Monday, May 11, 2020

Field Marshal John French in World War I

Born September 28, 1852, at Ripple Vale, Kent, John French was the son of Commander John Tracy William French and his wife Margaret. The son of a naval officer, French intended to follow in his fathers footsteps and sought training at Portsmouth after attending Harrow School. Appointed a midshipman in 1866, French soon found himself assigned to HMS Warrior. While aboard, he developed a debilitating fear of heights which forced him to abandon his naval career in 1869. After serving in the Suffolk Artillery Militia, French transferred to the British Army in February 1874. Initially serving with the 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars, he moved through a variety of cavalry regiments and achieved the rank of major in 1883. In Africa In 1884, French took part in the Sudan Expedition which moved up the Nile River with the goal of relieving Major General Charles Gordons forces which were besieged at Khartoum. En route, he saw action at Abu Klea on January 17, 1885. Though the campaign proved a failure, French was promoted to lieutenant colonel the following month. Returning to Britain, he received command of the 19th Hussars in 1888 before moving into various high-level staff posts. During the late 1890s, French led the 2nd Cavalry Brigade at Canterbury before assuming command of the 1st Cavalry Brigade at Aldershot. Second Boer War Returning to Africa in late 1899, French took command of the Cavalry Division in South Africa. He was thus in place when the Second Boer War commenced that October. After defeating General Johannes Kock at Elandslaagte on October 21, French took part in the larger relief of Kimberley. In February 1900, his horsemen played a key role in the triumph at Paardeberg. Promoted to the permanent rank of major general on October 2, French was also knighted. A trust subordinate of Lord Kitchener, the Commander-in-Chief in South Africa, he later served as Commander of Johannesburg and Cape Colony. With the end of the conflict in 1902, French was elevated to lieutenant general and appointed to the Order of St. Michael and St. George in recognition of his contributions. Trusted General Returning to Aldershot, French assumed command of the 1st Army Corps in September 1902. Three years later he became the overall commander at Aldershot. Promoted to general in February 1907, he became Inspector-General of the Army that December. One of the British Armys stars, French received the honorary appointment of Aide-de-Camp General to the King on June 19, 1911. This was followed by an appointment as Chief of the Imperial General Staff the following March. Made field marshal in June 1913, he resigned his position on the Imperial General Staff in April 1914 after a disagreement with Prime Minister H. H. Asquiths government regarding the Curragh Mutiny. Though he resumed his post as Inspector-General of the Army on August 1, Frenchs tenure proved brief due to the outbreak of World War I. To the Continent With the British entry into the conflict, French was appointed to command the newly-formed British Expeditionary Force. Consisting of two corps and a cavalry division, the BEF began preparations to deploy to the Continent. As planning moved forward, French clashed with Kitchener, then serving as Secretary of State for War, over where the BEF should be placed. While Kitchener advocated a position near Amiens from which it could mount a counterattack against the Germans, French preferred Belgium where it would be supported by the Belgium Army and their fortresses. Backed by the Cabinet, French won the debate and began moving his men across the Channel. Reaching the front, the British commanders temper and prickly disposition soon led to difficulties in dealing with his French allies, namely General Charles Lanrezac who commanded the French Fifth Army on his right. Establishing a position at Mons, the BEF entered the action on August 23 when it was attacked by the German First Army. Though mounting a tenacious defense, the BEF was forced to retreat as Kitchener had anticipated when advocating the Amiens position. As French fell back, he issued a confusing series of orders which were ignored by Lieutenant General Sir Horace Smith-Dorriens II Corps which fought a bloody defensive battle at Le Cateau on August 26. As the retreat continued, French began to lose confidence and became indecisive. Shaken by the high losses sustained, he became increasingly concerned about his mens welfare rather than aiding the French. The Marne to Digging In As French began contemplating withdrawing to the coast, Kitchener arrived on September 2 for an emergency meeting. Though angered by Kitcheners interference, the discussion convinced him to keep the BEF at the front and to take part in French Commander-in-Chief General Joseph Joffres counteroffensive along the Marne. Attacking during the First Battle of the Marne, Allied forces were able to halt the German advance. In the weeks after the battle, both sides began the Race to the Sea in an effort to outflank the other. Reaching Ypres, French and the BEF fought the bloody First Battle of Ypres in October and November. Holding the town, it became a point of contention for the rest of the war. As the front stabilized, both sides began constructing elaborate trench systems. In an effort to break the deadlock, French opened the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March 1915. Though some ground was gained, casualties were high and no breakthrough was attained. Following the setback, French blamed the failure on a lack of artillery shells which initiated the Shell Crisis of 1915. The following month, the Germans began the Second Battle of Ypres which saw them take and inflict substantial losses but fail to capture the town. In May, French returned to the offensive but was bloodily repulsed at Aubers Ridge. Reinforced, the BEF attacked again in September when it began the Battle of Loos. Little was gained in three weeks of fighting and French received criticism for his handling of British reserves during the battle. Later Career Having clashed repeatedly with Kitchener and having lost the confidence of the Cabinet, French was relieved in December 1915 and replaced by General Sir Douglas Haig. Appointed to command the Home Forces, he was elevated to Viscount French of Ypres in January 1916. In this new position, he oversaw the suppression of the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland. Two years later, on May 1918, the Cabinet made French British Viceroy, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Supreme Commander of the British Army in Ireland. Fighting with various nationalist groups, he sought to destroy Sinn Fà ©in. As a result of these actions, he was the target of a failed assassination attempt in December 1919. Resigning his post on April 30, 1921, French moved into retirement. Made Earl of Ypres in June 1922, French also received a retirement grant of  £50,000 in recognition of his services. Contracting cancer of the bladder, he died on May 22, 1925, while at Deal Castle. Following a funeral, French was buried at St. Mary the Virgin Churchyard in Ripple, Kent. Sources First World War: Field Marshal John FrenchTrenches on the Web: Field Marshal John French

