The Battle of Alam Halfa in North Africa During WW II

The Battle of Alam Halfa in North Africa During WW II The Battle of Alam Halfa was fought from August 30 to September 5, 1942, during World War IIs Western Desert Campaign. Armies Commanders Allies Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery4 divisions, XIII Corps, Eighth Army Axis Field Marshal Erwin Rommel6 divisions, Panzer Armee Afrika Background Leading to the Battle With the conclusion of the First Battle of El Alamein in July 1942, both British and Axis forces in North Africa paused to rest and refit. On the British side, Prime Minister Winston Churchill travelled to Cairo and relieved Commander-in-Chief Middle East Command General Claude Auchinleck and replacing him with General Sir Harold Alexander. Command of the British Eight Army at El Alamein ultimately was given to Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery. Assessing the situation at El Alamein, Montgomery found that the front was constricted to a narrow line running from the coast to the impassable Qattara Depression. Montgomerys Plan To defend this line, three infantry divisions from XXX Corps were positioned on ridges running from the coast south to Ruweisat Ridge. To the south of the ridge, the 2nd New Zealand Division was similarly fortified along a line ending at Alam Nayil. In each case, the infantry was protected by extensive minefields and artillery support. The final twelve miles from Alam Nayil to the depression was featureless and difficult to defend. For this area, Montgomery ordered that minefields and wire be laid, with the 7th Motor Brigade Group and 4th Light Armoured Brigade of the 7th Armoured Division in position behind. When attacked, these two brigades were to inflict maximum casualties before falling back. Montgomery established his main defensive line along the ridges running east from Alam Nayil, most notably Alam Halfa Ridge. It was here that he positioned the bulk of his medium and heavy armor along with anti-tank guns and artillery. It was Montgomerys intention to entice Field Marshal Erwin Rommel to attack through this southern corridor and then defeat him in a defensive battle. As British forces assumed their positions, they were augmented by the arrival of reinforcements and new equipment as convoys reached Egypt. Rommels Advance Across the sands, Rommels situation was growing desperate as his supply situation worsened. While he advance across the desert had seen him win stunning victories over the British, it had badly extended his supply lines. Requesting 6,000 tons of fuel and 2,500 tons of ammunition from Italy for his planned offensive, Allied forces succeeded in sinking over half of the ships dispatched across the Mediterranean. As a result, only 1,500 tons of fuel reached Rommel by the end of August. Aware of Montgomerys growing strength, Rommel felt compelled to attack with the hope of winning a quick victory. Constrained by the terrain, Rommel planned to push the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions, along with the 90th Light Infantry through the southern sector, while the bulk of his other forces demonstrated against the British front to the north. Once through the minefields, his men would push east before turning north to sever Montgomerys supply lines. Moving forward on the night of August 30, Rommels attack quickly encountered difficulty. Spotted by the Royal Air Force, British aircraft began attacking the advancing Germans as well as directing artillery fire on their line of advance. The Germans Held Reaching the minefields, the Germans found them to be much more extensive than anticipated. Slowly working through them, they came under intense fire from the 7th Armoured Division and British aircraft which exacted a high toll, including wounding General Walther Nehring, commander of the Afrika Korps. Despite these difficulties, the Germans were able to clear the minefields by noon the next day and began pressing east. Eager to make up lost time and under constant harassing attacks from 7th Armoured, Rommel ordered his troops to turn north earlier than planned. This maneuver directed the assault against the 22nd Armoured Brigades positions on Alam Halfa Ridge. Moving north, the Germans were met with intense fire from the British and were halted. A flank attack against the British left was stopped by heavy fire from anti-tank guns. Stymied and short on fuel, General Gustav von Vaerst, now leading the Afrika Korps, pulled back for the night. Attacked through the night by British aircraft, German operations on September 1 were limited as 15th Panzer had a dawn attack checked by the 8th Armoured Brigade and Rommel began moving Italian troops into the southern front. Under constant air attack during the night and into the morning hours of September 2, Rommel realized that the offensive had failed and decided to withdraw west. His situation was made more desperate when a column of British armored cars badly mauled one of his supply convoys near Qaret el Himeimat. Realizing his adversarys intentions, Montgomery began formulating