Europe On The Eve Of World War I Essay Example for Free

Europe On The Eve Of World War I Essay World War I, or The Great War, actually started on June 28, 1914 upon the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, by a Serbian national. This led to a series of battles upon the eventual formation of the Central Powers made up of Germany, Austro-Hungary, the Turkish Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria, and they fought against the Entente Powers made up of Russia, France and Great Britain. However, since â€Å"Europe stumbled unexpectedly into war in the summer of 1914,†1 the question remains as to which of the major countries that fought the First World War were most prepared in terms of economy and military strength and which were not. Britain Among the Entente Powers during WWI, Britain was actually considered â€Å"the greatest colonial power [and] maintained the greatest navy. †2 However, it is also a fact that during that time Britain â€Å"was being increasingly challenged by France and Russia†3 and Germany. The British in fact â€Å"increased their warship production with the  William R. Griffiths and Thomas E. Griess, The Great War (2003): 1. 2. Ian Westwell, World War I Day by Day (1999): 7 3. Ibid. 4. Spencer Tucker, The Great War 1914-18 (1998): 3 intention of war†5 and in fact had a series of wars with Africa in 1899. Britain, along with the other great European powers, â€Å"embarked on an arms race that ran in tandem with the scramble for colonies,†6 which simply means that the reason they improved their armies and navies was because â€Å"they needed to protect far-flung colonies and maintain a balance of military power with their neighbors in Europe. †7 During the early 20th century, Britain launched â€Å"HMS Dreadnought, a Battleship incorporating several new technologies that was far superior to any vessel afloat in 1906†8 This was somehow the reason why other European powers especially Germany began improving and â€Å"building their own dreadnought-type battleships†9 because they saw â€Å"a sudden vulnerability of their costly fleets. †10 However, one rumor was that â€Å"the British recognized the naval competition from Germany as a threat to their existence,†11 though â€Å"the naval arms race between these two powers would continue until the eve of the war. 5. Westwell, 7. 6. Ibid, 8. 7. Ibid. 8. Ibid. 9. Ibid, 9. 10. Ibid. 11. Griffiths and Greis, 5. 12. Ibid. It is said that naval arms race between these two powers would continue until the eve of the war. †13 Nevertheless, â€Å"by 1914, Germany had a navy second only to England’s. †14 Economically, it is said that Britain, along with France and Germany, was ready for the Great War. The most important influence upon British and the rest of the European military during those times was in fact â€Å"the largess bestowed upon European societies by the Industrial Revolution. †15 It is said that â€Å"a wealth of goods, rising productivity, and material well-being†16 were brought about by the factories of the latter half of the 19th century. This period of economic growth all over Europe led to â€Å"the greater availability of education for the lower classes† and that â€Å"better and more widespread educational opportunities enabled citizens to comprehend more readily the†¦military affairs of the state. †17 This perhaps encouraged nationalism among the people of the various European nations. Consequently such feelings may have similarly encouraged rivalries with other nations. Thus, the soil for the war was fertile and all it needed was the seed – which was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. 13. Griffiths and Greis, 5. 14. Ibid. 15. Ibid, 6 16. Ibid. 17. Ibid. France As early as 1870, â€Å"France had considered itself – and had been considered by others – the leading military power of Europe. †18 It was defeated by Germany during the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 but it was not stated whether this war was really a showcase of the French military but rather it â€Å"meant a lasting antagonism†19 with Germany. Nevertheless, despite being a military power in the late 9th century, France had its â€Å"entire†¦province of Alsace [seized as well as] part of a second province, Lorraine. †20 Germany Since the empire became united in 1871, â€Å"imperial Germany had rapidly emerged as the dominant industrial and military power†21 in Europe and such â€Å"created a potentially explosive situation. It was also believed that â€Å"by the start of the twentieth century, Germany was creating a first-class navy,† which was in fact considered â€Å"the most obvious and dramatic illustration of Germany’s surging power in many spheres. †23 Such was the 18. Neil M. Heyman, World War I (1997): 5. 