Battle of the Philippine Essay Example for Free

Battle of the Philippine Essay Thus, Nimitz had anticipated the two critical facets of Yamamoto’s strategic plan of having the battleship supported by aircraft carriers instead of the other way around – and Nimitz knew that the big battleship â€Å"Yamato† was far slower than any other Japanese battleship and Nimitz was also aware that the Japanese the smaller battleships were supposed to lure away the Americans away from the main contingent [7]. Hence, all of the Japanese plans, no matter how ingenious it was – did not work. Skirmishes between smaller contingents started early of June 3rd [7]. But June 4th was D-day time. Japanese planes attacked power plants and installations at Midway, the Battle of Midway has begun. The implications and losses for the Japanese forces were huge – within several minutes, the Japanese Navy had lost half of its carrier force – a force that had been considered to be manned by the Japanese Navy’s elite. Overall, the Japanese lost four vital aircraft carriers vital to their Pacific campaign and the majority of its experienced crew and air fighters. This was why military tacticians on both sides already knew that after the Battle of Midway, the tide of the war has turned in favor of the Allied forces [7]. The next battle fought on sea was the Battle of the Philippine Sea on June 18th to June 20th, 1944 [3]. It was here that Admiral Ozawa’s retirement and abstention from the battle that doomed any Japanese hope of stemming the tide against the American forces. The Japanese lost the Shokaku, Taiho and Hiyo (in each case about two-thirds of the ships’ company) and the oilers destroyed, as well as some 400 planes lost from the carriers [7]. On land, they were defeated in the Battle of Manila Bay and were forced to withdraw from the battle of Guadalcanal when the allies started their island – hopping campaign that had begun in the Solomon Islands. This pushed back the Japanese one island after another. The allies tactically isolated the Japanese major forces in the pacific located at Rabaul. Finally the Japanese were defeated once again as the allied forces pushed them back towards the Philippine islands sea, and the battle of the Leyte Gulf in October 19, 1944. That day, the Americans, headed by General Douglas MacArthur fulfilled his promise of returning to the Philippines [5]. From Leyte Gulf, the Americans coordinated with the existing guerilla forces made up of joint American and Filipino recruits. Finally, on February 4, 1945, the Americans entered Manila and the Yalta Conference was held in USSR [5]. From there the recapture of the Marianas and the Philippine islands were used as a take – off point to advance to Japan’s homeland, and on to the invasion of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. However, in spite of the aggressive military campaign and successive defeats the Japanese suffered from the hands of the allied forces, the emperor refuses to budge and accept defeat to end the war. Instead, the code of BUSHIDO was once again called upon and young Japanese men called to duty went on suicidal missions purposely using their planes as weapons against aircraft carriers and other enemy targets. During that time the US had developed an experimental bomb – the A-bomb and was used as a last recourse to make the Japanese government surrender and stop the continuing carnage. On July 16, the Potsdam conference started. Meanwhile, the first atomic bomb is exploded in a test at Alamogordo, New Mexico. July 26, the Potsdam Declaration is delivered to Japan. On August 2, the Potsdam conference ended [7]. On August 5, 1945 the US dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Still, the Japanese government did not heed the warning. August 8: Russia declares war on Japan. On August 9, another bomb decimated the city of Nagasaki. Finally, Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945 and accepted the Allied terms [7]. VI. Conclusion The passion and ferocity displayed by the Japanese soldiers’ generals and rank and file throughout the entire course of World War 2 proved to the whole world how ready the Japanese were in embracing and enforcing this war. Their cultural mentality and their refusal to budge even at the expense of their young people’s lives showed how tenacious they intended this war would be fought. Their disdain of soldiers who have surrendered during the war – particularly during the â€Å"Bataan Death March† and their treatment of captured American and British officers bolster their â€Å"Bushido† mentality. Japanese soldiers were trained to fight or die. These soldiers, no matter what the cost would offer their lives and commit â€Å"Harakiri† rather than be captured. Hence, they only have the lowest of regard for those who surrender or for those who allowed themselves to be captured. There was no mistaking in assuming that the Japanese prepared and were ready for generations – from the late 1900s into the 20th century that they were trained to go to war and conquer. Bibliography: [1] Bauer, E. Lt-Colonel The History of World War II, Orbis (2000) General Editor: Brigadier Peter Young; Consultants: Brigadier General James L. Collins Jr. , Correli Barnet. (1,024 pages). (Accessed February 01, 2007). [2] Brinkley, Alan. (2005). The Unfinished Nation: A Brief Interactive History of the American People. Chapters 32 to 33. pp. 502-537. New York. (Accessed February 02 to 03, 2007). www.historylearningsite.co.uk

