Social movement protest art -- Mexican American inequality in usa Research Paper

Social movement protest art -- Mexican American inequality in usa - Research Paper Example Consequently, he encouraged her and supported her artistic work. Frida’s paintings depicted her tumultuous and painful life. Nonetheless, her paintings made her leave a legacy as the greatest Mexican woman painter. She used a distinctive style of folkloric in her paintings, mainly on the different experiences and aspects of her life (Meadows, p. 57). Her paintings were self-portraits and still life, mostly capturing moments in her life. The issues she covered in her paintings included her unstable relationship with Diego Rivera, her inability to have children, psychological and physical pains after a bus accident, and other experiences she had (Meadows, p. 57). Similarly, Diego Rivera is considered the greatest Mexican painter of the 20th century. He was born in 1886 in Guanajuato, Mexico (CMMCA, p. 10). He chiefly excelled in the international art scene, where he championed the reintroduction of fresco painting into the modern art and architecture arena. He was also known for his radical political views and obsessive romance with Frida Kahlo, which intrigue the public even in modern times (CMMCA, p. 1). Through exhibitions in public spaces and galleries in the 1930s and early 1940s, Rivera brought his unique art and vision into the public. Through these exhibitions, he enlightened and inspired artists as well as his audiences. Using the fresco or wall painting genre in universities and other public buildings, he managed to introduce his work into the daily lives of the people (CMMCA, p. 2). Rivera favored fresco paintings, which are murals done on fresh plaster. Some of the themes dear to him included the physical process of human development and technological progress and its effects on life and lifestyle (CMMCA, p. 2). His other themes were the future of humanity and history. Being a Marxist, Rivera used his medium as a cure for the elite walls of galleries and museums. He was not only interested in history and human

International Sales Contracts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

International Sales Contracts - Essay Example Contract of sale is explicit and aid in deciding the issues, there are circumstances where the intention of the parties do matter apart from the legal terms forming part of the contract of sale. However as has been pointed out by Lord Wright in Ross T Smyth and Co Ltd Bailey, Son and Co1 the intention of the parties cannot be subjected to any proof; rather the intentions can be ascertained â€Å"from the terms of the contract, the conduct of the parties and the circumstances of the case.† This paper brings out the implications of the observations of Lord Wright about the intentions of the parties to a contract of sale with regard to the FOB and CIF contracts and also the improvements if any brought about by section 20A newly introduced by the Sale of Goods (Amendment) Act 1995 on the position of the CIF buyer of bulk goods. According to the basic principle in the law relating to the contract of sale, all the terms of the contract depends entirely on the intention of the parties to the contract. Though this situation is true in a number of cases this position is usually forgotten by the parties involved. However such intentions cover even the terms governing the time at which the title and risk pass to the buyer. Hence it can be stated that only under the circumstances where the intention of the parties is not clear or if the agreement between them is silent the law relating to the sale of goods provides the missing terms to conclude the contract or settle the dispute if any. This position of importance given to the intention of the parties in a contract of sale is recognized even by the common law statutes and the civil codes. Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979, the ‘intention of the parties’ has been referred to in a number of instances. Under section 10 the phrases â€Å"unless a different intention appears from the terms of the contract† are being used. Sections 17(1), 18 and 20 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 also have used the intention of the parties.

