The Shady Shift After World War I - 1166 Words

The Shady Shift After World War I America s economy was booming. People everywhere were making money and spending it on electronics, movies, cars, music, and late night parties. This was the time when no one had a care in the world and just enjoyed the luxury life style. But while everyone enjoyed the new amenities and frivolous spending, no one knew what was going on with the banks. Most people were extremely overjoyed with all the money coming in, it hadn’t occurred to them what problems were happening. The Great Depression wasn t just caused by the Stock Market Crash but by false prosperity, and overproduction, which affected people s social life, banks, and unemployment across the country. It was only nine short years of prosperity until a dark cloud came rolling in across the country. The 1920’s were a time to celebrate and time of change. Women, jazz, and manufacturing we all transforming. With World War I ending everyone enjoyed the moments, and didn’t take life for granted. Purchasing all the new appliances, or newest car became normal to society. Only thing is that not everyone had the money to make these extravagant purchases. By the mid-20’s, Americans bought nearly 75% of items on credit. And by 1929, families spent 20% of their income on items such as the washer, phonographs, and radios. Around 12 million Americans had a radio in their house by the end of the twenties (The Roaring Twenties). All this mindless spending ended when the Great DepressionShow MoreRelatedOthello, By William Shakespeare1141 Words   |  5 Pageschange in character surfaces after Desdemona was killed. It is important to see that Othello struggled with his trust and demeanor towards Desdemona but in his final words, something shifted for the better. Othello’s love for Desdemona is highly evident from the beginning of the play. In Act 1, Scene 1, it is clear to the audience that Othello truly loves Desdemona for her efforts to listen to his life story. He states, â€Å"She loved me for the dangers I had passed, / And I loved her that she did pityRead MoreThe Waste Land by T.S. Eliot Essay1522 Words   |  7 Pagesby T.S. Eliot revolves around a world of what seems to be chaotic and dead, and led by a single protagonist. Throughout The Waste Land, there are many uses of symbolism with tarot cards, astrology, and especially the game of chess: The game of chess is such a meaningful symbol throughout the story, that metaphors are used to describe the situation and emotions of the characters throughout the poem by describing them as chess pieces and in check-mate situations. After considering the game of chess,Read More Democracy According to Mailer Essay3483 Words   |  14 Pagesthe course of a spring and summer, one them e came to predominate-it was apparent that most of my writing was about America. How much I loved our country-that was evident-and how much I didnt love it at all! -Norman Mailer, foreword to Time of Our Time The first time I read anything written by Norman Mailer-it was an excerpt from the Vietnam-era Armies of the Night-I remember two things coming to my mind. The first thing that popped into my head: what an arrogant, self-righteous jerk this MailerRead MoreThe Success Of The American Government Essay2305 Words   |  10 PagesThe American government is known to promote democratic values throughout the world. Though the ideals America was fighting for during the Cold War, the government still managed to participate in the overthrow of democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. Mossadegh threatened to nationalize Iran’s oil in 1951 and later gained the support of the Iranian government. The British companies had many investments in Iranian oil. It is with the approval of nationalization that the economiesRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald2528 Words   |  11 PagesJazz is an American style of music marked by its complex and exuberant mix of rhythms and tonalities. The Great Gatsby portrays a similarly complex mix of emotions and themes that reflect the turbulence of the times. Fresh off the nightmare of World War I, Americans were enjoying the fruits of an economic boom and a renewed sense of possibility. But in The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald’s stresses the darker side of the Roaring Twenties, its undercurrent of corruption and its desperate, empty decadenceRead MoreEssay on Falstaff in Henry IV Part I2508 Words   |  11 PagesThe Character of Falstaff in Henry IV Part I  Ã‚   In Henry IV Part I, Shakespeare presents a collection of traditional heroes. Hotspur’s laudable valor, King Henry’s militaristic reign, and Hal’s princely transformation echo the socially extolled values of the Elizabethean male. Molding themselves after societal standards, these flat characters contrast Sir John Falstaff’s round, spirited personality. Through Falstaff’s unorthodox behavior and flagrant disregard for cultural traditions, ShakespeareRead MoreMusic Is A Central Part Of Most Adolescent Lives2846 Words   |  12 PagesThe theory I decided to go with on this research project is the Cultivation Theory â€Å"Which argues media shapes a persons sense of reality because many acquire information through mediated sources rather than direct experience, their world view becomes influenced by these sources. For example people who would be defined as heavy Hip Hop listeners can react to certain situations more violently than they would of withou t having all the emotional influence from violent hip hop songs. So I want to seeRead MoreWant a Free Personality Test?2520 Words   |  10 Pageslive under a rock? Scientology is the religion of choice of stars like John Travolta, Tom Cruise, and Kirstie Alley. It also happens to be one of the most secretive and controversial churches in the world (not to mention the most expensive). So get out your wallet and dive into the closed-membership world of Dianetics, L. Ron Hubbard, and personality tests as we explore Scientology. L. Ron Hubbard: He’s Not That Great, Really L. Ron Hubbard was a great explorer, sailed the seas to practice the oddsRead MoreNike s Unethical Behavior Of The Workplace3836 Words   |  16 Pagesnot know, however, is that many women employees are forced to take birth control pills in order to avoid maternity leave and other associated pregnancy benefits. Advocacy groups have raised awareness about these practices, and throughout this piece I will highlight four companies using sweatshops, a best practice organization that aims to help eliminate poor working conditions for employees, and how the four companies have responded to their unethical behaviors. Nike has been accused of using sweatshopsRead MoreBlood Diamond Research7747 Words   |  31 Pagesto his friend, Schalk van Niekirk who later gave it to a travelling trader named John O Reilly. The stone was passed from hand to hand after that. It was later discovered that the pebble was not merely a stone but a Eureka diamond. In 1867, the diamond was displayed at the Paris Exhibition. The Diamond Rush to Africa In 1869, approximately two years after the discovery of the Eureka diamond, another brilliant white diamond was found near the banks of the Orange River. This time, the diamond

The Cultural Barriers Of China - 1454 Words

