Presenter Information

Ryan Hill, University of Idaho

Start Date

4-10-2021 10:45 AM

End Date

4-10-2021 12:00 PM

Disciplines

History

Subjects

Paramilitary forces -- Colombia -- History, Paramilitary forces -- South Africa -- History, Irish Republican Army -- History, Political violence -- Case studies

Description

Abstract: In my paper, I talk about the reasons why paramilitary groups form while listing examples of groups for each factor. I go over items such as vigilantism and I bring up examples of groups in South Africa, such the People Against Gangsterism and Drugs who originally was a political group who staged protests and marches asking the police and government to do something about the gangs which were taking over the community. They later morphed in a vigilante group who began bombing and assassinating drug lords. Ideology is another item I bring up and I use the IRA as an example. They were a group who wanted to unite Ireland under one rule and get the British out. That attracted lots of members. I then examine power vacuums that can lead to paramilitary groups forming to take control of an area. For this I examine Columbia’s history of paramilitary groups and their impacts. My final item I bring up is why governments tolerate such violent groups at times and the impacts of leaving such groups unchecked for they can cause problems for the government down the road.

PART OF SESSION 6A. GUERILLA WARFARE:

Comment: Lauren MacDonald, Idaho State University
Chair: Jeff Kyong-McClain, University of Idaho

Ryan Hill, University of Idaho, undergraduate student
“The Cause and Effect of Paramilitary Groups”

Simon Mai, Whitworth University, undergraduate student
“Pacification Gone Awry: The U.S Failure to Underpin Hearts and Minds in South Vietnam, 1966–1968”

Peter K. Moran, Eastern Washington University, graduate student
“A Spokane Monument: Warfare in the Samoan Islands, 1899”

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/35283

Included in

History Commons

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Apr 10th, 10:45 AM Apr 10th, 12:00 PM

The Cause and Effect of Paramilitary Groups

Abstract: In my paper, I talk about the reasons why paramilitary groups form while listing examples of groups for each factor. I go over items such as vigilantism and I bring up examples of groups in South Africa, such the People Against Gangsterism and Drugs who originally was a political group who staged protests and marches asking the police and government to do something about the gangs which were taking over the community. They later morphed in a vigilante group who began bombing and assassinating drug lords. Ideology is another item I bring up and I use the IRA as an example. They were a group who wanted to unite Ireland under one rule and get the British out. That attracted lots of members. I then examine power vacuums that can lead to paramilitary groups forming to take control of an area. For this I examine Columbia’s history of paramilitary groups and their impacts. My final item I bring up is why governments tolerate such violent groups at times and the impacts of leaving such groups unchecked for they can cause problems for the government down the road.

PART OF SESSION 6A. GUERILLA WARFARE:

Comment: Lauren MacDonald, Idaho State University
Chair: Jeff Kyong-McClain, University of Idaho

Ryan Hill, University of Idaho, undergraduate student
“The Cause and Effect of Paramilitary Groups”

Simon Mai, Whitworth University, undergraduate student
“Pacification Gone Awry: The U.S Failure to Underpin Hearts and Minds in South Vietnam, 1966–1968”

Peter K. Moran, Eastern Washington University, graduate student
“A Spokane Monument: Warfare in the Samoan Islands, 1899”