Free Essays on The Attack On Pearl Harbor

THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR Thesis Statement: Pearl Harbor was one of the greatest tragedies ever to Americans. This horrible act committed by the Japanese was enough to send the United States, which was neutral at the time, into World War II. As some people said this was the awakening of a â€Å"Sleeping Giant† or a â€Å"Sleeping Dragon†. World War II was well under way when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. It came as a shock to many and is a very reminiscent incident. The event that took place on December 7, 1941, has and always will be a very significant event in American and world history. It shaped the way of the war and left a huge impact on American society. Just the name Pearl Harbor brings to mind â€Å"A day that will live in infamy† when the United States was forced into World War II. During the 20’s Japan suffered greatly due to industrial overcapacity and increased competition in Asia. (7) Japan was left struggling to get back on top, and was desperate for economic growth. There was also a shortage of foreign food supplies to keep up with a growing population, and with the Depression in 1931, this desolate country took a major blow, especially in terms of their trading economy. Japan was left with little and was forced to acquire new resources from China. Although times were bad in Japan, they were motivated by their quest for supremacy. On the road to War In 1931 the Japanese Imperial Army invaded Manchuria and set up a puppet state, Manchuko. The League of Nations condemned this attack and Japan replied by withdrawing from the League. When the Japanese easily took Manchuria, they were eager to obtain more. By 1937, they were ready for a full invasion of China. Large areas were occupied along the coast as well as the Hainan Islands in 1939. Meanwhile, plans for war were underway lead by Japanese Admiral Yamamoto. President Roosevelt was beginning to sense the possibility of war and began to read... Free Essays on The Attack On Pearl Harbor Free Essays on The Attack On Pearl Harbor THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR Thesis Statement: Pearl Harbor was one of the greatest tragedies ever to Americans. This horrible act committed by the Japanese was enough to send the United States, which was neutral at the time, into World War II. As some people said this was the awakening of a â€Å"Sleeping Giant† or a â€Å"Sleeping Dragon†. World War II was well under way when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. It came as a shock to many and is a very reminiscent incident. The event that took place on December 7, 1941, has and always will be a very significant event in American and world history. It shaped the way of the war and left a huge impact on American society. Just the name Pearl Harbor brings to mind â€Å"A day that will live in infamy† when the United States was forced into World War II. During the 20’s Japan suffered greatly due to industrial overcapacity and increased competition in Asia. (7) Japan was left struggling to get back on top, and was desperate for economic growth. There was also a shortage of foreign food supplies to keep up with a growing population, and with the Depression in 1931, this desolate country took a major blow, especially in terms of their trading economy. Japan was left with little and was forced to acquire new resources from China. Although times were bad in Japan, they were motivated by their quest for supremacy. On the road to War In 1931 the Japanese Imperial Army invaded Manchuria and set up a puppet state, Manchuko. The League of Nations condemned this attack and Japan replied by withdrawing from the League. When the Japanese easily took Manchuria, they were eager to obtain more. By 1937, they were ready for a full invasion of China. Large areas were occupied along the coast as well as the Hainan Islands in 1939. Meanwhile, plans for war were underway lead by Japanese Admiral Yamamoto. President Roosevelt was beginning to sense the possibility of war and began to read...

The Life and Death of a Star

The Life and Death of a Star Stars last a long time, but eventually they will die. The energy that makes up stars, some of the largest objects we ever study, comes from the interaction of individual atoms. So, to understand the largest and most powerful objects in the universe, we must understand the most basic. Then, as the stars life ends, those basic principles once again come into play to describe what will happen to the star next. Astronomers study various aspects of stars to determine how old they are as well as their other characteristics. That helps them also understand the life and death processes they experience. The Birth of a Star The stars took a long time to form, as gas drifting in the universe was drawn together by the force of gravity. This gas is mostly hydrogen, because its the most basic and abundant element in the universe, although some of the gas might consist of some other elements. Enough of this gas begins gathering together under gravity and each atom is pulling on all of the other atoms. This gravitational pull is enough to force the atoms to collide with each other, which in turn generates heat. In fact, as the atoms are colliding with each other, theyre vibrating and moving more quickly (that is, after all, what heat energy really is: atomic motion). Eventually, they get so hot, and the individual atoms have so much kinetic energy, that when they collide with another atom (which also has a lot of kinetic energy) they dont just bounce off each other. With enough energy, the two atoms collide and the nucleus of these atoms fuse together. Remember, this is mostly hydrogen, which means that each atom contains a nucleus with only one proton. When these nuclei fuse together (a process known, appropriately enough, as nuclear fusion) the resulting nucleus has two protons, which means that the new atom created is helium. Stars may also fuse heavier atoms, such as helium, together to make even larger atomic nuclei. (This process, called nucleosynthesis, is believed to be how many of the elements in our universe were formed.) The Burning of a Star So the atoms (often the element hydrogen) inside the star collide together, going through a process of nuclear fusion, which generates heat, electromagnetic radiation (including visible light), and energy in other forms, such as high-energy particles. This period of atomic burning is what most of us think of as the life of a star, and its in this phase that we see most stars up in the heavens. This heat generates a pressure - much like heating air inside a balloon creates pressure on the surface of the balloon (rough analogy) - which pushes the atoms apart. But remember that gravitys trying to pull them together. Eventually, the star reaches an equilibrium where the attraction of gravity and the repulsive pressure are balanced out, and during this period the star burns in a relatively stable way. Until it runs out of fuel, that is. The Cooling of a Star As the hydrogen fuel in a star gets converted to helium, and to some heavier elements, it takes more and more heat to cause the nuclear fusion. The mass of a star plays a role in how long it takes to burn through the fuel. More massive stars use their fuel faster because it takes more energy to counteract the larger gravitational force. (Or, put another way, the larger gravitational force causes the atoms to collide together more rapidly.) While our sun will probably last for about 5 thousand million years, more massive stars may last as little as 1 hundred million years before using up their fuel. As the stars fuel begins to run out, the star begins to generate less heat. Without the heat to counteract the gravitational pull, the star begins to contract. All is not lost, however! Remember that these atoms are made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons, which are fermions. One of the rules governing fermions is called the Pauli Exclusion Principle, which states that no two fermions can occupy the same state, which is a fancy way of saying that there cant be more than one identical one in the same place doing the same thing. (Bosons, on the other hand, dont run into this problem, which is part of the reason photon-based lasers work.) The result of this is that the Pauli Exclusion Principle creates yet another slight repulsive force between electrons, which can help counteract the collapse of a star, turning it into a white dwarf. This was discovered by the Indian physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar in 1928. Another type of star, the neutron star, come into being when a star collapses and the neutron-to-neutron repulsion counteracts the gravitational collapse. However, not all stars become white dwarf stars or even neutron stars. Chandrasekhar realized that some stars would have very different fates. The Death of a Star Chandrasekhar determined any star more massive than about 1.4 times our sun (a mass called the Chandrasekhar limit) wouldnt be able to support itself against its own gravity and would collapse into a white dwarf. Stars ranging up to about 3 times our sun would become neutron stars. Beyond that, though, theres just too much mass for the star to counteract the gravitational pull through the exclusion principle. Its possible that when the star is dying it might go through a supernova, expelling enough mass out into the universe that it drops below these limits and becomes one of these types of stars ... but if not, then what happens? Well, in that case, the mass continues to collapse under gravitational forces until a black hole is formed. And that  is what you call the death of a star.