Cyberporn and Pornography - Sex Should Not be a Spectator Sport :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Pornography - Sex Should Not be a Spectator Sport    Some adults recall the days in the early Sixties with a certain nostalgia, as a time when people were still aware of the distinction between pornography and erotic art, and when erotic books and films could pass the censor only if a case could be made for their artistic value. Everything changed very suddenly, according to the poet Philip Larkin:    Sexual intercourse began In nineteen sixty-three. Between the end of the Chatterley ban And the Beatles' first LP.    But still, even though the permissive habits spread rapidly through society, breaking down taboos and breaking up marriages, people remained sensitive to the distinction between art and pornography, and had no objections to a law which forbade explicit sexual imagery. The recent judgment of the High Court, upholding the decision of the Video Appeals Committee (another collection of the Great and the Good) to allow the sale of videos showing explicit scenes of sexual intercourse, suggests that the last vestiges of decency are being finally chased from the law.    Like many distinctions which are intuitively obvious, that between the erotic and the pornographic is not easy to explain. It has been said that pornography is obscene, whereas erotic art is merely suggestive. But what is obscenity? The old test laid down in the Obscene Publications Acts of 1959 and 1964 holds that matter is obscene if it tends to deprave and corrupt those who are likely to come across it. But that test is flawed, since it looks for obscenity only in the effects of a thing, and not in the thing itself. Moreover juries are by no means competent to predict the effects of watching any particular film or reading any particular novel, and are easily swayed by smooth-tongued barristers who represent pornography as a healthy "safety valve" for feelings which could erupt in far more dangerous ways.    The fact is that the desire to watch explicit scenes of carnal lust is in itself depraved. It is not that explicit videos have a tendency to corrupt: they are corrupt. In the sexual sphere this is what corruption consists in - namely the display of sexual appetite divorced from the personal relations that redeem it. To justify pornographic videos on the grounds that they don't make people worse than they are is like justifying gladiatorial combat because it doesn't make people into

Banned Book Project

In the history of literature and arts, there exists some works that were banned for public appreciation. Among the said banned written works is the Bible itself. There are certain reasons of the society why books and other types of written works are banned for the public to see. In this regard, the book entitled â€Å"A Brave New World† by Aldous Hauxley.Why has this book been banned and how does the writer fairly present his idealisms of utopian community? These major questions are to be addressed in the paragraphs that follow. About The Author Aldous Hauxley is a British writer who opted to stay in California during the year 1937.He is a known social satirist writer. He has also been a contributor of the Vanity Fair and Vogue magazines. Aside from this, he has also been known for having a fine collection of poems that has been published as a book of collections during the year 1916. The said book has been entitled The Burning Wheel and had a fair share in the book selling ma rket. Aside from the said creations, he has also been able to come up with four satirical novels, which also became very successful in the book industry. The said novels were entitled Chrome Yellow (1921); Antic hay (1923); Those Barren Leaves (1925) and Point Count Point (1928).After these four successful novels came the creation of the Novel â€Å"Brave New World†. However, unlike the previous creations that were done by Huxley, this Novel received the least appreciation by major socialist groups. How did this Banned Book Project page 2 happen? What is the reason behind the banning of the said novel? These questions shall be entertained by discussing the inner context of the said literature. About The Book It has been noted by Huxley himself that the Novel he wrote has been inspired by the novel written by H. G. Wells entitled â€Å"Men like Gods†.The said novel dealt with a utopian community that is introduced by an optimist view of the future. The title on the othe r hand has been based upon Miranda’s speech in Shakespeare’s written work entitled â€Å"The Tempest†. In act V scene I it could be read: â€Å"O! Wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! O brave new world That has such people in it! † (41) As it could be obviously observed in the context of the stanza, where the title has been taken from, a utopian society could be depicted from the lines pertaining to the phrase â€Å"brave new world†.From this context, the theme of the novel written by Huxley has been created. Mainly discussing a future situation of the human society basing from the actual contemporary situation of the society. However, when it comes to the novel by Huxley, the future was presented in a horrible situation. This is the reason why many socialists were alarmed and decided to ban the said literature. As it could be seen, the future was presented