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Restoring Balance Lab Free Essays

Leo Tran IB Chemistry SL II R5 Ms. Crane January 4, 2012 Restoring Balance LAB Pre-Lab Questions 1. The solubility of iodine increases because the position of equilibrium has shifted towards the triiodide side of the reaction. We will write a custom essay sample on Restoring Balance Lab or any similar topic only for you Order Now Addition of the reactants causes an increase in the product which is directly related to the solubility of iodine in water in this case. 2. Ammonium chloride will be more soluble in hot water as in an endothermic reaction, increasing the temperature (which is the same as adding heat – one of the reactants) will cause the position of equilibrium to shift towards the products to compensate for the change. More products are a result of increased solubility of Ammonium Chloride with water when temperature is increased. Post Lab Questions 1. CoCl42- ions are present in this solution as they are blue colored and the color of the Cobalt Chloride solution was blue when we recorded the color and appearance of the solution. 2. Co(H2O)62+ ion was favored by the addition of water as it is pink colored and when we added water to the cobalt chloride solution, it became pink. This was because the amount of Co(H2O)62+ ions went up(more pink) to compensate or even out the change. Adding more products resulted in the position of the equilibrium to shift towards the reactant side making it favor the Co(H2O)62+ ions. 3. (a) CoCl42- ion is favored by the addition of hydrochloric acid and calcium chloride. (b) Cl- ion (c) When the stress (Chlorine from hydrochloric acid and calcium chloride) is added on the reactant side (more reactants), the pink color reduces and blue color increases. In other words, CoCl42- is favored to compensate for the change or minimize the stress. 4. A. Adding a species which appears on the right side of an equation will shift the equilibrium to the left side of the equation. B. Adding a species which appears on the left side of an equation will shift the equilibrium to the right side of the equation. 5. Since acetone attracts water molecules (decrease water molecules from the reaction) the reaction tries to create more water. Making more of the product, it naturally makes more of all the products which creates CoCl42- ions (blue in color), resulting in a blue color of the system of chemicals. 6. (a) Ag+ + Cl- – AgCl (b) The concentration of Cl- ions decreased as chlorine ions from the reactant side reacted with silver How to cite Restoring Balance Lab, Papers

