Pride of China

The four-century-long Han rule is divided into two periods: the Earlier or Western Han and the Later or Eastern Han. In between these two was the short-lived Hsin Dynasty (AD 9-23). The Chinese show their pride in Han accomplishments by calling themselves the Han people. Philosophies and institutions that began in the Chou and Ch'in periods reached maturity under the Han. During Han times, the Chinese distinguished themselves in making scientific discoveries, many of which were not known to Westerners until centuries later. The Chinese were most advanced in astronomy. They invented sundials and water clocks, divided the day equally into ten and then into 12 periods, devised the lunar calendar that continued to be used until 1912, and recorded sunspots regularly. In mathematics, the Chinese were the first to use the place value system, whereby the value of a component of a number is indicated by its placement. Other innovations were of a more practical nature: wheelbarrows, locks to control water levels in streams and canals, and compasses. The Han Chinese were especially distinguished in the field of art. The famous sculpture of the â€Å"Han flying horse† and the carving of the jade burial suit found in Han period tombs are only two superb examples. The technique of making lacquer ware was also highly developed. The Chinese are proudest of the tradition of historical writing that began in the Han period. Ssu-ma Ch'ien (145? -85? BC) was grand historian (an office that combined the duties of court recorder and astronomer) during the time of Wu Ti. His `Historical Records', which took ten years to complete, established the pattern and style followed by subsequent histories. In the Later Han, the historical tradition was continued by the Pan family. Pan Piao, the father, started to bring Ssu-ma Ch'ien's `Records' up to date. The work was continued by his son Pan Ku (twin brother of the general Pan Ch'ao) and was completed by his daughter Pan Chao, China's earliest and most famous woman scholar. Unlike Ssu-ma Ch'ien, the Pan family limited their work to 230 years of the Early Han. This was the first of the dynastic histories, subsequently written for every dynasty. Pan Chao also wrote a highly influential work on the education of women, `Lessons for Women'. Lessons' emphasized the â€Å"virtues† of women, which restricted women's activities. The Confucianism that the Han Dynasty restored differed from the original teachings of Confucius. The leading Han philosophers, Tung Chung-shu and others, used principles derived from the early Chinese philosophy of nature to interpret the ancient texts. The Chinese philosophy of nature explained the workings of the universe by the alternating forces of yin and yang–dark and light–and the five elements: earth, wood, metal, fire, and water. The Han period was marked by a broad eclecticism. Many Han emperors favored Taoism, especially the Taoist idea of immortality. Earlier (Western) Han (202 BC-AD 9). The Han Kao Tsu preserved many features of the Ch'in imperial system, such as the administrative division of the country and the central bureaucracy. But the Han rulers lifted the Ch'in ban on philosophical and historical writings. Han Kao Tsu called for the services of men of talent, not only to restore the destroyed classics but to serve as officials in the government. From that time, the Chinese Empire was governed by a body of officials theoretically selected on merit. Such a practice has few parallels elsewhere at this early date in human history. The new ruler who restored peace and order was a member of the house of Han, the original Liu family. His title was Kuang Wu Ti, â€Å"Shining Martial Emperor,† from AD 25 to 57. During the Later Han, which lasted another 200 years, a concerted but unsuccessful effort was made to restore the glory of the former Han. The Later Han scored considerable success in recovering lost territories, however. Sent to befriend the tribes on the northwestern frontier in AD 73, a great diplomat-general, Pan Ch'ao, eventually led an army of 70,000 almost to the borders of eastern Europe. Pan Ch'ao returned to China in 101 and brought back information about the Roman Empire. The Romans also knew about China, but they thought of it only as the land where silk was produced. The Han Dynasty lasted four hundred years. The term â€Å"The Han people† comes from the name of this dynasty. (The English term for â€Å"China† comes from the name of the previous dynasty Ch'in). The Han dynasty is the East Asian counterpart of and contemporary with Rome in its golden age. During this dynasty, China officially became a Confucian state, prospered domestically, and extended its political and cultural influence over Vietnam, Central Asia, Mongolia, and Korea before finally collapsing under a mixture of domestic and external pressures. The Han ruling line was briefly interrupted by the usurpation of a famous reformer, Wang Mang, whose interlude on the throne from A. D. 9 to 23 in known as the Hsin dynasty. Historians therefore subdivide the Han period into two parts, Former (or Western) Han (capital at Ch'ang-an, present day Xi'an) and Later (Eastern) Han (capital at Loyang).

New Model For An Improved Penal System - 1315 Words

Gentlemen of the Association, I am here to present to you an idea; the idea that our prison system is currently working against all of that for which we stand. Unfortunate as it may be, the current system we have implemented in our penitentiaries is failing. The current administration lacks the control it should naturally have; the prisoners who are released are likely to recommit crimes and thus continue to pose a threat to society while also reentering the system multiple times. I propose to phase out the current industrial system we long ago implemented, and in its place put into operation a newly rehabilitative and therapeutic model of the penitentiary. The new system will benefit a number of parties, including the administration,†¦show more content†¦In addition to all of the ways in which the therapeutic model will be beneficial to members of society in all walks of life, the current industrial model is beginning to lose effectiveness in a number of ways. Not only i s the current system putting power in the hands of the prisoners, of which I have already detailed and explained the detriments of this practice, but it is also unproductive for the prisoners and society members, as well as outdated. The current system has a severely unstable equilibrium; there is too much back and forth within the system, which creates an unstable environment for the prisoners. Additionally, there is an exponentially growing system of corruption, including relationships and power struggles between the guards and the prisoners. It is unfortunate, but the guards are allowing certain freedoms to specific prisoners in return for more control and other various bribes. The model I am proposing will eliminate this problem in that guards will be hired based on skill, as opposed to political connections (as is currently the case.) Moreover, the system of â€Å"productivity† is more of an illusion, rather than a reality. The prisoners are working for the sake of working, but are not learning any true skills nor are they benefitting society in any real way. The work that is being done is simply to keep the inmates busy, but there are far better ways to occupy the time of the prisoners. Lastly, the currentShow MoreRelatedDiscipline And Punish : The Birth Of The Prison1105 Words   |  5 Pages7-8). Bentham’s model, is one that does not solely apply to penal institutions, it is a blueprint whose principles can be used to create a network of disciplinary power mechanisms which can overlap and work together to create a network (Boyne 2000: 293). This network, is based off the effect that individualizing people and inserting them into a position of constant possible observation, would maximize the efficiency of the institution (Boyne 2000: 293). Whether it be, in the penal system, where inmatesRead MoreThe Overcrowding Of The Correctional Facilities1730 Words   |  7 Pagesfacilities in Ontario and the Prairie Provinces are experiencing overcrowding at an alarming rate (Kennedy, 2014). The overcrowding of prisons causes undue harm to prisoners and prevents rehabilitation from taking place. It is an injustice caused by penal populism, which is the practice of politici ans and other policy makers promising to be â€Å"tough on crime† for political gain. As mandatory minimum sentences and tougher conditional release criteria are introduced the population of those incarceratedRead MoreThe Death Penalty : Costly, Counterproductive, And Corrupting1678 Words   |  7 Pagesto Crime: Costly, Counterproductive, and Corrupting† Bright asserts that capital punishment does not work because it is racially biased, the quality of the lawyers and attorneys supplied by the state to poor defendants