Battle of Moscow - World War II - Operation Barbarossa

Battle of Moscow - World War II - Operation Barbarossa The Battle of Moscow was fought Oct. 2, 1941, to Jan. 7, 1942, during World War II (1939-1945). After months of attacks and counterattacks as German forces attempted to overrun Moscow, Soviet reinforcements and a severe Russian winter took a toll on German forces, helping to thwart Germanys plans and leaving its forces exhausted and demoralized. Fast Facts: Battle of Moscow Dates: Oct. 2, 1941, to Jan. 7, 1942, during World War II (1939-1945)ï » ¿Soviet Union Armies and Commanders:Marshal Georgy ZhukovMarshal Aleksandr Vasilevsky1.25 million menGerman Armies and Commanders:Field Marshal Fedor von BockCol Gen. Heinz GuderianField Marshal Albert Kesselring1 million men Background On June 22, 1941, German forces launched Operation Barbarossa and invaded the Soviet Union. The Germans had hoped to commence the operation in May but were delayed by the campaign in the Balkans and Greece. Opening the Eastern Front, they quickly overwhelmed Soviet forces and made large gains. Driving east, Field Marshal Fedor von Bocks Army Group Center won the Battle of BiaÅ‚ystok-Minsk in June, shattering the Soviet Western Front and killing or capturing over 340,000 Soviet troops. Crossing the Dnieper River, the Germans began a protracted battle for Smolensk. Despite encircling the defenders and crushing three Soviet armies, Bock was delayed into September before he could resume his advance. Though the road to Moscow was largely open, Bock was forced to order forces south to aid in the capture of Kiev. This was due to Adolf Hitlers unwillingness to continue fighting large battles of encirclement which, though successful, had failed to break the Soviet resistance. Instead, he sought to destroy the Soviet Unions economic base by capturing Leningrad and the Caucasus oil fields. Among those directed against Kiev was Col. Gen. Heinz Guderians Panzergruppe 2. Believing that Moscow was more important, Guderian protested the decision but was overruled. By supporting Army Group Souths Kiev operations, Bocks timetable was further delayed. It wasnt until Oct. 2, with the fall rains setting in, that Army Group Center was able to launch Operation Typhoon, the code name for Bocks Moscow offensive. The goal was to capture the Soviet capital before the harsh Russian winter began. Bocks Plan To accomplish this goal, Bock intended to employ the 2nd, 4th, and 9th armies, supported by Panzer Groups 2, 3, and 4. Air cover would be provided by the Luftwaffes Luftflotte 2. The combined force numbered just short of 2 million men, 1,700 tanks, and 14,000 artillery pieces. Plans for Operation Typhoon called for a double-pincer movement against the Soviet Western and Reserve fronts near Vyazma while a second force moved to capture Bryansk to the south. If these maneuvers were successful, German forces would encircle Moscow and compel Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to make peace. Though reasonably sound on paper, plans for Operation Typhoon failed to account for the fact that German forces were battered after several months of campaigning and their supply lines were having difficulty getting goods to the front. Guderian later noted that his forces were short on fuel from the outset of the campaign. Soviet Preparations Aware of the threat to Moscow, the Soviets began constructing a series of defensive lines in front of the city. The first of these stretched between Rzhev, Vyazma, and Bryansk, while a second, double-line was built between Kalinin and Kaluga dubbed the Mozhaisk defense line. To protect Moscow proper, the capitals citizens were drafted to construct three lines of fortifications around the city. While Soviet manpower was initially stretched thin, reinforcements were being brought west from the Far East as intelligence suggested that Japan didnt pose an immediate threat. The two nations had signed a neutrality back in April 1941. Early German Successes Storming forward, two German panzer groups (3rd and 4th) quickly made gains near Vyazma and encircled the 19th, 20th, 24th, and 32nd Soviet armies on Oct. 10. Rather than surrender, the four Soviet armies tenaciously continued the fight, slowing the German advance and forcing Bock to divert troops to aid in reducing the pocket. Ultimately the German commander had to commit 28 divisions to this fight, allowing the remnants of the Soviet Western and Reserve fronts to fall back to the Mozhaisk defense line and reinforcements to rush forward, largely to support the Soviet 5th, 16th, 43rd, and 49th armies. To the south, Guderians panzers (tanks) rapidly encircled the entire Bryansk Front. Linking with the German 2nd Army, they captured Orel and Bryansk by Oct. 6. The encircled Soviet forces, 3rd and 13th armies, continued the fight, eventually escaping east. The initial German operations, however, captured over 500,000 Soviet soldiers. On Oct. 7, the first snow of the season fell and soon melted, turning the roads to mud and severely hampering German operations. Grinding forward, Bocks troops turned back numerous Soviet counterattacks and reached the Mozhaisk defenses on Oct. 10. That same day, Stalin recalled Marshal Georgy Zhukov from the Siege of Leningrad and directed him to oversee the defense of Moscow. Assuming command, he focused Soviet manpower in the Mozhaisk line. Wearing Down the Germans Outnumbered, Zhukov deployed his men at key points in the line at Volokolamsk, Mozhaisk, Maloyaroslavets, and Kaluga. Resuming his advance on Oct. 13, Bock sought to avoid the bulk of the Soviet defenses by moving against Kalinin in the north and Kaluga and Tula in the south. While the first two fell quickly, the Soviets succeeded in holding Tula. After frontal attacks captured Mozhaisk and Maloyaroslavets on Oct. 18 and subsequent German advances, Zhukov was forced to fall back behind the Nara River. Though the Germans made gains, their forces were badly worn down and plagued by logistical issues. While German troops lacked appropriate winter clothing, they also took losses to the new T-34 tank, which was superior to their Panzer IVs. By Nov. 15, the ground had frozen and mud ceased to be an issue. Seeking to end the campaign, Bock directed the 3rd and 4th panzer armies to encircle Moscow from the north, while Guderian moved around the city from the south. The two forces were to link up at Noginsk, 20 miles east of Moscow. German forces were slowed by Soviet defenses but succeeded in taking Klin on Nov. 24 and four days later crossed the Moscow-Volga Canal before being pushed back. In the south, Guderian bypassed Tula and took Stalinogorsk on Nov. 22. His offensive was checked by the Soviets near Kashira a few days later. With both prongs of his pincer movement bogged down, Bock launched a frontal assault at Naro-Fominsk on Dec. 1. After four days of heavy fighting, it was defeated. On Dec. 2, a German reconnaissance unit reached Khimki, only five miles from Moscow. This marked the farthest German advance. With temperatures reaching -50 F and still lacking winter equipment, the Germans had to halt their offensives. Soviets Strike Back By Dec. 5, Zhukov had been heavily reinforced by divisions from Siberia and the Far East. Possessing a reserve of 58 divisions, he unleashed a counteroffensive to push the Germans back from Moscow. The beginning of the attack coincided with Hitler ordering German forces to assume a defensive stance. Unable to organize a solid defense in their advance positions, the Germans were forced from Kalinin on Dec. 7, and the Soviets moved to envelop the 3rd Panzer Army at Klin. This failed and the Soviets advanced on Rzhev. In the south, Soviet forces relieved pressure on Tula on Dec. 16. Two days later, Bock was sacked in favor of Field Marshal Gà ¼nther von Kluge, due largely to Hitlers anger over German troops conducting a strategic retreat against his wishes. The Russians were aided by extreme cold and poor weather that minimized the Luftwaffes operations. As the weather improved in late December and early January, the Luftwaffe began intensive bombing in support of German ground forces This slowed the enemy advances and by Jan. 7, the Soviet counteroffensive came to an end. Zhukov had pushed the Germans 60 to 160 miles from Moscow. Aftermath The failure of German forces at Moscow doomed Germany to fighting a prolonged struggle on the Eastern Front. This part of the war would consume the vast majority of Germanys manpower and resources for the remainder of the conflict. Casualties for the Battle of Moscow are debated, but estimates suggest German losses of 248,000 to 400,000 and Soviet losses of 650,000 to 1,280,000. Slowly building strength, the Soviets would turn the tide of the war at the Battle of Stalingrad in late 1942 and early 1943.