plans for counterattacks with the 7th Armoured and 2nd New Zealand. In both cases, he emphasized that neither division should incur losses that would preclude them from taking part in a future offensive. While a major push from 7th Armoured never developed, the New Zealanders attacked south at 10:30 PM on September 3. While the veteran 5th New Zealand Brigade had success against the defending Italians, an assault by the green 132nd Brigade collapsed due to confusion and fierce enemy resistance. Not believing a further attack would succeed, Montgomery cancelled further offensive operations the next day. As a result, the German and Italian troops were able to retreat back to their lines, though under frequent air attack. The Battles Aftermath The victory at Alam Halfa cost Montgomery 1,750 killed, wounded, and missing as well as 68 tanks and 67 aircraft. Axis losses totaled around 2,900 killed, wounded, and missing along with 49 tanks, 36 aircraft, 60 guns, and 400 transport vehicles. Often overshadowed by the First and Second Battles of El Alamein, Alam Halfa represented the last significant offensive launched by Rommel in North Africa. Far from his bases and with his supply lines crumbling, Rommel was forced to move to the defensive as British strength in Egypt grew. In the wake of the battle, Montgomery was criticized for not pressing harder to cut off and destroy the Afrika Korps when it was isolated on his southern flank. He responded by stating that Eighth Army was still in the process of reforming and lacked the logistical network to support the exploitation of such a victory. Also, he was adamant that he wished to preserve British strength for a planned offensive rather than risk it in counterattacks against Rommels defenses. Having shown restraint at Alam Halfa, Montgomery moved to the attack in October when he opened the Second Battle of El Alamein. Sources Defensive Military Structures in Action: Historical ExamplesBBC: Peoples War - Battle of Alam Halfa

Bottoms Up Market Sizing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bottoms Up Market Sizing - Research Paper Example With unit investment trust which are registered companies that posses both characteristics of mutual funds and closed-end funds, their presence is attributed to low number of investment companies below year 2000 level despite net increase since in 2005. The number of new UITs has increased by 2011 by opening 51 new trusts, while closed end fund sponsors had increased with 10 by 2011 since year2005 (Investment Company institute, p, 17). ETFs which are regarded as hybrid of other investment companies (Dow Jones& company) have continued to increase with significant speed where 216 new fund have been opened, on net, by 2011 there were 1,166 ETFs which is 15 times that existed at year 2000 ( Investment Company institute,p.19). ... ,880 642 743 5,984 16,249 2009 8,612 627 820 6,049 16,108 8,540 624 950 5,971 16,085 2011 8,684 634 1,166 6,022 16,506 Source: Â   Source: Investment Company,p.19 Assets Managed By Fund Managers United state represented the world largest of mutual fund market, at the end of 2010 i.e. 11.8 trillion under management which is 48 % of global mutual fund asset under management (Investment Company institute, p.14). US registered investment companies managed $13 trillion by the end of 2011 (investment company fact book, p. 8) while this figure represent is a decrease of $ 129 billion since 2010. This is attributed to 1 % stock index fall hence decrease in total of net asset of fund invested in domestic equity market. Also through lowering of US equity and bond fund that held international asset, resulted to decrease in dollar value of non domestic securities in their portfolios (Investment Company institute, p.34). Asset under Fund Managers Year Tax-free debt trust assets (left scale) Taxa ble debt trust assets (left scale) Equity trust assets (left scale) Total trust assets (left scale) 1992 81 10 6 98 1993 71 9 8 88 1994 a 7 9 74 1995 51 8 14 73 1996 41 8 23 72 1997 38 6 41 85 1998 32 5 56 94 1999 26 4 62 92 2000 23 4 48 74 2001 19 4 26 49 2002 17 4 15 36 2003 13 3 19 36 2004 11 3 23 37 2005 10 2 29 41 2006 9 2 39 50 2007 8 2 43 53 2008 6 2 20 29 2009 10 4 25 38 2010 13 4 34 51 2011 16 4 41 60 Source: Investment Company institute, p.34 Revenue Generated By Assets under Fund Managers Financial currency trading market is quite dynamic with which changes daily and keep evolving as technology keep changing the course of online trading (Jeulin). Income represented by divided distribution mainly is generated from interest and divided earned from securities in fund manager

Economic growh & environmental quality (haiti vs california) Essay