Different from Western countries, China has in the past had a planned economy. Even with its transition to a market economy, it still lags behind the Western countries in labor regulations, policies and professionalism of its workforce. Furthermore, several cultural obstacles hinder firms from adopting Western HR approaches fully. For instance, employee participation is not entrenched in the workplace despite being a trait of high performance in HR department. In approaching China, awareness of several cultural norms and values is necessary. Some of the most critical include the concept of face and harmony creation. Face-saving receives priority in China and it relates to respect, dignity and social role of an individual. Loos of face is taken serious and can take place when one declines a business or social function based on a weak pretext, refuses a present or is too independent. Trust and personal relationship are paramount aspects in China (Lee, 2007). Power and rank inherently pervades in all aspects of life in China. Chinese exhibit Confucian values in which the family is viewed as paramount and hierarchy and respect of positions of authority are entrenched firmly. In communication, managers in China are expected to communicate with their boss, subordinates and peers in the same manner they would communicate with their parents, children and brothers/sisters respectively. Teamwork among the Chinese calls for a strong leader. The role of leadership is exclusivelyShow MoreRelatedThe Conflict Between China And The United States1386 Words   |  6 Pagestheory of the â€Å"clash of civilizations† through cultural divisions in the context of the increasing global conflict between China and The United States. In essence, the â€Å"clash of civilizations† between China and the United States will be primarily based on the problem of cultural hegemony in the 21st century struggle for global dominance between these two modern nation states. Huntington’s theory provides ample evidence of the growing clash of religious cultural values, which are often based on the atheisticRead MoreThe Relationship between China and India1083 Words   |  5 Pagesbetween India and China has been ambivalent at best. Plagued by border disputes and economic competition, the countries have long fostered feelings of animosity towards one another. Recently however, both sides have made concerted efforts to improve relations recognizing that coà ¶peration offers economic and political advantages. In May, Indian and Chinese officials issued a joint statement affirming their resolve to further improve their relations through increased economic and cultural exchanges (Bagri)Read MoreBenefits And Risks Of A Foreign Investment Project1415 Words   |  6 Pagesproject. Socioeconomic as well as cultural factors must be considered since countries vary in levels of wealth, education, needs and wants. 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Mattel made a decision to closeRead MoreChallenges and Advantages of Doing Business in China Cha llenges and Advantages of Doing Business in China615 Words   |  3 Pagesin China With China emerging as a global power in business within the last decade, knowing about doing business in China has become more important than ever. There are both many advantanges and challenges with doing business in China in this modern era, and understanding both sides of this coin is the key to being successful in China. Some aspects to keep in mind include the cultural barrier, the price of the work force in China compared to the United States, and have the â€Å"made in China† brandRead MoreMattel And The Chinese Consumer Market Essay1203 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction This paper will explore issues Mattel, U.S. toymaker faced when it decided to opens its door in China. The store was designed to cater to young girls who may be interested in purchasing Barbie doll clothing and accessories. The flagship store had to close its doors in two years, because of global cultural issues that hadn’t be well thought out. This paper will discuss those issues and it present some solutions on how Mattel can be successful in the Chinese consumer market. Problems MattelRead MoreAnalyzing Starbucks And Its Level Of Success Around The World956 Words   |  4 Pagesnot always been easy transitions and there have been barriers along the way. With each move into a new sector, there are possible cultural, political, and economic difficulties that lie ahead. To analyze Starbucks and its level of success around the world, I’ll be using Gramsci’s categories of base, structure, and super structure. For base, I will discuss how economics comes into play in China; for structure, I will explain the political barriers Starbucks faced integrating into the Indian market;Read MoreStarbucks Keeps It Brewing in Asia1676 Words   |  7 Pages Introduction The following essay will discuss the impact of tea and instant coffee on how Starbucks will conduct business in Asia, particularly in China. China has a massive consumer market with a population of 1,339,724,852. The culture of the Chinese has a strong tradition of consuming tea, as it is still the number one beverage in China. The Chinese have enjoyed tea for millennia. Scholars hailed the brew as a cure for a variety of ailments and the nobles considered the consumption of goodRead MoreThe International Business Negotiations Influenced By Chinese And American Cultures And Differences743 Words   |  3 Pages Abstract Cultural negotiations are business negotiations with different cultural conditions. Under the background of economic globalization and international economic integration, the business ties between countries are becoming more and more closely. In order to avoid cultural conflicts, it is important to understand the different cultures of different countries. This article takes the international trade between America and China as example to analyze the influence on cultural differences.Read MorePhase Seperation PS2 Case Improved Version1059 Words   |  5 Pages The firms competencies, weaknesses, external opportunities and external threats are identified in below summary table. Strength High entry barrier due to strict licensing, high start up cost, requirement of special scientific expertise to operate TPS technology is highly mobile, onsite remedial technology Exclusive right to use TPS technology in China, patent in Canada USA till 2019 Highly liquid balance sheet, no long-term loan Weaknesses Scarce resources and expertise personnel (a limitation