Epidemiology of Childhood Obesity Research Paper

Epidemiology of Childhood Obesity - Research Paper Example In epidemiology, there are certain steps done systematically to successfully cure diseases (Page, Cole & Timmreck, 1995). The first step is to identify the problem, or the disease, then make a community or a population assessment by determining whether there are actual or potential health problems present. In this step, questions such as which among the population is the least or the most susceptible is determined. By performing demographic profiling, it can determine the percentage of individuals affected, and can be a reliable indicator of the overall health of the population (Yarnell, 2007). This step is followed by the determination of the causes of the disease. After having a conclusion as to how an ailment affects individuals, epidemiologists give out information on what the disease is, as well as causes, effects and prevention methods. The last step would be on the hands of an individual and his or her personal decisions after being informed about a certain disease. The person can choose whether to do actions that could prevent the onset of the disease or just do nothing to prevent it (Page et al., 1995). Diseases can be studied either by the number of affected individuals in a given population (quantitative epidemiology) or by studying the causes and effects of the disease in the affected individuals (qualitative epidemiology), which are both important in determining risk factors (Yarnell, 2007). In order to search for the causes of diseases, a model is used in determining those factors. Figure 1. The Epidemiology Triangle The epidemiology triangle is a traditional model used in determining the causes of diseases (Page et al., 1995). The vertices consist of the host, or the carrier of the disease, the agent or the cause of the disease, and the environment where the host and the agent are brought together (ibid.). Another part of the triangle is TIME, or the incubation period before a disease becomes full blown (Merril & Timmreck, 2006). After all compon ents of the formation of the disease are identified properly, epidemiologists break the legs of the triangle, disrupting the connections between environment, host and agent in order to prevent the outbreak of the disease and prevent it from spreading. However, in non-infectious diseases this triangle model is not always reliable due to some particular components that are not easily classifiable whether they are agents or environmental (Page et al., 1995). This paper would be tackling the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, and attempt to create a disease model as well as to list the steps in its prevention, focusing on presentation of qualitative obesity epidemiology. Definition of Obesity Body mass index or BMI is used to determine whether a person’s weight is below normal, normal, or above normal, which can be overweight, obese or morbidly obese (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2011). A percentage of at least 25-30% fat in the body can consider a child as fat (Williams et al., 1992). BMI that is 25 up to 29.9 is overweight, and beyond that is considered obese. Being obese, or obesity is defined as an excessive or abnormal accumulation of fat that presents various risks to health (WHO, n.d.). Problems that can arise from excessive fat include high blood pressure and cholesterol, increased impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, breathing

Hidden Rules of Class in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hidden Rules of Class in the UK - Essay Example I think a lot about these people who have money. In Cowley I see garbage everywhere and wild uncut grass growing in front of houses. And only bikes in the gardens, which I think this is an indication of less wealth. Doctors and lawyers and university teachers are given more status than unskilled laborers in the society. This difference in the social positions represents different levels of power, influence and money (Lucas, 2000, pp.95) The British society is often considered to be divided into three main groups of classes, namely, the Upper Class, the Middle Class and the Lower or Working Class. This is known as class system (Kendall, 2008, pp.219). The Upper Classes tends to consist of people with inherited wealth, and includes some of the oldest families, with many of them being titled aristocrats. The upper classes are not only defined by their title, but also by their education, and their pastimes which include the traditional and luxurious sporting life involving hunting, shooting and fishing, as well as a great deal of horse riding for both leisure and as a competitive pursuit. The middle Classes are the majority of the population of Britain today. They include industrialists, professionals, business people and shop owners. In the "Social structure of the United Kingdom" there is Received Pronunciation used by upper classes and upper middle classes people and there is Estuary English used by lower middle class British people (Marx, 2001, pp.85). Many people in Oxford colleges who speak with supposedly good pronunciation are members of upper