Friday, May 1, 2020

Night 2 Essay Example For Students

Night 2 Essay The book Night, written by Elie Wiesel, is a fictional book based on one of the author’s horrifying life experiences. It is set during WW II at various concentration camps in and around Germany, from the end of the year 1941 to the beginning of 1945. Starting from the times people are forced out of their homes, their lives are changed drastically, both physically and emotionally. Their lives are not only changed for the time they stay at the camps. If they get out alive, they are changed forever. People lose all human emotions and become destroyed individuals. They become zombies and there is no turning back. This book tells the story of one Jewish prisoner, Elizer, and the dramatic changes in his views of his own life. In the beginning Elizer is shown as a very dedicated, optimistic, and lighthearted little boy. The book starts with Elizer talking. â€Å"During the day I studied the Talmund, and at night I ran to the synagogue to weep over the destruction of the temple.† (page 1) Although he is young, he has already learned that he should be devoted to his religion. Once the Germans come and start taking over the city, the Jewish people of the city are forced to wear a yellow star (the Star of David) to distinguish them from the non-Jewish people in the city. Elizer is very upset about this, while his father doesnt seem affected by it at all. His father tries to comfort Elizer. The father’s argument is that wearing the star is not so terrible, it can’t kill you, but Elizer’s response says it all. He says, â€Å"Poor Father! Of what then do you die?† (page 9)Once the Germans start to evacuate the town, Elizer is basically in disbelief, although he is still optimist ic about the future. He talks about how he sits on the pavement watching everyone walk by loading up into the caravans, and that he is unable to move. He says it is all to unreal. â€Å"Here came the Rabbi, his back bent, his face shaved, his pack on his back. His mere presence among the deportees added a touch of unreality to the scene. It was like a page torn from a story book, from some historical novel about the captivity of Babylon or the Spanish Inquisition.† (page 14) Although his life is changing, and because we know how this story ends, it is an obvious downhill spiral from here, the character has not yet lost faith. â€Å"I was up at dawn. I wanted time to pray before we were expelled.† (page 16) His faith really shines through in the beginning. Once he arrives at the first camp, there is still a lot of disbelief, and you can already see him building defenses around his emotions. One of the first things he sees at the camp seems awfully horrific. He doesnt seem too bothered by it.. â€Å"Behind me, an old man fell to the ground. Near him was an SS man, putting his revolver back in it’s holster.† (page 27) This is all he says about the incident. He merely states the facts and seems to leave the human emotion part out of it. Although he has lost some emotion, he still is human, and he is still obviously in shock. â€Å"I pinched my face. Was I still alive?† (page 30) â€Å"It was no longer possible to grasp anything,† (page 34) Once he gets moved around and â€Å"settled in† to the concentration camps, he really takes a turn for the worse. While some people went crazy from the sudden change in their lifestyle, he just sort of lets his spirit die. In one scene, his father is getting beaten up by a German Nazi. â€Å"And he began to beat him with an iron barI had watched the whole scene without moving. I kept quiet. In fact I was thinking of how to get farther away so that I would not be hit myself.† (page 52) This is his father he is talking about. His father is getting beaten nearly to death, and all he can think about is getting farther away so as to not get hurt too. This really shows how survival can change your judgment. It’s either his father gets hurt, or you both get hurt. He just had to choose the least worst option. Elizer’s life eventually becomes a routine day in and day out.His day basically consists of getting up, eating, going to work, eating dinner, having roll call at night, and then going back to bed. It might as well have been a robot living his life. â€Å"The bell. Already we must separate, go to bed. Everything was regulated by the bell. It gave me orders, and I automatically obeyed them. I hated it. Whenever I dreamed of a bet ter world, I could only imagine a universe with no bells.† (pages 69-70) This really shows you what kind of privileges we have in our â€Å"normal† lives, and what life was like in the camps. .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182 , .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182 .postImageUrl , .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182 , .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182:hover , .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182:visited , .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182:active { border:0!important; } .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182:active , .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182 .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u27330216d2591f59e746fbbe5031f182:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Physician assisted suicide EssayEventually the front moves too close to the camps. The Germans then get scared, liquidate the camps, and move the prisoners elsewhere. Although it seems that hope would be pretty high at this point, since the prisoners could hear the Americans quite near, it wasn’t. The prisoners had already been through so much that all of their hope of ever getting out of those death camps was drained from them. Now they were just along for the ride. At one point the prisoners are shoved into big caravans. Although they should be fearing for their lives and grieving for the dead, they were not. They were almost the opposite. Whenever the caravans st opped for supplies, the Germans would open the carts and empty out the dead bodies. â€Å"The living rejoiced. There would be more room ‘Here’s one! Take him!’ They undressed him, the survivors avidly shoving out his clothes, then two ‘grave diggers’ took him, one by the head and one by the feet, and threw him out of the wagon like a sack of flour.† (page 94) What a time this must have been. When you were happy when someone died. Though one person lost their life, at least life was a little better for you. You had more room. Soon after Elizer gets to the last camp, the front comes in and the prisoners are released. Though the majority of prisoners that entered the camps died, the ones that survived were really dead inside. â€Å"Our first act as free men was to throw ourselves onto the provisions. We thought only of that. Not of revenge, not of our families. Nothing but bread.† Three days after Elizer is liberated, he becomes ill from food poising and is forced into a hospital. He explains, â€Å"One day I was able to get up, after gathering all of my strength. I wanted to see myself in the mirror hanging on the opposite wall. I had not seen myself since the ghetto. From the depths of the mirror, a corpse gazed back at me. The look in his eyes, as they stared into mine, has never left me.†Elizer had seen the worst in this short period of just over three years, the period that stuck out in his mind most strongly. He’d seen the worst times, the worst people, the worst everything. Now h e saw the worst in himself. He saw a corpse looking back at him. He saw all the anger that has been building up over the years. He’d seen it all, and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn’t get that period of his life back. He couldn’t get his family, or his emotions back. Everything was killed in the concentration camps, and now he would be forever without them.

