Americas Role in World War II

America's Role in World War II When events began happening in Europe that would eventually lead to World War II, many Americans took an increasingly hard line towards getting involved. The events of World War I had fed into Americas natural desire to isolationism, and this was reflected by the passage of Neutrality Acts along with the general hands-off approach to the events that unfolded on the world stage. Increasing Tensions While America was wallowing in neutrality and isolationism, events were occurring in Europe and Asia that were causing increasing tension across the regions. These events included: Totalitarianism as a form of government in the USSR (Joseph Stalin), Italy (Benito Mussolini), Germany (Adolf Hitler), and Spain (Francisco Franco).A move towards fascism in Japan.The creation of Manchukuo, Japans puppet government in Manchuria, beginning the war in China.The conquest of Ethiopia by Mussolini.Revolution in Spain led by Francisco Franco.Germanys continuing expansion including taking the Rhineland.The worldwide Great Depression.World War I allies with large debts, many of which were not paying them off. America passed the Neutrality Acts in 1935-37. These created an embargo on all war item shipments. Americans were not allowed to travel on belligerent ships, and no belligerents were allowed loans in the United States. The Road to War The actual war in Europe began with a series of events: Germany took Austria (1938) and the Sudtenland (1938)The Munich Pact was created (1938) with England and France agreeing to allow Hitler to keep the Sudetenland as long as no further expansion occurred.Hitler and Mussolini created the Rome-Berlin Axis military alliance to last 10 years (1939)Japan entered an alliance with Germany and Italy (1939)The Moscow-Berlin Pact occurred promising nonaggression between the two powers (1939)Hitler invaded Poland (1939)England and France declared war on Germany (September 30, 1939). The Changing American Attitude At this time despite Franklin Roosevelts desire to help the allies (France and Great Britain), the only concession America made was to allow the sale of arms on a cash and carry basis. Hitler continued to expand taking Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and Belgium. In June 1940, France fell to Germany. Obviously, this quick expansion got America nervous and the US began to build the military up. The final break in isolationism began with the Lend-Lease Act (1941) whereby America was allowed to sell, transfer title to, exchange, lease, lend, or otherwise dispose of, to any such government....any defense article. Great Britain promised not to export any of the lend-lease materials. After this, America built a base on Greenland and then issued the Atlantic Charter (August 14, 1941)- a joint declaration between Great Britain and the US about the purposes of war against fascism. The Battle of the Atlantic began with German U-Boats wreaking havoc. This battle would last throughout the war. The real event that changed America into a nation actively at war was the attack on Pearl Harbor. This was precipitated in July 1939 when Franklin Roosevelt announced that the US would no longer trade items such as gasoline and iron to Japan who needed it for their war with China. In July 1941, the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis was created. The Japanese began occupying French Indo-China and the Philippines. All Japanese assets were frozen in the US. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor killing over 2,000 people and damaging or destroying eight battleships greatly harming the Pacific fleet. America officially entered the war and now had to fight on two fronts: Europe and the Pacific. After America declared war on Japan, Germany, and Italy declared war on the US. America actually followed a Germany First strategy, mainly because it posed the greatest threat to the West, it had a larger military, and it seemed the most likely to develop newer and more lethal weapons. One of the worst tragedies of World War II was the  Holocaust  in which between 1933 and 1945 it is estimated that from 9-11 million Jews were killed. Only with the defeat of the Nazis were the  concentration camps  closed down, and the remaining survivors freed. Events Leading up to World War II The events in Europe unfolded as follows: Early German Victories  - The Germans successfully fought off the Russians in 1942. England was being bombed, and U-Boats harassed American shipping.North Africa  - The allies led by  General Dwight D. Eisenhower  fought against the French forces who were working in conjunction with Germany in Morocco and Algeria. The allies did take Tunisia in May 1943.Battle of the Atlantic  - The allies were able to control the Atlantic sea lanes by May 1943 though the battle continued to rage throughout the rest of the war.Italy  - The allies captured Sicily in July 1943 leading to Mussolinis downfall. The Italians then joined the allies. Germany still occupied much of Italy including Rome.Normandy Invasion  - This began on D-Day, June 6, 1944. General Eisenhower led the allies onto the beaches of France. They were able to liberate Paris on August 25, 1944.Battle of the Bulge  - Germany launched a counteroffensive in December 1944.  General Patton  led the 3rd Army to victory by January 1945.The Battle of Germany  - Early in 1945, Russians invaded Germany from the East while the allies moved in from the West defeating Germany. Hitler along with many top officials committed suicide. Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945 - V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day). America followed a defensive policy in Japan until the summer of 1942. Following is a list of the events that occurred during World War IIs War in the Pacific:Early Japanese Victories  - Japan was able to have many victories in the Pacific and began attacking the Philippines. The Americans eventually had to surrender after  General Douglas MacArthur  and his troops failed to hold the  Bataan Peninsula  and the island of Corregidor. This was when MacArthur said his famous line, I will return.Pacific Offensive  - America began an offensive campaign during the summer of 1942. They defeated the Japanese at  the Battle of the Coral Sea  and  the Battle of Midway. In August 1942, America invaded Guadalcanal and by May 1943 had freed the Aleutians.Island Hopping  - The Americans led by  Admiral Chester W. Nimitz  took back many Japanese held islands on their way to the Japanese mainland. In June 1944, Saipan fell and then in July America captured Guam. In March 1945, America took  Iwo Jima  and held Okinawa by June. Philippines  - MacArthur kept his promise and returned to the Philippines after important victories in the  Battle of Leyte Gulf  (led by  Admiral William Halsey). By January 1945, they had landed at Luzon to battle for the Philippines.China  - Chiang Kai-Shek led the Chinese against the Japanese. In January 1945, the Ledo Road was opened, and the allies were able to get supplies to the Chinese who then expelled the Japanese.Atomic Bombs  - Throughout the war, America had been working on the creation of atomic bombs  through the  Manhattan Project. In August 1945, America led by  Harry Truman, who took over the presidency after FDRs death, decided to  drop atomic bombs on two cities in Japan.  Part of the rationale for this decision was that they wanted to avoid the loss of life that would accompany an invasion of the Japanese mainland.  Hiroshima  was the first target on August 6th and then Nagasaki was hit on August 9th. The two bombs killed approximately 100,000 Japanese instantly. By September 2, 1945, the Japanese had unconditionally surrendered. This was V-J Day (Victory over Japan day). American Rationing   Americans at home sacrificed while soldiers fought overseas. By the end of the war, more than 12 million American soldiers had joined or were drafted into the military. Widespread rationing occurred. For example, families were given coupons to purchase sugar based on the size of their families. They could not buy more than their coupons would allow. However, rationing covered more than just food- it also included goods such as shoes and gasoline. Some items were just not available in America. Silk stockings made in Japan were not available- they were replaced by the new synthetic nylon stockings. No automobiles were produced from February 1943 until the end of the war to move the manufacturing to war specific items. Many women entered the workforce  to help make munitions and implements of war. These women were nicknamed Rosie the Riveter and were a central part of Americas success in war. Japanese Relocation Camps Wartime restrictions were imposed on civil liberties. A real black mark on the American home front was the  Executive Order No. 9066 signed by Roosevelt in 1942. This ordered those of Japanese-American descent to be removed to Relocation Camps. This law eventually forced close to 120,000 Japanese-Americans in the western part of the United States to leave their homes and move to one of ten relocation centers or to other facilities across the nation. Most of those relocated were American citizens by birth. They were forced to sell their homes, most for next to nothing, and take only what they could carry. In 1988, President  Ronald Reagan  signed the Civil Liberties Act that provided redress for Japanese-Americans. Each living survivor was paid $20,000 for the forced incarceration. In 1989, President  George H. W. Bush  issued a formal apology. However, nothing can make up for the pain and humiliation that this group of individuals had to face for nothing more than their ethnicity. America and Russia In the end, America came together to successfully defeat fascism abroad. The end of the war would send the US into a  Cold War  due to concessions made to the Russians in exchange for their aid in defeating the Japanese. Communist Russia and the United States would be at odds with each other until the downfall of the USSR in 1989.

