Building a movement always challenges the status quo. Leaders must act, they must willingly risk the things they love and unfortunately, many leaders are frozen by the lethargy of indecision i. Union General George B. McClellan, who was meticulous in his planning and preparations, was also known for not aggressively challenging his opponents on a fast-moving battlefield environment. He chronically overestimated the strength of the enemy and was reluctant to apply principles of mass, frequently leaving large portions of his army unengaged at decisive points ii. At no time was this more evident during the only battle of the Civil War in which McClellan led his troops from start to finish. His performance during the bloody Battle of Antietam blunted General Robert E. Lee’s invasion of Maryland, but also allowed him to eke out a precarious tactical draw and avoid destruction despite being grossly outnumbered on the battlefield iii. His missteps challenged the principles of building cohesive teams thru mutual trust, creating shared understanding, and above all, accepting prudent risks.…
The Wednesday War by Gary D. Schmidt is an interesting realistic fiction novel that illustrates the life of a seventh grade boy named Holling Hoodhood. His accounts begin during the Vietnam War, which brings sadness to those around him. The tragic events during 1967 affect the way Holling looks at the world. This includes discrimination to his Vietnamese friend. He also learns very important life lessons from Shakespeare’s books, which Mrs. Baker forced him to read.…
In Redemption: Last Battle of the Civil War by Nicholas Lemann a new idea called reconstruction is starting to arise in the nation. The book itself sets up the reader to picture one of the bloodiest wars of all time. The main idea of the book is how Reconstruction failed because of hostile and rude schemes by the Democratic Party and white southerners during elections. The main reason for reconstruction was to put union backs together and free the slaves for once and for all, the ideas were doomed soon as they were looked upon due to the. Southern Democrats were poised to win with little to no interference at the ballot box both locally and eventually, at the national…
Even today, there is still a great deal of controversy considering the circumstances and the outcome of the Vietnam War. Professor Lewis Sorley sought to put an end to this altercation with the release of his book, A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America’s Last Years in Vietnam. In his writing, he discusses factors of the war from General William C Westmoreland’s command in 1964, to the major withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam in the early 70’s, to the bitter end in 1975, and shortly thereafter. His argument was that we did in fact win the war militarily. However, Sorley also believed that on domestic soil, the U.S. military had lost not only the war, but also the support of the very people it sought to protect…
In this essay I will be talking about the photograph, raising the flag on Iwo Jima taken by joe Rosenthal on 23rd February 1945 during world war 2. I will be looking into what this photograph meant at the time, and what it came represent over the years. Section 1 I will be talking about what the photograph is about in more detail. I will also be looking at what the photograph meant to America at the time. Section 2 I will be looking how the photo’s meaning has changed over time and why it has changed, I will also be looking at the controversy that surrounds the photo and why this was. Section 3 I want to look into other photographs that have also changed meaning over time which have had similar patterns.…
Pulitzer Prize winner, David McCullough, authored the intense and well-researched novel 1776 about the tumultuous times of American independence from the British Empire. He recreates scenes of heroic battles as well as dramatic encounters between diplomats with outstanding details to support his writing. In his acknowledgments, McCullough informs the reader that the material in his novel came from over 25 libraries, archives and historic sites in both the United States and the United Kingdom. McCullough’s history lesson in his novel 1776 does more than just teach the reader; it puts them into the setting of pre-revolutionary war America.…
Walker 1“The Decisive Battle of Midway”Circumstances can change rapidly. These changes that occur rapidly may not be fullyunderstood until years later, if at all. The same can be said of the Battle of Midway. The Battle of Midway was June 4-7, 1942 and was a pivotal naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II(Crisman). Momentum can change due to any set of factors.The Japanese objective of the Pacific Theater was to dominate the Pacific Ocean and theIndian Ocean (Crisman). If the Japanese were able to dominate the Pacific Ocean and IndianOcean, the Japanese clearly would have had much more territory in order to do what they saw fit.Clearly they could have moved men and goods across that water instead of having to move thesame things…