Economic growh & environmental quality (haiti vs california) - Essay Example This is because unlike California, Haiti has seen numerous political and environmental shocks that have severely hindered its growth. Nevertheless, economic growth in both California and Haiti comes with negative environmental outcomes comprising water and land pollution, greenhouse gas emissions as well as destruction of ecological landscape. Haiti economic growth largely centers on agriculture given that majority of the island is mountainous. Most of Haiti lush rainforests has been cleared for small-scale farming and charcoal burning, hence leaving only 28.3% of its land mass to be good for arable and commercial farming1. Agriculture accounts for the nation 25% of its GDP production. As a result, two thirds of Haiti labor-force still lives on small-scale subsistence farms which has resulted in economic stagnation, that has made Haiti the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. Hence, the nation has no substantial industrial or manufacturing sector, which then makes 40% of Haitian population to be unemployed even as the average income for most Haitian is less than $200 per year2. Haiti economy is largely driven by informal small-medium enterprises, which accounts for 80% of the nation new jobs. Nonetheless, the textile industry forms the second largest economic activity after arable farming. On the other hand, Californ ia has a GDP per capita income of $60,190 per year with the unemployment level standing at a much lower level of 7.4%3. Secondly, California has a diverse and highly skilled workforce working in different sectors unlike Haiti, and varies from high tech, to retail and service industry, to manufacturing, biotech, entertainment, to agriculture. Thus, before the 2007-2008 financial crises, California experienced per capita GDP growth that surpassed even the United States per-capita GDP expansion. In particular, the state share of the entire California manufacturing output grew from eight to

The Theory Of Supply And Hilton Hotels Economics Essay

The Theory Of Supply And Hilton Hotels Economics Essay Hilton hotels are among those hotels in world who provide all facilities that a normal person expects from caterings to business travel and leisure guests. They own more than 2700 hotels around the world starting from Europe to Asia. Their online sales at present are at the top of the list compared to other hotels. The hotel was founded in the year 1919, and the founder of Hilton hotel is Conard Hilton. Conard Hilton was a well disciplined and determined person who always had a keen interest in expanding the hotel space by every square foot so as to make the customers happy feel comfortable. In the year 1919 in Cisco, Texas, the first Hilton hotel was constructed by Mr. Hilton. And the Paris, the granddaughter of Conard Hilton, who has estimate $300 million family fortune. She is one of the hotel magnates of this huge Hilton organisation. Conard Hiltons (1887-1979) birth place is San Antonio. He made a statement that the hotel established by him was one of the best in all cities and he posted the phrase Take me to Hilton. Hilton hotels are popular for offering high class accommodation facilities for their guest in the busy destinations. Mp3 friendly alarms are established for the guest to wake up and the guest has full freedom to select his or her own tunes for the day. They are famous for the level and comfort that they provide to their customers. At present the Port of San Diego and Hilton are planning to establish a hotel with 1200 rooms on the waterfront adjacent to the San Diego Convention Centre. With the hard work and dedication by the meeting planners of Hilton hotel the H Honours program effectiveness has grown from 34% in 2002 to 40% now. Using the same business rate stay, the program members earn both H Honours points as well as airline miles, and this is usually called as Double Dipping. And there is a card called The American Express Hilton H honours Program Credit card through which a customer can earn points and have a free stay at Hilton hotel as well. Hilton Malta which is one of the most prestigious hotel promises the words best in accommodation for their customers, with high class treatment and service. The top priority chain of Hilton is their business travel. Using this they have made a huge change in their organisation as well. Since 1919, every time they have opened a way for new innovations for executives. The Managing Director of Sales in Business Travel for Hilton Hotel Corporation at present is Maureen Mackey. Hilton hotels are at present the official hotel group of uk. They have more than 2700 hotels around the globe at present. Supply The theory of supply considered as one of the fundamental theory in the economics. According to the economic point of view supply means that the amount of the product that producers willing to provide at a particular price over a given period of time. Law of supply Law of supply means that when other things are equal there will be a direct relationship between price and quantity of supply. We can explain easily with a diagram In this diagram x axis shows that quantity of supply that provided by producers to customers and y axiss explain price of the product. The first time price is p1 and quantity of supply is q1. Then there is a increase in price from p1 to p2 as a result supply also increases to q1 to q2.this is considered as theory of supply Factors affecting Supply