosovo, Serbia, And North Macedonia: A Western Balkan Focus, Logan Michael Kase

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

European integration of Western Balkan territories currently faces high-tension ethnic and religious antagonism between Serbia, Kosovo, and North Macedonia. The Balkans have been dealing with a cauldron of simmering ethnic internal battles that have lingered for decades. Years of Serbian and Kosovo contention severely setback the accession timeline, therefore, affecting further the integration of its neighbor North Macedonia. The European Union demands all disputes and corruption measures settled, per regulation standards set by the enlargement package from the commission. Key regional players’ sphere of influence becomes an interesting variable during policy discussions leaving a path to full European integration reliant …

The Importance Of Dialogue Between The United States And North Korea: How Can The United States Respond To The Nuclear Issue With North Korea?, Unbi Choi

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

The nuclear issue with North Korea could create even more danger in currently tense international relations. In reality, a long-standing economic sanction is a factor in North Korea's continued hostile attitude toward the United States. The Trump administration chose negotiation instead of economic sanctions. Negotiations succeeded in temporarily easing tensions between the United States and North Korea. However, the Biden administration put economic sanctions back on North Korea. Since then, North Korea has increasingly cultivated hostility, even more than in the last few years, and is further developing nuclearization. As this example indicates, economic sanctions would have negative consequences. The …

Break Their Lineage, Break Their Roots: Investigating The Chinese Government’S Relationship With The Uyghur Population To Determine The Potential For Terrorism And Genocide, Anya Veinberg

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

History is wrought with war, crime, and persecution. After nearly every conflict, world leaders vow to never let something similar happen again. Yet, history seems to repeat itself, and so do its conflicts. The Holocaust claimed the lives of millions of Jews and seemed to set a precedent of a modern threshold of evil. How many people would argue that an event strikingly similar to the Holocaust is happening right now in China?

The Chinese government is currently committing acts of violence and faith and race-based discrimination against the Uyghur population.

This work analyzes the interaction between the Chinese government …

Analysis Of Sun Tzu's Art Of War, Hannah Marchiny

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

America faces troubling times with various countries presenting unique threats. Few are more troubling than China. Now more than ever the U.S. needs effective strategies to combat global threats. To that end, I use Sun Tzu’s book Art of War as my main source for strategic wisdom. Sun Tzu’s principles have endured as long as they have because of their continued relevance in every generation and situation. In my paper, I discuss a few of the main tenets of Sun Tzu’s famous Art of War and how China is currently employing them against the U.S. I explain how China’s masterful …

The Moral Evils Of Open Borders, Carl D. Rehberg

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

Since January 2021, the U.S. federal government, through the executive branch, started supporting de facto open borders with its stated and unstated policies by illegally and systematically ignoring and not enforcing numerous laws, rules, and regulations regarding the border and immigration enforcement writ large. In the last three years, the open borders have gotten worse, and now many describe the open borders crisis as an invasion. By all appearances, these open borders were intentionally planned, funded, and executed by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the United Nations (UN) through our government. Ironically, the Christian community (including Evangelicals) has been divided on …

Influences Of Social Media, Samuel Whatley Ii

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

The Internet is a double-edged sword because it provides easy access to information of both good and bad intentions. Censorship justifications under whoever deems something misinformation, provide little oversight on being a neutral public forum. For instance, the influence of elections by not covering a story and censoring opposing views does not promote the notion of being a neutral public forum. Artificial intelligence being applied to many technological applications have fueled the censorship machine. In some instances, artificial intelligence can generate stories to media sites (i.e., ChatGPT) with no verification of the details. From science fiction to science reality, taking …

Applications, Challenges, And Research Issues For Enabling A Uav Swarm, Jennifer Hahner

Senior Honors Theses

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms have the potential to be useful in numerous applications due to their versatility and ability to operate without human intervention. However, this promising technology still requires further investigation, research, and testing before UAV swarms can be implemented extensively. The level of human intervention needed to control the system determines the differing levels of autonomy for UAV swarms. For swarms to become more independent, efficient algorithms for task and path planning are essential. In addition, accurate communication is essential for swarms to be able to coordinate and accomplish tasks successfully. This paper seeks to provide a …

"The Most Hopeful Time": A Contextualization And Evaluation Of Northern Irish Student Activism On The Cusp Of The Troubles, Sadie M. Deshon