In the short story, “Soldier’s home,” the protagonist deals with difficult conflicts within himself and with others. Ernest Hemmingway shows us what it is like for the soldier, Harold Krebs, who returned home, to Kansas, from World War I in 1917, three years after the end of the war. He did not get celebrated like all the other soldiers that returned home causing some major conflict in the story.…
In the story "War" by Timothy Findley, it is evident to the reader that the title is not actually talking about the war that is in the story but is talking about a different type of war. In the story the reader learns that the war that is being referred to is the war between Neil and his father. Neil is going though a tough time because his father is joining the army and this is hard for him to understand. Throughout the story the reader is trying to find out what the title really mean and it becomes an extra factor to the story and it is enjoyable for the reader when they realize the true meaning. It almost a mission for the reader to find the true meaning of the title in a story and in this story it is enjoyable when the message is told to the reader . The author did a great job with the title of the story because it makes the reader think about what the real meaning is.…
In this paper, I will be summarizing the following chapters: Chapter 3: "A Legacy of Hate: The Conquest of Mexico’s Northwest”; Chapter 4: “Remember the Alamo: The Colonization of Texas”; and Chapter 5: “Freedom in a Cage: The Colonization of New Mexico. All three chapters are from the book, “Occupied America, A History of Chicanos” by Rodolfo F. Acuna. In chapter three, Acuna explains the causes of the war between Mexico and North America. In chapter four, Acuna explains the colonization of Texas and how Mexicans migrated from Mexico to Texas. In chapter five, Acuna explains the colonization of New Mexico and the economic changes that the people had to go through.…
Joseph Conrad once observed that “a belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness.” As a result of the violence that is necessary during wartime, soldiers are permitted to engage in savage behavior that is normally forbidden in society. In The Wars by Timothy Findley, however, soldiers act in violent ways even when they are not actively engaged in battle. The inherently savage nature of humankind is evident when Robert Ross kills the German soldier after the gas attack, when Robert is raped in the baths, and when Robert kills Captain Leather. These violent events that occur outside the direct action of the war demonstrate the evil inherent in humankind.…
By the end of the reconquista, between 120,000 and 150,000 jews were expelled from La Peninsula Iberica.…
Artist John Trumbull was commissioned January 1817 to create four monumental paintings for the capital. This painting Surrender of Lord Cornwallis was the second of these paintings he completed. In late 1820 painting Surrender of Lord Cornwallis was hung in the United States Capital. He completed a smaller version of the painting around 1828, that now hangs in the Yale University Art Gallery. In context, this paintings setting comes from Cornwallis feeling defeat was near, hoping to be rescued from the sea, however help never came. Consequently, in the next few weeks General George Washington's army's artillery bombarded Cornwallis position, that leads to the surrender of Cornwallis as depicted in the painting. In 1785 John Trumbull began to…
As in Noah’s Ark, there is the evidence of acknowledgment of Egyptian wall paintings which ties into African heritage. The most prominent part of the painting is the story being told through the figures in the foreground. Starting on the left, the story begins with the slave worker in the fields picking cotton. As the story transitions to the right, the figures are no longer hunching over, but are standing tall and willing to fight for their freedom. In the background are the silhouettes of the armies that fought for and against the abolishment of slavery. The center figure, through the use of Art Deco inspired geometric shapes becomes the focal point, is pointing towards the north to lead the southerners to their economic freedom. Lastly, on the right side of the painting, emphasizes the cultural rebirth black Americans found in the…
I believe this painting shows a loss of identity. This is the reason I chose this as my favorite piece of art, because I can relate to it. There came a time in my life where I was struggling with my own identity. In today's world it is very significant to identify oneself with at least one thing (ones ethnicity, nationality, race, religion, or a particular belief). Many people still grapple with the notion of identity in many countries, regions, and various ways in order to fit or adapt into any environment (social, economic, cultural, political, etc). One’s identity determines ones position or situation in society wherever one lives. However, finding the right type of…