10 Fascinating Animal Facts

10 Fascinating Animal Facts Our world is full of animals that are wondrous and amazing! These fascinating creatures have certain adaptations that may seem strange to us, but are necessary for the animal to survive. These adaptations may be defense mechanisms that help the animal to avoid predators or they may aid the animal in obtaining food for themselves. Below are ten fascinating facts about animals that may surprise you. Fascinating Animal Facts 10. Frogs have ear drums on the outside of their heads. While frogs dont have an external ear as humans do, they have an inner ear, middle ear, and an outer ear drum or tympanum. 9. Sea otters always float on their backs when they eat. These marine mammals dine on animals including mussels, sea urchins, clams, and snails, all while floating on their backs. Their extremely dense fur protects them from the cold waters as they eat. 8. Polar bears look white, but they actually have black skin. Unlike other bears, their fur is transparent and reflects visible light. This allows polar bears, which live in the arctic tundra, to blend in with their snow covered environment. 7. Snakes always keep their eyes open, even when they are asleep. Snakes cant close their eyes because they do not have eyelids. They do have eye scales which cover their eyes and shed when the snake sheds its skin. 6. Crickets have ears on their front legs. Located just below the knees, their ears are among the smallest in the animal kingdom. In addition to crickets, grasshoppers and locusts also have ears on their legs. 5. Aardvarks can hear and smell termites and ants. An aardvark uses its long tongue to reach deep into termite and ant mounds. These animals can eat tens of thousands of insects in a single night. 4. Cobras are able to kill with a bite as soon as they are born. Baby cobra venom is just as potent as an adult cobras venom. Their bite is dangerous because cobras can inject large amounts of venom in a single bite. Cobra venom contains a neurotoxin that affects the central nervous system and can lead to paralysis, respiratory system failure, and death. 3. Flamingos have knees that can bend backward. Well actually, what looks like knees are really its ankles and heels. A flamingos knees are located closer to its body and hidden under its feathers. 2. The pistol shrimp catches its prey by surprising it with a loud banging noise made with its claws. The sound is so loud that it stuns or even kills their prey. The sound made by pistol shrimp claws can be as loud as 210 decibels, which is louder than a gunshot. 1. Some species of Australian Flower Spiders eat their mother when food becomes limited. The mother spider sacrifices herself by encouraging her young babies to attack her, dissolve her insides, and feed on her body. Cannibalism is also seen in other spider species and most often observed in relation to sexual encounters. More Fascinating Animal Facts Common Animal Questions and AnswersWhy do zebras have stripes? Why do some tigers have white coats? Find answers to these and other commonly asked questions about animals. Why Some Animals Play DeadWhen faced with danger, some animals go into a catatonic state. They appear to be dead to the world. Discover why some animals play dead. 10 Amazing Bioluminescent OrganismsSome organisms have the ability to glow. The light emitted is due to a chemical reaction. Discover 10 amazing bioluminescent organisms. 7 Animals That Mimic LeavesSome animals camouflage themselves as leaves to avoid predators or catch prey. The next time you pick up a leaf, make sure it is not a leaf impostor. Amazing Animal SensesDiscover some amazing facts about animal senses.