is unfair, and that the law system currently in place does not accomplish its true goals. Bright defends his claim with logos and ethos by examining the opinions of judges and district attorneys, and by describing experience within the fields of human rights and law himself in orderRead MoreRehabilitation Programs Should Be Abolished1669 Words   |  7 Pagesproportion to its population than any other developed country in the world. There are over 2 mill ion prisoners throughout the United States, and approximately 750,000 of them will be released within the year. With the current methods in place in the prison system, most offenders will likely fall back into the same way of life that originally landed them in jail. In fact, roughly two-thirds of prisoners being released today will end up back in prison within the next three years (Petersilia). This not only affectsRead MoreShould Incarceration Serve as Rehabilitation or Retribution Essay3510 Words   |  15 Pagesself-sufficient. It is aimed at preventing habitual offending. It can either be through education or therapy. This brings the criminal into a more peaceful state. Retribution is a severe punishment for a serious offense. By contrast, the rehabilitation model of sentencing is expressed through strategies designed to reform the offenders character. It is based on a different, and in my view a more realistic, behavioral premise. It assumes that criminal offenses are to a significant extent determined byRead MoreEvolution And Development Of The Doctrine Of Punishment And Imprisonment During The Last 2000 Years Essay2403 Words   |  10 Pagesimprisonment during the last 2000 years. The current prison system is the product of the ideologies developed over this time. The core precepts that were developed were the rights of the victim to exact vengeance, state control and determination of punishment, deterrence through public spectacle, societal protection through the organisation of a penal system and finally, the rehabilitation of prisoners as a path to societal re-entry. Thus penal practice has evolved from physical punishment in the publicRead MoreIts Time to Privatize Colombian’s Prisons2566 Words   |  11 Pagessector in the penal system, prima facie, could be seen as a rapid and low cost, high benefit solution to the most serious penal system problems such as lack of prisons spaces, poor condition within the prisons, and the state responsibilities of running prisons services adequately, by the figure of prison privatization. (Cavadino, M. and Dignan, J. 2007) The figure of contracting out has been well described by Cavadino and Dignan in their analysis of the prison privatization. This model involvesRead MoreDevelopment Of The Prison System3366 Words   |  14 PagesDevelopment of the prison system This essay will critique on the factors that lead to the shaping and creation of prisons during the period 1800-1914. I will aim to not only introduce the key factors associated to the shaping and creation of prisons, but also to engage in sociological theorisation and historical analysis. Prison is just one of a number of sanctions available to the courts to deal with those who commit criminal offences. Imprisonment today is the harshest sanction available, butRead MoreCorrections: Restorative Justice2151 Words   |  9 Pageswithin the criminal justice system in the United States of America, punishment, and corrections the country must be up to par and strive to evolve for more improvement over time. The history of our correction methods however proves to be just that as they change over-time with an extensive backstory on its origins. With the highest number of inmates in the world, America’s correctional facilities and their customs can be stretched back to a European ancestry. The system that was once used by theRead MoreEssay Corrections System1615 Words   |  7 PagesBill 109 which is the realignment of our corrections system. Bills like these are necessary in order to help with prisons from overcrowding, and to reduce the cost of our extremely expensive prisons. The law also supports keeping low-level offenders out of state prisons. These low-level offenders are now being placed in county jails in order to serve their time. Overcrowding in our prisons is another issue that our correctional system faces and it appears that there is no cure unless the

Argumentative Essay Topics Smartphones Reviews & Tips

Argumentative Essay Topics Smartphones Reviews & Tips The thesis statement also needs to be restated in conclusion. Any very good task finishes with a terrific conclusion and the very best examples of the argumentative essay will arrive in with a conclusion which has an overview of all of the points together with a gist of the evidences provided. Therefore, the topic ought to be debatable! Once it has been decided, it is essential to develop an argument surrounding the same. Smartphone is getting more and more popular nowadays since it is user-friendly design and has convenient multi-function. With the expanding speed of technological advancement, Smart phones have come to be the critical elements of our everyday performance. Because most smart phones possess the applications notepad, calendar, and several more. The QWERTY keypad smart phones are simple to use and recommended while the user has to always type a great deal. Despite the fact that the notion of Smartphone's is great and has quite a few advantages it does have a couple downfalls. Today smart phones carry all the characteristics of digital devices in addition to a frequent phone features. Business was made easier by means of smart phones. The reader needs to be impressed by how you defend your ideas. There need to get set rules on what you could do while using your smartphone. Thus, it's important to read corresponding formatting guide. Amazon is among the very best website where we can buy about anything that is necessary in our routine life and in addition, they offer free home delivery of whatever you purchase online. You need to create a topic your readers can easily identify with. To choose which subject you're likely to discuss, it's essential to see the complete collection of good persuasive speech topics from the specific area of study. Our crew of professional writers with the crucial experience and writing skills is always prepared to fulfill your demands and exceed your expectations. If you think that you will need assistance with your written assignments it is preferable to request skilled help from online writing service. One particular important and appropriate subject is technology. The Argumentative Essay Topics Smartphones Cover Up You can't control anybody's opinion, and everyone is eligible to make their own choices, even if it has to do with smoking. It's possible to support a specific idea when criticizing different facets but let the reader decide. Settle on which side of the argument you're likely to be on within the introductive part of your essay. For instance, you can write about something that personally affects you or somebody you know. The Importance of Argumentative Essay Topics Smartphones Thus, for your coursework, you're want to have the very best ideas. A wonderful topic that you may pick for your argumentative essay is Students ought to be permitted to use mobile phones in schools. There's a probability a student is going to be kidnapped as a result of the increasing danger that student are exposed nowadays on the problem of child-kidnapping. It is possible to ask your teacher for approval if you're not certain which topic is more interesting. With our essay writing experts, you're guaranteed of a paper which helps you to find out more about the devices and their benefits in the current society. Then consider the influence it can cause for study or give a few examples of failure. The modern society has embraced mobile phones in a large way but it has arrived at a price tag. Relevant Topics that are related to your society will engage the reader in the very best possible way. Top Choices o f Argumentative Essay Topics Smartphones Introduction Your introduction ought to be compelling. Writing practice shouldn't be boring! Choosing topics for argumentative essays is crucial for your general success. They are some of the best you can write as a student. Writing an argumentative essay can at times be confusing as you don't necessarily understand how to compose a convincing argument. Writing a persuasive, argumentative essay can be challenging, and at times it can find a little confusing. The negative effects of smartphones on children is particularly disturbing. Using smartphones is now an inalienable part of routine life of people of virtually all ages globally. Despite that, it can be useful for parents to contact their children to ensure their safety or vice versa. As an example, smartphones can function as calculators and can help anybody who is taking a math class.