Poverty in the United States Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Poverty in the United States - Research Paper Example He cited the example of children, who have been raised in underprivileged environment, faces noticeable shortcomings in terms of cognition, academic achievements and emotional wellbeing. Poor individuals, he says have a lower mortality rates and unhealthy lifestyles, they have small opportunity of good education and an unstable family background. He is of the opinion that declining levels of poverty results in enhancement of healthy economy as it increases the purchasing power of the masses which in return boosts the economic growth and living standards. Also, he states, poverty provokes social disorder and sets the stage for criminal acts and furthermore, it reduces public confidence in the constitution (2-3). It is important to note, however, that poverty has always remained existent in the world since its inception, the unequal distribution of resources, social ostracism, inequality in justice and the accumulation of wealth within a few have been characteristics of mostly all huma n settlements. Lawson and Lawson shares that a basic diet consisting of the required amount of calories, shelter and clothing is the need of the humanity, they further elaborate that poverty varies from time to time and to location, as the dietary standards and conditions of clothing and shelter changes, therefore, the parameters of poverty in the United States is completely different from that of poverty in Somalia (15). In the seventeenth century, the English government wanted to relief themselves of their poor population and convicts, and was of the intention to unload them in the new land, the Americas. A company called the Virginia Company, chartered by King James I, financed the transportation costs in return for labor; many convicts migrated (Axelrod 10). Axelrod further states that for some of these new colonizers, the risk paid off and they were employed as contracted laborers, finished their period of service and became freed farmer, but others found barren land and broken promises in the new land. Reef describes the conditions of these free indentured servants, she says, it was a matter of great hardship for them to move up from being the most underprivileged society since they lacked the necessary resources, it is estimated, she revealed, that a mere tenth of indentured servants became wealthy farmers, another tenth artisans and the rest, if their death did not occur, became labored workers or nomads, who roamed from cities to cities in the quest for food, employment and change of fortune (4). According to Lawson and Lawson, the Industrialization began in America at the end of eighteenth and the beginning of nineteenth century and accompanied some very drastic changes in the American society. They argue that even though, the industrialization era brought about greater productivity and capital to the nation, but it also invited poverty and rendered a number of people homeless. They stated that the increasing population of emigrants from Europe who s ettled in America, increased competition in terms of employment and accommodation amongst the colonizers; this led to increased form of demarcation in relation to race, ethnicity, class and poverty (17). Reef reveals that between the period of August 1619 to January 1808, when the act of importing slaved to the United States became illegal, the traders, smuggled about 400,000 African

Improving Organization Retention Paper Essay Example for Free

Improving Organization Retention Paper Essay Organizations often experiences staffing issues; therefore, one department will be asked to cover for another. However, these issues can be generated from several aspects within an organization such as staffing issues, financial issues, and organization retention. Subsequently, the organization administration must endeavor to sort out the best strategy to resolve these issues. In this particular paper the underlying issues involves staffing. â€Å"Strategies for improving the employee selection process include tracking recruitment sources; using realistic job previews (RJPs); using assessment tools and interviews to predict turnover; and hiring for fit and motivation (Barrick Zimmerman, p. 1 Para 6 2005). Moreover, an organization that implements a successful staffing approach will essentially establish a positive influence regarding employee retention. Nevertheless with this paper organization retention will be discussed in details, and work motivation theories will be applied to improve employee recruitment and retention at JC’s Casino. An examination of potential occupational stressors that are considered as a negative influence on recruitment and retention as well as a significant proposal will be demonstrated. Furthermore, the role of job satisfaction and its influence on retention at the casino, and recommendations for improving job satisfaction of the employees, and how that can play a part in successfully improving retention will be discussed. Ultimately, a discussing regarding counterproductive employee behavior occurring at the casino as well as what suggestions that would reduce the counterproductive behavior and increase productive employee behavior will be demonstrated as well. JC’s Casino This particular casino is in disarray as the result of unpredictable staffing issues, which essentially caused the casino dealers to