There are many factors that affecting supply of a commodity or services the main factors are Price of the commodity: There is a direct relation between price and supply of a product or service. That means when price of a commodity increases producers try to sell more unit of the product. Because main goal of every firm is to achieve profit. When price increases producers try to achieve more by increasing supply of that product or services Price of factors of production Factors of production also influence supply. The word factors of production is mainly included land labour..etc .so when price of factors of production increases producers cannot supply much to consumer. On the same time he can increase his production or he can supply more products when the price of factors of production decreases Prices of other commodities: Price of other commodities means that in a company producer produce two products on the same time. But the quantity of the product supplied will be different. Because it depends upon the price of product. That is if one commodity got high price firm try to supply more of that commodity Change in cost of production: like factors of production cost of production also important in change in supply. Because firm can supply more unit of product by reducing cost of production Technological advancement: technological advantage is very important in every part of product. That is there is a direct relation between technology and supply. When technology improve supply also improve Climate: weather or climate is always influence change in supply. When there is a good climate Firm can supply a good quantity of product Taste and preference Taste and preference always help firm to achieve increase in supply. That means if firm can produce goods which can satisfy peoples taste then producer can supply a good amount of product Tax rate Tax rate and subsidies plays an important role in supply of a product. There is a relation between both of them. For example if tax rate of a product or services increases producers try to reduce the supply of that particular product. If tax rate fall firms try to sell more of product as possible but subsidies have different look if subsidies that given to a firm will increases producers try to increase supply of that product and vice versa Governments influence Every organisation needs a good climate of administration otherwise new producers will not enter in market. On the same time governments should give a liberal policy to business man if not that will affect supply of commodity. If government restriction is highly in a state producers are not willing to supply more quantity of product and vice versa B) Price elasticity of supply Price elasticity of supply is also considered as one of the major principles of economics. Price elasticity means that the relationship between changes in quantity supplied and changes in price. For the measurement of this change is known as price elasticity of supply. There is a formula for that price elasticity of supply that is PES =change in quantity supplied/change in price There is many kind of elasticity is there this all based on change in price rate. They are perfectly elastic, perfectly inelastic, elastic, inelastic and unit elastic. We can elaborate this 1) Perfectly elastic That means at the current price suppliers can supply any amount 2) Perfectly inelastic Perfectly inelastic means change in price does not affect quantity of supply. That means the rate of supply is always same when price change 3) Elastic Elastic means that when price increases supply also increases but change in supply wil be more than when it compare to price 4) Inelastic Inelastic means that there is a small proportion of change in price leads to large proportion of supply 5) Unit Unit elasticity means that rate of change in supply and rate of change in price will be same. These are the main 5 elasticity of supply .there are many factors that affect elasticity of supply they are following 1) Spare production capacity It means that if business got a spare capacity for his production then business can increase output as a result supply will be elastic to demand .that is why in recession time goods and services of Hilton hotel remain elastic (2) Stocks of finished products and components It means that raw materials and finished goods are high level in a market the supply will be elastic. On other hand if stocks or finished goods are low at market. Supply should be inelastic to its demand (3) The ease and cost of factor substitution This means that if factors of production are easily available or mobility of production factors are high that will affect elasticity of supply .that means it should be high. The hotels like Hilton always try to keep their factors available easily otherwise that will affect their business badly (4) Time period involved in the production process Time period is considered as one of the major factor that affect production process. That is usually supply of a product is high elastic at long time period because producers can adjust or rearrange production.