Informatics And Financial Applications †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Informatics And Financial Applications? Answer: Introduction Decision support systems are outlined as applications that combine computer technology with communication and decision making. These systems interpret information to support the decision phases of any organization or business, this will include identifying problems, formulating plans and generating the final solutions(Radu, et al., 2014). Therefore, the central component of DSS is a collaboration where the decision phases are coordinated using the knowledge base held by the business. For instance, the retail industry (e.g. a shop or supermarket) will assess the products it sales and coordinate this information with the customers feedback and also with the supplier's cost to yield the best decisions i.e. maximum profit(Russel Yoon, 2014). On the other hand, cloud computing is based on the availability of networks, cheap storage and high system performance. These outcomes are met by its defining environment where operational resources are hosted by different users and distributed to others using the internet connections(Russel Yoon, 2014). Therefore, through the services offered by cloud computing business functionalities supported by technology are simplified and made more efficient. These functionalities include DSS and other financial applications such as those seen in the retail industry. A good example of this convenience and efficiency is a retail store with shops in multiple locations, this store can use the same systems to support its activities by hosting it in a cloud facility. Decision support system and retail business DSS can be applied in all the functionalities of business so as to help in solving the many decision-making problems. In this scenario, this report considers marketing strategies and how they can be aided by DSS, thus facilitate the allocation of resources, which is usually a key problem for many retail stores. In this system, the retail business e.g. a shoe selling company, Bata Limited, will combine the analysis methodology with sophisticated computer applications to produce the management decisions(Montgomery, 2004). Therefore, the DSS must account for all the marketing variables exhibited by the business environment. Thereafter, the system will develop a modelling design based on the users requirements, for instance, to increase the average price of promoting the products (shoes). Figure 1: A decision support system overview structure, Bata Limited(Lodish, 2001) Now, consider the model adopted by the DSS as shown above Figure 1 where the managements judgement is based on the collaboration of the different variable highlighted, such as market growth, profit margin and predicted sales among many others. In essence, these evaluations would take ages to accomplish if it was conducted using manual calculations. However, with computerised technology, the company (Bata Limited) needs only the figures involved and the predictions, including the marketing strategies, are easily outlined. Furthermore, the DSS can be tuned to fit decision plans outlined by an organization, this will include focusing on broad marketing strategies to narrow and targeted promotional campaigns(Lodish, 2001). In all, decision support systems can greatly minimise the time spent on marketing decisions as they can automatically generate the models needed by retail business based on the existing variables. Cloud computing and retail business In any definition given for the retail industry, the end consumer (final customer) is always highlighted. Therefore, despite the field, an enterprise will be classified as a retail business if it provides goods and services to the final consumer. Now, this group of businesses have seen an overwhelming increase in the use of cloud based solutions because of the opportunities and benefits they provide. For one, these businesses realise that their customers require and demand efficient services. Moreover, this demand is intensified today by the emergence of online and mobile markets(Ali Haseebuddin, 2015). The opportunities: First, cloud computing is cost effective as it facilitates the creation, sale and management of services. A retail business can use online stores to sell and promote products across the world, this outcome translates into lower operational costs as outlined in the figure below, where traditional retail stores are compared with online stores Figure 2. Furthermore, the same organizations can use data analytics, hosted on the web server to make sale decisions. Secondly, cloud based solutions are extremely flexible and scalable which increases the business reach. For instance, the shoe selling company highlighted above can promote its services over a wide range of environments such as mobile apps and websites. Moreover, the same business can adjust its resource requirements based on its immediate needs, for instance, it can shut down an online store without any significant financial losses. Finally, cloud computing promotes innovation, an outcome that has led to the de velopment of online stores and other active and engaging retail portals(Revesencio, 2017). Figure 2: Traditional Vs. cloud supported stores (Online)(Godfrey, 2013) Conclusion Information technology and its affiliated components such as IS have rapidly increased the availability of information. This information, although helpful in business operations has proven to be a challenging factor as organizations have to assess it in order to make important managerial decisions. Decision support systems are therefore used to manage data and to produce meaningful decisions. This outcome is done by evaluating the variables involved as highlighted in this report where different factors of retail business are outlined. On the other hand, cloud computing facilitates these systems by introducing new technological models for delivering services. In essence, large volumes of data needed by financial systems/applications are stored in any location without the consideration of time or place. Furthermore, the cloud based solutions facilitate the functionalities of DSS by directly engaging with the customers through online applications. These facilities help to segment the ma rket and to increase the sales, based on the conveniences and the opportunities introduced by the digital market. References Ali, M. Haseebuddin, M., 2015. Cloud Computing for Retailing Industry: An overview. International Journal of Computer Trends and Technology (IJCTT), Available at: https://www.ijcttjournal.org/Volume19/number-1/IJCTT-V19P110.pdf [Accessed 14 August, 2017]. Godfrey, M., 2013. With announcement of G-Cloud iii and Cloud First Strategy, how can organisations adopt a Cloud strategy so it is no longer the elephant in the room?. Automated intelligence, Available at: https://www.automated-intelligence.com/blog/as-the-uk-government-cloud-first-strategy-is-announced-how-can-organisations-adopt-a-cloud-strategy-is-announced-so-it-is-no-longer-the-elephant-in-the-room/ [Accessed 14 August, 2017]. Lodish, L., 2001. A Marketing Decision Support System for Retailers. Research gate, Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227441977_A_Marketing_Decision_Support_System_for_Retailers [Accessed 14 August, 2017]. Montgomery, A., 2004. The Implementation Challenge of Pricing Decision Support Systems for Retail Managers. Research Showcase @ C, Available at https://repository.cmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1336context=tepper [Accessed 14 August, 2017]. Radu, C., Candea, C. Candea, G. . Z. C., 2014. Towards a Cloud-Based Group Decision Support System. Recent Developments in Computational Collective Intelligence, Available: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-01787-7_18 [Accessed 14 August, 2017]. Revesencio, J., 2017. Buying In the Cloud: How Cloud Technology is Revolutionizing the Retail Industry. Business.com, Available at: https://www.business.com/articles/buying-in-the-cloud-how-cloud-technology-is-revolutionizing-the-retail-industry/ [Accessed 14 August, 2017]. Russel, S. Yoon, V. . F. G., 2014. Cloud-based decision support systems and availability context: The probability of successful decision outcomes. Research gate, Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220385010_Cloud-based_decision_support_systems_and_availability_context_The_probability_of_successful_decision_outcomes [Accessed 14 August, 2017].