leave. In fact, the dealers obtain employment with other casino that merely offered a lower wage rate in contrast to his or her former employment. Moreover, the casino housekeeping staff itself was experiencing issues because of the absenteeism and the high turnover of rooms. Consequently, this issue essentially impinged on other departments within the casino because of the required staff needed to manage the casino was lacking. Indeed, this concern did not impress the casino customers; in fact, it merely produced more chaos as the hotel had to adjust the check -in times, and hire additional staff to work in the luggage room. The customers who arrived earlier had to be accommodating as the organization policy entailed. However, the owner is unaware of the magnitude of the issues, which surrounds the casino itself. In essence, the owner merely knows of the specifics such as the dealers was dropping off like flies, and casino customers were becoming increasingly displeased regarding the untimely check-in transformation. Following, these issues and the whole story enlighten; one could understand why this particular organization desires urgent assistance as a means to improving the organization retention. Motivation Work theories One of motivation work theories that will be employed involves the Douglas McGregor’s X-Y Theory. Douglas McGregor (1906-1964) was the creator of one of the leading exceptional management theories without comparison. He hypothesized that a management position is considered as one of the most significant position within a corporation. In essence, he proposed that it was the manager responsibility to encourage and unveil the vast creative capability within people. McGregor introduced two significant forms of management approaches, which essentially started the development of his X and Y theories: the authoritarian and the participative. The Theory X authoritarian management style, employees are inherently lazy, and the individual would generally have to be forced to work. Nonetheless, under the Theory Y participative management style, employees would discover work as favorable. McGregor also emphasize that, under the proper management, all employees are naturally Theory Y employees (Kallio, 2006). The X Theory is primarily centered on a fashion of management and leadership that is authoritarian, whereas the Y Theory tends to employ more constructive aspects of leadership. Consequently, McGregor’s theory can relate to JC’s Casino situation as it expresses organization development. The Y Theory will allow the staff members to make progress and advance. This way of thinking, in view of this aspect it would be a plus to employ as a means to enhance recruitment and retention within The JC’s Casino. To embark on this journey first, the Y Theory will permit the manager to support employees’ incentives in place of reprimand and demerits. The Y Theory managers deem that each employee like work, and work for the good of the organization, which generates capitalization on competency between the employees. The Y Theory manager would give employees the chance of an independence of creativeness, which would form motivated and faithful employees who appreciate his or her job. The Y Theory managers also work toward building meaningful and productive relationships with their employees. These managers contend with McGregor understanding that the responsibility of management is to allow their employees to express their vast creative potential (Skidmore, 2006). One significant aspect, the Y manager would offer an open dialog with employees and other departments and through displaying leadership by leading with example. Domination and reprimand are not always the best, and the only method to create profitable workplace. In fact, the work itself should be asked and not commanded as a manager subscribing to the X Theory would be more likely to perform. However, the success of either of these theories would essentially depend on -the -job as well as the individual. Some people require unvarying direction and others will excel with little or no direction. In essence, it would fall back on what the individuals work best with regarding Theory X and Theory Y would come into play motivational wise. Another significant theory is called the Z theory founded by William Ouchi. This particular theory is identified as the â€Å"Japanese Challenge† within the management, which is employs the Y Theory and modern Japanese management principals. Although the employee within this theory must have the proper mind-set at all times for tasks with complete liability regarding the ultimate result of tasks. â€Å"Nevertheless, Theory Z essentially advocates a combination of all thats best about theory Y and modern Japanese management, which places a large amount of freedom and trusts with workers, and assumes that workers have a strong loyalty and interest in team-working and the organization. An individual behavior and environment can change unexpectedly; thus, this particular theory lacks the strength, and direction contrasting to the McGregor X-Y theory that involves great motivational suggestions and reasoning. Occupational Stressors JC’s Casino organization have a high stress level profession as well as a high stress level that often surfaces between employees. This type of environment entails customers who are commonly inebriated and often irritated; thus, workers must intervene if necessary. Consequently, recruitment