in a negative utopia. Banned Book Project page 3 A Brief Analysis of the NovelT he time when the novel was written were the years pertaining to the Industrial Revolution. The massive changes that the said era brought to the human society has inspired Huxley to write the novel in a more industrial focused sense of setting. In a futurist fantasy, the idealism of Huxley of a utopian community based upon the development of the present situations in the society towards the future has been clearly stated in the novel. The focus of the theme of the â€Å"Brave New World† is particularly pointed towards the fear of loosing ones identity in a fast-paced system of things.Mainly, this shock of the new society is based upon the personal shock that Huxley experienced the first time he set foot in California. The industrialization of the said community has inspired Huxley to write his novel basing from the said social situation. In an era of people naturally interested in foreseeing the future, Huxley provided the readers with the truth that they did not much like to know. However, it is according to him that if the present situations of those times would continue to progress at a fast pace, the future would much likely turn out to be what his novel suggests.The story started in London. The situation of the world was much likely centralized by a world government that is called â€Å"The World State†. Through the said government, the society is divided into five classes, mainly, the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon. The whole human society is characterized to be continuously happy. However, the said happiness is rigidly ill defined. It is characterized by a trained community in becoming good consumers. Everyone in the society is encouraged to have a social life, being aloof from the society is discouraged, aside form this; sexualBanned Book Project page 4 promiscuity is a social norm. Human production is also encouraged but not in a natural way. On the other hand, the reproduction process happens in a laboratory wherein hybrid childre n are enhanced and reproductions are controlled in a way that the industry could still further support the population. On another part of the story, another society is introduced. It is situated in New Mexico. Most likely, this society depicts the present situation of the human community, whereas there is fashion, arts and science that identifies a person’s happiness.Normal reproduction is also present in the said community. The characters that came from this side of the story considered London’s advancement and happiness to be a soulless situation that is dried up by the progress of industrialization. Why the Novel Was Banned As clearly described on the previous paragraphs, the novel has been highly inclined to picturing a an ideal society when it comes to economic status, however, when it comes to morals and individual being, the said society is indeed a negative community.For this reason, the socialists who were able to know the contents of the said novel feared tha t the society who would be able to read the said literature would be able t have a negative view of the future and would consider sexual promiscuity and other immoral ways of living as a social norm. This may then lead to a social downfall when it comes to morality and individuality. On the contrary, it could be observed that the novel has been a simple exaggeration of the actual situation of the society at present. In a mere measurement of the social situations at present, it could be recognized that there is indeed a possibility byBanned Book Project page 5 which a future society as to that situation which was portrayed in the novel of Huxley. As it could be seen, sexual relations today are even promoted through the media. Pornography and the materials that introduce it to the society are even considered as a norm. All these are manifested by the profit driven world that exists in the society today. In an optimistic way, the publication and the distribution of the book may have wa ken up the society as to how things might turn out to be if they continue to thrive in a profit-focused situation.Personally, the author of this literature analysis sees the banning of the book to be an unnecessary move of the socialists. As the author views the work of Huxley as a wake up call to the human society for them to at least have time to change their ways and be more positively inclined especially when it comes to morals. Conclusion In a positive view, the novel of Huxley may be an exaggeration of the present situation in the society. However, publishing it may have caused many readers to become more aware of the changes that happen in the society and thus shift their profit-driven priorities towards a more morality-focused life.Young children may not understand the context of the novel as a whole; however, making them see the need of social change is a vital part of ensuring a social future inclined to a more morally clean social view. Hence, it could be noted that banni ng the said novel may have been a mistaken move for the socialist groups. BIBLIOGRAPHY Aldous Huxley. (1998). Brave New World. Harper Perennial Modern Classics; Reprint edition BLTC. (2005). BRAVE NEW WORLD ? A Defense Of Paradise-Engineering. http://www. huxley. net/. (December 1, 2006). Shakespeare Homepage. (2005). The Tempest. http://www-tech. mit. edu/Shakespeare/tempest/. (December 1, 2006).