Regina V. G and Another Case Brief - 1200 Words

Case Title: Regina v. G and another (Appellants) (On Appeal form the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)) Citation: [2003] UKHL 50 Procedural History (PH): The appellants were charged on 22nd August 2000; without lawful excuse damaged by fire; commercial premises and being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged. The appellants stood trial before Judge Maher in March 2001. The appellants’ case at trial was that they expected the fire to extinguish itself on the concrete. It was accepted that neither of them conceived that there was any risk of the fire spreading. At the start of the trial submissions were made on the meaning of â€Å"recklessness†. The judge ruled that he was bound to direct the jury in accordance with R v†¦show more content†¦Thus it is vital for the correction of the misinterpretation of â€Å"recklessly†. Losing Argument: Should the rule in R v Caldwell be modified? The modification would defy the principle that conviction depends on the mens rea of the defendant. If the principle was modified to accommodate children on the grounds of naivety it would be uncharacteristic if no modification was made to include the mentally handicapped on the grounds of their narrow ability of perception. Implementing modifications of this classification will encourage challenging and controversial debate with regard to the qualities and characteristics plausible for comparison. The implementation of this modification will replace one misinterpretation for another. Were the appellants reckless? A person is said to be reckless if knowing that there is a risk that an event may occur as a consequence of their conduct as defined by The Merriam Webster dictionary . A defendant is only considered to have acted recklessly by the advantage of their failure to give any thought to the risk or property damage that may have been apparent had they given any thought to the matter. Determining if a risk would have been apparent to the defendant is very unpredictable. The tribunal of fact should not acknowledge the defendant’s proclamation that it never occurred to them that there was risk of property damage providing that the conditions,Show MoreRelatedRegina V. G and Another Case Brief1191 Words   |  5 PagesCase Title: Regina v. G and another (Appellants) (On Appeal form the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)) Citation: [2003] UKHL 50 Procedural History (PH): The appellants were charged on 22nd August 2000; without lawful excuse damaged by fire; commercial premises and being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged. The appellants stood trial before Judge Maher in March 2001. The appellants’ case at trial was that they expected the fire to extinguish itself on the concreteRead More Abnormal Psychology2516 Words   |  11 Pagesnormalcy in another. In attempt to make the field comprehensive a middle ground was determined by drawing on the common elements or patterns of â€Å"peculiar† conditions, and converging them to ascertain this definition of abnormality: behavioural, psychological, or biological dysfunctions that are atypical and unexpected in their cultural context and associated with personal distress and impairment in functioning, or increased risk of suffering, death, or pain (Barlow Durand, 2012). In brief, this isRead MoreEssay on Starting a New Business2363 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction As Regina Meyers contemplates opening a Satanic coffeehouse in her hometown, she must make a number of critical business decisions related to business organization, ownership, structure, and management. A number of her friends and family members have expressed interest in partnering with her or simply being involved. As Regina’s legal adviser, I have been asked to provide advice to her on a variety of topics outlined below. Business: Friends, Family, and Foes As an entrepreneurRead MoreBed Bathing Patients in a Hospital3347 Words   |  14 Pages(Staff Nurse, during placement)It was approximately 07:45 Friday morning of mid June, three weeks into my placement. After handover I was given the task of bed bathing a female client. Mrs Jones, what I learned about Mrs Jones in handover was very brief. She was admitted to hospital as she was suffering shortness of breath, she had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for ten years, she also had a catheter instituted, she had very little control of the lower half of her body, her right shoulderRead MoreEffects of Motivation on the Performance of Public Sector Organisations9735 Words   |  39 PagesTITLE PAGE THE EFFECTS OF MOTIVATION ON PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS: A CASE STUDY OF NON-TEACHING STAFF, GHANA EDUCATION SERVICE, KUMASI METROPOLIS. BY GEORGE ASIAMAH VIDA OWUSU SEKYERE GIFTY ASAMOAH PRAH MANUELA LABRISCA ROBINSON DJAN REGINA OCRAN A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS STUDIES, CHRISTIAN SERVICE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. JUNE 2012. i ABSTRACTRead MoreImproving Public Infrastructure : A Study Of Guyana Essay9286 Words   |  38 Pagesalso highlights the success factors for implementation which includes Political Will and political consensus, PPP Unit, the right vision, Good Governance and Continuity. It will also compiles a framework for cross analysis with the three (3 Case studies) PPP cases in Guyana, and checks for the relevancy of each variables based on Guyana’s situation. This studies will also assess whether these PPP projects lead to infrastructural development. Furthermore, this study seeks to use an econometric modelRead MoreImproving Public Infrastructure : A Study Of Guyana9265 Words   |  38 Pagesalso highlights the success factors for implementation which includes Political Will and political consensus, PPP Unit, the right vision, Good Governance and Continuity. It will also compiles a framework for cross analysis with the three (3 Case studies) PPP cases in Guyana, and checks for the r elevancy of each variables based on Guyana’s situation. This studies will also assess whether these PPP projects lead to infrastructural development. Furthermore, this study seeks to use an econometric modelRead MoreIntroduction to Rizal Course11998 Words   |  48 PagesRizal inherited from his father self – respect, serenity and poise, seriousness and a deep sense of dignity. On the other hand, from his mother side, Rizal’s great grandfather was Eugenio Ursua who married a Filipina named Benigna. Their daughter Regina married Manuel Quintos, from Pangasinan, Rizal’s great grandfather. Their daughter Brigida married Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo serving as Rizal’s grandfather. Lorenzo and Brigida had 5 children, one of whom was Teodora Alonzo, Rizal’s mother who marriedRead MoreModernization of Ntuc Income Case Study14065 Words   |  57 Pagesstrategies to increase organizational commitment. I Contrast transactional and relational psychological contracts. I Discuss the trend towards employability. I f history is any guide, SaskTel won’t be laying off any employees for a long time. The Regina-based telecommunications company hasn’t laid off anyone since it was founded in 1908. â€Å"[Layoffs] aren’t going to happen as long as we can help it,† says Byron Pointer, SaskTel’s vice-president of human resources and industrial relations. By avoidingRead MoreModernization of Ntuc Income Case Study14054 Words   |  57 Pagesstrategies to increase organizational commitment. I Contrast transactional and relational psychological contracts. I Discuss the trend towards employability. I f history is any guide, SaskTel won’t be laying off any employees for a long time. The Regina-based telecommunications company hasn’t laid off anyone since it was founded in 1908. â€Å"[Layoffs] aren’t going to happen as long as we can help it,† says Byron Pointer, SaskTel’s vice-president of human resources and industrial relations. By avoiding