and retention should be meticulous because a casino environment can be challenging and not for everyone. According to researcher’s casinos that implement Anger Management courses that include procedures for recognizing and managing stress, which displayed a higher results regarding employee contentment (Internet Reference, Anger Stress in Casinos-www.andersonservices.com). Role of Job Satisfaction To implement employee satisfaction the primary focus would be directed toward researching other successful casino such as Ki-Joon Back, a Korean casino. This casino successfully has applied an employee job satisfaction and organizational assertion. The Korean casino embarks on requiring the employees to engage in a survey questionnaire; consequence aided management by enhancing the condition of employee satisfaction. Moreover, this type of method can be employed within JC’s Casino with the same results. One must first follow- up on the results such as provide ongoing training, health care benefits, and maintain an open dialog with employees. Each aspect should be permanent to ensure employee satisfaction, recruitment as well as retention. Furthermore, the organization should also present employees with necessary supplies according to the resources. When employees are provided with the required supplies it will create a better atmosphere and enhance self-respect and retention. It is significant to bear in mind that integrity generally starts on the top of administration and can seep into the workers (Internet Reference, CQX.com-Cornell Hospitality Quarterly Management). Employee Behavior According to Global Gaming Business regarding employee’s behavior within type of environment by which it emphasizes that when counterproductive behavior occurs in a casino the management should tackle the issue immediately as well as the peoples involved instead evading the situation. Casino policy should be made unquestionably and sincerely to employees who in turn create an appreciation amid management and staff. Management must be the voice of logic when dealing with rumor or complex concerns. Management must take the led to sort out personally grievances and issues on the floor during his or her shift, and one should by no means leave issues unresolved. However, JC’s Casino has two key vital focal points here concerning behavior perceived as counterproductive, which starts with Joe, the tyrannical pit boss, and the above rate of absenteeism among the housekeepers. Management must correct the issue with Joe; in fact, he needs to be taught that his method of working and dealing with his coworkers is causing counterproductive. His behavior is essentially causing the employees to perform inadequately, and resulting in employees to leave the casino. Joe must be retrained and needs to from this point on apply a Y Theory approach in which he works with his employees instead of his former method. In case for some reason he refuses or cannot adjust management must consider reinstating him or shifting him to a position because his behavior is not complimentary to the organization. Another point counterproductive to the company is the above rates of housekeepers as absent from work. The casino pays a fair wage, but because of the shortage of staff the housekeepers undergoing overworked and underappreciated beliefs. The casino needs to employ a new management agenda in which the managers had a better mentality and could create an enhanced working environment for the employees. Conclusion Indeed, based on this finding manager knowledge, skills, and abilities are highly necessary. A management position is considered as one of the most significant position within a corporation. The JC Casino entails numerous significant facets and layers that could be perceived as challenging and are causes for concern. If management maintains this model, change decision-making methods and mindsets, aid employees with healthier working conditions and with respect. This will lead to longer retention and will eventually lead to a better more efficient recruitment process, which will aid the JC Casino as it continues to soar, and becomes profitable. Management must correct the issue with Joe; in fact, he needs to be taught that his method of working and dealing with his coworkers is causing counterproductive. Ultimately, the corporation expects the manager to be prepared to work harder, and to put forth more effort than the others leading by the example. The effectiveness of either of these theories would ultimately come to depend on- the- job and the workers. References Barrick, M. R. Zimmerman, R. D. (2005). Reducing voluntary, avoidable turnover through selection. Global Gaming Business Vol.9. No. 2, (Internet Reference, CQX.com-Cornell Hospitality Quarterly Management. (Internet Reference, Anger Stress in Casinos-www.andersonservices.com (Internet Reference, Motivational theories-www.businessballs.com. (Internet Reference, http://www.businessballs.com/mcgregor.htm. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, 159-166. Retrieved April 4, 2011 Kallio, B. (2006). Mcgregor, Douglas. Encyclopedia of Educational Leadership and Administration. Retrieved on April 4, 2011, from http://www.sage-ereference.com/edleadership/Article_n368.html Skidmore, M. (2006). Theory X, Theory Y. Encyclopedia of Educational Leadership and Administration. Retrieved on April 4, 2011 from, http://www.sage-ereference.com/edleadership/Article_n566.html /