How to Calculate Backgammon Probabilities

Backgammon is a game that employs the use of two standard dice.   The dice used in this game are six-sided cubes, and the faces of a die have one, two, three, four, five or six pips. During a turn in backgammon a player may move his or her checkers or draughts according to the numbers shown on the dice. The numbers rolled can be split between two checkers, or they can be totaled and used for a single checker. For example, when a 4 and a 5 are rolled, a player has two options: he may move one checker four spaces and another one five spaces, or one checker can be moved a total of nine spaces. To formulate strategies in backgammon it is helpful to know some basic probabilities. Since a player can use one or two dice to move a particular checker, any calculation of probabilities will keep this in mind. For our backgammon probabilities, we will answer the question, â€Å"When we roll two dice, what is the probability of rolling the number n as either a sum of two dice, or on at least one of the two dice?† Calculation of the Probabilities For a single die that is not loaded, each side is equally likely to land face up. A single die forms a uniform sample space. There are a total of six outcomes, corresponding to each of the integers from 1 to 6. Thus each number has a probability of 1/6 of occurring. When we roll two dice, each die is independent of the other. If we keep track of the order of what number occurs on each of the dice, then there are a total of 6 x 6 36 equally likely outcomes. Thus 36 is the denominator for all of our probabilities and any particular outcome of two dice has a probability of 1/36. Rolling At Least One of a Number The probability of rolling two dice and getting at least one of a number from 1 to 6 is straightforward to calculate. If we wish to determine the probability of rolling at least one 2 with two dice, we need to know how many of the 36 possible outcomes include at least one 2. The ways of doing this are: (1, 2), (2, 2), (3, 2), (4, 2), (5, 2), (6, 2), (2, 1), (2, 3), (2, 4), (2, 5), (2, 6) Thus there are 11 ways to roll at least one 2 with two dice, and the probability of rolling at least one 2 with two dice is 11/36. There is nothing special about 2 in the preceding discussion. For any given number n from 1 to 6: There are five ways to roll exactly one of that number on the first die.There are five ways to roll exactly one of that number on the second die.There is one way to roll that number on both dice. Therefore there are 11 ways to roll at least one n from 1 to 6 using two dice. The probability of this occurring is 11/36. Rolling a Particular Sum Any number from two to 12 can be obtained as the sum of two dice. The probabilities for two dice are slightly more difficult to calculate. Since there are different ways to reach these sums, they do not form a uniform sample space. For instance, there are three ways to roll a sum of four: (1, 3), (2, 2), (3, 1), but only two ways to roll a sum of 11: (5, 6), (6, 5). The probability of rolling a sum of a particular number is as follows: The probability of rolling a sum of two is 1/36.The probability of rolling a sum of three is 2/36.The probability of rolling a sum of four is 3/36.The probability of rolling a sum of five is 4/36.The probability of rolling a sum of six is 5/36.The probability of rolling a sum of seven is 6/36.The probability of rolling a sum of eight is 5/36.The probability of rolling a sum of nine is 4/36.The probability of rolling a sum of ten is 3/36.The probability of rolling a sum of eleven is 2/36.The probability of rolling a sum of twelve is 1/36. Backgammon Probabilities At long last we have everything we need to calculate probabilities for backgammon. Rolling at least one of a number is mutually exclusive from rolling this number as a sum of two dice. Thus we can use the addition rule to add the probabilities together for obtaining any number from 2 to 6. For example, the probability of rolling at least one 6 out of two dice is 11/36. Rolling a 6 as a sum of two dice is 5/36. The probability of rolling at least one 6 or rolling a six as a sum of two dice is 11/36 5/36 16/36. Other probabilities can be calculated in a similar manner.