Strategic Market Plan Strategy Evaluation â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Strategic Market Plan Strategy Evaluation? Answer: Introduction The report quotes about the establishment of Wesfarmers in the global market for that the research has been made on the market strategies that need to be adopted while selecting the suitable market where the business could be further established to gain good growth. For that sake screening of market has been made and the final results were evaluated. First of all, for screening purposes, the market selection process was undertaken and 5 stages of overseas market selection have been investigated. Afterwards, the best suitable country has been chosen where the chances of development and establishment are high. The objective of Wesfarmers was confirmed so that the planning could be made accordingly. Then starts the struggle of selecting the entry mode for that the different modes of entry are analyzed and the suitable one was chosen which was franchising. Later on, the target market is evaluated by examining the target market segment, positioning strategy and interpreting the marketing mix. On conducting the following survey the potential market was decided and finally, the generic strategies were discussed so that very minute aspect of research is covered up and hence the report followed by the justified recommendations to bring clarity to the thoughts. In nutshell, for entering into the foreign market deep research plan is made which goes step by step. In initiates from market screening and travels to market segmentation, targeting and position and then the best entry mode and target strategy came out as the result and implementation could be made on analyzing all the aspects of the market by adopting the generic strategies. Summaries from assignment 2 The previous report argued upon the global marketing of the business. The basic aim of the report was to analyze the international market and researching upon the area where the suitable establishment is possible. For that concern, Wesfarmers was selected and expansion strategy of the leading Australian supermarket is conducted. Areas were defined where the company could excel and factors were derived using which Wesfarmers could attain the goal and successfully be able to establish the market in Germany. Germany was the target market and competitors were also critically evaluated and their strategies were researched as well and the results revealed were that there are two competitors of Wesfarmers in Germany, namely Aldi and Lidl, both are leading supermarkets of Germany but the drawback that exists is both the markets do not use the innovative techniques or modification, thus much varieties are not introduced. The market analysis has been made using the strategic tools and competit ive advantages. SWOT analysis has been made to figure out the opportunities and areas where the organization could excel and what all are the weakness that should be focused upon and emphasis need to be paid so that those weaken section could be improved by converting them into the opportunities. Also, the PESTLE and Porters competitive strategy has been adopted to study the external market. In order to understand the internal environment of the Wesfarmers the value chain analysis has been made followed by the BCG matrix and finally it was cultivated from the entire report that external and internal environmental factors can turn the situation another way around and on focusing on the niche market Wesfarmers is likely to establish a strong position in Germany as well. Screening of market selection The market selection is the technique where the appropriate area is analyzed and the ignored portion is focused so that the business could grab the area and establish the first move in the international market. Considering the Wesfarmers market selection the study of the internal and external environment has been made. The demographic segmentation will be made in which the particular small section will be selected at the initial level, thereafter the geographic situations of the market is analysed as to where the climate change will be favourable to the business and the products, which country or region will be most suitable as per the governmental laws and population of the country is analysed to know the preference of the public over there. Whilst considering the taste of the public the psychographic segmentation should be done which include the lifestyle and image of the people of the country (Marchi, Vignola, Facchinetti Mastroleo, 2014). The five stages of overseas market selection process There are 5 stages which are contemplated while making the selection of the international market. The market entry modes are quoted as under: Country Identification First of all the country must be analyzed and all the aspects of eth country should be studied, which include the cultural dimension as given by Hofstede, the values, traditions, and policies of Germany must be noted. Preliminary Screening The preliminary screening is the testing of the market of Germany and what measures are taken under consideration by the competitors which if adopted would work successfully. In-depth Screening This portion involves the deep understanding of the target market which includes the targeting of the Germany. The international market can be studied by inculcating the marketing mix and developing the knowledge of setting the price of the product in the overseas boundary. The distribution channel of the business could be analyzed. These attributes assist in constructing the base for Wesfarmers in segmenting the market. Final Selection As the name suggests it is the utmost portion of the studying the international market and after this, the final selection of market has been made where all the things are in places and all the requirements get fulfilled. Now the company can estimate the move of competitors and accordingly the wise entry could be made. Direct Experience The direct experience is the practical experience of the agents by visiting the place personally and gaining the experience to live out there and meeting the people and collecting their views and learning about the culture of the country and figuring out the similarities and differences that exist between the host and guest country. Hence, on understanding the segmentation and selection technique for Wesfarmers the market where the organization should establish the market in Germany. The reason behind selecting this particular country is that the entry and exit of the business in Germany is flexible and much interference of government is not there. Also, the country has strong economic conditions which would help Wesfarmers to grow in financially. The country is densely populated so the customer base will be more and other advantage is that the country is highly advanced in the terms of technology. There are multiple opportunities for Wesfarmers to ensure development and compete the leading supermarkets of Germany by using the innovative techniques and supreme ideas. bjectives The mission statement of Wesfarmers is to satisfy the shareholders by delivering them the appropriate dividend and maintaining the financial discipline. The aim is to perform outrageously by adopting the exceptional skills of management and designing the distinct business plan to achieve the success globally. Alternative marketing strategies Marketing strategies are based on the selection of target mare and building up its brand positioning. It focuses on the low-cost market where higher profit can be generated. It helps in developing the understanding of market scenario and acts accordingly (Baker, 2014). Evaluation of alternative strategies In order to flourish the business in Germany Wesfarmers need to evaluate the divergent marketing strategies that prevail in the guest country and accordingly competitive planning has to be made to establish the better position in the market. For that, the company has to consider cost and benefits that could be derived out of it. Wesfarmers need to build the positive image in the German market so that better goodwill gets created and company can participate in the long run (Eden Ackerman, 2013). The brand positioning should also be emphasized upon and for that sake, the move of competitors should be monitored and their strategies need to be analyzed so that different strategies could be adapted to excel in the new market. By understanding the marketing strategies and responding to the dynamic environment better growth opportunities gets developed and new ways are opened for the innovator (Hill, 2017). Alternative market entry strategies Market Entry Strategy Examples Advantages Disadvantages Justification Licensing The agreement between Google and Samsung in which they came to the agreement of cross-licensing for each others patent, the tie was made between the two powerful brands for the global pre-eminence in order to operate the Android system in the smartphones (Samsung, 2014). The high and fixed revenue gets generated. The brand recognition is acquired to the company opting for the license. Free entry in the foreign market (Irwin, 2012). The lower capital requirement is there (Fowler, 2017). High competition gets developed and companies are likely to use the technology that the former has been using. Confidentiality is not retained. It is for the limited period only. If the management is not appropriate then the reputation of the product and licensor goes in vain. After understanding the concept of licensing it is learned that the two parties i.e. licensor and licensee came under contract and licensor does not have to work sufficiently but only sign the agreement which is defined for the fixed period of time and for that the agreed royalty has been paid. Wesfarmers could opt or license by rendering its license to Aldi and gaining the royalty in return. But in performing such activities the confidentiality and uniqueness of Wesfarmers could be lost which might not be a favorable element. Franchising There are multiple examples of franchising that exists in the present world. The most common ones are McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Dominos (Franchise help, 2017). In this, the structure of the organization and other activities remains intact only land investment and an agreed amount need to be paid and 20 years agreement is signed where both the parties abide by the contract regulation. Meanwhile, in the adverse situation, the franchising could be revoked (Trade start, n.d.). The chances of business failure get reduced. The market is already set and developed goodwill is there. Wide communication gets developed and relationship with the supplier is built up. The cost of franchising is very high. Changes cannot be made as per the situation. Profits are shared with the franchisor. Franchising is the contract in which the franchisor agrees to render the outlet to franchisee over an agreement and payment of the huge amount. This contract is for 20 years which could be revoked if the motive is not met. It is a secured work where profit and loss are the franchisors. Any amendment if needed will be made by the franchisor only. If any change has to be implemented that cannot be done in case of franchising. Wesfarmers can choose to franchise in the various regions of Germany and launch its USP to attract the foreign customers thereby ensuring the growth beyond the domestic boundaries. Joint Venture HNZ Group Inc. came into a joint venture with PHI Inc. in order to provide the offshore helicopter services to the company like INPEX which is the leading oil and gas exploration company (Newswire. 