Proportionality and discrimination are key concepts for jus in bello Essay

Proportionality and discrimination are key concepts for jus in bello. Examine the practical consequences of these concepts in th - Essay Example It differs from jus ad bellum in the sense that while the former refers to regulations and decrees issued during a war, the latter deals with legal justification and legitimate reasons for commencing a war (Orend, n.d. p. 105). This paper examines the principles of proportionality and discrimination and their present practices with respect to principles of jus in bello. Jus in bello According to war theorists, ‘jus in bello’ refers to the rights and regulations that are followed after commencement of a war. It is a Latin term, which for a large part also evaluates and justifies a nation’s reasons for entering into warfare. At the same time, it also justifies whether the war is conducted on a just manner or not. Under any circumstance, nations are not allowed to adopt perverse means to meet their objectives. Due to this reason, jus in bello is often referred to be an ethical parameter. Thus, principles of jus in bello function with the sole objective of maintaining a coherence between the means and outcome of an armed conflict. Added to these, jus in bello performs another important function. Its principle task is to limit warfare. This is a measure to control the ever- escalating destruction and cost of war (Henderson, 2009, pp. 3-4). Principle of proportionality: jus in bello The term ‘proportionality’ refers to adoption of methods which will not only be proportional to the ends of the war, but will also help in achieving just goals. From a narrower perspective, war theorists define ‘proportionality’ as the method that is adopted by combatants for fulfilling their respective goals, without inducing mass- massacre of enemy troops. Proportionality has often become a controversial issue for it often justifies violence to a certain degree. Though the principles of proportionality are pitted against general sense of humanity, it ensures that basic respect is paid for lives and privacy. Thus, the principle of proportiona lity demands the war commanders not to chase unattainable objectives or which were relatively unimportant by paying with lives of their own military troops. This brings the principles of proportionality in line with the codes of jus in bello (Shapcott, 2013 ). Though not itself the key consideration, the principles of proportionality hugely influences one of the key concepts- humanness, and is directed towards ensuring basic human rights. Proportionality imposes severe limitations on activities of States, especially when it adopts extreme means to save few soldiers by claiming more lives. It aims at saving more lives compared to those risked at war. This makes it a ‘consequentialist concern’. Three chief principles of proportionality are- firstly, when any aspect or objective has provisions for both good and bad, the ‘good’ must be chosen. Secondly, the effectiveness of good must be taken into consideration. Lastly, in case they are unequal, effectiveness b ecomes the decisive factor (May, 2008, pp. 117- 120). Principle of discrimination Civilian immunity is central to principles of discrimination which insist that when at war, discrimination must be practiced between the combatants and the ones who are not. Irrespective of war objectives, under no circumstances the military is supposed to make the civilian population a permissible target. The principles also incorporate certain chivalric codes of conduct and customary practices, in respect to the material characteristics of armed combat. The immunity

Business Information System written assignment Essay

Business Information System written assignment - Essay Example According to the case, it is clear that the firm needs to use an enterprise resource planning system to manage its operations. In acquiring a business system, the business can acquire a system for each of the functions that it has, or it can acquire an information system that cuts across all the functions of the business. An enterprise resource planning system is a system that is designed to centrally manage all the process of the business. In other word, information is shared across all the departments in the organization. This is achieved by installing a system that incorporates all the functions of the business. If a business acquires this kind of a system, it means that all data from all its departments is centrally collected and managed which makes it easier for each department to collaborate more easily and also eliminates redundancies in functions. A customer relationship system is crucial to make sure that customers are managed properly. According to Gravely (2003, p.12), customer relationship management is a process of finding, identifying, acquiring and maintaining the most dependable customers for the business. In a modern business environment, customer management is important, and the CRM will help BMW in a number of ways. First, it will make it easier to maintain a close relationship with customers. Given the kind of products that the firm is selling, it is clear that its customers are long time customers who are going to remain using the products of the firm for a long time. Being able to have a close business as well as a personal relationship with the customers will be of importance to BMW in the long run and the CRM will help in this. The sales department will benefit from the CRM and the sales staff will be able to interact better with customers, both current and potential customers. A CRM will also help in getting and processing