Social Control Essays - Philosophy, Humanities, Michel Foucault

Social Control Both Michel Foucault and Truffaut's depiction of a disciplinary society are nearly identical. But Truffaut's interpretation sees more room for freedom within the disciplinary society. The difference stems from Foucault's belief that the social control in disciplinary pervades all elements of life and there is no escape from this type of control. Foucault's work deals mostly with "power" and his conception of it. Like Nietzsche, Foucault sees power not as a fixed quantity of physical force, but instead as a stream of energy flowing through all aspects of society, its power harnesses itself in regulating the behavior of individuals, the systems of knowledge, a societies institutions, and every interaction between people. Foucault in "Discipline and Punish", applies this notion of power in tracing the rise of the prison system in France and the rise of other coercive institutions such as monasteries, the army, mental asylums, and other technologies. In his work Foucault exposes how seemingly benign or even reformist institutions such as the modern prison system (versus the stocks, and scaffolds) are technologies that are typical of the modern, painless, friendly, and impersonal coercive tools of the modern world. In fact the success of these technologies stems from their ability to appear unobtrusive and humane. These prisons Foucault goes on to explain like many institutions in post 1700th century society isolate those that society deems abnormal. This isolation seeks to attack the souls of people in order to dominate them similar to how the torture and brutality of pre-1700th century society sought to dominate the physical bodies of prisoners. In Foucault's interpretation freedom from the pervasive influence of "power" is impossible. Because his conception of "power" exists not just in individual institutions of society like prisons but instead exists in the structure of society and more importantly in peoples thought systems, escape from social control is impossible. Foucault in the last chapter talks about how even the reforms in the system have been co-opted to further the goals of the state. Instead of a lessening of social control Foucault sees that the technologies change from the wheels and gallows of the 17th century to the disciplinary society of the 19th century to the emerging carceral city of the future. In this carceral city the dispersion of power will be complete. The technologies of control will emanate from all parts of society, "walls, space, institution, rules, and discourse." Truffaut's interpretation of society and its future is much more upbeat. Although like Foucault he sees the technologies of the disciplinary society as insidious social control mechanisms. Truffault depicts the schooling, prison, and family systems as technologies that seeks to inculcate children, criminals, and subversives in the proper behavior of society. Trauffaut's film exposes how these mechanisms work. The school seeks to isolate punish and ostracize children into forming a pliant populace. The family seeks to enforce the discipline of societies larger moral codes on children. Notice how in the movie the mother in a seemingly kindly attempt to bond with her child is in fact teaching him the moral codes of society: running away from home is wrong, school is good, respect your elders, follow rules, and don't lie. The prison system in the movie seeks to isolate the deviant members of society classifying them as perverts, neurotic, madmen and in need of reprogramming and evaluation. These technologies in Truffaut's film are the seat of power in a society. Unlike Foucault Truffaut sees power as emanating from these fixed points; Foucault sees "power" and "control" and flowing through all the vessels of the body of society. In Truffaut's disciplinary society their is escape from such a world on the streets of Paris, in interacts with friends, and by running away to the sea or the movie theater. Truffaut sees escape from power as possible in anarchist like state free of adults and laws. Truffaut's ideas are similar in this aspect to Sartre who sees the society can be freed from the grip of cruel power in a socialist utopia. This is in stark contrast to Foucault who sees escape as impossible. And more importantly Foucault sees escape as growing more and more difficult as society moves from a disciplinary society to a society of control.