Saturday, March 21, 2020

Christmas Story essays

Christmas Story essays A few years ago there was a fortuneteller living next to my house. From what I remembered she was very famous, her predictions were very accurate as there were so many people visiting her everyday. I heard that she had used a very big crystal ball to tell fortune. I was so afraid to visit her house until one day... It was Christmas Eve, my mother asked me to bring a gift to the fortuneteller next door. At first I did not want to go but somehow I knocked on her door with a small wrapped gift. There was a very kind and young lady answered the door. After introducing myself I asked for the fortune telling lady. She replied she was the person that I was trying to find. I was so surprised as I thought the fortune telling lady must be a tough and old lady. She thanked me for the gift and asked me for a snack with her. Her name was Lucy, from what she told me she inherited the fortune telling crystal ball from her mother, whom was very ill. I noticed that it was very late already. I thanked her for the snack and ready to leave. She said she appreciated our kindness so much that she was going to perform a free fortune telling for me. I was so excited that I did not know what to ask for. We went into a room with only a table and 2 chairs. A crystal ball was sitting at the middle of the table, coving b y veil. We both took a seat and she said the crystal ball would be able to answer any question, from the past to the future. I was so nervous, didnt know what I should ask. Finally I asked the ball, Tell me what the world is going to be after 3000 years. There was sudden flash from the ball and there was nothing in the ball except darkness. Lucy was surprised too, she said it should be showing something, not just darkness. Then she said, The reason why there was nothing in the ball was 3000 later, there will be no lights in this planet. She further explained that it seems that a huge layer of dusk and pollutants ...

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Psittacosaurus - Facts and Figures

Psittacosaurus - Facts and Figures Name: Psittacosaurus (Greek for parrot lizard); pronounced sih-TACK-oh-SORE-us Habitat: Scrublands and deserts of Asia Historical Period: Early to middle Cretaceous (120 to 100 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 3 to 6 feet long and 50 to 175 pounds, depending on species Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Short, blunt head with curved beak; small horns on cheeks About Psittacosaurus As you may have guessed from its name, Greek for parrot lizard, what set Psittacosaurus apart from other dinosaurs of the Cretaceous period was its distinctly un-dinosaur-like head. This plant-eaters curved beak made it somewhat reminiscent of a parrot, but otherwise, its squat noggin was distinctly tortoise-like. (One shouldnt draw too much from this analogy; Psittacosaurus, and other ornithischian dinosaurs like it, werent directly ancestral to modern birds, an honor that belongs to saurischian dinosaurs.) Although its often depicted in a four-legged posture, paleontologists believe some species of Psittacosaurus (there are at least 10 currently named) walked or ran on two legs. (A new study concludes that this dinosaur scuttled around on four legs as a juvenile, then assumed a bipedal posture thanks to a growth spurt in its hind legs.) Psittacosaurus seems to have led a relatively quiet life, although the horns on its faceprobably a sexually selected characteristicindicate that the males may have engaged in combat with each other for the right to mate with females. Theres also solid evidence that Psittacosaurus cared for its young after they hatched, like the distantly related duck-billed dinosaurs Maiasaura and Hypacrosaurus. By the way, you wouldnt know it from its small, unprepossessing appearance (six feet from head to tail and 200 pounds, max, for the largest species), but Psittacosaurus is classified as a ceratopsianthe family of horned, frilled dinosaurs the most famous members of which were the much later Triceratops, Protoceratops, and Styracosaurus. In fact, Psittacosaurus was one of the most basal ceratopsians, predated only by the late Jurassic Chaoyangsaurus and itself a close cousin to a bewildering array of proto-ceratopsian genera, including Yinlong and Leptoceratops.