19. Ibid. 20. Ibid. 21. Ibid. 22. Ibid. 23. Ibid. greatness of the military strength of Germany in the early 20th century. In addition to that, Germany also had an economy that was emerging as one of the strongest in the whole of Europe. Since 1870, Germany’s â€Å"industry had grown so rapidly that this part of Europe, which had supplied immigrants to the Western Hemisphere for more than a century, now imported labor from Poland. †24 Twentieth century Germany was actually home to â€Å"higher education and scientific research [and] a system of social insurance for its working class† and in fact, the country â€Å"could pride itself on being a world leader. † Germany also prided itself with a great leader during that time. The ruler of Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm II, was often considered as â€Å"the embodiment and often the director of [Germany’s] restless energies. †25 By the late 19th century, Kaiser Wilhelm II earned the respect and friendship of a few ambitious military leaders who were against Britain and who would want to challenge it to war. One of these military leaders was Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the Secretary of State of the Imperial Naval Office of Germany at that time. Moreover, Kaiser Wilhelm II also had his own imperialist ambitions as well for he considered the German navy â€Å"a tool of external power†26 and even declared it to Prime Minister Arthur Balfour of Britain in 1902, many years before the outbreak of WWI. In fact â€Å"the Kaiser sought to play   24. Heyman, 5. 25. Ibid, 6. 26. Ibid. politics, and repeatedly declared that he was determined to make Germany not just dominant in European affairs but in the world† and had a â€Å"desire for a German-dominated central Europe. †27 Such was the measure of Wilhelm II’s ambition and resolve. The Kaiser’s biographer even wrote, â€Å"Only with a fleet could Germany be able to elicit from the British the esteem Wilhelm II believed to be his due. †28 Germany was indeed already a strong power in the early 20th century many years before the outbreak of the Great War. It is said that â€Å"the security of Austria-Hungary, the weaker of the Central Powers, was [even] guaranteed by Kaiser Wilhelm II [since] late 1912. †29 Such was the strength of Germany at that time that they could even guarantee the protection of the territory of another country in addition to their own. Conclusion On the eve of World War I, Britain, France and Germany were all ready for the war that was to ensue. However, among the three, Germany seemed to be the most prepared especially when it came to the military, specifically the development and advancement of its naval warships as well as powerful leadership in the person of Kaiser Wilhelm II. On the other hand, France, although a leading military power of Europe at that time, was in fact torn apart by Germany during the 1871 Franco-Prussian War, hence was not impressively strong compared to Britain and Germany. 27. Tucker, 3. 28. Heyman, 6. 29. Westwell, 9. BIBLIOGRAPHY Griffiths, Williams R. and Griess, Thomas E. The Great War. New York: Square One Publishers, Inc. , 2003. Heyman, Neil M. World War I. Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. , 1997. Tucker, Spencer. The Great War 1914-18. Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1998. Westwell, Ian. World War I Day by Day. New York: The Brown Reference Group, Plc. , 1999.

The Progress of Human Rights Reform in Turkey Essay example -- Politic

The Progress of Human Rights Reform in Turkey Throughout the last half-century of American politics, the Presidents of the United States have been more susceptible to public attack and scorn than ever before in our history. Through events such as Nixon's Watergate, Clinton's impeachment, and the Bush wars the public has voiced scathing criticism of our national leaders without fear of personal harm. People in America know that they can openly criticize anyone and anything in our country including our president or the pillars of our country's history like Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, or even our first president George Washington. Americans do not think much about human rights because they are interlaced into the very fabric of our society. However, such rights and freedoms are not afforded to all people, and in some countries, like Turkey, a person could be killed or tortured for simply criticizing their government. Turkey is an interesting nation because in many ways it represents the divide between Western Judeo-Christian societies and Middle Eastern Islamic societies. In fact, since the beginning of the 1900's, Turkey has always been the place where Europe trails off, and another reality, another world begins.[i] As a result, it possesses many different tenets that form an amalgam within their culture, government, and everyday life. For many years Turkey and human rights were tantamount to oil and water so in order to examine their progress we must consider the short history of Turkey as a country, Turkey?s current status, and the impact of the European Union. Turkey?s brief history ?Since being founded on July 24, 1923 by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the self-proclaimed ?Father of the Turks?, Turkey?s ... ...ic, p.96. [xiii] Kilic, p.97. [xiv] Richard F. Nyrop ed., Turkey a Country Study (Washington: American, 1980), p. 188. [xv] Kilic, p. 98. [xvi] Pope, p. 152. [xvii] Pope, p. 152. [xviii] Kilic, p. 99. [xix] Kilic, p. 95. [xx] Kilic, p. 101. [xxi] Great-if they really happen; Turkey?s reforms, The Economist, August 10, 2002, pNA. [xxii] Great-if they really happen; Turkey?s reforms. [xxiii] Turkey?s human rights, The Economist, September 4, 1999, p. 50. [xxiv] Owen Matthews and Sami Kohen, Glasnost in the Air, Newsweek International, July 14, 2003, p. 33. [xxv] Matthews and Kohen, p. 33. [xxvi] Matthews and Kohen, p. 33. [xxvii] Matthews and Kohen, p. 33. [xxviii] Great- if they really happen; Turkey?s reforms. [xxix] Romano, p.12. [xxx] Matthews and Kohen, p. 33. [xxxi] Pope, p. 256. [xxxii] Kilic, p. 104.