By What Means Does Willy Russell Engage Our Sympathy For Shirley In The Opening Part Of The Play Essays

By What Means Does Willy Russell Engage Our Sympathy For Shirley In The Opening Part Of The Play Essays By What Means Does Willy Russell Engage Our Sympathy For Shirley In The Opening Part Of The Play Essay By What Means Does Willy Russell Engage Our Sympathy For Shirley In The Opening Part Of The Play Essay In the opening part of the play feeling sympathy for Shirley is a regular occurrence expressed through loneliness, regret, unhappiness and humour. This only being a minority of the feelings Shirley feels.We find Shirley to be a humorous and genile person looking for a more easyer and comfortable way of life.We feel sympathy for Shirley when her sadness is expressed as insecurity. Even though her name was changed to Bradshaw she was still Shirley Valentine. This shows how she was changed into something she did not want to be and how she regrets marrying Joe. Shirley has an ability to make humour out of what may be at discomfort to her. Maybe the marriage to Joe is an example of this. Shirleys life becomes jaded and boring, as her life seemed to go down hill after marrying Joe. They say dont theyI felt like that at twenty-five. It seems as though Shirley was cheated out fifteen years in her life, which creates sympathy for Shirley. Shirley finds it hard to make friends and to socialize with others. I havent known Jane all that long, but shes great. Shows this and Shirley is troubled when she hears that Jane is going to Greece for two weeks. Shirley was accused of being a cheat at school when she was not. YOU, she yelled you must have been told that answer.This disheartened Shirley and changed her point of view to school life at this point. Deep down Shirley still wanted to be nice and gentile. We find out that Shirley meets the old school teachers pet that Shirley wanted to be like. Well Marjorie, youve waited a long time for your revenge but youve got me good style now havent y? Ironically is it found that Marjorie wanted to be just like Shirley was at school. Marjorie had become a high-class whore. The sadness that Shirley feels creates sympathy towards her. The regret that Shirley felt cannot be expressed until Shirley cries on the bus journey home leaving the audience distraught. As Marjorie kissed Shirley the deep emotion leads to her crying on the bus. This is the only time she had felt real affection leaving her even more upset. She leaned forward an just kissed me-thereon the cheek an there was real affection in that kiss.Shirley is reminiscing the past as she misses the fun the marriage had started out to be. She used to laugh with Joe she wishes it could be the same. She feels as though the old Shirley has disappeared and she is trying to humour the situation again.Shirley is so lonely that she talks to the wall to keep her company. This is quite a sad thing that she is doing leaving the audience wishing that they would never be in her position. Shirley Valentines daily routine would be very simple and very feminine, the cooking and cleaning being the main prospect. This is not helped by the fact of a selfish husband that has to come into consideration with everything including the cooking. We know that Shirley is not happy inside the marriage because she promised herself that she would leave Joe as soon a s the children grow up. This showing insecurity, loyalty and self-depriving. Shirley was loyal to the children by not leaving the children when they were young so they would have a hard time. She is also self-depriving as she promised herself that she would leave Joe but has still not done this. She is also scared because she feels as though she would have no place to go.Willy Russell creates sympathy for Shirley by expressing her feelings in various different ways, loneliness, unhappiness, regret, and loyalty. Shirley is humorous, dominated and self-deprived.I think that Shirley needs to go on the two-week trip to Greece with Jane and then decide if she wants to carry on the marriage with Joe. If not she should go and find peace in the country.

The Sobibor Revoltâ€Jewish Retaliation During Holocaust

The Sobibor Revolt- Jewish Retaliation During Holocaust Jews have often been accused of going to their deaths during the Holocaust like sheep to the slaughter, but this just wasnt true. Many resisted. However, the individual attacks and the individual escapes lacked the zest of defiance and craving for life that others, looking back in time, expect and want to see. Many now ask, why didnt the Jews just pick up guns and shoot? How could they let their families starve and die without fighting back? However, one must realize that resisting and revolting were just not this simple. If one prisoner were to pick up a gun and shoot, the SS would not just kill the shooter, but also randomly choose and kill twenty, thirty, even a hundred others in retaliation. Even if escaping from a camp were possible, where were the escapees to go? The roads were traveled by Nazis and the forests were filled with armed, anti-Semitic Poles. And during the winter, during the snow, where were they to live? And if they had been transported from the West to the East, they spoke Dutch or French - not Polish. How were they to survive in the countryside without knowing the language? Although the difficulties seemed insurmountable and success improbable, the Jews of the Sobibor Death Camp attempted a revolt. They made a plan and attacked their captors, but axes and knives were little match for the SSs machine guns. With all this against them, how and why did the prisoners of Sobibor come to the decision to revolt? Rumors During the summer and fall of 1943, the transports into Sobibor came less and less frequently. The Sobibor prisoners had always realized that they had been allowed to live only in order for them to work, to keep the death process running. However, with the slowing of the transports, many began to wonder whether the Nazis had actually succeeded in their goal to wipe out Jewry from Europe, to make it Judenrein. Rumors began to circulate- the camp was to be liquidated. Leon Feldhendler decided it was time to plan an escape. Though only in his thirties, Feldhendler was respected by his fellow inmates. Before coming to Sobibor, Feldhendler had been the head of the Judenrat in the Zolkiewka Ghetto. Having been at Sobibor for nearly a year, Feldhendler had witnessed several individual escapes. Unfortunately, all were followed by severe retaliation against the remaining prisoners. It was for this reason, that Feldhendler believed that an escape plan should include the escape of the entire camp population. In many ways, a mass escape was more easily said than done. How could you get six hundred