Monday, February 17, 2020

Business Strategy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Strategy - Assignment Example A company may adopt either a mechanistic or an organic approach while executing its business or any other role that it plays in the society. A mechanistic approach is characterized by high levels of bureaucracy and complex strategies of executing duties, which are carried out in a more formal way. On the other hand, an organic organization has lower degree of bureaucracy, is relatively centralized and show limited level of formality while executing its strategies (Herman, 1991, pp306). b) Alfred D. Chandler’s reading is a business classic. Explain why structure follows strategy. Does firm structure continually evolve? If yes, how does this take place? Give an example to illustrate. (7 marks) Any organization that ventures in any business must come up with strategies to achieve the best fit in the ever-competitive environment. In this case, the company has to decide on which strategy to adopt among other issues. It is indispensable to appreciate the fact that a company has to s trategize on which structure to adopt. In this case, strategy comes before structure. Most organizations evolve in order to acclimatize themselves to changes in the business environment. Furthermore, growing competition often forces a company to re-strategize and come up with better ideas to help it to operate profitably. This is the basis of evolution. In fact, a company may have to diversify its operations and provide new product that it were not producing initially (Herman, 1991, pp309). Furthermore, a company may come up with new departments to help it in tackling the numerous issues related to success. This is the basis of structural evolution in an organization. For example, Google Inc. has experienced an evolving organizational structure. Initially, it did not have representatives in other regions of its operations. However, it has had to introduce branches in such places in order to take care of its interests. Branches like Google South America, Google SE Asia, and Google Ea st Africa among others exemplify this. c) Bartlett and Ghoshal (1995) argue the benefits of transnational organizations. What is a transnational organization? Provide an example of a transnational organization, justifying your selection. (5 marks) A transnational organization as used by Bartlett and Ghoshal (1995) is a phrase used to illustrate an organization that carries out its activities in a global perspective and does not rely in any way with the differences that may exist in countries that it operates. Such an organization in most instances seeks to achieve the balance of providing globally efficient services, responsive to all its customers irrespective of their nationalities, and carries out worldwide development. Microsoft Inc. exemplifies this. The corporation is American-based, but it is obviously clear that it seeks to provide goods and services serving the global market (Segal-Horn & Faulkner 1999, pp 116). d) What do critical views and current findings tell us about t he link between strategy and structure? (3 marks) The current findings and views postulate a clear perspective that strategy and structure are intertwined facets in which one cannot operate in the absence of then other. It is essential to note that, strategies formulated by any organization are drawn from the status of the existing business environment. This will then be used to come up with the best structure that counters the weakness and takes advantage of the strengths at its disposal. The development of such a competitive advantage positions the company at a situation where it can capitalize its strategic options, which are often determined by the environment. a) Briefly explain the planning perspective and the incrementalism

Monday, February 3, 2020

Applying the six dimensions to the study of Judaism Essay

Applying the six dimensions to the study of Judaism - Essay Example In fact, the giving of the covenant is what they believe makes the Jewish people the â€Å"chosen people,† and it is the one that also dictates their distinctive practices (dietary prohibitions and worship on the Saturday Sabbath for instance), practices that gives them distinction from others. Meanwhile, accounts of the creation of the world by one God, as written in the first book of the Torah (The Genesis—also in the Bible), shows the mythical component of Judaism as a religion. This narrative also shows that God blessed Abraham to be the â€Å"father of a great nation† (basicjudaism.org 2007). While the Christian Bible also believes in this account, this puts the Jews as direct descendants of Abraham the recipient of the blessings of God and eternal salvation, which is not open to other peoples or â€Å"gentiles† (which is contrary to Christian doctrine). The major doctrinal dimension of Judaism is the Torah, where the 613 laws and commandments are given to the Jewish people (basicjudaism.org 2007). It includes the giving of the law of God, the creation of the Jewish holidays and dietary restrictions, and even on the proper codes and manners of worship. Although it is true that the Torah also consists of the first five books of the Bible, Christians place an emphasis on the New Testament, which is not believed by the Jews. This is the reason why the belief in the Torah also contributes to the distinctive identity of Judaism. One of the major ethical dimensions of Judaism is also found in the Torah, specifically on the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy (basicjudaism.org 2007). It is in these books where the dietary restrictions of the Jews (such as prohibitions on pork and ducks), as well as on how to treat women. In addition, it also shows the role of religious authorities in handling disputes among the people. These distinct