Latin America constitutes a region well-endowed with sovereign nations, cultural differences, and varying states of development and political stability. The end of the cold war and the de cline of revolutionary movements and regimes has cast political perceptions of the region in a new light even as it has wrought momentous changes in the individual countries themselves. Latin American Political Yearbook: 1997 provides a comprehensive overview, analysis, and summary of the major political and economic trends and events in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean both for their significance within special coun tries, the entire region, and relations with the world at large.Elections and the status of political forces in Latin America are the focus of part 1. It provides an up-to-date, realistic definition of today's political "Left" and describes the political situ ations in the Central American, MERCOSUR, Andean, and Caribbean nations. Moreover, special consider ation is given to the case of Nicara gua. In part 2 the politico-economic backgrounds of such representative Latin American nations as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Honduras, Paraguay, and Venezuela are updated to demonstrate that corruption and collectivism have been responsible for most, if not all of the region's economic woes. The next two parts are con cerned with the Hemispheric left (HL) and the Hemispheric Left Support, re spectively, the former dealing with the loose association of Latin American Marxist and Marxist-Leninist organi zations. It begins with an in-depth look at its enigmatic chief, Fidel Castro, and then discusses HL umbrella organizations; Colombian, Mexican, and Cen tral American terrorist groups; HL narcoterrorism; and the special case of Peru. The book concludes with a look at Latin American international organizations Including trade and tariff associations, technical groupings, re gional associations, and hemisphere-wide associations such as the Cumbre Iberoamerica, the Grupo de Rio, and the Organization of American States. The year 1996 contained a number of important contests throughout the region and Latin American Political Yearbook provides a timely look at rel evant background Information neces sary to an understanding of the statustlons; Colombian, Mexican, and Cen tral American terrorist groups; HL narcoterrorism; and the special case of Peru. The book concludes with a look at Latin American international organizations Including trade and tariff associations, technical groupings, re gional associations, and hemisphere-wide associations such as the Cumbre Iberoamerica, the Grupo de Rio, and the Organization of American States. The year 1996 contained a number of important contests throughout the region and Latin American Political Yearbook provides a timely look at rel evant background Information neces sary to an understanding of the status of political forces in Latin America to day. Brimming with facts, this com pact yet comprehensive volume Is essential reading for political scien tists, Latin American area specialists, and historians.

In the fifth volume of this annual series, Robert G. Breene provides a comprehensive overview, analysis, and summary of the main political and economic trends and events in various portions of Latin America. Analyzing these developments within individual nations, their respective regions, and the world at large, the yearbook offers a timely look at the relevant background and information necessary to understand the changing nature of politics in Latin America today.A new and threatening development, the nexus of organized international Marxist-Leninist activity and Islamic terrorism, is treated at length throughout much of the volume. In the foreword, the editor notes how the rise of international terrorism associated with radical Muslim thought has formed a nexus with the resurgence of the Hemispheric Left, thus calling into question whether the international left has really been transformed into free-enterprise democrats, as many have simplistically argued. The volume discusses the roots of a left-Muslim connection in the close association between the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and the Qaddafi regime in Libya as well as the training provided by Arab terrorists to their Latin American allies. For larger, more powerful states, the picture is more ambiguous. While the present-day ideological attitudes of former Marxist states and political entities cannot be known with absolute certainty, the materials assembled here cast doubt on the validity of hopeful assumptions of democratic political behavior in the conduct of foreign affairs. One example is an important treaty between post-Soviet Russia and China. The volume also documents the rise in Castro's fortunes with the strengthening of leftist power in Venezuela and Mexico, and the neutralization of Brazil through Castro's long-standing support for the presidency of the Marxist Lula da Silva.This is a reference volume with a point of view. Compact yet comprehensive, it is essential reading for political scientists, Latin America area specialists, and historians.Robert G. Breene, Jr. has been a fighter pilot, an experimental test pilot, a newspaper correspondent in Central America, a professor of physics, and the owner and operator of a 600-head cattle ranch in Nevada. He is currently head of the Latin American News Service in San Antonio, Texas, from which much of this analysis was derived.

The story of USS Serpens (AK-97) is an important chapter in Coast Guard history - the most tragic loss of life in the more than 220 years of Coast Guard service to the United States. Contained within these pages is the official ship's War Diary along with some 200 personal letters sent from Serpens' crew to their friends and loved ones waiting for them to return home. On 29 January 1945, while sitting off Guadalcanal, Serpens exploded. Of the roughly 250 crew and Army stevedores on board at the time, only two Coastguardsmen survived. While this is the story of ship and crew, the final chapter still needs to be written - the awarding of the Purple Heart. It was awarded, the two who survived and several families of those killed received them, and then through misstep or miscommunication, the medal was rescinded. This is not acceptable.

This paper discusses three Japanese military situations in Manchuria from the viewpoints of CGSS doctrine, the actual operation as it evolved, and the points of difference between them.