prisoners out of a well-guarded, land mine-surrounded camp without having the SS discover your plan before it was enacted or without having the SS mow you down with their machine guns? A plan this complex was going to need someone with military and leadership experience. Someone who could not only plan such a feat but also inspire the prisoners to carry it out. Unfortunately, at the time, there was no one in Sobibor who fit both these descriptions. Sasha On September 23, 1943, a transport from Minsk rolled into Sobibor. Unlike most incoming transports, 80 men were selected for work. The SS were planning on building storage facilities in the now empty Lager IV, thus chose strong men from the transport rather than skilled workers. Among those chosen on that day was First Lieutenant Alexander Sasha Pechersky as well as a few of his men. Sasha was a Soviet prisoner of war. He had been sent to the front in October 1941 but had been captured near Viazma. After having been transferred to several camps, the Nazis, during a strip search, had discovered that Sasha was circumcised. Because he was Jewish, the Nazis sent him to Sobibor. Sasha made a big impression on the other prisoners of Sobibor. Three days after arriving at Sobibor, Sasha was out chopping wood with other prisoners. The prisoners, exhausted and hungry, were raising the heavy axes and then letting them fall on the tree stumps. SS Oberscharfà ¼hrer Karl Frenzel was guarding the group and regularly punishing already exhausted prisoners with twenty-five lashes each. When Frenzel noticed that Sasha had stopped working during one of these whipping frenzies, he said to Sasha, Russian soldier, you dont like the way I punish this fool? I give you exactly five minutes to split this stump. If you make it, you get a pack of cigarettes. If you miss by as much as one second, you get twenty-five lashes.1 It seemed an impossible task. Yet Sasha attacked the stump [w]ith all my strength and genuine hatred.2 Sasha finished in four and a half minutes. Since Sasha had completed the task in the allotted time, Frenzel made good on his promise of a pack of cigarettes - a highly prized commodity in the camp. Sasha refused the pack, saying Thanks, I dont smoke.3 Sasha then went back to work. Frenzel was furious. Frenzel left for a few minutes and then returned with bread and margarine - a very tempting morsel for all who are really hungry. Frenzel handed the food to Sasha. Again, Sasha refused Frenzels offer, saying, Thank you, the rations we are getting satisfy me fully.4 Obviously a lie, Frenzel was even more furious. However, instead of whipping Sasha, Frenzel turned and abruptly left. This was a first in Sobibor - someone had had the courage to defy the SS and succeeded. News of this incident spread quickly throughout the camp. Sasha and Feldhendler Meet Two days after the wood cutting incident, Leon Feldhendler asked that Sasha and his friend Shlomo Leitman come that evening to the womens barracks to talk. Though both Sasha and Leitman went that night, Feldhendler never arrived. In the womens barracks, Sasha and Leitman were swamped with questions - about life outside the camp...about why the partisans had not attacked the camp and freed them. Sasha explained that the partisans have their tasks, and no one can do our work for us.  5 These words motivated the prisoners of Sobibor. Instead of waiting for others to liberate them, they were coming to the conclusion that they would have to liberate themselves. Feldhendler had now found someone who not only had the military background to plan a mass escape, but also someone who could inspire confidence in the prisoners. Now Feldhendler needed to convince Sasha that a plan of mass escape was needed. The two men met the following day, on September 29. Some of Sashas men were already thinking of escape- but for just a few people, not a mass escape. Feldhendler had to convince them that he and others in the camp could help the Soviet prisoners because they knew the camp. He also told the men of the retaliation that would occur against the whole camp if even just a few were to escape. Soon, they decided to work together and information between the two men passed via a middle man, Shlomo Leitman, so as not to draw attention to the two men. With the information about the routine of the camp, layout of the camp, and specific characteristics of the guards and SS, Sasha began to plan. The Plan Sasha knew that any plan would be far-fetched. Even though the prisoners outnumbered the guards, the guards had machine guns and could call for back-up. The first plan was to dig a tunnel. They started digging the tunnel in the beginning of October. Originating in the carpentry shop, the tunnel had to be dug under the perimeter fence and then under the minefields. On October 7, Sasha voiced his fears about this plan - the hours at night were not sufficient to allow the entire camp population to crawl through the tunnel and fights were likely to flare-up between prisoners waiting to crawl through. These problems were never encountered because the tunnel was ruined from heavy rains on October 8 and 9. Sasha began working on another plan. This time it was not just a mass escape, it was a revolt. Sasha asked that members of the Underground start preparing weapons in the prisoner workshops- they began to make both knives and hatchets. Although the Underground had already learned that the camp commandant, SS Haupsturmfà ¼hrer Franz Reichleitner and SS Oberscharfà ¼hrer Hubert Gomerski had gone on vacation, on October 12 they saw SS Oberscharfà ¼hrer Gustav Wagner leaving the camp with his suitcases. With Wagner gone, many felt the opportunity ripe for the revolt. As Toivi Blatt describes Wagner: Wagners departure gave us a tremendous morale boost. While cruel, he was also very intelligent. Always on the go, he could suddenly show up in the most unexpected places. Always suspicious and snooping, he was difficult to fool. Besides, his colossal stature and strength would make it very difficult for us to overcome him with our primitive weapons.6 On the nights of October 11 and 12, Sasha told the Underground the complete plans for the revolt. The Soviet prisoners of war were to be dispersed to different workshops around the camp. The SS would be individually lured to the various workshops either by appointments to pick up finished products they had ordered like boots or by individual items that attracted their greed like a newly arrived leather coat. The planning took into consideration the Germans brashness and power-hungry mistreatment of the seemingly subdued Jews, their consistent and systematic daily routine, their unfaltering punctuality, and their greed.7 Each SS man would be killed in the workshops. It was important that the SS