Deconstruction Final

Leadership's contingency theory focuses on the importance of a leader related to heir situation, (Morehouse 2010, p. 123); transformational theory focuses on a process that changes and transforms people, (Morehouse 2010, p. 200); and authentic leadership focuses on leadership being morally grounded and responsive to needs, (Morehouse 2010, p. 237). Aristotle Rhetoric discusses how a leader must be able to observe and discern what persuasion might be effective using deferent internal arguments. Aristotle defines pathos as emotions of the listener, ethos as character of the speaker and logos as logic or reason.Leaders must master rhetoric skills In both written and verbal communications to succeed. Immunization that strikes a positive chord with the listener Is Important in order to guide a team to achieve a goal. Each leader in 12 Angry Men and Dead Poets Society had a clear goal and understood how to drive their group that goal. 12 Angry Men is in a sass's courtroom, where 12 men fro m various backgrounds and different personalities, find themselves deciding the fate of a teenage boy accused of murdering his father.The vote must be unanimous and without doubt, with a guilty verdict resulting in the death of the young man facing trial. Dead Poets Society Is In a 1 puffs all male boarding school, (Walton Academy), which prides Itself on excellence, tradition, honor, and discipline. Walton Is rolled In Its' educational methods and Is not open to today's ‘talking outside the box' mentality. John Keating is a new poetry professor and a Walton alumnae, who wants to Inspire Nils young men to KICK at ten world Transiently, to â€Å"suck ten marrow out AT life†, (Oxford University Press USA, 2011), and find their own place in the world.With 12 Angry Men, Juror #8, (Fond), was not the assigned Jury leader but emerged as the primary leader within minutes of the group sequester. Fond's situation allowed his leadership traits to apply with success. Fond's leader ship was due to his ethical need for a Jury decision without reasonable doubt. Fond is authentic when presenting his reasoning for the not guilty vote. After casting the single not guilty vote, Fond used inductive reasoning to ask questions that triggered a battery of emotional and logical discussions ensuing internally and externally with each man.Fond appealed to each of the 11 other Jurors by asking probing questions and his first being â€Å"l Just want to talk†¦. Let's not easy to raise my hand and send a boy off to die without talking about it first† (Lumen, 1957). This inductive statement is also an appeal to emotions of others, asking them to engage before making such a pivotal life decision. Fond was using pathos or emotions to persuade. This results in the group allowing a one-hour deliberation before taking a second vote. Fond requested the second vote be secret ballot, showing his supportive skill, to allow those not quite comfortable to vote their conscience .Juror #9, (Sweeney), is the first to change his vote to not guilty, basing it solely upon Fond's single stand signifying character the eldest of the group. Fond was using ethos or hereafter to persuade. After Sweeney's not guilty vote, Fond continues his appeal using logical arguments, presented in a manner that promote respect of others, statements as â€Å"suppose that†¦. † And â€Å"is it possible. Fond is appealing to those quieter, possibly of lower social status and unsure to voice their thoughts.Fond's rhetoric of emotion, character, and logic appeals to each Juror in differently and draws them into to his goal of discussing the trial and ensuring their decision is without doubt. Fond begins to gain their respect and supportive input into the discussions. Juror #5, (Clunking), relates to the accused as he grew up in similar situation and once he moved to reasonable doubt, assists in logically arguments with how a switchblade knife is used. Clunking physically ac ts out how a person would use a switchblade. Fond transforms other Jurors into leaders and supporters of reasonable doubt argument.Fond questions the fact that the knife used to kill the father is unique, he wonders if there could be other similar knives to the group. The knife that killed the father is brought to the Jurors and as the group discuss its' uniqueness. Fond resents a second knife identical to the knife of evidence. This one act of logic presents reasonable doubt. Another example of logical argument is the eyeglass marks on the female witnesses' nose. The female witness identifies the young man at night as the murderer; noise awoke her and she saw the young man from her window. The female witness had nose marks but no glasses during the trial.Fond asks Juror #4, (Marshall), who wears eyeglasses if anything else besides glasses could make nose marks like found on the female witness. Marshall says no. As Fond gathers support, en moves Trot Inactive to actively reasoning W alt social arguments, presents more passion and his own thoughts causing reasonable doubt. An example of his passion is specific to El train argument. Fond goes to great lengths on asking if someone is able to hear other noises over