2017). The new market gets emerged. Capital enhancement. Risk and cost get shared. Efficiency and effectiveness of human resource increases (RP emery, 2017). The objective of job venture varies from company to company. There is a communication gap between the parties. The difference in culture could lead to disturbance in the organization. Effective leadership is not gained (business, n.d.). Wesfarmers can even choose joint venture by shaking hands with the German supermarket. It could collaborate with Aldi and share the lacking resources to ensure the growth and handle the risk jointly to avail profit maximisation but the issue is that there is the cultural difference which might not work out (Munch, 2016). Thus, the market entry selected for Wesfarmers in Germany is a Franchising mode where the company does not have to run the outlet in different countries only the agreement need to be signed and owners could focus on the better prospectus along with enjoying the expansion of the market in overseas. Alternative target market strategy Option Target Market Segment Positioning Strategy Marketing Mix 1 Geographical The price quality approach. The competitor approach (Chand, 2016). Product: Since Wesfarmers is the supermarket it deals with all kind of products and services to the customer under a single roof (Wesfarmers, 2001). Price: High prices are there but compromise with quality is not an issue. Place: It must locate at the center of the city or the place where sound footfall of people is there. Promotion: Advertisement in the renowned business newspaper, publicity, sales promotion. 2 Psychographic The product-class approach. The product-user approach. Product: As per the lifestyle and standard of living the luxurious products could be given more preference (Directive group, 2017). Price: Since the product is luxurious than the price will be according to the standard and lifestyle of customers (Edmunds, 2017). Place: A particular section of luxurious goods need to be there in the supermarket in order to increase the consumer base. Promotion: Sales promotions and deals could be launched to attract the consumers. 3 Behavioural The cultural symbol approach Product: The baby care and household products could be involved in this category Price: Reasonable and affordable price should be there which is in the range of every person (Duczeminski, n.d.). Place: The place should be at the center place of the residential areas. It could be opened at the corners of the streets to reach maximum people. Promotion: Sandwichman advertisement, Hoardings at a public place, print and broadcast advertisement. Preferred strategy The strategy preferred is a psychographic segment and applying the product class and product user approach. Psychographic focuses on the niche market of Germany will be there at the place where maximum footfall is there and the central location which will be convenient for every person. The specifications of customers are easily understood by conducting an appropriate research. Alternative generic strategies Cost leadership: It focuses on keeping the low cost of products in the broader aspect to enhance the popularity at the initial stage. Cost Focus: In this the market is narrow as well as the price is lower the household products are included in this section of Wesfarmers. Differentiation Leadership: It concentrates over the luxurious product for the high standard of society providing a quality product and rich price. Differentiation Focus: This part includes those exclusively unique attributes which bifurcate Wesfarmers from the other supermarkets (University of Cambridge, 2016). Conclusion Hence, from the entire report, it could be cultivated that Wesfarmers which is the leading supermarket in the Australia desires to expand internationally. For that, the entry mode has to be selected. Before entering the market is to be segmented and niche market is targeted. For this purpose initially, the market analysis has been made and Germany is selected because of the free entry and exit mode and strong economy of the country. After that, the competitor strategy is analyzed the niche market is focused where the psychographic segment is selected in which the positioning strategy that should be chosen is product-user and product- class strategy. The mode of entry that best suits the entry of Wesfarmers in the global market is a franchising model in the regions of Germany. The generic strategies have been drawn in brief to clarify the understanding of Wesfarmers move beyond the domestic boundaries. References Baker, M. J. (2014).Marketing strategy and management. Palgrave Macmillan. London. Chand. S. (2016). 7 approaches to positioning strategy of a product. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.tutor2u.net/business/reference/porters-generic-strategies-for-competitive-advantage. Directive Group. (2017). Psychographic market segmentation: what is it? Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.directivegroup.com/what-we-offer/strategies-and-assessments/market-segmentation//psychographic/. Duczeminski. M. (n.d.). Using behavioral segmentation to understand your customers. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.fieldboom.com/blog/behavioral-segmentation/. Eden, C., Ackermann, F. (2013).Making strategy: The journey of strategic management. Sage. London. Edmunds. A. (2017). Examples of positioning strategy in marketing. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-positioning-strategy-marketing-10166.html. Fowler. P. M. (2017). Advantages and disadvantages of licensing the rights to the companys production process. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-licensing-rights-companys-production-process-15460.html. Franchise help. (2017). McDonalds Franchise. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.franchisehelp.com/franchises/mcdonalds/. Hill. B. (2017). Strategic marketing plan strategy evaluation. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/strategic-marketing-plan-strategy-evaluation-72977.html. Irwin. T. (2012). Licensing arrangements- The pros and cons. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.tcii.co.uk/2012/10/26/licensing-arrangements-the-pros-and-cons/. Marchi, G., Vignola, M., Facchinetti, G., Mastroleo, G. (2014). International market selection for small firms: a fuzzy-based decision process.European Journal of Marketing,48(11/12), 2198-2212. Munch. C. (2016). Example of Joint venture types ideas. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://munchweb.com/joint-venture-example-types. Newswire. (2017). HNZ Group announces joint venture in Australia to support new INPEX offshore oil and gas contract. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/hnz-group-announces-joint-venture-in-australia-to-support-new-inpex-offshore-oil-and-gas-contract-604109366.html. business info. (n.d.). Joint ventures and business partnership. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-positioning-strategy-marketing-10166.html. RP emery. (2017). Advantages and disadvantages of joint venture. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.rpemery.com/articles/advantages_and_disadvantages_jv.htm. Samsung. (2014). Samsung and Google sign global patent license agreement, viewed on 16th September. https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-and-google-sign-global-patent-license-agreement. Trade start. (n.d.). Market entry strategies. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.tradestart.ca/market-entry-strategies. Tutuor2u. (2015). Porters generic strategies for competitive operations. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.tutor2u.net/business/reference/porters-generic-strategies-for-competitive-advantage . The University of Cambridge. (2016). Decision support tools. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/research/dstools/porters-generic-competitive-strategies/. Welsfarmers. (2001). Looking to the future. Viewed on 16th September 2017. https://www.wesfarmers.com.au/docs/default-source/asx-announcements/wesfarmers-limited-2001-annual-report-.pdf?sfvrsn=0.