Senior Honors Theses

Many Americans are familiar with the history of student riots in the U.S. in the late 1960s—from marches against the Vietnam War, to those advocating civil rights for African Americans. Far fewer Americans, however, realize that nearly the entire western world was concurrently embroiled in similar student-led movements, most of which converged in 1968. Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom that seems to defy definition as a political entity (particularly among its own people, who may describe it as a country, region, or province, depending on their respective political ideologies), was not immune to this trend. The Catholic …

Bureaus Of Ungentlemanly Warfare: Comparing The Roles Of Women In The Special Operations Executive And The Office Of Strategic Services During World War Ii, Adaline Nolley

Liberty University Research Week

At the dawn of World War II in the summer of 1940, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill authorized the creation of a Special Operations Executive to “set Europe ablaze.” The organization was notable for its role as one of the first government agencies to recruit and train women as spies, and the women of the SOE demonstrated great valor in their accomplishments. Nearly one year later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States commissioned a similar organization, the Office of Strategic Services, which also employed women. The two organizations approached the concept of female agents differently, with the United …

The Most Innovative Technology: The Da Vinci Robotic Surgical System, Elaine Webb

Liberty University Research Week

The Mayo Clinic reported in February 2019 that the Da Vinci robot surgical system is one of the more prominent and important surgical devices today. However, it is seldom discussed in circles outside of the medical realm. This presentation discusses how this revolutionary machine was designed to facilitate complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach. This revolutionary aspect is Doctors Moll and Young’s three main components: the vision cart, the surgeon console, and the patient cart. This presentation explains the fundamentals of these components and how they have been both beneficial to surgeries and may malfunction, harming patients. Additionally, this …

Healing On The Home Front: Convalescent Homes In England During Wwi, Elizabeth Rogerson

Liberty University Research Week

This paper explores the response to soldiers needing rehabilitation in World War One and how convalescent facilities impacted the everyday lives of injured men, nurses, and military medicine. During the Great War, there was an influx of the diversity of injuries due to the expanse of biological and machine warfare. Recognizing that field hospitals were insufficient, England’s War Office executed a plan to requisition public facilities and use volunteer forces not only to heal English men but soldiers from across the world. This paper establishes the context for the convalescing system in England and then its accommodation and improvisation for …

Let My People Go: A Biblical Theology Of Liberation In The Exodus Motif, Lou Ann Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Liberation theologians view political liberation as the central theme of the historical Exodus event due to their interpretation of the text through the perspective of the oppressed and the oppressor. I reject the postmodern stance of liberation theologians, which overemphasizes political liberation and fails to consider the links between Yahweh’s supernatural actions on behalf of the Hebrews in light of Yahweh’s covenantal obligations to Abraham’s descendants. This study argues against the use of liberation theologies as the paradigm for interpreting the historical Exodus event and asserts that a biblical theology of the Exodus motif reveals “covenant” as the interpretive key …

Gaijin Shogun: The Effectiveness Of Macarthur In The Early Stages Of The Military Occupation Of Japan, Jack Cashion

Senior Honors Theses

In the aftermath of World War II, the Allied powers occupied Germany and Japan to ensure a peaceful transition at the end of the war. While the Allies had conquered Germany in its entirety, Japan’s surrender in the wake of the atomic bombs forestalled a costly invasion of the Japanese mainland. President Harry Truman granted General Douglas MacArthur the title of Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) when he appointed the general as the leader of America’s occupation force in Japan. As SCAP, MacArthur oversaw the initial years of the reconstruction of Japan and its transition from a war-torn …

Unmasking The Holder Of The Purse Strings: Countering Chinese Economic Coercion In The Indo-Pacific, Rachel L. Davis

Senior Honors Theses

The Indo-Pacific is a key focal point of U.S.-China competition due to its geographical, economic, and military significance. China is using political warfare to achieve its strategic goals in the region, influencing other nations to align with its interests. Economic coercion is a key tool of this warfare. This is evident in the Pacific Islands, among America’s treaty allies, in Southeast Asia, and in South Asia. To prove itself the superior partner, maintain access to key points of land, and keep the Indo-Pacific open for trade, the U.S. must counter China’s activities. This can be achieved via a stronger economic …