Post War Europe Essay Example for Free

Post War Europe Essay The World War II refers to the global conflict that took place between 1939 to 1945. Also referred to as the Second World War, the conflict involved many nations, especially the great powers. The conflict had two opposing military alliances, the Axis and the Allies (Hakim, p 8). This war has been considered as one of the most spread war in the world history since it involved the mobilization of more than 100 million military personnel. The Allies alliance during the war was made up of countries that opposed the Axis powers. The Big Three† or the three major nations that led the Allied Alliance were the United States of America, Britain, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic. Other nations that were part of the Allied Alliance included China, France, Poland, Australia, Canada, and South Africa. The Axis Alliance opposed the Allies, and it was led by three major Axis powers. These powers were; Germany, Italy and Japan. These three countries in September 1940 had signed a Tripartite Pact upon which the Axis Alliance was founded. Other nations that were part of the Axis Alliance included; Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia. Some the Axis co- belligerents included; Finland, India, Vietnam, and Iraq. The state of total war as a result of this conflict had the major nations that were involved use their scientific, industrial, and economic capabilities in order to develop weapons or plan military strategies that would maximize their probability of winning the war (Russell, p 15). It is estimated that over 70 million people were killed, with the majority being civilians. This made the war one of the deadliest human conflict to ever occur. The war began in 1939, and was triggered by the Germany’s invasion of Poland. This later led to the France, United Kingdom, and the United States declaration of war on Germany. Some of the well known events that occurred during the Second World War include; the Operation Barbararossa, Pearl Harbour attack and the Marco Polo Bridge incident. The war ended in 1945 and had the United States and the Soviet Union turn out to be the superpowers. The World War II broke out in Europe after Hitler led the Axis Alliance by first invading Poland. There were several major effects of Second World II on Germany and Europe.  In this paper, these effects will be discussed. Major effects of World War II in Germany Germany was one of the leading nations in the Axis Alliance against the Allies during the Second World War. Germany is considered to have developed some of the most sophisticated and most destructive weapons during the war. Together with the cost of military operations, Germany used a great amount of its finances to develop weapons for use during the war. The Nazi Germany which was led by Adolf Hitler invested great amounts of financial resources to cater for the costs of the war. In 1936, Adolph Hitler in his efforts to purchase war materials at low prices imposed price controls on the Germany people. Rationing later followed in 1939. Price controls that were put on food led to food shortages during the war. This led to the people growing their food and doing barter trade with their personal belongings for food. Compensation trade was born during the war; as a result of the wide spread barter trade. Due to the business to business transactions, many business firms hired a person who could barter a firms’ output. The barter trade was inefficient compared to the direct purchase of commodities and services using money. According to a Germany economist Walter Eucken self- sufficiency and barter trade were incompatible. Due to an extensive labor division, Germans’ economic system had been â€Å"reduced to a primitive condition† (Harlett 1978, p. 34). The Germany economy after the war was in shambles. In the housing sector, Adolph- Hitler scorched – earth policy together with the war had affected about 20 per cent of the housing. Germanys’ economic hardship had the food production per capita from 1938 to 1947 reduce by 51 per cent. In addition, the occupying powers had set the food ration between 1040 and 1550 calories per day. As compared to the industrial out put in 1938, Germanys’ out put in 1947 was only a third of the 1938 industrial output. Due to the death of a large number of working -age men during the war, Germany had inadequate labor. The economic hardship had triggered the Germany government to put in place measures that would rejuvenate the country’s’ economy. The government eliminated the price controls that were initially there, while the currency was reformed. This occurred in 1948. Later in 1948 and1949, there was reduction of the marginal tax rates. These measures saw the Germanys’ economy grow rapidly 20 years after the World War II. Germany’s economic problems can also be attributed to the World War I effects. Before the World War I, the German Empire had a prosperous economy. However,after the war,Germany’s economic prosperity was considered to have been ruined by treaties such as the 1919 Treaty of Versallies. The signing of the treaties by Germany together with the World War I effects led to great inflation in the early 1920s. Though Germany’s economy improved after the First World War, the economic problems that characterized this period to some extent came to affect Germany’s economy after the World War II. The first several years in Germany after the World War II were of great economic problems. This resulted from the destruction of property, land, and homes during the war (Klopstock, p 285). Furthermore, many Germans fled from their homes during the war, a situation that made working almost impossible. This reduced the economic productivity of the nation, whose negative effects after the war became evident. In addition to this, the industrial and agricultural production had drastically reduced in Germany. Many millions of people lacked food and clothing as the inflation raged in Germany. Food shortage had become severe and â€Å"each day, and particularly on weekends, vast hordes of people trekked out to the country to barter food from the farmers†(Wallich, p 65). Despite the economic problems that the Germans were experiencing, the political leaders were able to exploit the situation in order to build a very strong economy in future. The economic problems encouraged the German political leaders to focus on the future plans of reviving Germany’s economy. The leaders saw a new beginning in the ruined economy, where the economy was viewed as an instrument of prosperity. The need to have a prosperous economy would then assist the Germans to have a stable society, as well as to safeguard democracy. The leaders sought both the economic prosperity and social peace. A prosperous economy would also make sure that there was equal opportunity for all the German citizens so that eruption of a revolution would be prevented when bitter frustration of the underprivileged social groups was avoided. The reviving of the German economy and â€Å"economic system that had been reduced to a primitive condition† (Hazlett, p 34) due to the economic problems experienced as a result of the World War II became important. The economy was revived through the efforts of some Germans’ post war leaders such as Ludwig Erhard. The currency reforms that were introduced through the efforts of Erhard led to the abolition of the Reichmark and the Deutsche mark introduction. The installation of the new currency began in 1948 led to economic success. Furthermore, Erhard abolished the Nazi and the occupation regulations and rules. This was the beginning of a prosperous and free economy in Germany, which in turn established the foundation of a growing West Germany economy. Apart from the economic problems experienced in Germany, another major effect of the World War II(WWII) in Germany was the division of Germany into two (East and West Germany) for about 40 years. The division occurred in 1949 and ended on October 1990 to reunite the two sides. The three Allied Zones of Occupation were brought together to form West Germany. These three zones were those that were held by France, United Kingdom, and the United States. The two special territories in German’s two states were Berlin and the Saarland. Since the West was democratically organized, it considered itself to have exclusive mandate for all of Germany. The Yalta Conference that was held by the Soviet Union, United States, and the United Kingdom leaders aimed as paving the way forward for future arrangements with the Europe after the World War II. It was during the conference that the leaders decided to split Germany into four occupation Zones. These Zones included; the French Zone, American Zone, British Zone, and the Soviet Zone. West Germany was formed in 1949 and comprised of the Western Allied Zones. The Soviet Zones formed the East Germany, which was also referred to as the Germany Democratic Republic. The West Germany economy grew so rapidly due to the economic aid from the United States and also the Marshall Plan. But more importantly, the currency reforms that were introduced in West Germany strengthened the economy. Both the East and West Germany had mutual recognition of each other and the relation between the two was normalized by treaties such as the Treaty of Warsaw(1970),Basic Treaty(1972) and the Treaty of Moscow(1970). West Germany became cosmopolitan due to the western culture influences while East Germany was conservative. The East Germany adhered to the socialist ideologies, where