What Is the .htaccess File in WordPress Plus How to Use It

You can accomplish a lot in WordPress without ever leaving your dashboard. If you want to get the most out of your website, however, it pays to learn about what’s happening behind the scenes. A vital first step in that process is understanding how to use the .htaccess file in WordPress.Your WordPress site relies on several important ‘core files’ to do its job, and the .htaccess file is one of them. While by default it only performs a few tasks related to your site’s permalinks, it can be added to and customized to carry out all sorts of useful functions like redirecting visitors to your site or beefing up your sites security.In this post, we’re going to introduce you to the .htaccess file and explain what it’s all about. Then, youll learn how to find the .htaccess file in WordPress, as well as some of the helpful things you can do with it. The .htaccess file is a configuration file for the Apache web server (which is what most WordPress hosts use).  In other words, it contains rules that give your website’s server various instructions. Just about every WordPress site has an .htaccess file, located in the ‘root’ or central directory. It’s a hidden file (which is why the filename begins with a period), and has no extension.By default, the .htaccess file in WordPress handles one major task:It controls how your site’s permalinks are displayed. If you make a change to your permalink structure, therefore, the .htaccess file updates with new instructions for the server. In fact, sometimes the .htaccess file isn’t actually created on your site until the first time you customize your permalinks.On many sites, this is all the .htaccess file ever does. However, you can also use it to make various tweaks to your site’s functionality. For example, you can set up 301 redirects in the .htaccess file. You can also use it to tighten security, such as by restricting access to your site and other core files.Additionally, some plugins will add their own rules to your  .htaccess file to help the plugin function. This is especially common with caching or security plugins.If this seems a little abstract, don’t worry. You won’t need to understand all the technical details in order to find and make changes to the .htaccess file in WordPress.How to locate and edit the .htaccess file in WordPressBefore we go any further, we need to discuss a few safety measures. It’s important to understand that making changes to your site’s files directly can be risky. If you aren’t careful, you can end up breaking factors that control your sites key functionality, or even bring down your site altogether.There are a few ways to mitigate these risks:Back up your site before editing any of its files. This way, you can quickly reverse unintentional changes and mistakes.Use a staging site to test your edits before performing them on your live site. On a stagi ng site, you’re free to experiment without any worries.Download the  .htaccess file to your local computer before making any edits. That way, if you specifically break something in your  .htaccess  file, you just need to upload the original copy to fix the issue.To access the.htaccess file in WordPress, youll need to make a direct connection to your website through File Transfer Protocol (FTP). You’ll need an FTP client, such as FileZilla, and some FTP credentials from your web host. If you aren’t sure how to do this, our beginner’s guide to FTP will walk you through the process.Once FileZilla is connected to your site, you’ll see a window that looks like this:Check out the top-right quadrant. You should see a folder named after your site’s domain – this is the root directory. Select this folder, and check out the list of folders and files located immediately below it:The .htaccess file should be listed here, usually as one of t he first entries. To open it:Right-click on itSelect View/Edit to open the file in your computers default text editorYou can now make whatever changes you like to the file using your text editor. Once youre done:Save the fileClose the fileA window will pop up asking if you want to upload the new, edited version of your .htaccess file to the server. Select Yes, and your changes will take effect immediately.If you can’t find the .htaccess file in your root folder, it may not exist yet. You can prompt WordPress to generate one by visiting Settings Permalinks in your dashboard, and clicking on the Save Changes button (you don’t actually have to pick a different structure):When you re-open FileZilla and navigate to your websites root folder, the .htaccess file should now be there.What you can do with the .htaccess file in WordPressNow that you know where to find the .htaccess file in WordPress and how to edit it, you may be wondering what changes you can actually make. The re are a lot of things you can do with this file – too many to cover in one post. However, well look at a few examples to get you started.First, let’s talk about redirects. If you move a page or post – or your entire website – you’ll need to automatically direct users who visit the old URL to the new location. This requires setting up a 301 redirect, and is something you can do with the .htaccess file in WordPress.To redirect a single page, you can add this line to the bottom of your .htaccess file:Redirect 301 /oldpage.html http://www.yoursite.com/newpage.htmlReplace /oldpage.html with the pages old permalink, and the following URL with the new link to the page. You can add a new line for each page you’d like to redirect.You can also use similar snippets to redirect your entire website. Or, you can use a snippet to send all traffic to the secure HTTPS version of your site (if you have an SSL certificate  ).You can also use the .htaccess f ile to make a lot of security-related changes to your site. For example, you can add this code to deny unauthorized users access to several important core files:FilesMatch "^.*(error_log|wp-config\.php|php.ini|\.[hH][tT][aApP].*)$" Order deny,allow Deny from all /FilesMatchTo learn more about using the .htaccess file to improve security, you can check out the WordPress Codex entry on the subject. Just remember to back up your site and use a staging environment when trying out any changes!ConclusionLearning to work directly with your website’s files is an important step in your journey to becoming a WordPress expert. The .htaccess file is a good place to start, since it’s a relatively simple file that can nonetheless be used for wide variety of applications.Before you make any changes to the .htaccess file in WordPress, be sure to back up your site and use a staging environment just in case. Then, you can use FTP to access your site, find the .htaccess file, and edit it . Once you know how to do that, you can simply look up the code required to add whatever functionality you require.Do you have any questions about what you can do with the .htaccess file in WordPress? Let us know in the comments section below! Learn what the .htaccess file is in #WordPress. Plus some cool things you can do with it

Understanding the Key Events of World War II