Ten Paintings of Romanticism Essay Example for Free

Ten Paintings of Romanticism Essay Romanticism has flourished in the years 1800’s to 1900’s. Romanticism in the arts particularly in the visual arts is characterized by a revolt against rationalism and classicism movement. The usual approach of the artist in their artwork is about imagination and subjectivity. Intense emotion and elusiveness is attributed to romanticism. Also, paintings in the romantic era are linked with mystical portrayal, symbolism, natured, and politics. For the purpose of giving a detailed description of paintings in the Romantic period of the arts, ten painting will be analyze and describe having qualities that are reflective of Romanticism. Napoleon on his throan, by Ingres is a painting in the romantic era because of the emphasis on the individual as Napoleon is the only human character in the painting. The painting suggests the political power of Napoleon as romantic artists are often politically and socially involved like Ingres. The throne is the symbol of Napoleon’s power as romanticism is very acquainted with symbolism. Jupiter and thetis, by Ingres is mythical as the characters were characters of the Greek mythology. The painting insinuates that a great multitude of imagination is used by the artist to depict such painting where as imagination is central among the artist of the romantic period. The frontal borderline of the painting is the same as the painting entitled â€Å"Napoleon on his throne†. Emotion is also evident in the painting, evident in Jupiter and Thetis is an intense emotion due to unique colors and contours. Napoleon crossing the Alps by Jacques Louis David is a painting that discusses a political matter. The painting has also displayed kinship with nature as one of the focused aspects of romanticism. The facial expression of Napoleon is indefinable as one of the characteristics of Romantic art is elusive images. The burial of the Sardine, by Goya is a painting which is full of symbolisms. The painting expresses a powerful sense of irony and sarcasm as the painting depicts the picture of mass hysteria which is again related to political issues as one of the aspect of romanticism period. The expression in the faces of the characters in the painting are displayed in a exact manner showing the uncanny joyfulness of the characters in the painting which is again a characteristic of romanticism in art which displays mystical images. Battle with clubs, by Goya contains images which is a symbol of the struggle between the monarchists and the liberals of the North Spain. It also tackles the political issue at that time as it portrays the civil war in Spain. The painting shows the intensity of the fight as the feet of the two men fighting with clubs are already buried in the ground but the fight still continues. Satan devouring one of his sons, by Goya is popularly called Saturn. It is an improvisation of Goya on one of the characters of mythology which is central in romanticism. It also tackles the morality of the act of Saturn which is connected to social reality. The gloomy and sinister image of the painting is an intense display of Saturn’s malevolence, the exhibition of intensity is again a part of romantic art. Elohim creating Adam is an artwork of Blake which refers to a mythical narrative which is a typical of a romantic art work. The tone and the color of the painting are also reflective of the romanticism movement in art. The images in the painting also evoke a great feeling of intensity. For Marat is a painting which depicts the political inclinations of Jacques- Louis David on politics which is insightful of the romantic era. It is also shows the melancholy of a death of man struggling (which is Jacques-Louis friend which is assassinated by a lady) for passion. However, the expression of the assassinated face of Marat is elusive of emotions. The painting is reflective of the political stance of the artist as it depicts the social realities of that time. The strong display of emotions of the painting is a romantic characteristic as it showcases death caused by a passionate insistence of principles. Definitely, the painting is considered to be under the Romantic era. The painting has also been named as the Pieta of the revolution for it has awakened the minds and hearts to struggle. Satan arousing rebel angels, by Blake contains images which are reflective of the Romanticism movement. The subject of the painting is about the political stance of Blake regarding the Bible. The subject is also of great mystery and the painting is executed with a great level of subjectivity and imagination as characters from the bible are involved. The shadings and colors of the painting is exhibited to invoke a mystic and dramatic mood. Napoleon Latvia is a painting that discusses political circumstances. The painting is about Napoleon’s conquest of Russia. The painting displays an emotion of great power as the colors are striking and intense and also a distinguishing mark of the romantic era. The approach is also subjective and highly imaginative. The painting has successfully portrayed the event and the temper that transpired during Napoleons conquest. Napoleon (sick people of) Jafa by Antoine Jean Gros, is a painting that portrays societal concerns. The colors represent a great inducement of a melodramatic style of shading. The approach used in the painting is also very imaginative. The painting fall under the romanticism era because it greatly depicts the issues of the society as it shows the visit of Napoleon to the sick people of Jaffa which are victims of the plague. References: 1. Honour, H. (1979). Romanticism. New York: Harper Row.

George Orwells Animal Farm: Ignorance Of Animals And Pigs Controlling :: Animal Farm Essays

George Orwell's Animal Farm: Ignorance of Animals and Pigs Controlling Farm   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In George Orwell's book, Animal Farm, it is obvious that that the pigs, tyrants though they were, were awarded control of the farm through the ignorance of the other animals. There are various statements in the book that support this idea. After reading this piece, the importance of education should be clear.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It seemed as though the pigs created and enacted propositions, and took liberties that increased their control over the other animals, bit by bit, cajoling and threatening until the ignorant animals were convinced that the pigs' license was in their own best interests. â€Å"It was always the pigs who put forward the resolutions. The other animals understood how to vote, but could never think of any resolutions of their own.† (Page 38) This quote is symbolic of the way that animal farm was operated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The pigs acted as leaders, the other animals were followers. Especially when a new rule that involved more work was ratified. Then the pigs simply acted as overseers, and, in effect, slavedrivers of the working animals, blatantly avoiding anything physically taxing. This is demonstrated in a quote from page 35, â€Å"The pigs did not actually work, but directed and supervised the others.† Of course, the ignorant animals put forth no opposition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The sheep, cows, horses, and birds were digging their own graves when they reacted passively each time Napoleon usurped a little more power. Since very few of the animals could read, or adequately remember what was read to them, they failed to notice or object when the Seven Commandments were altered. â€Å" ....But it appears to me that the wall looks different. Are the seven commandments the same as they used to be Benjamin?....There was nothing there now but a single commandment. It ran: ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS. After that, it did not seem strange when next day the pigs who were supervising the work of the farm all carried whips in their trotters.† (Page 123) No animal protested this.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is apparent that education is a powerful weapon against tyranny.