Impact of Air Power Theory in WW2

Impact of Air Power Theory in WW2 Did â€Å"air power theory† do more harm than good before the outbreak of â€Å"and during† the Second World War? This essay will examine the meaning and impact of â€Å"air power theory†, a theory which took shape after World War One, which predicted that air power would be the single most important factor in the outcome of future wars. We will briefly examine the impact this theory had on the interwar Military planning and strategies of the major powers, as well as the influence of air power theory during the Second World War itself. The first part of our essay looks at what â€Å"air power theory† is, we shall look at the two major air power theorists, Giulio Douhet[1] and Billy Mitchell[2] and examine the differences and similarities between the two. Secondly we shall examine the negative impact of the â€Å"air power theory†, both in its implementation by the US and Britain and the shortcomings of the theory as demonstrated during the Second World War. The third part is concerned with the successful implementation of air power theory by the US and Britain before and dur ing the Second World War which led to positive military outcomes for the respective nations during the War. Finally we will attempt to conclude on whether the overall impact of â€Å"air power theory† during this time period can be judged positively or negatively. The most famous of the air power theorists, General Giulio Douhet was a passionate advocate on the fundamental importance and potentially revolutionary application of air power, specifically strategic bombing, as the most important means to win future wars. Douhet served with the Italian armed forces in Libya during the Italy – Turkey war of 1911 and during World War One, during which time aircraft were being used for the first time in military engagements. In 1921 he published â€Å"The Command of the Air† , arguably one of the most important works in air power theory and a endorsement of the power of precision bombing to win quick, decisive but devastating future wars. â€Å"I have maintained, and continue to do so, that in the wars to come the decisive field of action will be the aerial field†[3] It is not necessary to go into complex detail regarding Douhet’s theories of war, as we may summarise them into five key points. Firstly Douhet stated that modern and future warfare would give no distinction between civilian and combatant, that the previously taboo targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure would be a thing of the past. Secondly, Douhet believed, no doubt influenced by his experiences from the First World War, that a quick, decisive victory using purely ground forces was no longer possible. Thirdly, that there was at the time, and most importantly for Douhet, would never be an effective anti aircraft measure that could prevent heavy strategic bombing from destroying its target. â€Å"Consequently I say, no aerial defence, because it is practically useless†[4] . Following on from this point, and arguably the most controversial in terms of the suffering it was seen to have led to, Douhet stated that the only way to defend against an enemy strategic bombing and to ultimately win a war was to launch a massive bombing campaign that would devastate the target’s government, industrial infrastructure and ability to make war, as well as so demoralising the enemy population that the shattered civilian population would force their Government to sue for peace or surrender unconditionally. Finally, and sharing a similar viewpoint with Mitchell, [5] there was a need for a nation’s air force to be completely independent of both the army and navy, and to constantly maintain a state of readiness in the event of needing to deal the knockout blow to the enemy. [6] Although borrowing many of his ideas from Douhet and others, American General Billy Mitchell did combine many air power theories at the time to create a structured, well thought air power theory which some might argue was more comprehensive and realistic than the ideas of Douhet.[7] Like Douhet, Mitchell wanted a centralised, independent air force, but unlike Douhet Mitchell wanted a centralised structure for all types of airpower, each given equal importance, whereas Douhet was concerned primarily with strategic bombers, any other type of aircraft was for him possibly useful but certainly secondary to the importance of the bombers. Mitchell also did not share Douhet’s view of strategic bombing being impossible to defend against. Mitchell wanted equal resources dedicated to both offensive and defensive air capabilities, and envisioned a wider role for ground attack and fighter aircraft that could be used as bomber escorts.