there was less freedom as compared to West Germany. In addition, the West Germany government was more decentralized and East Germany had a government based on the Communist ideaologies. The reunification of the East and West Germany occurred on 3 October 1990 to form the Federal Republic of Germany, which is the current Germany. The Berlin Wall was constructed in 1961 to separate the two regions, but it was destroyed in 1989 after the reunification of East and West Germany. The third major effect of the World War II on Germany was the great advancement in technology. This resulted from German’s great technological ability to develop and use highly sophisticated and powerful weapons and industrial technology. Germany is considered to have developed and used some of the most powerful and sophisticated weapons during the World War II. For instance, Germany managed to develop powerful anti-aircraft weaponry, aircraft bombers, bombs, guns, rifles, and chemical weapons. The jet aircrafts which had been developed late during the war were advanced after the World War II. The Navy advancements during the World War II paved way for more technological development in the naval field. The German designs such as the Type VII submarine were used during the World War II, and the technology was later used after the war for greater advancement. For instance, after the division of Germany into West and East Germany, some of the German’s intellectual privileges that were of industrial advantage. The Allies who had control over West Germany confiscated Germans’ intellectual privileges and used them for their own companies. This led to rapid growth in industrialization due to the technology that had been developed by the Germans. Major Effects of World War II on Europe The World War II had so many countries involved, with the majority being from Europe. Examples of European countries that took part in the war included the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, France, and Poland. These countries and Europe as a continent experienced some major effects of the World War II. One major effect of the World War II on Europe was economic problems. The World War II had demanded that nations that were involved in the conflict invest their scientific, industrial, and economic capabilities. This required huge amounts of financial resources. Before the war, many European nations had very strong economic abilities. The nations’ economic and population advantage was very essential for success in the war. In addition, the European nations that had major industrial and financial developments included Germany, United Kingdom, and France. Industrial development that had spread across Europe before the war had contributed to great economic development in the European nations. The Industrial Revolution had led to rapid economic growth, which put the European nations at a good position to compete with the United States of America which was then an economic might. The World War II led to the destruction of Europe’s industrial centers and this affected negatively the high production of products or commodities that would be sold to increase economic growth in Europe (Tucker, p 771). The European infrastructure that was greatly destroyed made it hard for the citizens to undertake activities that would contribute to the economic growth. The European countries during the war had continued to increase their spending on developing and producing military weapons. There was construction of strategic road network by some European nations with the aim of increasing their probability of winning the war. The need for synthetic rubber and oil from coal to use during the war promoted great financial investments by the European nations. For instance, Britain’s’ economy was harnessed to the World War II efforts. The destruction of Europe’s infrastructure led to economic problems. The damage of the road and rail networks during the war made it very difficult for the European nations after to move the essential goods from one place to another. The economy was exhausted, a good example being Britain’s economy. For the European countries that were involved in the World War, their economies experienced severe inflation. Though rationing and luxury goods absence in Europe before the war had encouraged people to save, the people were unable to spend their savings since there were no commodities to purchase as would be preferred. The economic hardships in Europe made some European countries to borrow heavily from other nations with a strong economy such as the United States. The economic hiccups in Europe were later followed by economic recovery, where the currency reforms â€Å"quickly reestablished money as the preferred medium of exchange and monetary incentives as the prime mover of economic activity† (Heller, p 215). Another major effect of the World War II on Europe was environmental destruction. The World War II resulted to great environmental destruction. In many cases, any warfare or military conflict has very devastating effects on Europe’s natural environment. Improvements in technology during the war led to the invention of military weapons that were very destructive to the human life as well as the natural ecosystems. For example, the use of powerful and sophisticated bombs in the war destroyed animal and plant life. Furthermore, new chemical components that made up the weapons were released into the environment. This affected the soil fertility and composition, and this made it impossible for land to regain its fertility. The chemical components released from the explosives used in the war made it impossible for some arable land to be productive again. Many parts of Europe that acted as military grounds experienced great environmental degradation. The technological advancements during the World War II were incompatible with environmental preservation. War can never be compatible with the preservation and conservation of the natural environment. The environmental degradation that was occurring during the war was not a bother to the parties that were involved in the war. The military operations, destruction of natural vegetation to build communication lines and roads, and artillery shelling destroyed the environment. The new and effective ways military strategies that were used by the different nations’ forces to attack the enemies or defending themselves from the enemies increased environmental destruction. Long after the war ended, Europe’s natural environment has not yet recovered from the destruction it experienced during the war. In the era of technological advancement and industrialization, environmental issues seemed to cause very little concern in Europe, hence the effects of the war have proved that the war through technological advancement had become a great environmental threat. The increased use of chemical weapons resulted to long-lived negative effects on the environment. The waste disposal practices during and after the war in Europe resulted to â€Å"significant contamination of soils and ground water with high explosives† (Pennington et al, p 163). For example, the use of high explosives has made the recovery of the environment from destruction in Europe almost impossible. Consequently, the environment has become a health hazard to the people with the land mines that are still trapped in the soil/lands making some parts of the Europe land inhabitable. The areas were turned into waste land. Great technological advancements were another major effect of the World War II was witnessed in Europe. These changes that were witnessed were as a result of the nations that took part in the war struggle to invent and use better and powerful military weapons than their rivals. The technological development during and after the First World War promoted more advancements after the World War I . This is because, the improvements made after the World War II were an improvement on those that had earlier been invented. The inventions were considered as very critical when it came to winning the war, and this promoted technological inventions that were very instrumental to the economic development of many European nations after the war. The use of radio’s and electricity became possible due to the technological development witnessed during the wars. Research that had been intensively done by the Allies and the Axis with the aim of outdoing each other’s weapons became very important to more inventions after the war. The technological innovations of the war paved way for the naval technological development witnessed up to date. For instance, the introduction of aircraft receivers and radio communication systems during the war led to more development in naval industry long after the war. The technological advancement became a very vital requirement for survival during the war no doubt led to greater inventions after the war in Europe. Conclusion The World War II has been considered as one of the most devastating conflict to ever occur. This is due to the high number of people who were killed during the war. The various nations that were involved in the conflict invested greatly to the war efforts through finances and scientific inventions. Germany was one of the major players in the conflict and it proved to have great ability to develop and use powerful weapons against its enemies. The major effects of the war were both positive and negative. While some effects have been devastating to the people and the natural environment, others have brought about development in various fields of economic growth