the El Train, if there was enough time for the elderly male witness to make it from his bed to the door while the El Train passed.Fond counts off the length the elderly male witness would have to walk from his bedroom to the apartment door, would the old man be able to make the distance in the time of the El train passing. This is an appeal to logic and contradicting to the witnesses' statement. Fond exhibits contingency theory aspects, maneuvering through the discussions with the other Jurors, due to his position of power because of logical arguments. Fond rewards or punishes Jurors based on their level of support with his attention level.Fond accepted a cough drop from Juror #2, (Fiddler), but refused gum from juror #7, (Warden); offered water to Sween ey but not to Juror #10, (Begley). 12 Angry Men is biased in presentation, (I. E. All white male Jury, Puerco Rican/ minority accused, effectiveness of America's Judicial system, Juror personal biases), and within some of Fond's arguments, (I. . Ignoring some aspects of discussions). Each Juror also brought some personal bias to the story: Juror #g's (Cob) intolerance of most anything or Juror #ass's, (Begley), racists aspect of us/them mentality.Fond's character bias appears through ignoring of topics he did not agree with or did not help his reasonable doubt argument, (ignoring the thought of sunglasses also causing nose marks the same as eyeglasses). With Dead Poets Society John Keating was a leader due to his situation of being a Walton Academy professor. At the same time, his leadership is contingent upon the needs of his ‘key students. Todd is new to Walton but is following in his older brother's valedictorian status, which causes self-doubt. Neil desires control over hi s own life but his father is dismissive and overbearing.Charlie is the most outspoken of the group but desires more freedom. Knox is painfully shy. Keating starts his first class off extraordinary; challenging students to think for themselves, be daring, communicating they are powerful men who have a wonderful life to live. Settings first class is interactive and passionate; he is interested in the boys and their thoughts. Keating presents poetry in a different light; it is what ascribes humans. Keating challenges the boys to live life to the fullest by showing them past alumnae pictures and stating, â€Å"They're not that different from you, are they?Same haircuts. Full of hormones, Just like you. Invincible, Just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, Just like many of you; their eyes are full of hope, Just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? † (Hok iest Dead Poets Society, 2011). This question alone invokes emotion and logic, which are woo of Aristotle internal arguments, (pathos, and logos). He is appealing to their youth to KICK toward transformation of all. ten Torture.I Nils Deigns ten teacher-student connection Ana Keating is interesting to the boys. The boys find Seating's old yearbook where he has Dead Poets Society, (DIPS), as an activity, which prompts them to ask about it. Keating tells the boys is it a secret club where boys meet in a nearby cave to read poetry, discover life and become true to themselves. Neil decides that the group should start DIPS up again, find their own place in the world, allowing poetry to inspire. The boys initiate a new DIPS, with Todd Joining as long as he does not have to read poetry aloud.Keating is using inspired motivation to enable his students to grow and expand their minds beyond the rigid Walton walls. DIPS is a method allowing the boys to challenge their own beliefs and be creati ve, which is intellectual stimulation. DIPS meetings ensue in a nearby cave at night where the groups of boys begin to read poetry, share their thoughts and dreams, discuss subjects, allow rebellious behavior, and bond. This is a step in team building, support, and starting to lead heir own lives. The boys are building trust, collaboration, and are transforming into leaders of themselves.As the movie progresses, Keating gains more stamina and enthusiasm because of the boys' responses. Keating uses unorthodox yet inspiring ways of pushing the boys to self-awareness and thinking for themselves. Keating presents how individuals in a group conform without awareness by having the boys march as a group, at first discordant, but soon in unison. Keating berates Todd to create a poem off the cuff in front of the class and Todd succeeds. Keating expresses his pride with Toddy's success: â€Å"Don't you forget this†, (Quotes from the movie Dead Poets Society, 2011).Keating has each stud ent stand on his desks to see the room from a different perspective. All these acts touch on transformational leadership points: idealized influence, motivation, or intellectual stimulation. The students themselves continue to transform, becoming more like independent and freethinking. Neil auditions for a play and secures a part knowing it will displease his father. Knox is interested in a girl named Chris, who has a popular football player boyfriend. Nook's vision of dating Chris is clear and as he finds self- inference secures a date with Chris.The