Dress Code Essay Essay

In some high schools dress codes are being suggested. Parents and teachers believe that changing the dress code could possibly improve the learning environments in the school. In contrast, dress codes should not be changed because parents have the responsibility to supervise what their children wear, the students will lose their individuality but not their behavior in any way, and finally the school staff should be strict to begin with. Before parents start to ask for a change in other children’s wardrobe, they should first check what their child is wearing. This issue all begins at home and if the parent doesn’t see it then they shouldn’t be asking some other kid to change the way he/she dresses. As long as every parent enforced what their child wore, there would be no problem at school and the rules would be fine. Not every parent will do it, but for those who do care they should start to get rid of the inappropriate clothes that belong to their children. If the parents would be responsible enough to see and limit what their child wore, there would be no need for a change in the dress code in the first place. Enforcing a dress code would take away individuality but not change behavior. There are various â€Å"clicks† around a campus and that is what makes it diverse. Changing the dress code would discourage creativity and aesthetic values in students. People desperately try to stand out from the crowd and these rules restrict one’s fashionable rights. As a result, students just won’t change behavior and all of a sudden become thirsty for knowledge, the students will remain the same. There is no point in changing the dress code because it won’t work nor improve behavior in classrooms. The dress code would only limit individuality not personality. The dress code should be enforced not changed. Instead of telling students to buy similar outfits, which some cannot, the staff should be more stricter in dress code policies. For example, in my school teachers and staff are complaining about how girls dress. However, I have never seen them actually punish them or warn them to not do it again. If schools were to enforce the rules they come up with everyone would know not to rebel against them. The students would keep in mind that they might be punished for doing something that is against the rules. When staff begins to reinforce their rules a decrease in rule breaking will occur. Therefore, changing the strictness of the rules will bring about a better environment not a change in dress code. There is no need for a new dress code. Knowing that the parents and teachers could first change the ways they do things could help eliminate the thought of changing the dress code. Parents should limit what their children wear to respect the dress code already in effect. This will let the rest of the student body express themselves liberally and not have to give up their creativity and fashion sense. Staff should begin to enforce the rules to create the positive environment they want. Changing the dress code is the wrong alternative for an increase in academic potential.

Oscar Wilde The Selfish Giant

First of all, in order to either agree or disagree with the statement regarding Wilde's respect for children we must identify the author's tone in his narrative, â€Å"The selfish Giant†. Since it is through the complex process of speech that the author reveals his attitudes to what he is talking about, his relation to his auditor or receiver, and his assumptions about the social level, intelligence, experience, values, and sensitivity of that person. Considering this, Oscar Wilde clearly has a kind and respectful attitude towards his plot and towards the reader of The Selfish Giant. His tone refers to childhood and the conflicts around it. It perceptible due to the fact that we are conscious of a voice beyond the voices of the characters that speak in the tale. We recognize the fact that there is a voice behind all the dramatis personae, even behind the third-person narrator. This is the sense of a pervasive authorial presence that communicates through the characters a world view. Consider, for example, the tone of the following passages in Wilde's The Selfish Giant: â€Å"My own garden is my own garden,† said the Giant; â€Å"any one can understand that, and I will allow nobody to play in it but myself.† â€Å"Only in the garden of the Selfish Giant it was still winter. The birds did not care to sing in it as there were no children, and the trees forgot to blossom. Once a beautiful flower put its head out from the grass, but when it saw the notice-board it was so sorry for the children that it slipped back into the ground again, and went off to sleep.† â€Å"And the Giant's heart melted as he looked out. â€Å"How selfish I have been!† he said; â€Å"now I know why the Spring would not come here. I will put that poor little boy on the top of the tree, and then I will knock down the wall, and my garden shall be the children's playground for ever and ever.† He was really very sorry for what he had done.† Second, the characterization of the protagonist is done by the narrator and also through the dialogues, which is undoubtedly the briefest and best form of character delineation since a long description of a character asks the reader to believe rather than deduct; and not all narrators are reliable either. By contrasting the children and the giant, the reader is lead to have a negative perception of the giant and sympathize with the children: â€Å"After the seven years were over he had said all that he had to say, for his conversation was limited, and he determined to return to his own castle.† â€Å"‘What are you doing here?' he cried in a very gruff voice, and the children ran away.† â€Å"He was a very selfish Giant.† Later on, when the giant and children start to share the same garden, and the same feelings, the giant is described with a different connotation: â€Å"Years went over, and the Giant grew very old and feeble. He could not play about any more, so he sat in a huge armchair, and watched the children at their games, and admired his garden. â€Å"I have many beautiful flowers,† he said; â€Å"but the children are the most beautiful flowers of all.†Ã¢â‚¬  The characterization of the protagonist follows a development through, which is directly associated with the atmosphere and the setting. The changes that take place inside the giant's character and inside the garden are attached to each other. In addition, the action of The Selfish Giant takes place almost entirely in the Giant's property, inside the house and in the Garden, whose changes are directly related to the plot. The setting plays an important role in the dramatic events. The Garden is essential because it creates a feeling of verisimilitude or realism, since a garden is a known setting for kids. Besides, it's not merely a place of action, it is an acting place. It is a thematic space in that it assumes a thematic function, the atmosphere. The actions are shaped and somewhat predetermined by the nature of the place or setting. The Garden act as a kind of characterization device – The giant character feelings step backwards and forge ahead as the garden does, and so it happens the other way around. The Giant comes from an insensitivite and self-isolated state to the discovery of the beauty itself and the beauty of childhood, and also to a self-discovery. Therefore, the garden also follows his changes. â€Å"When they saw that the Giant was not wicked any longer, came running back, and with them came the Spring. â€Å"It is your garden now, little children,† said the Giant, and he took a great axe and knocked down the wall. And when the people were going to market at twelve o'clock they found the Giant playing with the children in the most beautiful garden they had ever seen.† Thus, Wilde uses setting and space thematically and symbolically. Most of the events in Wilde's Selfish Giant take place inside the garden. Since one of the main themes of the novel is childhood, Wilde contrasts adults and children behavior towards nature and simple things of life by opposing two settings when the manifest behaviors are in contrast: Inside the giant's house, where the nature becomes abnormal, and outside the garden, where nature takes its course without changes. â€Å"The poor children had now nowhere to play. They tried to play on the road, but the road was very dusty and full of hard stones, and they did not like it. They used to wander round the high wall when their lessons were over, and talk about the beautiful garden inside. â€Å"How happy we were there,† they said to each other.† Besides, there are plenty of symbology in the story, starting with the names of the characters. There are several fertile words in the story, the words that suggest the most to the reader. Wilde suggests all in a few lines resulting in a single concentrated impression, as a result of it the narrative moves swiftly. In the tale, the Spring is a humanized character, and so are the Winter, the North Wind, the Hail, the Frost, and the Snow. The phenomena of nature stand for complex ideas or emotions associated with it. The Giant is a symbol too, he doesn't even have a first name, so that he represents a whole group of people sharing the same idea. In opposite to children's ideas, he could represent adults, in which connotation, denotation and symbolism combine to form a multiplicity of meanings. Also, by the naming the characters by the words of â€Å"giant†, â€Å"The spring†, â€Å"The Winter†, and other characters which are not usual in the real world, the narrator intimates that the story is likely to have an atmosphere of a fairy tale (in this case, about the adult's world getting in contact with the children's world), as far as genre is concerned, or at least that the plot involves some magic or unnatural events, more specifically the climate, which reflects the mood of the giant himself.