Ophelias Flowers

ENG 4U January 14, 2012 Ophelia and her Flowers Flowers; there expected to be over 10 000 different species of this aesthetic plant, and each can have a different meaning. In the play Hamlet, Ophelia, a girl raised by obedience and manipulation, uses these flowers in a fit of madness and their archetypal meanings to express her thoughts, feelings, and hopes towards her once thought as lover, Hamlet. As the play goes on, you can see that more is revealed in her relationship with Hamlet, and that Ophelia isn’t as innocent and virtuous as she portrays. To begin, in a fit of madness Ophelia begins to give flowers with embedded meanings to recipients who seem most fitting. She states, There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance. Pray you, love, Remember. And there is pansies, that’s for thoughts. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. There's fennel for you, and columbines. There's rue for you, and here's some for me. We may call it herb of grace o' Sundays. O, you must wear your rue with a difference! There's a daisy. I would give you some violets, but they wither'd all when my father died. They say he made a good end. (Hamlet IV, v, 199-209) I believe that she gave the rosemary to Hamlet. Rosemary is associated with remembrance between two lovers, (Stabler, 2000) which was once the relationship she believed that they had. She may use this in hope that he has not forgotten about her. Whether or not Hamlet was deceiving her, he definitely once made Ophelia believe that he loved her, and he even states. â€Å"I did love you once. †(Hamlet III,i. 126) What made Hamlet lose his feelings for Ophelia? Of perhaps they were never there. Ophelia spends a life time of obeying her male-counterparts. They constantly manipulated her into doing or thinking things that were not of character. For example, she never once thought twice about spying on Hamlet for her father, or doing every single small task he asked her to do, or answering each personal question he asked. Who is to say that Hamlet was not manipulating her and taking advantage of her for her body? After going mad, Ophelia can confirm this accusation when she sings. By Gis and by Saint Charity, Alack, and fie for shame! Young men will do't if they come to't By Cock, they are to blame. Quoth she, ‘Before you tumbled me, You promis'd me to wed. ‘ He answers: ‘So would I ‘a' done, by yonder sun, An thou hadst not come to my bed. ‘ (Hamlet IV, v. 63-71) This song reveals a lot about Ophelia and Hamlet’s relationship. Firstly, â€Å"Before you tumbled me,/ You promis'd me to wed† (Hamlet IV, v. 67-68) reveals that she asked that before he got her into bed, he would promise to marry her. This not only reveals that they have engaged in sexual relations, but it also means that he promised to marry her. He answered, however, â€Å"'So would I ‘a' done, by yonder sun,/ An thou hadst not come to my bed. ‘† (Hamlet IV, v. 70-71) This means that he would have married her, but only if she hadn’t slept with him. (Epstein, 2005) By manipulating Ophelia, Hamlet gets what he wants. Afterwards, Ophelia is left a broken woman with nowhere to go. Hamlet unfairly treats the mislead Ophelia after his promises of love by calling her a whore, when he says, â€Å"That’s a fair thought to lie between a maids’ legs† (Hamlet III, ii. 125) he also demands that she should â€Å"Get thee to a nunnery† (Hamlet. III, I, 131) which is referring her to a common day whorehouse. His mistreatment of Ophelia may have led to her suicide or her accidental death by drowning. It is almost ironic that Ophelia would have her life ended by water, for water is the source of life and sustenance. Unless Shakespeare was trying to represent that Ophelia was now purified by said water, and in death she could finally be happy. It would also be seen that Ophelia would give the violets to Hamlet as well. â€Å"I would give you some violets, but they wither'd all when my father/ died. They say he made a good end. † (Hamlet IV, v, 207-209) Violets represent faithfulness in relationships; (Stabler, 2000) it is likely that she is saying that when her father died, her faithfulness towards Hamlet was now non-existent. This kind of behaviour can be justified because Ophelia is put in a horrible situation. Her conflicting loyalties to her father, and her belief of love with the unapproved Hamlet tore her apart undoubtedly. Now, what kind of position could you put yourself in if your boyfriend killed your father? Respectively, Ophelia begins to sing of death because her world is shattered due to her loss, and her conflicting ideas would more than likely influence her losing her sanity. In conclusion, it can be seen that the archetypal meanings of Ophelia’s flowers can lead to the true meaning of hers and Hamlet’s relationship. Assuming that she wanted Hamlet to have the rosemary and violets, she presented the idea of remembrance of their love, but also the fact that she no longer wanted to be a part of it. This is a huge step for Ophelia because for once, she made her own decision and this would be the peak of her character development. Of course, this triumph over her personal issues is short lived, because soon after she commits suicide in a stream. This could symbolize her purification and release of any words of harm put against her. ? Works Cited Epstein, Alex. â€Å"By The Way, Ophelia Is Pregnant. † Craftyscreenwriting. com. Crafty Screenwriting, 2005. Web. 14 Jan. 2012. Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. New York: Washington Square, 2002. Print. Stabler, Sarah. â€Å"Hamlet; The Symbolism in Flowers. † Homewood City Schools Board of Education. HCSBE, 12 Dec. 2000. Web. 17 Jan. 2012.