[8] What both theories have in common however is their firm belief that air power would be absolutely vital, indeed the most important factor, in any future wars. Both men died before seeing that in the awful carnage of the Second World War, their theories were far from entirely accurate. When looking at the use of air power in the Second World War, it is clear that air power, in particular strategic bombing, did not make land and navy forces obsolete, and that both Douhet and Mitchell had both overestimated the destructive and defensive capabilities of strategic bomber aircraft. â€Å"Successful warfare still depended upon the movement of armies to occupy land, and the movement of ships to provide supplies and men,†[9] Although it played an important role throughout the War, the majority of fighting in Europe, in particular on the Eastern front was done with conventional land armies. Douhet had predicted that Britain’s mighty navy would be useless against a co-ordinated air assault, yet the British navy and merchant fleet was the lifeline supported the war effort with supplies from America and beyond. And certainly Douhet’s assertion that land forces were no longer capable of achieving quick, decisive victories does not stand up when looking at t he German Blitzkrieg campaigns between 1939-1941. In the 1930s Britain had slashed military spending, partly as a result of having to support the mass of unemployed during the great depression and partly due to an increasing anti war feeling in some parts of British Society. The exception to this was spending on Bomber Command, the part of the RAF responsible for strategic bombing. Strategic bombing offered a solution to the horrors of the First World War’s trench warfare, a decisive, relatively humane way in which to fight and end a war. Before the beginning of the war the emphasis was fortunately shifted to air defence, investing in innovations such as radar and fighter interceptors to shoot down German bombers. Following through with Douhet’s theories, as Bomber Command wished to, could have been a disaster for the defence of the British Isles, leaving them literally defenceless in the face of the Luftwaffe. [10] Both the USAF and Bomber Command continued throughout the war, as well the interwar period, to seriously miscalculate both the destructive capabilities and accuracy of strategic bombing. Technology had not solved the problems that both Douhet and Mitchell had overlooked in their theories, which failed to seriously take into account weather conditions, inaccurate targeting of enemy targets, as well as being able to ascertain which type of industrial targets would cause the most damage to the enemy’s war making capabilities. Air power theory also seriously overestimated the ease to which Bombers could make their targets without being shot down. Even after Bombers were given fighter escorts, the losses to Bomber crews were horrific. â€Å"The night bombing offensive against German cities and transportation targets between 3 September 1943 and 2 September 1944 cost the command 17,479 flying personnel killed in action or dead of wounds†[11] When considering the harm inflicted by air power theories, undoubtedly we cannot ignore the huge loss of civilian life lost in strategic bombing raids, committed by German, British and American Bomber crews against civilian targets during the Second World War. It is estimated that more German civilians were killed by allied bombing, than the combined casualty rate of British servicemen during the war, a staggering 543,000 dead.[12] At the heart of this bombing campaign against civilians was one of the most important aspects of air power theory. The theory that a targeted bombing campaign designed to kill civilians and spread terror amongst a population that would then force its Government to capitulate. The theory was fatally flawed against a totalitarian regime where citizens knew that talk of surrender was likely to get one shot. The campaign undoubtedly affected German civilian morale, yet unlike the targeted bombing against industrial infrastructure it did not significantly affec t the Nazi war making capabilities nor convince them to consider surrender whilst Hitler was in power. [13] Despite many aspects of air power theory being flawed and causing what many consider a waste of lives and resources; I believe that the broad application of air power theory by both the British and the Americans played a serious impact in their final victory over the axis powers. Both Douhet and Mitchell believed that in order to maximise the potential of air power, a nation’s air force must be independent of both the army and navy. Williams in particular promoted the idea of a centralised, independent air command for all types of air power, equal in importance and as independent as the army and navy. Despite the near legendary status of the Luftwaffe, it was primarily meant and used as a support for the army, both in the interwar period and throughout the Second World War. The Germans had a limited air strategy, the Luftwaffe lacked complete independence and was not always given the same amount of resources as the army and navy. The British and the Americans both before and during the War placed a huge emphasis on a general air power strategy, giving the RAF and the USAF operational independence to formulate an independent strategy and the huge amount of investment, personnel and resources necessary to carry out that strategy successfully. [14] The comprehensive general air strategy that Britain possessed during the Battle of Britain, with equal emphasis on offence and defence, allowed it to resist the strategically limited Luftwaffe which from the beginning lacked the scientific air power knowledge of the better supported, more independent, RAF. When the allies went on the offensive, gaining air superiority over Europe was vital in both protecting allied land forces and speeding up the advance by inflicting serious damage on German forces of any kind. Once Germany lost control of the skies they were forced back onto the defensive, unable to effectively counter attack without sufficient air cover and with in adequate defence against air power. Although we have previously criticised the civilian bombing of German cities, strategic bombing of German industrial targets undoubtedly slowed down their ability to rebuild their forces and severely hampered the Nazi war economy. [15]Although enthusiastic advocates of air power, by not following through with the main principles of air power theory, the German war machine found itself at a distinct disadvantage against the Western allies. Once USA and Britain had gained domination of the skies, as Douhet and Mitchell had insisted was vital, it was never in doubt that the defeat of Nazi Germany was inevitable. â€Å"The influence of air power on the ability of one nation to impress its will on another in armed contest will be decisive.