Understanding the Key Events of World War II World War II, which lasted from 1939 to 1945, was a war fought primarily between the Axis Powers (Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan) and the Allies (France, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the United States). Although World War II was started by Nazi Germany in their attempt to conquer Europe,it turned into  the largest and the bloodiest war in world history, responsible for the deaths of an estimated 40 to 70 million people, many of whom were civilians. World War II included the attempted genocide of the Jewish people during the Holocaust and the first use of an atomic weapon during a war. Dates: 1939 - 1945 Also Known As: WWII, Second World War Appeasement Following World War I After the devastation and destruction caused by World War I, the world was tired of war and was willing to do almost anything to prevent another from starting. Thus, when Nazi Germany annexed Austria (called the Anschluss) in March 1938, the world did not react. When Nazi leader Adolf Hitler demanded the Sudeten area of Czechoslovakia in September 1938, the world powers handed it to him. Confident that these appeasements had averted a total war from occurring, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain stated, I believe it is peace in our time. Hitler, on the other hand, had different plans. Completely disregarding the Versailles Treaty, Hitler was ramping up for war. In preparation for an attack on Poland, Nazi Germany made a deal with the Soviet Union on August 23, 1939, called the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. In exchange for land, the Soviet Union agreed to not attack Germany. Germany was ready for war. The Start of World War II At 4:45 a.m. on September 1, 1939, Germany attacked Poland. Hitler sent in 1,300 planes of his Luftwaffe (German air force) as well as more than 2,000 tanks and 1.5 million well-trained, ground troops. The Polish military, on the other hand, consisted mostly of foot soldiers with old weapons (even some using lances) and cavalry.   Needless to say, the odds were not in Poland’s favor. Great Britain and France, who had treaties with Poland, both declared war on Germany two days later, on September 3, 1939. However, these countries could not gather troops and equipment fast enough to help save Poland. After Germany had waged a successful attack on Poland from the west, the Soviets invaded Poland from the east on September 17, per the pact they had with Germany. On September 27, 1939, Poland surrendered. For the next six months, there was little actual fighting as the British and French built up their defenses along France’s Maginot Line and the Germans readied themselves for a major invasion. There was so little actual fighting that some journalists termed this â€Å"the Phoney War.† The Nazis Seem Unstoppable On April 9, 1940, the quiet interlude of the war ended as Germany invaded Denmark and Norway. Having met very little resistance, the Germans were soon able to launch Case Yellow (Fall Gelb), an offensive against France and the Low Countries. On May 10, 1940, Nazi Germany invaded Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The Germans were heading through Belgium to enter France, bypassing France’s defenses along the Maginot Line. The Allies were completely unprepared to defend France from a northern attack. The French and British armies, along with the rest of Europe, were quickly overpowered by Germany’s new, swift blitzkrieg (â€Å"lightning war†) tactics. Blitzkrieg was a fast, coordinated, highly-mobile attack that combined air power and well-armored ground troops along a narrow front in order to quickly breach an enemy’s line. (This tactic was meant to avoid the stalemate that caused trench warfare in WWI.) The Germans attacked with deadly force and precision, seeming unstoppable. In a bid to escape total slaughter, 338,000 British and other Allied troops were evacuated, starting on May 27, 1940, from the coast of France to Great Britain as part of Operation Dynamo (often called the Miracle of Dunkirk). On June 22, 1940, France officially surrendered. It had taken less than three months for the Germans to conquer Western Europe. With France defeated, Hitler turned his sights to Great Britain, intending to conquer it as well in Operation Sea Lion (Unternehmen Seelowe). Before a ground assault was to begin, Hitler ordered the bombing of Great Britain, beginning the Battle of Britain on July 10, 1940. The British, emboldened by Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s morale-building speeches and aided by radar, successfully countered the German air attacks. Hoping to destroy British morale, Germany began bombing not just military targets but also civilian ones as well, including populated cities. These attacks, which began in August 1940, often occurred at night and were known as â€Å"the Blitz.† The Blitz strengthened the British resolve. By the fall of 1940, Hitler canceled Operation Sea Lion but continued the Blitz well into 1941. The British had stopped the seemingly unstoppable German advance. But, without help, the British could not hold them off for long. Thus, the British asked U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt for help. Although the United States was unwilling to fully enter World War II, Roosevelt agreed to send Great Britain weapons, ammunition, artillery, and other much-needed supplies. The Germans also got help. On September 27, 1940, Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact, joining these three countries into the Axis Powers. Germany Invades the Soviet Union While the British prepared and waited for an invasion, Germany began to look east. Despite signing the Nazi-Soviet Pact with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, Hitler had always planned to invade the Soviet Union as part of his plan to gain Lebensraum (â€Å"living room†) for the German people. Hitler’s decision to open a second front in World War II is often considered one of his worst. On June 22, 1941, the German army invaded the Soviet Union, in what was called Case Barbarossa (Fall Barbarossa). The Soviets were taken completely by surprise. The German army’s blitzkrieg tactics worked well in the Soviet Union, allowing the Germans to advance quickly. After his initial shock, Stalin rallied his people and ordered a â€Å"scorched earth† policy in which Soviet citizens burned their fields and killed their livestock as they fled from the invaders. The scorched-earth policy slowed the Germans for it forced them to rely solely on their supply lines. The Germans had underestimated the vastness of the land and the absoluteness of the Soviet winter. Cold and wet, the German soldiers could barely move and their tanks became stuck in mud and snow. The entire invasion stalled. The Holocaust Hitler sent more than just his army into the Soviet Union; he sent mobile killing squads called Einsatzgruppen. These squads were to search out and kill Jews and other â€Å"undesirables† en masse. This killing started out as large groups of Jews being shot and then dumped into pits, such as at Babi Yar. It soon evolved into mobile gas vans. However, these were determined to be too slow at killing, so the Nazis built death camps, created to kill thousands of people a day, such as at Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Sobibor. During World War II, the Nazis created an elaborate, secretive, systematic plan to eradicate Jews from Europe in what is now called the Holocaust. The Nazis also targeted Gypsies, homosexuals, Jehovah Witnesses, the disabled, and all Slavic peoples for slaughter. By the end of the war, the Nazis had killed 11 million people solely based on Nazi racial policies. The Attack on Pearl Harbor Germany was not the only country looking to expand. Japan, newly industrialized, was poised for conquest, hoping to take over vast areas in Southeast Asia. Worried that the United States might try to stop them, Japan decided to launch a surprise attack against the United States’ Pacific Fleet in the hopes of keeping the U.S. out of war in the Pacific. On December 7, 1941, Japanese airplanes wreaked havoc on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In just two hours, 21 U.S. ships had either been sunk or badly damaged. Shocked and outraged at the unprovoked attack, the United States declared war on Japan the