The Spanish Conquistadors

From the moment of Christopher Columbus discovery of lands previously unknown to Europe in 1492, the New World captured the imagination of European adventurers. Thousands of men came to the New World to seek fortune, glory, and land. For two centuries, these men explored the New World, conquering any native people they came across in the name of the King of Spain (and the hope of gold). They came to be known as the conquistadors. Who were these men? Definition of Conquistador The word conquistador comes from Spanish and means he who conquers. The conquistadors were those men who took up arms to conquer, subjugate, and convert native populations in the New World. Who Were the Conquistadors? Conquistadors came from all over Europe. Some were German, Greek, Flemish, and so on, but most of them came from Spain, particularly southern and southwestern Spain. The conquistadors typically came from families ranging from the poor to the lower nobility. The very high-born rarely needed to set off in search of adventure. Conquistadors had to have some money to purchase the tools of their trade, such as weapons, armor, and horses. Many of them were veteran professional soldiers who had fought for Spain in other wars, like the reconquest of the Moors (1482-1492) or the Italian Wars (1494-1559). Pedro de Alvarado was a typical example. He was from the province of Extremadura in southwestern Spain and was the younger son of a minor noble family. He could not expect any inheritance, but his family had enough money to purchase good weapons and armor for him. He came to the New World in 1510 specifically to seek his fortune as a conquistador. Armies Although most of the conquistadors were professional soldiers, they werent necessarily well-organized. They were not a standing army in the sense that we think of it. In the New World, at least, they were more like mercenaries. They were free to join any expedition they wanted to and could theoretically leave at any time, although they tended to see things through. They were organized by units. Footmen, harquebusiers, cavalry, and so on served under trusted captains who were responsible to the expedition leader. Conquistador Expeditions Expeditions, such as Pizarros Inca campaign or the countless searches for the city of El Dorado, were expensive and privately financed (although the King still expected his 20 percent cut of any valuables discovered). Sometimes the conquistadors themselves chipped in funds for an expedition in the hopes that it would discover great wealth. Investors were also involved: wealthy men who would provision and equip an expedition expecting a share of the spoils if it discovered and looted a rich native kingdom. There was some bureaucracy involved, as well. A group of conquistadors could not just pick up their swords and head off into the jungle. They had to secure official written and signed permission from certain colonial officials first. Weapons and Armor Armor and weapons were crucially important for a conquistador. Footmen had heavy armor and swords made of fine Toledo steel if they could afford them. Crossbowmen had their crossbows, tricky weapons which they had to keep in good working order. The most common firearm at the time was the harquebus, a heavy, slow-to-load rifle. Most expeditions had at least a few harquebusiers along. In Mexico, most conquistadors eventually abandoned their heavy armor in favor of the lighter, padded protection the Mexicans used. Horsemen used lances and swords. Larger campaigns might have some artillerymen and cannons along, as well as shot and powder. Loot and the Encomienda System Some conquistadors claimed that they were attacking the New World natives to spread Christianity and save the natives from damnation. Many of the conquistadors were, indeed, religious men. However, the conquistadors were far more interested in gold and loot. The Aztecs and Inca Empires were rich in gold, silver, precious stones, and other things the Spanish found less valuable, like brilliant clothes