Argumentative Essay Sample on New Media Channels

Argumentative Essay Sample on New Media Channels Defining the new media and their role in American politics is an important, albeit somewhat challenging, task. In this book, we argue that the new media are quantitatively and qualitatively different from the mainstream press. They do not simply represent a variation of the established news media. The new media have significant potential to educate, facilitate public discourse, and enhance citizen participation. They provide mass audiences with a seemingly boundless array of sources that transcend the time and space constraints of traditional media. In addition, new media technologies easily bypass national and international boundaries, bringing American citizens into contact with diverse cultures and distant happenings to an extent previously unimaginable. As such, new media have the potential to enhance the publics understanding and tolerance of different societies. However, new medias promise is undercut by the commercial and entertainment imperatives that drive them. In reality, the political role of new media is ancillary. The new media are political when politics pays. Thus the new medias role in the political realm is volatile. Their educational function is incomplete and sporadic. The new media constitute a highly diverse range of communication formats. One way of distinguishing between types of new media is to categorize them on the basis of whether they employ old or new technologies. For many forms, the term new media is a misnomer. They involve old media technologies that have been newly discovered or reinvigorated as political media. It is the extent of their politicisation that is new, not their existence. Thus there is a sense of novelty even in those media that have existed for some time. New media that employ old communication technologies include political talk radio, television talk shows, television news magazines, electronic town meetings, and print and electronic tabloids. Political talk radio, for example, dates back to the origins of radio itself in the 1920s. Early radio stations featured not only news, but also political broadcasts, such as conventions, presidential inaugurations, and speeches of presidents and other public officials. Television talk programmes also are not new. Morning variety talk shows, such as Today, Good Morning America, and CBS This Morning certainly predate the current interest in new media. The Today Show first aired in 1952, while CBS Morning News debuted five years later. Phil Donahues nationally syndicated talk programme premiered in 1970 and featured presidential candidate debates from 1984 to 1994. His programme became a significant venue for Democratic presidential primary candidates in 1992. There are many more examples of particular new media programmes that did not exist a decade ago. The nationally syndicated Rush Limbaugh radio programme appeared in 1989 and his television show first aired in September 1992. Many other talk radio hosts with large national audiences, such as G. Gordon Liddy and Michael Reagan, have emerged only in the 1990s. MTVs political campaign coverage did not debut until the 1992 presidential primary election. In addition, new media channels employing traditional media technology have surfaced in recent years. For instance, even though cable is not a new format for broadcasting, new channels designed at least partly for political talk now exist, including C-SPAN, CNBC, The Talk Channel, MSNBC, and The Comedy Channel. Some formats are genuinely new, having evolved from more recent innovations in communications technologies. The proliferation of online computer networks, coupled with an explosion in the use of home computers, has created new methods for political communication. Fax machines and voice mail operations facilitate citizens ability to register opinions with politicians and journalists. These new technologies infuse political communication with a new immediacy. The public can now receive and disseminate political messages with increased ease and speed.