†[16] During the final stages of the War in the Pacific, the USAF demonstrated that one of Douhet’s most controversial theories, the use of strategic bombing to target not only military and industrial infrastructure but also civilians, could effectively bring a war to an end without the need for military conquest on land. Although the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were credited for ending the war, the conventional heavy bombing of Japan actually inflicted more casualties on Japanese civilians, and played a greater part in destroying Japan’s war making capabilities.[17] Undoubtedly the effect of heavy bombing and dropping of the atomic bombs was the single most important factor in forcing political pressure inside Japan to convince the leadership that surrender was the only option, Japan could simply not continue to fight the war.[18] The atomic bombs were the only time that the Douhet and Williams theories of the destructive potential of a short, decisive ove rwhelming bombing raid that could bring an enemy to its knees proved accurate. For many academics and observers, the strategic bombing of Japan is still considered one of the greatest crimes of the Second World War. Despite the awful suffering it caused however, I would argue that it ultimately did more good than harm, preventing a military land assault on Japan that would have cost potentially the lives of hundreds of thousands of American Soldiers and millions of Japanese citizens. Even without an invasion, conventional heavy bombing would have soon equalled then surpassed the amount killed in Nagasaki and Hiroshima in a relatively short space of time, so devastating was its effectiveness. The unconditional surrender was without doubt the best thing for both Japan and America, and it might never have happened if the atomic bombs had not been dropped. In conclusion then, I believe that ultimately, for the allies, the adoption of the broader aspects of air power theory was a positive thing. Many of what Douhet and Williams said about air power did not come true in the Second World War. It did not replace armies and navies as the pre-eminent factor in warfare. It did not lead to wars being settled in a matter of days with a short, destructive bombing campaign and their predictions of the destructive capabilities and accuracy of conventional strategic bombing, with the possible exception of Japan, were to prove ludicrously optimistic. Undoubtedly however, by adopting Mitchell’s theory of creating a centralised, independent air force that was given the necessary resources to achieve its strategic goals, the United States and Britain had a massive advantage over Nazi Germany’s more limited air strategy. This advantage allowed them to eventually gain air dominance, put the German forces on the back foot and never allow them to re-gain the initiative. Strategic bombing, although causing huge civilian casualties in both Germany and Japan, played a crucial role in crippling the German war machine, and the most important part in forcing an unconditional Japanese surrender. It is for these reasons that I believe that air power theory was overall, a positive and important body of work. Bibliography Collier, Basil – â€Å"A History of Air Power† – Wilmer Brothers (1974) DeSeversky, Alexander – â€Å"Victory Through Air Power† – New York, Simon and Schuster, (1942) Douhet, Giulio – â€Å"The Command of the Air†. – Faber and Faber (1927) Hurley, Alfred – Billy Mitchell, Crusader for Air Power – Bloomington IN: Indiana University Press, (1964). Lee, Asher – â€Å"Goering – Air Leader† Duckworth (1972) MacIsaac, David – â€Å"Voices from the central blue: The Air Power Theorists† In Paret, Peter â€Å"Makers of Modern Strategy- From Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age†. – Clarendon Press – Oxford (1986) Mitchell, Billy – Winged Defence – Dover Publications (1989) Murray, Williamson – â€Å"Strategic Bombing: The British, American and German experiences. In Murray, Williamson â€Å"Military Innovation in the Interwar Period.† Cambridge University Press (1998) Overy, R.J. – â€Å"The Air War 1939 – 1945† – Europa Publications Limited (1980) Warner, Edward – â€Å"Douhet, Mitchell, Seversky: Theories of Air Warfare† in â€Å"Makers of Modern Strategy† Princeton University Press (1952) 1 Footnotes [1] Douhet, G – â€Å" (1927) [2] Mitchell, B – (1989) [3] Douhet (ibid) p.199 [4] Douhet (ibid) p.157 [5] Mitchell, (ibid) [6] Warner, E – â€Å" (1952) p.630 [7] MacIsaac, D (1986) p .631 [8] Collier, B (1974) p.93 [9] Overy, R.J (1980) p203 [10] MacIsaac, D (ibid) p.633 [11] Murray, W (1998) p.99 [12] Overy, R.J. (ibid) p.207 [13] MacIsaac, D (ibid) p.637 [14] Overy, R.J. (ibid) p.204 [15] Overy, R.J. (ibid) p208 [16] Mitchell, B (ibid) p.7 [17] Overy, R.J (ibid) p.100 [18] Overy, R.J. (ibid) p.93