did not cry out when being killed nor any of the guards alerted that something unusual was happening in the camps. Then, all the prisoners would report as usual to the roll call square and then walk out together through the front gate. It was hoped that once the SS had been eliminated, the Ukrainian guards, who had a small supply of ammunition, would acquiesce to the revolting prisoners. The phone lines were to be cut early in the revolt so that the escapees would have several hours of fleeing time under the cover of darkness before back-up could be notified. Significant to the plan was that only a very small group of the prisoners even knew of the revolt. It was to be a surprise to the general camp population at roll call. It was decided that the following day, October 13, would be the day of revolt. We knew our fate. We knew that we were in an extermination camp and death was our destiny. We knew that even a sudden end to the war might spare the inmates of the normal  concentration camps, but never us. Only desperate actions could shorten our suffering and maybe afford us a chance of escape. And the will to resist had grown and ripened. We had no dreams of liberation; we hoped merely to destroy the camp and to die from bullets rather than from gas. We would not make it easy for the Germans.8 October 13 The day had finally arrived. Tension was high. In the morning, a group of SS arrived from the nearby Ossowa labor camp. The arrival of these additional SS not only increased the man power of the SS in the camp but could preclude the regular SS men from making their appointments in the workshops. Since the additional SS were still in the camp during lunchtime, the revolt was postponed. It was rescheduled for the following day - October 14. As the prisoners went to bed, many were afraid of what was to come. Esther Grinbaum, a very sentimental and intelligent young woman, wiped away her tears and said: Its not yet the time for an uprising. Tomorrow none of us will be alive. Everything will remain as it was - the barracks, the sun will rise and set, the flowers will bloom and wilt, but we will be no more. Her closest friend, Helka Lubartowska, a beautiful dark-eyed brunette, tried to encourage her: There is no other way. Nobody knows what the results will be, but one thing is sure, we will not be led to slaughter.9 October 14 The day had come. Excitement among the prisoners was so high that no matter what happened, the revolt could not be postponed, for the SS were sure to notice the change in mood in the prisoners. The few weapons that had been made were already handed out to those doing the killing. In the morning, they all had to try to look and act normal while waiting for the afternoon to come. NoonAll battle team commanders (the prisoners who were to actively participate in the revolt were broken up into battle teams of two to three persons each) had each individually met with Sasha for final instructions.Frenzel entered the carpentry shop and noticed one prisoner was wearing especially nice clothing. The inmate was wearing nice clothes in preparation for the revolt. Many other prisoners were wearing extra clothes as well as carrying extra food and valuables. Frenzel asked the prisoner if he was going to a wedding. 102:00 p.m.Something unusual happened. SS Unterscharfà ¼hrer Walter Ryba, armed with a submachine gun, came into Lager I and took four prisoners away with him. SS didnt usually carry such heavy weapons. Could he know about the planned revolt?3:00 to 4:00 p.m.Sasha found out that SS Ryba was only carrying the submachine gun because a Ukrainian guard had not also accompanied the prisoners.Many of the battle teams take their positions.My assignment was to liquidat e Scharfà ¼hrer Greischutz, who was in charge of the Ukrainian guard. I was happy for the opportunity given to me to kill a German. We had prepared axes, which we had sharpened in the smithy. We took up our position an hour earlier. At four oclock we were sitting in the rooms and waited.11 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.The killings began. (Though there are discrepancies in the accounts as to which SS officer was killed at what location, the following is a summary of the SS deaths.)Vorlager: Leon Feldhendler was stationed here to help orchestrate the revolt in this section of the camp.Unterscharfà ¼hrer Josef Wulf: Wulf was the first SS man killed during the revolt. Once he entered the storeroom, one prisoner offered him a coat and another helped him into it. While he was putting on the coat, two other prisoners hit him on the head with axes. Wulfs dead body was then hidden among piles of clothes and the blood was cleaned up.Steubel: Steubel was also lured into the storeroom and killed.Scharfà ¼hrer Vallaster: Killed during revolt; circumstances of death not known.Scharfà ¼hrer Kurt Beckman: While the attempt to lure Beckman to the storeroom for a new leather coat started successfully, on his way he abruptly turned around and went to his office. A little later, three prisoners we nt to Beckmans office where they surprised him and stabbed him with daggers. Since they did not have time to hide his body or clean up the blood, they left the body behind the desk.Unterscharfà ¼hrer Walter Ryba: Not part of the planned killings, Ryba entered the SS garage and was killed by a prisoner working there. Sasha worried that Rybas body, which was very close to the SS and Ukrainian living quarters, would be discovered.Lager I: Sasha Pechersky was stationed here to orchestrate the revolt in this section of the camp.Untersturmfà ¼hrer Josef Niemann: The acting commander of the camp rode up to the tailor shop on his chestnut horse, dismounted, and went inside. As he was being fitted for a new uniform, prisoners hit him on the back of the head with an  axe. His body was then dragged to the back room and his horse taken back to the stables.Oberscharfà ¼hrer  Goettinger: Head of Lager III, Goettinger was asked to try on a new pair of boots in the shoemakers shop. While tal king to the shoemaker, Goettingers head was smashed with an  axe.Scharfà ¼hrer Siegfried Greischutz: Head of the Ukrainian guard, Greischutz was killed once inside the Ukrainian tailor shop.Klat: Klat, a Ukrainian guard, entered the tailors shop looking for his boss, Greischutz (who had just been killed there). The tailors maneuvered Klat so that his back was to the back room. He was then attacked and killed.Scharfà ¼hrer Friedrich Gaulstich: Gaulstich was killed in the carpentry workshop. After 5:00 p.m.The prisoners had gathered as usual in the roll call area. At 5:10 p.m. - twenty minutes early for roll call - the roll call whistle was blown according to Sashas signal. Though Sasha was surprised at how well the plan had gone thus far, he