group is supportive of each other via various examples: Neil tossing Toddy's duplicate birthday gift from his parents into the wind, the boys attending Nil's play, and the boys supporting Knox in his quest for Chris. The boys are cohesive. Seating's inspiring direction in the hands of young men is unregulated and without the tempering of experience. The boys do not understand where to draw the line in the quest for becoming individuals . Charlie sends a letter from â€Å"DIPS† to Welter's administration requesting acceptance of women. Welter's administration is splashed and demands the culprit for punishment.Charlie admits guilt, does not supply DIPS memoir names, Ana receives punishment. Keating attempts to point out expression must be tempered with logic with â€Å"There is a time for daring and a time for caution, and a wise man knows which is called for', (Quotes from the movie Dead Poets Society, 2011). Keating suggest Neil tell his father, (Mr.. Perry), how he feels about acting and that he wants to take part in the play. Mr.. Perry disapproves of Neil participating in the play, however, Neil does not tell Keating this. Neil participates in the play. Mr..Perry removes Neil from Walton and tells him he will attend military school and become a doctor. Neil is not self-assured enough or experienced enough to withstand his father's rule and commits suicide. Mr.. Perry blames Keating for his son's death a nd request a school inquiry. The school headmaster, and to a degree the parents, coarse the boys to sign documents stating Keating is the cause of Nil's suicide. Walton Academy dismisses Kitten. The next day the headmaster takes over Settings somber poetry class during which Keating enters to secure his belongings.As Keating is leaving, Todd stands upon his ask exclaiming â€Å"†Oh captain, my captain†, (Weir, 1997). Todd finds his voice, his inner leader and expresses his support and appreciation to Keating with this one act of defiance. In conjunction, Toddy's statement is an emotional and character appeal to the boys to do the same. One by one the boys forever changed by Keating stood on their desks. Dead Poets Society biases appear in presentation and in characters. Walton Academy is a learning institution that is not open to other methods of teaching.It appears the means is more important than the end, which is not true for all educational institutions. The movie d oes not explore fully the impact Keating had on other professors. In a short snip toward the end, Keating sees another professor taking his class outside which alludes to his impact but no farther. Keating bias is realism and idealism, shown by his action of ripping out the first chapter of the poetry class book, which is the realistic method of poetry. Keating is not open to teaching poetry methods. 12 Angry Men and Dead Poets Society are not only entertainment movies but also lessons in leadership and rhetoric.

The War Of The Vietnam War - 1866 Words

As President John F. Kennedy had once said, â€Å"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.† Recorded as one of America’s most gruesome military excursions, the Vietnam War claimed approximately 2.1 million Vietnamese and American soldiers’ lives. The natural demography of Vietnam changed forever as American forces, in a rabid hunt for North Vietnamese guerilla fighters, sprayed approximately 3.5 million acres of bucolic forests with chemical weapons and dropped nearly 6.8 million tons of bombs on the rural landscape, most of which hit small villages filled with innocent civilians (â€Å"The American Involvement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Regarding the crimes American soldiers carried out against the Vietnamese population as the ultimate threat to†¦show more content†¦After World War II, The United States played a detrimental role in recognizing France’s right to colonial rule in Vietnam. As a result, the French instituted repressive control, and an estimated 600,000 to 2,000,000 Vietnamese were starved to death while Vietnamese rice was exported to France (Gunn). Oppressed and furious, the Vietnamese, led by Ho Chi Minh, a communist who had pursued Vietnamese autonomy all of his life, declared their independence in 1945 and overthrew the French five years later. However, France and the United States continued to instill their influence in South Vietnam by inserting their own democratic puppets (â€Å"The American Involvement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). In essence, the United States, under the pretense of combating an oncoming â€Å"plague† of Communism, instigated a war in 1965 against North Vietnam with the intention to prevent the southern and northern portions of Vietnam from uniting and achieving sovereignty under one government. Kerry perceived the war as an illegitimate act against a people who have longed to be free from foreign intervention and thus, wants to end the war by calling on the Senate to begin w ithdrawing troops. With the declaration of war against North Vietnam, American troops committed an uncountable number of atrocities against the Vietnamese population, which Kerry assesses in his speech. An excerpt from Kerry’s