The Official Pow’S Rights Beginning In The Civil War Forward: Co-Authored By Francis Lieber, Delynn Antoinette Burrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Historians have written many volumes on the Civil War, but few have examined the plight of prisoners of war. Although a few prominent historians wrote on the subject in the mid-nineteenth century, the topic quickly faded into obscurity until the mid to late twentieth century. Most historical works regarding prisoners of war focus more on individual prison camps rather than the system as a whole. This research seeks to fill the gap in the historiography of prisoners of war by examining the development of an official policy on their care and treatment. Through the examination of the War of the …

Recommendations To Improve The Practice Of Incorporating Emotional Intelligence Instructional Strategies Within The Marine Corps University Professional Military Education Continuum, Sarah Kirkland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to provide recommendations to improve the practice of incorporating emotional intelligence instructional strategies at Marine Corps University (MCU) in Quantico, Virginia. The problem was that emotional intelligence needs to be consistently addressed in the curriculum at MCU since research and strategic guidance indicate that it is a critical component of leadership. This study aimed to increase technically and emotionally competent leaders in decision-making and a more unified military that strives to lead effectively. Increasing military members' emotional intelligence is crucial because this may improve military leaders' capacity to deal with traumatic and stressful situations. …

Our Enemy, The State: Liberty Versus Power On The American Home Front During The First World War, Michael Schearer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

World War I marked a significant shift in the structure and practice of the federal government. The key feature of this shift was the centralization of national power in the federal government and a burgeoning bureaucracy. This increase in the centralization of power led to an escalation of conflicts between the expanded assertions of national power and the civil liberties of American citizens. While this relationship between state power and civil liberties has been the focus of extensive scholarly research, much less has been written about a mostly forgotten perspective that viewed war as destructive to human flourishing beyond the …

We Clear The Way: United States Army Combat Engineers In The Second World War's Southwest Pacific Theater, 1942-1945, Marc C. Jeter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The immense scope and scale of World War II required its combatants to conduct operations in every conceivable climatic condition and topographical setting. This fact has continued to represent a double-edged sword for the historiography of this conflict. The researcher may pursue any number of elements of this war to pursue and have done so. That said, aspects remain not yet mined from the cavernous topographical lode eight decades after this war. One such angle of this war not yet fully researched and analyzed by historians is that of General Douglas MacArthur and the US Army’s operational record and experiences …

The Battle Of The Chosin Reservoir, Luke Chavez

Liberty University Research Week

Lake Changjin, also known as “The Chosin Reservoir” is located high in the Korean peninsula and is in modern-day North Korea. The Battle of the Chosin Reservoir took place on 25 November and lasted till 11 December 1950. The battle was between the Chinese Red Army and the 1st Marine Division alongside the 31st Regimental Combat Team of the 8th Army Division. The battle was part of the secret Chinese second advance to retake the Korean peninsula. The battle is regarded as the most brutal battle in American history. What led to the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir? Why is …

Research Week 2024 Program, Research Week

Liberty University Research Week

Research Week 2024 complete schedule.

Bureaus Of Ungentlemanly Warfare: Comparing The Roles Of Women In The Special Operations Executive And The Office Of Strategic Services During World War Ii, Adaline Nolley

Senior Honors Theses

In 1940, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill created the Special Operations Executive. The SOE was one of the first government agencies to recruit female spies. In 1941, United States President Franklin Roosevelt commissioned the Office of Strategic Services, which also employed women. The organizations approached the concept of female agents differently. The OSS maintained female staff in domestic offices, but employed foreign women as agents. The SOE recruited women to go abroad, as they were less suspicious than men in occupied territories. The study of female staff in the OSS and the SOE allow historians to understand roles of women …

The Weight Of Gratitude And The Burden Of Truth, Joshua Macer

Masters Theses

The roots of this thesis lie in a daily journal written in a tattered notebook while deployed to the war-torn city of Baghdad, Iraq. The artist's statement tells the story of how the tragic events of 9/11 led to a decade of service in the military and how a simple daily journal kept during combat became the foundation for a memoir. Times passing, memory issues from injuries sustained overseas, and conflicting stories led the author to question the accuracy of military memoirs. The critical theory paper evaluates authenticity in memoirs, the challenges to truth and memories, and the consequences of …

Pretty Girls Don't Eat Pizza: How An Eating Disorder Taught Me I Am Enough, Hannah Kuhn