Biography of Richard Aoki, Asian-American Black Panther

Biography of Richard Aoki, Asian-American Black Panther Richard Aoki was a field marshal in the Black Panther Party, the less well known colleague of Bobby Seale. Eldridge Cleaver. Huey Newton. These names often come to mind when the Black Panther Party is the topic at hand. But after his death at the age of 70 in 2009, there has been a renewed effort to familiarize the public with this Panther who’s not as well known. Fast Facts: Richard Aoki Known For: Civil rights activist, founder of the Asian American Political Alliance and field marshal of the Black PanthersBorn: November 20, 1938, in San Leandro, CaliforniaParents: Shozo Aoki and Toshiko KaniyeDied: March 15, 2009, BerkeleyEducation: Merritt Community College (1964–1966) Sociology BS, University of California at Berkeley (1966–1968) MS Social WelfareSpouse(s): noneChildren: none Early Life Richard Masato  Aoki was born Nov. 20, 1938, in San Leandro, California, the eldest of two sons born to Shozo Aoki and Toshiko Kaniye. His grandparents were Issei, first-generation Japanese Americans, and his parents were Nisei, second-generation Japanese Americans. Richard spent the first few years of his life in Berkeley, but his life underwent a major shift after World War II. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, xenophobia against Japanese Americans reached unparalleled heights in the U.S. The Issei and Nisei were not only held responsible for the attack but also generally regarded as enemies of the state still loyal to Japan. As a result, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 in 1942. The order mandated that individuals of Japanese origin be rounded up and placed in internment camps. The four-year old Aoki and his family were evacuated first to the Tanforan Assembly Center in San Bruno, and then to a concentration camp in Topaz, Utah, where they lived without indoor plumbing or heating. â€Å"Our civil liberties were grossly violated,† Aoki told the Apex Express radio show of being relocated. â€Å"We were not criminals. We were not prisoners of war.† During the politically tumultuous 1960s and ’70s, Aoki developed a militant ideology directly in response to being forced into an internment camp for no reason other than his racial ancestry. Life After Topaz After his discharge from the Topaz internment camp, Aoki settled with his father, brother and extended family in West Oakland, a diverse neighborhood that many African Americans called home. Growing up in that part of town, Aoki encountered blacks from the South who told him about lynchings and other acts of severe bigotry. He connected the treatment of blacks in the South to incidents of police brutality he’d witnessed in Oakland. â€Å"I began putting two and two together and saw that people of color in this country really get unequal treatment and aren’t presented with many opportunities for gainful employment,† he said. After high school, Aoki enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served for eight years. As the war in Vietnam began to escalate, however, Aoki decided against a military career because he didn’t fully support the conflict and wanted no part in the killing of Vietnamese civilians. When he returned to Oakland following his honorable discharge from the army, Aoki enrolled in Merritt Community College, where he discussed civil rights and radicalism with future Panthers, Bobby Seale and Huey Newton. Black Panther Party Aoki read the writings of Marx, Engels and Lenin, standard reading for radicals in the 1960s. But he wanted to be more than just well read. He also wanted to effect social change. That opportunity came along when Seale and Newton invited him to read over the Ten-Point Program that would form the foundation of the Black Panther Party. After the list was finalized, Newton and Seale asked Aoki to join the newly formed Black Panthers. Aoki accepted after Newton explained that being African-American wasn’t a prerequisite to joining the group. He recalled Newton saying: â€Å"The struggle for freedom, justice and equality transcends racial and ethnic barriers. As far as I’m concerned, you black.† Aoki served as a field marshal in the group, putting his experience in the military to use to help members defend the community. Soon after Aoki became a Panther, he, Seale and Newton took to the streets of Oakland to pass out the Ten-Point Program. They asked residents to tell them their top community concern. Police brutality emerged as the No. 1 issue. Accordingly, the BPP launched what they called â€Å"shotgun patrols,† which entailed following the police as they patrolled the neighborhood and observing as they made arrests. â€Å"We had cameras and tape recorders to chronicle what was going on,† Aoki said. Asian American Political Alliance But the BPP wasn’t the only group Aoki joined. After transferring from Merritt College to UC Berkeley in 1966, Aoki played a key role in the Asian American Political Alliance. The organization supported the Black Panthers and opposed the war in Vietnam. Aoki â€Å"gave a very important dimension to the Asian-American movement in terms of linking the struggles of the African-American community with the Asian-American community,† friend Harvey Dong told the Contra Costa Times. In addition, the AAPA participated in local labor struggles on behalf of groups such as the Filipino Americans who worked in the agricultural fields. The group also reached out to other radical student groups on campus, including those that were Latino- and Native American-based such as MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztln), the Brown Berets and the Native American Student Association. Third World Liberation Front Strike The disparate resistance groups eventually united in the collective organization known as the Third World Council. The council wanted to create a Third World College, â€Å"an autonomous academic component of (UC Berkeley), whereby we could have classes that were relevant to our communities,† Aoki said, â€Å"whereby we could hire our own faculty, determine our own curriculum. In winter of 1969, the council started the Third World Liberation Front Strike, which lasted an entire academic quarter- three months. Aoki estimated that 147 strikers were arrested. He himself spent time at the Berkeley City Jail for protesting. The strike ended when UC Berkeley agreed to create an ethnic studies department. Aoki, who had recently completed enough graduate courses in social work to obtain a master’s degree, was among the first to teach ethnic studies courses at Berkeley. Teacher, Counselor, Adminstrator In 1971, Aoki returned to Merritt College, a part of the Peralta Community College district, to teach. For 25 years, he served as a counselor, instructor and administrator in the Peralta district. His activity in the Black Panther Party waned as members were imprisoned, assassinated, forced into exile or expelled from the group. By the end of the 1970s, the party met its demise due to successful attempts by the FBI and other government agencies to neutralize revolutionary groups in the United States. Although the Black Panther Party fell apart, Aoki remained politically active. When budget cuts at UC Berkeley placed the future of the ethnic studies department in jeopardy in 1999, Aoki returned to campus 30 years after he participated in the original strike to support student demonstrators who demanded that the program continue. Death Inspired by his lifelong activism, two students named Ben Wang and Mike Cheng decided to make a documentary about the onetime Panther titled â€Å"Aoki.† It debuted in 2009. Before his death on March 15 of that year, Aoki saw a rough cut of the film. Sadly, after suffering several health problems, including a stroke, a heart attack and failing kidneys, Aoki died on March 15, 2009. He was 70. Following his tragic death, fellow Panther Bobby Seale remembered Aoki fondly. Seale told the Contra Costa Times, Aoki â€Å"was one consistent, principled person, who stood up and understood the international necessity for human and community unity in opposition to oppressors and exploiters.† Legacy What distinguished Aoki from others in the black radical group? He was the only founding member of Asian descent. A third-generation Japanese-American from the San Francisco Bay area, Aoki not only played a fundamental role in the Panthers, he also helped to establish an ethnic studies program at the University of California, Berkeley. The late Aoki’s biography based on interviews with Diane C. Fujino reveals a man who counteracted the passive Asian stereotype and embraced radicalism to make long-lasting contributions to both the African- and Asian-American communities. Sources Chang, Momo. Former Black Panther leaves legacy of activism and Third World solidarity. East Bay Times, March 19, 2009.  Dong, Harvey. Richard Aoki (1938–2008): Toughest Oriental to Come out of West Oakland. Amerasia Journal 35.2 (2009): 223–32. Print.Fujino, Diane C. Samurai Among Panthers: Richard Aoki on Race, Resistance, and a Paradoxical Life. Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press, 2012.