made of bird feathers. Conquistadors who participated in any successful campaign were given shares based on many factors. The king and the expedition leader (like Hernan Cortes) each received 20 percent of all loot. After that, it was divided up among the men. Officers and horsemen got a larger cut than foot soldiers, as did crossbowmen, harquebusiers, and artillerymen. After the King, officers, and other soldiers had all gotten their cut, there was often not much left for the common soldiers. One prize which could be used to buy off conquistadors was the gift of an encomienda. An encomienda was land given to a conquistador, usually with natives already living there. The word encomienda comes from a Spanish verb meaning to entrust. In theory, the conquistador or colonial official receiving an encomienda had the duty of providing protection and religious instruction to the natives on his land. In return, the natives would work in mines, produce food or trade goods, and so on. In practice, it was little more than slavery. Abuses The historical record abounds in examples of conquistadors murdering and tormenting native populations, and these horrors are far too numerous to list here. Defender of the Indies Fray Bartolomà © de las Casas listed many of them in his Brief Account of the Devastation of the Indies. The native populations of many Caribbean islands, such as Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico, were essentially wiped out by a combination of conquistador abuses and European diseases. During the conquest of Mexico, Cortes ordered a massacre of Cholulan noblemen. Only months later, Cortes lieutenant Pedro De Alvarado would do the same thing in Tenochtitlan. There are countless accounts of Spaniards torturing and murdering natives to obtain the location of the gold. One common technique was to burn the soles of someones feet to get them to talk. One example was Emperor Cuauhtà ©moc of the Mexica, whose feet were burned by the Spanish to make him tell them where they could find more gold. Famous Conquistadors Famous conquistadors who have been remembered in history include Francisco Pizarro, Juan Pizarro, Hernando Pizarro, Diego de Almagro, Diego Velazquez de Cuellar, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Juan Ponce de Leon, Panfilo de Narvaez, Lope de Aguirre, and Francisco de Orellana. Legacy At the time of the conquest, Spanish soldiers were among the finest in the world. Spanish veterans from dozens of Europeans battlefields flocked to the New World, bringing their weapons, experience, and tactics with them. Their deadly combination of greed, religious zeal, ruthlessness, and superior weaponry proved too much for native armies to handle, especially when combined with lethal European diseases, such as smallpox, which decimated native ranks. Conquistadors left their marks culturally as well. They destroyed temples, melted down golden works of art, and burned native books and codices. Defeated natives were usually enslaved via the encomienda system, which persisted long enough to leave a cultural imprint on Mexico and Peru. The gold the conquistadors sent back to Spain began a Golden Age of imperial expansion, art, architecture, and culture. Sources Diaz del Castillo, Bernal. The Conquest of New Spain. Penguin Classics, John M. Cohen (Translator), Paperback, Penguin Books, August 30, 1963.Hassig, Ross. Aztec Warfare: Imperial Expansion and Political Control. The Civilization of the American Indian Series, First Edition Edition, University of Oklahoma Press, September 15, 1995.Las Casas, Bartolomà © de. The Devastation of the Indies: A Brief Account. Herma Briffault (Translator), Bill Donovan (Introduction), 1st Edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, February 1, 1992.Levy, Buddy. Conquistador: Hernan Cortes, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs. Paperback, 6/28/09 edition, Bantam, July 28, 2009.Thomas, Hugh. Conquest: Cortes, Montezuma, and the Fall of Old Mexico. Paperback, Reprint edition, Simon Schuster, April 7, 1995.