Founding Fathers Of The Usa :: essays research papers

There are many people who can be considered the indirect founding fathers of The United States. Such people are The Christian Crusaders, Marco Polo, Cortez, Pizarro, and Martin Luther. The Crusades were a series of holy wars fought to win the holy land of Christianity from those who follow Mohammed. Even though these wars failed in the respect of winning the land back, they did triumph in another aspect. The crusaders introduced a lifestyle to the Europeans in the Holy Land that was more appealing than they knew before. Following the wars the Europeans returned and they created a market to deliver the desirable goods they came accustomed to in the Holy Land. This was one reason for the beginning of exploration, and ultimately led to the discovery of America. Marco Polo was a great explorer of his time. He wrote a manuscript on his voyage entitled, "The Voyage of Marco Polo." In this manuscript it said how the Kahn of China lived in riches, used fine china, decorated with gold, and used spices. When the manuscript reached the people of Europe they realized how life could better if they had the materials as did the Khan. This discovery encouraged people to find new places to find these riches. Cortez founded the city of Tenochtitlan, which was created by the Aztecs in central Mexico. He said how the people of this town lived with the riches of a Khan. They city was advanced further than any European had seen in the New World. The ruler of this land, Montezuma, lived in huge room filled with "jewels, precious stones, silver, and an astonishing amount of gold." Soon after his arrival the Aztecs rebelled. Cortez had Indian and Spanish allies and won the battle against the Aztecs. News of the conquest of Mexico created a rush of Spanish to America and led to further settling of the continent. Francisco Pizarro found the empire of the Incas in the Andes Mountains region. This empire, like the Aztec Empire, was advanced and rich in gold and silver. Inca, the head of the Empire and was considered a God, was killed by Pizarro. This lessened the spirit of the Incas and made it easier for Pizarro and his men to succeed among them. This success, again, encouraged the Europeans to settle their own area. One of the best known reformers, Martin Luther, can be considered a founding father of The United States. Luther tried to reform the Church of England, and rid it of Catholic ways.

British Literature Essay

  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Prithee, go in thyself. Seek thine own ease./ This tempest will not give me : leave to ponder/ On things would hurt me more. But I’ll go in. -/ In, boy; go first.- You houseless poverty -Nay, get thee in. I’ll pray, and then I’ll sleep. [Fool exits] Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are,/ That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm! How shall your houseless heads unfed sides,/ Your looped and windowed raggedness defend you! From the seasons such as these? 0, I have ta’en! Too little care of this. Take physic, pomp./ Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, / That thou may’st shake the superflux to them! And show the heavens more just.† — Act III, Scene 4, Lines 27—41 Literal Interpretation of the Passage King Lear is being turned out of his own castle by his daughters, Goneril and Regan. A fierce tempest is raging outside the castle and the daughters heartlessly have their father thrown out. A totally depressed King Lear speaks these lines to Kent and the Fool when they lead him to a hovel to protect him from the storm raging outside. The king asks them to go into the hovel instead and seek comfort from the storm. He is already shaken and tells them that the tempest will not let him ponder on things that will disturb him anymore. For a moment, the confused king tells them that he would go in, but immediately asks Fool to enter the hovel first. He tells them that he would like to pray before he goes to sleep. Fool enters the hovel and the king’s disturbed mind extends pity to the houseless people who are exposed to the ravages of nature. He wonders how people without a roof over their heads and without proper clothing would survive the cruelty of such a fierce storm. He wonders how wretched people, who don’t even get proper meals, get protected from seasons as harsh as these. He feels compassionate towards them and regrets that he had never before thought about things such as these. He wishes for a purgative that would flush out his pomp and seeks to expose himself to the harshness of what wretches experience. He hopes to shake some of his superfluous splendor on the wretched people and thus seek justice from heaven. Symbolic Interpretation of the Passage The play gains momentum in the third act when the king is turned out into the storm. The scene starts by the king crying out to Kent and Fool about â€Å"filial ingratitude.† He expresses his shock at his own plight and cries out aloud. The raging storm symbolizes the king’s mental status, and the intensity of the scene is immense when the old king is mercilessly made to face the storm both from outside and from within. The storm symbolizes the king’s inner turmoil and the madness that is soon to overtake him. The powerful storm also stands in stark contrast against the frail king who kneels down and prays after sending Fool inside. This is the first time in the play that the king prays. Pathos reigns supreme when the king all too suddenly remembers the â€Å"houseless heads.† The king’s own limitations, where he is thrown out in the open from the luxury of the castle is portrayed here. When the king rambles about â€Å"the pelting of this pitiless storm,† he alludes to the merciless nature of his daughters who mercilessly turn him out. The line â€Å"O, I have ta’en! Too little care of this† portrays the king’s understanding that he has been stripped of all royal pretensions and that he has never ever given a thought to something like this. He reproaches himself for being heartless in not caring for the homeless before. This throws light on the humanization of the king. Moral Interpretation of the Passage This passage highlights the plight of a mighty king who is betrayed by his own daughters and is rendered homeless. The hopeless situation to which the king is exposed is well expressed in this passage. He has lost the love of his daughters, his kingdom, and is now in the verge of losing his sanity too. The king divided up his kingdom and resigned from his duty. He was also stupid in not recognizing the affection of Cordelia and in sending her out because she refused to be a part of a flattering game. This is his sin and he is simply left to lurch in the thunderstorm by his own daughters. In such a backdrop, the brewing storm kindles the human spirit in the king. Though nature is not gentle towards the king, it does arouse the gentle feelings in him. It makes the same king who was vein enough to turn out his daughter for not taking part in a flattering game, wonder about other commoners. This play demonstrates the absurd nature of vanity and its results. The king learns a great many things by being exposed to harsh nature than when he was in the cozy realms of the palace. The great suffering of the king is beautifully depicted in this passage and one can foresee the tragedy that is soon to befall the king.