Thinking about Death Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Thinking about Death - Research Paper Example However, as we shall see, this is modulated very differently in all three examples. Section 1: Henry James, loss and self-actualisation. The critical apogee of Henry James’ story, The Beast in the Jungle, comes only moments from the end in which the protagonist comes to understand himself. The self-awareness that John Marcher develops is critically, and inextricably, linked to the death of Mary Bartram. By connecting Mary’s death with Marcher’s epiphanies about his own life, the realisation of loss, ironically, becomes about the discovery of self-knowledge and the truth about life itself. The story of Marcher’s and Bartram’s relationship is defined by Marcher’s belief that he has an unusual fate: to die by some catastrophic event, what he terms ‘the beast in the Jungle’. It is for this reason that he decides that he will attempt to protect others and himself by not falling in love with others, or developing a deep connection with someone. This fate is developed throughout the novella and then finally achieved in the final moments of the work, when Marcher comes to understand his failure to connect to another person. ... ... He saw the Jungle of his life and saw the lurking Beast; then, while he looked, perceived it, as by a stir of the air, rise, huge and hideous, for the leap that was to settle him. His eyes darkened--it was close; and, instinctively turning, in his hallucination, to avoid it, he flung himself, face down, on the tomb.’ (James, The Beast in the Jungle) Instinctively, the reference to throwing himself down on his tomb points out the connection between Mary’s death and his achievement of his fate. Mary’s death is intimately connected to the acquisition of self-knowledge. He comes to understand, and in that moment achieves, his fate. The loss of Mary at this point becomes then the catastrophic event in his life; he realises what he has lost at the last, and is pained by it. Just as he comes to understand his fate, he comes to understand the way in which he and Mary had lived, and his ultimate failure in life. He comes to understand that his life was a solipsistic o ne. Marcher’s life is detached—detached from human connections, from the emotions and the intensity of profound connection that defines Mary’s life. This is expressed in a number of ways. Recall for instance his inability, in the opening scene of section 1, to remember his earlier meetings with Mary. (It is also expressed in the third person perspective of the narrator, for example.) The consequences of this solipsistic, detached life are brought home to him in the final scenes when faced with Mary’s death. She had offered him an escape from his fate: ‘The escape would have been to love her; then, THEN he would have lived. SHE had lived--who could say now with what passion?—since she had loved him for himself; whereas he had never thought of her (ah how

Personal Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 33

Personal Statement - Essay Example Therefore, I have decided to take a step to pursue the next level of education in order to continue acquiring more knowledge that is beneficial to the society and me. In this case, in order to realize my full potential, I had to apply in one of the best institutions offering the PhD program that I need to proceed with pursuing of my academic goals. After identifying this institution, I had to apply hoping that I stand a chance to be one of your students, having met all the requirements for pursuing the program. Knowledge  acquired from my degree and master’s program has facilitated interaction with different people and sharing of relevant ideas with them. After graduating in 2002, I worked as an English teacher under the ministry of education until 2006. Later in 2009, I joined the Arab Open University, where I became a part-time lecture until 2010. During the same year, I worked with the Training center of public security as a part time English Instructor. I later joined Taif University under the ministry of higher education working as English lecturer. Therefore, throughout this career path, I have faced challenges, which serve as a source of inspiration to acquire more knowledge in the field, in order to develop other ways of dealing with the problems in my field. In this case, I believe that by pursuing the PhD program, I will be able to acquire more knowledge that will benefit others people and me. I have spent a significant part of my life acquiring knowledge, and spending time and energy on gaining experience in the field of linguistics. I had set objectives such as laying a good foundation of knowledge by acquiring basics from the degree program, which facilitated achievement my long-term goals to pursue my PhD program. Therefore, through this way, I have been able to learn and cope with the rate of changes occurring in this field. In this case, my perception towards achievement of career objective is not about making a good living, but has