realized that there could not be an orderly march through the front gate. Sasha stood up and addressed the assembled prisoners, saying something similar to Our day has come. Most of the Germans are dead. Lets die with honor. Remember, if anyone survives, he must tell the world what has happened here.12A Ukrainian guard discovered the body of Scharfà ¼hrer Beckman behind his desk and ran outside where SS men hear him yell, A German is dead! This alerted the rest of the camp to the revolt.The prisoners at the roll call square yell, Hurrah! Then it was every man and woman for themselves.Prisoners were running to the fences. Some were trying to cut them, others just climbed over. Yet, in most places, the minefield was still fully in pl ace.Suddenly we heard shots. In the beginning only a few shots, and then it turned into heavy shooting, including machine-gun fire. We heard shouting, and I could see a group of prisoners running with axes, knives, scissors, cutting the fences and crossing them. Mines started to explode. Riot and confusion prevailed, everything was thundering around. The doors of the workshop were opened, and everyone rushed through. . . . We ran out of the workshop. All around were the bodies of the killed and wounded. Near the armory were some of our boys with weapons. Some of them were exchanging fire with the Ukrainians, others were running toward the gate or through the fences. My coat caught on the fence. I took off the coat, freed myself and ran further behind the fences into the minefield. A mine exploded nearby, and I could see a body being lifted into the air and then falling down. I did not recognize who it was.13As the remaining SS were alerted to the revolt, they grabbed machine guns an d began shooting into the mass of people. The guards in the towers were also firing into the crowd.The prisoners were running through the minefield, over an open area, and then into the forest. It is estimated that about half the prisoners (approximately 300) made it to the forests. The Forest Once in the forests, the escapees tried to quickly find relatives and friends. Though they started off in large groups of prisoners, they eventually broke into smaller and smaller groups in order to be able to find food and to hide. Sasha had been leading one large group of about 50 prisoners. On October 17, the group stopped. Sasha chose several men, which included all the rifles of the group except one, and passed around a hat to collect money from the group to buy food. He told the group that he and the others he had chosen were going to do some reconnaissance. The others protested, but Sasha promised hed come back. He never did. After waiting for a long time, the group realized that Sasha was not going to come back, thus they split into smaller groups and headed off in different directions. After the war, Sasha explained his leaving by saying that it would have been impossible to hide and feed such a large group. But no matter how  truthful  this statement, the remaining members of the group felt bitter and betrayed by Sasha. Within four days of the escape, 100 of the 300 escapees were caught. The remaining 200 continued to flee and hide. Most were shot by local Poles or by partisans. Only 50 to 70 survived the war. Though this number is small, it is still much larger than if the prisoners had not revolted, for surely, the entire camp population would have been liquidated by the Nazis. Notes 1. Alexander Pechersky as quoted in Yitzhak Arad,  Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka: The Operation Reinhard Death Camps  (Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1987) 307.2. Alexander Pechersky as quoted in Ibid 307.3. Alexander Pechersky as quoted in Ibid 307.4. Alexander Pechersky as quoted in Ibid 307.5. Ibid 308.6. Thomas Toivi Blatt,  From the Ashes of Sobibor: A Story of Survival  (Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press, 1997) 144.7. Ibid 141.8. Ibid 139.9. Arad,  Belzec  321.10. Ibid 324.11. Yehuda Lerner as quoted in Ibid 327.12. Richard Rashke,  Escape From Sobibor  (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1995) 229.13. Ada Lichtman as quoted in Arad,  Belzec  331. 14. Ibid 364. Bibliography Arad, Yitzhak.  Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka: The Operation Reinhard Death Camps.  Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1987. Blatt, Thomas Toivi.  From the Ashes of Sobibor: A Story of Survival. Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press, 1997. Novitch, Miriam.  Sobibor: Martyrdom and Revolt. New York: Holocaust Library, 1980. Rashke, Richard.  Escape From Sobibor. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1995.

U.K. GCSE Coursework- 19th Ghost Stories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

U.K. GCSE Coursework- 19th Ghost Stories - Essay Example In The Judge’s House the reader is introduced to the character of Malcolm Malcolmson through an omniscient third person narrator. Malcolmson â€Å"feared the attractions of the seaside, and also he feared completely rural isolation.†1 So the dominant feature of this character, at least at first, is â€Å"fear†. He would thus seem to be not very well suited to dealing well with an encounter with a ghost. Malcolmson is deliberately removing himself from everyone and everything he knows in order to study for exams. He is obviously of middle or upper class origins and determined to do well in his academic work. Soon the reader discovers that he is a mathematician, and possesses the self-confidence (some might say arrogance) of a man of science who thinks that only things that can be measured in a scientific sense are worth considering. Thus when he is warned about the terrors of the judge’s house, he replies casually, â€Å" . . . but my dear Mrs. Witham, indeed you need not be concerned about me! A man who is reading for the Mathematical Tripos has too much to think of to be disturbed by any of these mysterious somethings . . . â€Å"2 He thus rejects the supernatural in a good-humored but essentially dismissive manner. He has the confidence of youth, of education and of science. The rest of the story reveals how this confidence is demolished piece by piece. On his initial encounter with the rats that swarm through the house, on his first night of study, Malcomson ends up feeling remarkably at home with the vermin: â€Å"for a little while the rats disturbed him somewhat with their perpetual scampering, but he got accustomed to the noise as one does to the ticking of the clock or the roar of moving water. . . â€Å"3. The rats, at least these non-supernatural rats, are part of the physical world that Malcolmson is studying and feels comfortable with, at least to a point. The fact that â€Å"his problem was still unsolved† at the