Cash Cropping in Nepal Essay

On an individual crop basis, tomatoes and potatoes were the most increasing, sensitivity analysis and scenarios suggest high variability and limited short-term impact on poverty alleviation. Profitable. On a per farm basis, 50% of the households with positive farm gross margins grew at least one vegetable crop, while only 25% of households with negative farm gross margins included vegetable crops in their rotation. Farmers have been hesitant to produce primarily for the market given the rudimentary infrastructure and high variability in prices. Farmers reported selling more crops, but when corrected for inflation, gross revenues declined over time. The costs and benefits of developing markets have been unevenly distributed with small holders unable to capitalize on market opportunities and wealthier farmers engaging in input intensive cash cropping. Farms growing vegetables had an average gross margin of US$137 per year compared to US$12 per year for farms growing only staple crops. However, the area under production is small and, while vegetable production is likely to continue Key words: Agriculture, Cash crops, Gross margin, Household economics, Market inequity, Poverty Introduction Cash cropping has been promoted by development specialists as a mechanism to alleviate rural poverty in countries such as Nepal. Programs have capitalized on existing transportation networks, the proximity to urban centers or niche markets (Panday, 1992). But there are concerns that agricultural commercialization by-passes the poor. The cash and land quality requirements of capital intensive farming may limit the capacity of poorer farmers to invest, while the risks associated with yield and price variability may limit their willingness to participate in commercial productionBoth the Agricultural Perspective Plan (APROSC, 1995) and the ninth National Plan (GON, 1998) of Nepal promote the intensification of agriculture and increased cash crop production. In the Mid-hills of Nepal near Kathmandu, potato and tomato production have increased dramatically in the last 10 years (Brown and Shrestha, 2000). But, vegetable production is demanding of soil, water, and human resources. A systematic assessment of cash cropping is required to determine the impact on household well-being. The aims of this paper are five-fold: 1) to determine the relative profitability of vegetable production in the Mid- hills of Nepal;2) to assess the economic impact of incorporating vegetables into the dominant cropping patterns; 3) to analyze the variability between households; 4) to assess the impact of fluctuations in price; and 5) to evaluate temporal changes in household well-being with the incorporation of vegetableproduction. Methods The relative profitability of agricultural production between farms provides a mechanism to compare the economic status of farming households with diversified cropping systems. An indication of the profitability of each farm can be obtained by computing gross margins, defined as total returns less total variable costs. Total returns are equal to the value of all crops produced (including crop residues), irrespective of whether the crop is sold. Total variable costs include: the purchase of seed, fertilizer, and pesticides; hiring oxen; and all labor involved in cultivation activities. Labor includes the time spent in planting, irrigation, fertilizing, spraying, weeding, harvesting and transportation and selling and includes the opportunity cost of family labor. The gross margin can thus be viewed as the return to fixed costs (land and livestock) and management. Gross margin analysis, in this context, focuses on production or income with respect to agriculture. As it does not take into account the time value of money, gross margins are not sensitive to interest rates, and are a good first approximation of financial feasibility.

How to Self-Publish a Book in 2019 7 Steps to Bestselling Success

How to Self-Publish a Book in 2019 7 Steps to Bestselling Success How to Self-Publish a Book: 7 Simple Steps to Success Learning how to publish a book and getting your ideas into the world is easier than it’s ever been. There is a wealth of knowledge available online, shared by authors who have developed proven techniques for selling more books. There are also a number of ways new authors can get access to professional services without breaking the bank.In this post, Reedsy will share a common-sense, jargon-free approach to ascending the heights of the self-publishing world.A History of Self-PublishingHow to Get a Literary Agent for Your Book Read post So far, we’ve covered writing your book, editing and designing it, planning your launch, and growing your marketing efforts. You now have enough knowledge to actually go and self publish - assuming that your finances are in place...The Financial ImplicationsMoney is an obstacle that nearly all self-publishing authors will face at the start of their career. After all, they are solely responsible for funding everything to do with the book. That being said, it doesn’t always mean that the author needs to empty their savings account.The Cost of Self PublishingHere are two resources that can help you determine your costs and find alternate ways to cover them:How Much Does it Cost to Self Publish a Book? – Based on data pulled from the Reedsy marketplace, we’ve determined the average costs of book editing services and designing a book.Crowdfunding for Authors (Free Course) – Discover tips and hacks for running a crowdfunding campaign that will help fund your book’s production and boost your launch.The upside to all this, as we hinted at earlier, is that by bearing most of the costs, the self-publishing author also gets to enjoy most of the spoils.RoyaltiesTo give you an idea of the money you can expect to make from each copy sold, let’s look at the royalties offered to both independent and traditionally published authors.Author royalties on paperbacks:Traditionally published authors can expect around 5%.Indie authors will see 20-50% depending on printing costs.Author royalties on ebooks:Traditionally published authors tend to see 20-25% of net (after the retailer’s cut).Self-published authors enjoy up to 70% if their book is priced reasonably.This massive disparity is one of the reasons why J.K. Rowling has dipped her toes into self-publishing. The ebooks and audiobooks (great, incidentally, for road trips) of her Harry Potter series are now released by her own company, Pottermore, allowing her to take the publ isher’s share of sales as well  as the author's.Additional ResourcesKnowledge is power, and for indie authors, it’s also our greatest asset. There's plenty to learn when it comes to becoming a smart and efficient publisher, so as a send-off, here are a few more resources to help you on your way to the top of the bestseller charts:Scams and Publishing Companies to Avoid – Outlining the basic scams that await indie authors, including vanity presses.ISBN for Self Publishers: The Complete Guide – Everything (and more than) you wanted to know about International Standard Book Numbers.What is Ghostwriting? And Why Do People Turn to Ghostwriters? - An intro to the world of ghostwriting, including reasons why many indie authors employ their services.How To Copyright A Book: A Definitive Guide – Tackling a fear every author shares: having their intellectual property stolen!The journey to publishing a book can be treacherous, but if you prepare yourself a dequately, and surround yourself with the right people, it can also be one of the most satisfying challenges of your life.Do you have any thoughts or questions about how to self publish a book? Drop a comment in the box below and the folks at Reedsy will get back to you.