Origin of the Number Zero Essay -- systems, number, cultures, symbols

As ancient numerical systems came to be and evolved over time, so did the number zero. Zero did not seem to be an obvious start to the natural numbers to the mathematicians who pioneered the different number systems of the past. Having a symbol that meant basically â€Å"nothing† appeared in a few cultures but usually long after the initial creation of the culture’s number system and sometimes was a controversial idea. (Textbook) The delay in adding zero to the number systems was most likely because in most cultures the earliest number systems were additive. This meant that they had symbols to represent certain numbers and merely added them all together to achieve the desired number. The symbols could be arranged in any order. This type of system did not require a symbol to represent zero in order to make any other numbers. Such systems are limited and eventually evolved into systems where the position of the symbols in a number changed its meaning. These positional systems are part of what created a need for a â€Å"place holder† symbol, which later would become the number zero. (Textbook, scientificamerican.com article) For example, the Egyptian’s Hieroglyphic number system was additive and had no zero symbol. It dated back as far is 3500 B.C. and is one of the earliest known number systems. This system used pictures to represent the numbers 1, 10, 100, 1000, etc. Since order did not matter, the Egyptians did not even need a symbol to represent an empty space. Eventually the Egyptians created their hieratic system. The Hieratic was a more difficult system with more symbols (1-10, 20, 30, etc.) but still did not employ a symbol to represent zero as a number. There is evidence that Egyptians used their symbol for â€Å"good† ... ... small circle was used for the number zero. (Kaplan) Independently, the Mayans created multiple symbols for the number zero in their vigesimal (base 20) number system. The Mayan culture was at its peak from 300 B.C. to 900 A.D. and during this time there are many examples of glyphs used to represent zero. The most common was a stylized shell. Others included faces, animals, flowers, and different types of shells. (Kaplan) The number zero now has many uses besides being the smallest natural number. It is used in set theory, logic (0 is used as the truth value for false), category theory, etc. Its position as the origin in graphs and number lines is essential to bridge the gap between negative and positive numbers. It is obvious that without it mathematics as we know it would not exist and though its creation seemed to have been delayed it was inevitable.

Between Wishes and Beliefs in Wild Grapes Essay -- Wild Grapes Essays

Between Wishes and Beliefs in Wild Grapes      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In "Wild Grapes," Robert Frost demonstrates the complex thoughts and struggles of a woman who lives her life, wishing that she had gained a knowledge that would have made her life different. At the same time, she hopes to preserve the exhilarating way she lives her life. Through the use of character portrayal, metaphor, symbolism, and diction, Robert Frost suggests to the reader that although people know that they should prepare themselves to walk through life, they still listen to their hearts, which causes them to be unprepared for what lies ahead of them. The poem starts with the woman telling a story from her youth, which is engraved traumatically in her mind.    The story that the woman describes is about an incident that happens when her brother takes her to a glade where there is a grape tree standing alone. Her brother starts to climb the tree while she admires the tree filled with the grapes. Climbing even higher and picking some grapes to eat, he bends the tree to try to let her have some. As she picks her own grapes, he tells her to hold the top of the tree. So she holds the tree as she was told. The tree, however, catches and suspends her, and it keeps her there for a minute with its grapes. She starts to cry like a baby and does not know what to do. But she clings to the tree, even though her brother is telling her to let go. Trying to bend the tree down, her brother tells her to wait until he leads her down. Finally, against his advice she falls off the tree and feels the ground with her feet. Since the incident happened, the life that she has been living is something different than what she expects or what people expect . She knows sh... ...o her struggles that are engraved traumatically in her mind.    Robert Frost amazingly demonstrates the woman's complex thoughts through the use of character portrayal, metaphor, symbolism, and diction. He illustrates his clear idea about how she lives her life, having struggles in her mind. Reflecting her life in the story that she tells, the poem presents a journey to find out how and why she lives the way she lives between her wishes and beliefs. Using those devices effectively, Frost presents his ideas clearly and makes a strong impression on the reader. Through his demonstration of her journey of life, he shows the significance of life and its complexity.    Works Cited    Frost, Robert. (1920, December). "Wild Grape." Harper's Magazine [Online], 3 paragraphs. Available: http:// www.bartleby.com/155/15.html [1999, October 6].