Stanley’s Choices in A Streetcar Named Desire

Stanley’s Choices in A Streetcar Named Desire The characters in A Streetcar Named Desire make a number of choices, and one of the most memorable is Stanley’s decision to rape Blanche. Stanley chooses to do this because he wants to regain power over her. Her criticism and lack of respect towards him cause him to feel inferior and to worry that his wife no longer respects his authority. Therefore, he uses his sexuality to demonstrate power over Blanche and readdress the balance. Of course, the power struggle between Stanley and Blanche, and his rape of her, represents the larger class conflict in 1940s New Orleans. Much of A Streetcar Named Desire is made up of a struggle between classes, and this power struggle is further shown when Stanley forces himself on Blanche. Stanley is of a lower social standing than Stella and Blanche, a fact that Blanche constantly reminds him about. Stanley has previously regained his power over higher classes by marrying Stella and keeping her in a socially lower position than him, because of her gender. It seems that he has used his sexuality to win the power struggle with Stella, and then he goes on to use the same tactic with Blanche. When she turns him down, he rapes her, in a violent and sordid attempt to reclaim the power that she has taken from him with both her social standing and her manner towards him. Clearly he had other choices. He could have chosen to speak to Blanche about his feelings and ask her to treat him with more respect. Alternatively, he could have chosen to ask her to leave his house. It is easy to see why Stanley dislikes Blanche. She is penniless and is depending on Stanley to keep her and let her live with him and his Stella in their modest apartment. She also seems to expect Stella to wait on her. Furthermore, Blanche treats Stanley with very little respect, due to his relatively low social standing. For example, she calls him â€Å"Polack†: â€Å"†¦I let the place go? Where were you! In bed with your – Polack!† (Williams 1.185). Blanche relies on this offensive name, and uses her archaic idea of social class to hold power over him. This is not the only factor that makes Blanche an unsympathetic character. She is living in a world from the past; she has dated ideas and values. Her sole dream is to meet an archetypal Southern gentleman, but she will never achieve this as society no longer works that way. Stanley, on the other hand, is more realistic, and he seems to enjoy pointing out her flaws. This is most likely the first level of h is response to the power struggle between them. Ironically, Stanley and Blanche are both living in the past. Stanley is steadfast on his opinions regarding the traditional gender roles, and Blanche holds on to her old fashioned ideals about conventional romance. Blanche occasionally compliments Stanley, for example when she flatters his ego: â€Å"Well, I never cared for wishy-washy people. That was why, when you walked in here last night, I said to myself — â€Å"My sister has a married man!†Ã¢â‚¬â€ Of course that was all that I could tell about you† (Williams 2.114). The two main characters compete for Stella’s care and attention, and this circumstance ensures a mutual hatred and battle between the two of them. Of course, their battle really represents the larger battle between the classes. Stanley’s lower social standing and his desire to be in charge are what leads to his raping Blanche. Stanley decision to rape Blanche comes from his need to control others, and especially women. From the beginning of the play, it is clear that Stanley wants to dominate his home and his wife. Stanley’s beliefs about gender roles are that men are accountable for bringing in money and food and women are responsible for caring for the home, cleaning, cooking, and taking care of men. He also insists that he has Stella’s absolute and unquestionable respect. It is hard for a contemporary audience to sympathize with Stanley; he is hostile, controlling and single-minded. Williams does not offer much information about Stanley’s past, so his actions in the play are the only knowledge the audience gathers. He likes routine, maintaining conventional gender roles, seeing his male friends, and keeping up a strong sexual relationship with Stella. Additionally, Stanley’s views of women is almost purely sexual. The play’s stage directions offer a description of him that shows this: â€Å"†¦Since earliest manhood the center of his life has been pleasure with women, the giving and taking of it He sizes women up with a glance, with sexual clarifications, crude images flashing into his mind and determining the way he smiles at them† (Williams 1.205). Blanche’s descent on the home badly shakes the status quo for Stanley. Blanche criticizes Stanley and he starts to worry that this might change Stella’s view of him as well. For example, in Scene Eight, Stella instructs him to tidy the table and to eat more politely. Stanley resents Stella’s unexpected display of power, and worries that she is imposing on his traditionally male role as the person in charge. Also, Stanley feels that Stella and Blanche look down on him. He says: â€Å"Pig—Polak—disgusting—vulgar—greasy!—them kind of words have been on your tongue and your sisters too much around here! What do you two think you are? A p air of queens?† (Williams 8.14). When Stanley becomes dissatisfied, he erupts in violent temper. The power struggle between Stanley and Blanche, and his rape of her, symbolizes the wider class conflict in 1940s New Orleans. Stanley is insecure and resentful that his wife and her sister are of a higher social standing than him. He has a number of choices about how to assert his boundaries with Blanche. He could have spoken to her about his feelings or, if he felt unable to do that, he could have spoken to Stella and asked for her help. However, Stanley lacks self-awareness and communication skills, so he uses the only tools available to him: sexuality and violence.