Battle of Okinawa in World War II

Battle of Okinawa in World War II The Battle of Okinawa was one of the largest and costliest military actions during World War II (1939–1945) and lasted between April 1 and June 22, 1945. Forces Commanders Allies Fleet Admiral Chester NimitzAdmiral Raymond SpruanceAdmiral Sir Bruce FraserLieutenant General Simon B. Buckner, Jr.Lieutenant General Roy GeigerGeneral Joseph Stilwell183,000 men Japanese General Mitsuru UshijimaLieutenant General Isamu ChoVice Admiral Minoru Ota100,000 men Background Having island-hopped across the Pacific, Allied forces sought to capture an island near Japan to serve as a base for air operations in support of the proposed invasion of the Japanese home islands. Assessing their options, the Allies decided to land on Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands. Dubbed Operation Iceberg, planning began with Lieutenant General Simon B. Buckners 10th Army tasked with taking the island. The operation was scheduled to move forward following the conclusion of fighting on Iwo Jima which had been invaded in February 1945. To support the invasion at sea, Admiral Chester Nimitz assigned Admiral Raymond Spruances U.S. 5th Fleet (Map). This included the carriers Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitschers Fast Carrier Task Force (Task Force 58). Allied Forces For the coming campaign, Buckner possessed nearly 200,000 men. These were contained in Major General Roy Geigers III Amphibious Corps (1st and 6th Marine Divisions) and Major General John Hodges XXIV Corps (7th and 96th Infantry Divisions). In addition, Buckner controlled the 27th and 77th Infantry Divisions, as well as the 2nd Marine Division. Having effectively eliminated the bulk of the Japanese surface fleet at engagements such as the Battle of the Philippine Sea and the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Spruances 5th Fleet was largely unopposed at sea. As part of his command, he possessed Admiral Sir Bruce Frasers British Pacific Fleet (BPF/Task Force 57). Featuring armored flight decks, the BPFs carriers proved more resistant to damage from Japanese kamikazes and were tasked with providing cover for the invasion force as well as striking enemy airfields in the  Sakishima Islands. Japanese Forces The defense of Okinawa was initially entrusted to General Mitsuru Ushijimas 32nd Army which consisted of the 9th, 24th, and 62nd Divisions and the 44th Independent Mixed Brigade. In the weeks before the American invasion, the 9th Division was ordered to Formosa forcing Ushijima to alter his defensive plans. Numbering between 67,000 and 77,000 men, his command was further supported by Rear Admiral Minoru Otas 9,000 Imperial Japanese Navy troops at Oroku. To augment his forces further, Ushijima drafted nearly 40,000 civilians to serve as reserve militia and rear-echelon laborers. In planning his strategy, Ushijima intended to mount his primary defense in the southern part of the island and entrusted fighting at the northern end to Colonel Takehido Udo. Additionally, plans were made to employ large-scale kamikaze tactics against the Allied invasion fleet. Campaign at Sea The naval campaign against Okinawa began in late March 1945, as the carriers of the BPF began striking Japanese airfields in the Sakishima Islands. To the east of Okinawa, Mitschers carrier provided cover from kamikazes approaching from Kyushu. Japanese air attacks proved light the first several days of the campaign but increased on April 6 when a force of 400 aircraft attempted to attack the fleet. The high point of the naval campaign came on April 7 when the Japanese launched Operation Ten-Go. This saw them attempt to run the battleship Yamato through the Allied fleet with the goal of beaching it on Okinawa for use a shore battery. Intercepted by Allied aircraft, Yamato and its escorts were immediately attacked. Struck by multiple waves of torpedo bombers and dive bombers from Mitschers carriers, the battleship was sunk that afternoon. As the land battle progressed, Allied naval vessels remained in the area and were subjected to a relentless succession of kamikaze attacks. Flying around 1,900 kamikaze missions, the Japanese sunk 36 Allied ships, mostly amphibious vessels and destroyers. An additional 368 were damaged. As a result of these attacks, 4,907 sailors were killed and 4,874 were wounded. Due to the protracted and exhausting nature of the campaign, Nimitz took the drastic step of relieving his principal commanders at Okinawa to allow them to rest and recuperate. As result, Spruance was relieved by Admiral William Halsey in late May and Allied naval forces were re-designated the 3rd Fleet. Going Ashore Initial U.S. landings began on March 26 when elements of the 77th Infantry Division captured the Kerama Islands to the west of Okinawa. On March 31, Marines occupied Keise Shima. Only eight miles from Okinawa, the Marines quickly emplaced artillery on these islets to support future operations. The main assault moved forward against the Hagushi beaches on the west coast of Okinawa on April 1. This was supported by a feint against the Minatoga beaches on the southeast coast by the 2nd Marine Division. Coming ashore, Geiger and Hodges men quickly swept across the south-central part of the island capturing the Kadena and Yomitan airfields (Map). Having encountered light resistance, Buckner ordered the 6th Marine Division to begin clearing the northern part of the island. Proceeding up the Ishikawa Isthmus, they battled through rough terrain before encountering the main Japanese defenses on the Motobu Peninsula. Centered on the ridges of Yae-Take, the Japanese mounted a tenacious defense before being overcome on April 18. Two days earlier, the 77th Infantry Division landed on the island of Ie Shima offshore. In five days of fighting, they secured the island and its airfield. During this brief campaign, famed war correspondent Ernie Pyle was killed by Japanese machine gun fire. Grinding South Though fighting in the northern part of the island was concluded in fairly rapid fashion, the southern part proved a different story. Though he did not expect to defeat the Allies, Ushijima sought to make their victory as costly as possible. To this end, he had constructed elaborate systems of fortifications in the rugged terrain of southern Okinawa. Pushing south, Allied troops fought a bitter battle to capture Cactus Ridge on April 8, before moving against Kakazu Ridge. Forming part of Ushijimas Machinato Line, the ridge was a formidable obstacle and an initial American assault was repulsed (Map). Counterattacking, Ushijima sent his men forward on the nights of April 12 and 14, but was turned back both times. Reinforced by the 27th Infantry Division, Hodge launched a massive offensive on April 19 backed by the largest artillery bombardment (324 guns) employed during the island-hopping campaign. In five days of brutal fighting, U.S. troops forced the Japanese to abandon the Machinato Line and fall back to a new line in front of Shuri. As much of the fighting in the south had been conducted by Hodges men, Geigers divisions entered the fray in early May. On May 4, Ushijima again counterattacked, but heavy losses caused him to halt his efforts the next day. Achieving Victory Making skillful use of caves, fortifications, and the terrain, the Japanese clung to the Shuri Line limiting Allied gains and inflicting high losses. Much of the fighting centered on heights known as Sugar Loaf and Conical Hill. In heavy fighting between May 11 and 21, the 96th Infantry Division succeeded in taking the latter and flanking the Japanese position. Taking Shuri, Buckner pursued the retreating Japanese but was hampered by heavy monsoon rains. Assuming a new position on the Kiyan Peninsula, Ushijima prepared to make his last stand. While troops eliminated the IJN forces at Oroku, Buckner pushed south against the new Japanese lines. By June 14, his men had begun to breach Ushijimas final line along the Yaeju Dake Escarpment. Compressing the enemy into three pockets, Buckner sought to eliminate enemy resistance. On June 18, he was killed by enemy artillery while at the front. Command on the island passed to Geiger who became the only Marine to oversee large formations of the U.S. Army during the conflict. Five days later, he turned command over to General Joseph Stilwell.   A veteran of the fighting in China, Stilwell saw the campaign through until its finish. On June 21, the island was declared secure, though fighting lasted another week as the last Japanese forces were mopped up. Defeated, Ushijima committed hara-kiri on June 22. Aftermath One of the longest and costliest battles of the Pacific Theater, Okinawa saw American forces sustain 49,151 casualties (12,520 killed), while the Japanese incurred 117,472 (110,071 killed). In addition, 142,058 civilians became casualties. Though effectively reduced to a wasteland, Okinawa quickly became a key military asset for the Allies as it provided a key fleet anchorage and troop staging areas. In addition, it gave the Allies airfields that were only 350 miles from Japan. Selected Sources U.S. Army: Okinawa - The Last BattleHistoryNet: Battle of OkinawaGlobal Security: Battle of OkinawaU.S. Army: Okinawa - The Last Battle