Evidence based descision making masters level Essay

Evidence based descision making masters level - Essay Example The Medline, Embase, Chinahl, British nursing index and the Cochrane controlled trials register databases were searched. Two randomized controlled trials containing raw data were selected for use in the review. Both were underpowered, therefore the data were used to create a meta-analysis. The meta-analysis indicated that sacral neurostimulation is an efficient means of treating refractory urinary incontinence. The study concluded that sacral neuromodulation is an effective and safe treatment for refractory urge incontinence with long lasting effects. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of sacral nerve stimulation for the treatment of refractory urinary urge incontinence and review the current knowledge as well as identify knowledge gaps on the effectiveness of the treatment. The review will focus on research studies that either prove or dispel the effectiveness of the treatment in those with refractory urge incontinence. The review will also elaborate on the discussion based on the critical analysis of the literature and will seek to establish the validity and reliability of the findings from the reviewed studies. The study will culminate in recommendations that could advise and inform nursing practice on novel and innovative clinical approaches in dealing with patients with refractory urge incontinence. Research-based or best practice-based solutions will be highlighted as constant reminders for nursing practitioners and other health professionals dealing with urge incontinence. Involuntary release of urine, which may be caused by physiologic, pharmacologic, pathologic, or psychological factors, is known as urinary incontinence (Ogundele, 2006). The International Continence Society (ICS) defines urinary incontinence "as a condition of involuntary urine loss that is objectively demonstrable and is a social or hygienic problem" (Ogundele, 2006). The lifetime prevalence of UI in all ages has been estimated to be about 6.6% in males and