following day. Three days after that, the United States declared war on Germany. The Japanese, aware that the U.S. would probably retaliate for the bombing of Pearl Harbor, preemptively attacked the U.S. naval base in the Philippines on December 8, 1941, destroying many of the U.S. bombers stationed there. Following their air attack with a ground invasion, the battle ended with U.S. surrendering and the deadly Bataan Death March. Without the air strip in the Philippines, the U.S. needed to find a different way to retaliate; they decided upon a bombing raid right into the heart of Japan. On April 18, 1942, 16 B-25 bombers took off from a U.S. aircraft carrier, dropping bombs on Tokyo, Yokohama, and Nagoya. Although the damage inflicted was light, the Doolittle Raid, as it was called, caught the Japanese off guard. However, despite the Doolittle Raid’s limited success, the Japanese were dominating the Pacific War. The Pacific War Just like the Germans seemed impossible to stop in Europe, the Japanese won victory after victory in the early part of the Pacific War, successfully taking the Philippines, Wake Island, Guam, the Dutch East Indies, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Burma. However, things began to change at the Battle of Coral Sea (May 7-8, 1942), when there was a stalemate. Then there was the Battle of Midway (June 4-7, 1942), a major turning point in the Pacific War. According to Japanese war plans, the Battle of Midway was to be a secret attack on the U.S. air base on Midway, ending in a decisive victory for Japan. What Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto did not know was that the U.S. had successfully broken several Japanese codes, allowing them to decipher secret, coded Japanese messages. Learning ahead of time about the Japanese attack on Midway, the U.S. prepared an ambush. The Japanese lost the battle, losing four of their aircraft carriers and many of their well-trained pilots. No longer did Japan have naval superiority in the Pacific. A number of major battles followed, at Guadalcanal, Saipan, Guam, Leyte Gulf, and then the Philippines. The U.S. won all of these and continued to push the Japanese back to their homeland. Iwo Jima (February 19 to March 26, 1945) was a particularly bloody battle as the Japanese had created underground fortifications that were well camouflaged. The last Japanese-occupied island was Okinawa and Japanese Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima was determined to kill as many Americans as possible before being defeated. The U.S. landed on Okinawa on April 1, 1945, but for five days, the Japanese did not attack. Once the U.S. forces spread out across the island, the Japanese attacked from their hidden, underground fortifications in the southern half of Okinawa. The U.S. fleet was also bombarded by over 1,500 kamikaze pilots, who caused major damage as they flew their planes directly into U.S. ships. After three months of bloody fighting, the U.S. captured Okinawa. Okinawa was the last battle of World War II. D-Day and the German Retreat In Eastern Europe, it was the Battle of Stalingrad (July 17, 1942 to February 2, 1943) that changed the tide of war. After the German defeat at Stalingrad, the Germans were on the defensive, being pushed back toward Germany by the Soviet army. With the Germans being pushed back in the east, it was time for the British and U.S. forces to attack from the west. In a plan that took a year to organize, the Allied forces launched a surprise, amphibious landing on the beaches of Normandy in northern France on June 6, 1944. The first day of the battle, known as D-Day, was extremely important. If the Allies could not break through the German defenses on the beaches this first day, the Germans would have time to bring in reinforcements, making the invasion at utter failure.   Despite many things going awry and an especially bloody fight on the beach codenamed Omaha, the Allies did break through that first day. With the beaches secured, the Allies then brought in two Mulberries, artificial harbors, which allowed them to unload both supplies and additional soldiers for a major offensive on Germany from the west. As the Germans were on the retreat, a number of top German officials wanted to kill Hitler and end the war. Ultimately, the July Plot failed when the bomb that exploded on July 20, 1944 only injured Hitler. Those involved in the assassination attempt were rounded up and killed. Although many in Germany were ready to end World War II, Hitler was not ready to admit defeat. In one, last offensive, the Germans tried to break the Allied line. Using blitzkrieg tactics, the Germans pushed through the Ardennes Forest in Belgium on December 16, 1944. The Allied forces were totally taken by surprise and desperately tried to keep the Germans from breaking through. In so doing, the Allied line began to have a bulge in it, hence the name Battle of the Bulge. Despite this being the bloodiest battle ever fought by American troops, the Allies ultimately won. The Allies wanted to end the war as soon as possible and so they strategically bombed any remaining factories or oil depots left within Germany. However, in February 1944, the Allies began a massive and deadly bombing attack on the German city of Dresden, nearly demolishing the once-beautiful city. The civilian casualty rate was extremely high and many have questioned the reasoning for the firebombing since the city was not a strategic target. By the spring of 1945, the Germans had been pushed back into their own borders on both the east and west. The Germans, who had been fighting for six years, were low on fuel, had barely any food left, and were severely low on ammunition. They were also very low on trained soldiers. Those that were left to defend Germany were the young, old, and wounded. On April 25, 1945, the Soviet army had Berlin, Germany’s capital, completely surrounded. Finally realizing that the end was near, Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945. The fighting in Europe officially ended at 11:01 p.m. on May 8, 1945, a day known as V-E Day (Victory in Europe). Ending the War With Japan Despite the victory in Europe, World War II was still not over for the Japanese were still fighting. The death toll in the Pacific was high, especially since Japanese culture forbade surrender. Knowing that the Japanese planned to fight to the death, the United States was extremely concerned about how many U.S. soldiers would die if they invaded Japan. President Harry Truman, who had become president when Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945 (less than a month before the end of WWII in Europe), had a fateful decision to make. Should the U.S. use its new, deadly weapon against Japan in the hopes that it would force Japan to surrender without an actual invasion? Truman decided to try to save U.S. lives. On August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima and then three days later, dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki. The devastation was shocking. Japan surrendered on August 16, 1945, known as V-J Day (Victory over Japan). After the War World War II left the world a different place. It had taken an estimated 40 to 70 million lives and destroyed much of Europe. It brought about the splitting of Germany into East and West and created two major superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. These two superpowers, who had tenuously worked together to fight back Nazi Germany, became pitted against each other in what became known as the Cold War. Hoping to prevent a total war from ever happening again, representatives from 50 countries met together in San Francisco and founded the United Nations, officially created on October 24, 1945.