International Political Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Political Economy - Essay Example It also mentions some of the conditions that countries need to fulfill in order to receive any assistance from the organization. Composition of the IMF Executive Board, Voting powers The member states have the liberty to participate in the IMF directly. The executive board comprises of 24 members out of which five executive directors can be elected by the member states having the maximum quota. The remaining nineteen executive directors are elected by the remaining number of members. The powers that each country enjoys are predominantly dependant on the proportional scale of their population and the economic position they hold in the entire world. The general owners of the organization are represented by the board of executive directors who are responsible for taking the major decisions and responsibilities of the organization. However, all of the names of the member countries are represented in the economic scale. This is more resembling with the theory of structuralism which was di scovered and presented by Marx. In the view of structuralism theory presented by Marx, it disputes the instrumentalist theory which considers the state as being the direct servant of the ruling class or the capitalists. Structuralism theory states consider the capitalist of production as the state being under the control of the capitalist class having superior powers. As per the members of the executive board, it is seen that members having superior positions in the IMF are actually the members who belong to the developed nations of the world which abides by the structuralism theory stated by Marx. The highest decision making authority of IMF rests with the Board of Governors. All powers of the IMF are vested in the Board of Governors. The Board of Governors comprises of a single governor as well as an alternate governor for each of the member countries. Members’ states are responsible for appointing the governor and generally the finance minister or the governer of the Centr al Bank is nominated for the position. The Board of Governors may delegate to the Executive Board all except certain reserved powers. The Board of Governors generally conducts a meeting in every year (IMF, â€Å"IMF Members' Quotas and Voting Power, and IMF Board of Governors†). The regular or day to day running of business of the organization is done by the Executive Board. Composed of 24 Directors, either elected or appointed by the member nations or also by collective groups of countries, it is also elected by the Managing Director, or the Chairman of the board. Several meetings are conducted by the Board in a single week. The works are generally conducted by the papers which are prepared or provided by the management and staffs in IMF (IMF, â€Å"IMF Executive Directors and Voting Power†). Design and operations of IMF In the 1980s a tremendous financial crisis had gripped the Latin American economy when high and bloated public debts and improper and loose monetary policies had led to very inflation rates in the economy. However, some of the conditions set by the IMF demonstrate the fact that it imposes certain restrictions or preconditions before providing aid to nations. For example, in this situation, the International Monetary Fund gad imposed financial austerity or balanced budgets as well as tighter monetary policies. The IMF demanded from the nation that it should impose the same monetary policies