Masters Theses

Eating disorders have become one of the most fatal mental disorders, and yet many people still don’t know anything about them. This allows society to misinform people on what this disorder is, and for those suffering from it to feel misunderstood and alone. Patients and their families don’t need more medical advice on the topic. They need to hear a raw, honest and messy story from someone who is not cured, but overtime has found the resources, hope and strength to continue living with it everyday until healing is granted. This is a story that both informs and shows the …

Cyber Defense Planning In Tabletop Exercises And Consideration Of A Fractured Flaw Theory For Security Applications, Patrick K. Kilroy Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Cybersecurity threats endanger every part of American life. Security and emergency preparedness professionals plan and prevent cyber-attacks using tabletop exercises. The tabletop exercises establish the risks and protection strategies for multiagency threats, thus, various agencies and industrial partners must work together in these training events. The purpose of this grounded study will be to develop criteria for selecting tabletop participants and explore the risks of participation. An additional consideration is the impact of the sponsoring agencies' agenda on the value of the outcome for the participants. There is sufficient evidence to justify the investigation of these issues. Failing to include …

Antislavery White Supremacists And The Mistreatment Of African Americans In Indiana, 1787-1870, Mark A. King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Conventional wisdom holds that Indiana was always predominantly antislavery because it had begun as a territory of the United States under the Northwest Territory Act of 1787, which prohibited slavery; however, this is incorrect. This northern state had about as much proslavery sentiment as most states in the South. The state wrestled with the issue in the legislative session after the legislative session and court case after court case for decades during the antebellum period. Prominent settlers and state organizers petitioned Congress to allow the Indiana Territory to become a slave region. After statehood, proslavery forces continued to push for …

Conventional Commanders In An Unconventional War: The U.S. Army In Vietnam 1965-1973, Patrick Richard Eaton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines the U.S. Army maneuver battalion and brigade commanders who led their formations in combat in the Vietnam War between 1965 and 1973. This study highlights how the maneuver commanders shaped tactics and operations and by their success, influenced the MACV strategy. It also delineates how battalion- and brigade-level commanders interpreted the MACV strategy and formulated tasks, operations, and missions for subordinate units. This study establishes a direct link between maneuver battalion and brigade commanders and the strategy, doctrine, and tasks they executed during the Vietnam War. The study further assesses the distinct and profound leadership challenges that …

Making Sense Of Ethnocentrism: Intelligence Analysis & National Cultural Dimensions, Travis J. Benson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Varying internal and external stimulants naturally oscillate the creation of objective intelligence analysis; however, the most egregious offender to accuracy and completeness is the natural human mental process. No element of intelligence analysis is more formidable than the cognitive process that houses specific deviations, known as biases, as it yields inaccuracies and alters what is believed to be a rational response to a complex analytical problem. The phenomenon of ethnocentrism is consistently identified as an analytical limitation of intelligence professionals, derived from cognitive bias. Ultimately, ethnocentrism manifests an analyst’s perception of information directly through the lens of culturally dependent heuristics …

Vietnam Wacs: An Exploration Of Women’S Military Service During The Sociopolitical Upheaval Of The Vietnam War Era, Carmen M. Latvis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Women’s military service has often been relegated to the footnotes of history in the larger discussion of war and military service. Despite this, women have served the United States through every major conflict since the Revolutionary War with no expectation of recognition or reward. Such service raises questions regarding patriotism, gender roles, and citizenship. This research explores those questions during the Vietnam War era, one of the most defining moments in American society and culture and argues that women’s military service was shaped during those turbulent years through persistent quiet integration, defining political intervention, and military necessity. An investigation of …

Improving Self-Efficacy In Flight Nurse Practitioners In Preparation For The Role Of The Law Enforcement Tactical Nurse Practitioner, Gregory S. Wamack

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Current evidence demonstrates that the number of prehospital nurse practitioners working in both civilian and military settings is growing. Additional training beyond the formal nurse practitioner curriculum is necessary to increase the self-efficacy, knowledge, and skills of the nurse practitioner for operational battlefield conditions in far-forward austere and tactical settings. Evidence also demonstrates that the Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TC3) course is the national standard for tactical care and training for all health care providers. The purpose of this evidence-based pilot study was to increase the tactical self-efficacy of the United States based nontactical civilian highly trained and skilled flight …