Statement on company's activity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Statement on company's activity - Essay Example The various categories of users mentioned above lead to a real problem in preparing the report. Any annual report is mainly addressed to the members of the board, but also to other shareholders and business partners, to any financial analyst, employees, and, of course, the competition and journalists. This is one of the reasons many managers rather present only the very simplified information, as required by law, and nothing more. Of course, as a downside, companies are oftentimes accused that they use different communication and readability tools in order to draw the attention on the good parts and minimize, on the other hand, the bad ones. Indeed, the thematic structure of a report can be a very important element: it can emphasize some parts while leaving the others partially undeveloped or simply in the shadow. Still, as different categories of users look for different facts, the danger of neglecting some points of view is real. Although many think of the annual report as a financial one, this is only one of the points that need to be addressed in the statement. Among the other points of interest, an annual report should include the company's activities, important issues, challenges, goals, long and short term strategies. These details are important, as they help not only the stockholders, but also the potential customers, to understand the effectiveness of past plans, but also the degree of credibility of other future ones. In fact, this is also helpful for the companies themselves; as a research conducted in UK shows, "those companies which most clearly communicated their strategy and market opportunities in 2006 outperformed the FTSE 100 in the subsequent 12 months". In fact, everybody expects to hear clear stated purposes and achievements, as honesty and straight forwardness are the real guarantees of the company's credibility and success. The importance of the annual report is obvious and undisputable; this is why, in order to be effective, it has to be coherent and credible, highlighting all the important elements of the business. As no company can really exist on today's market without proper planning, the market strategies have to be clearly stated as well. It is only obvious that the way this information is presented to the audience is of a huge importance; even so, different groups of audience are likely to have very different reactions to it. For example, no investor would even take into consideration working with a company that hasn't got its market strategy clearly stated; on the other hand, this information can be used as a weapon against the company itself, by the media or by the concurrence. Even if we leave aside all the exterior dangers, there is, still, an inside major one: that of preparing and presenting this part of the report in an unfavorable or inconsistent manner. A coherent presentation will allo w the investors to understand what is the company really using the money for, but it is also a way of proving the company's abilities to break through on the market. As the annual report reflects the company's success, it is only normal that the managers try to make it look as good as possible. Oftentimes, financial analysts accuse the companies of issuing "too many bland statements", action that makes their annual report

Relocating a Hamptons Store Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Relocating a Hamptons Store - Essay Example Early Planning The following discussion evaluates the plans that Hamptons on High Street has to moving to an existing building in order to take advantage of a better location with higher visibility and more space for inventory as it is received, stored, and put out onto the floor. This evaluation will provide context for the ways in which construction issues are addressed, providing charts and potentials for the project in an examination of the management of the build. One of the most important parts of creating a project of the size of refitting a building in order to move the Hamptons store to a better location is fully organising the project and planning for unexpected delays in order to best utilize the time that is available so that contingency plans can mitigate risks. Through an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the plan, the project appears to be an advantage to the store and well planned. 1.1 Ghant Chart The following chart provides for the established schedule f rom the week of February 13, the date the building contractor will have access to the building, to the end of the project. The organisation of the build has been determined by information gathered by Tony Peterson is Technical Co-ordinator for Construction Services in the Store Development Group. The problem with the build schedule is that a great deal is riding on the accomplishment of all of the electric and mechanical within the first week of construction, which does not allow much time for issues that may arise that could delay the project (see Figure 1). A better solution would be to overlap some of the processes so that there is time to make sure the build can be accomplished through a more balanced program. Figure 2 shows a revised chart that can provide for some time allowances for issues as they arise. Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Electric    Mechanical    Sprinkler Services    CCTV    Design Features                Ceiling Grid             F looring                Equipment                Doors    Refrigeration    Dressing       Figure 1 Tony’s Estimation of Construction In the revised version, the electric and the mechanical work are given two weeks, the allowance of extra time actually allowing for the probable occasion of problems that might delay the work. Through positioning the CCTV and the Sprinkler Services in the second week, the first week of construction is allowed open for the electric and mechanical, the goal of being prepped for those two installations in the first week providing for appropriate time to anticipate what might go wrong. Equipment and flooring should overlap as some will be placed before the flooring is done, and other would be placed after the flooring is done. In addition, in providing for two additional weeks, design changes as problems arise in relationship to the fact that this is a refit. Although previous planning can avoid most problems, it is likely that some will occur as reworking the existing building progresses. Although the build has been determined through an existing plan this might allow for more risk management where certain more unpredictable concepts are considered. However, budgetary concerns must also be taken into consideration. Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Electric       Mechanical       Sprinkler Services    CCTV    Design Features                Ceiling Grid       Flooring                Equipment                Automatic Doors    Refrigera

West Nile Virus Essay example -- Biology

West Nile Virus has emerged in recent years throughout the temporate zones of Europe and North America. Causing a variety of conditions in its hosts, the most serious manifestation of WN virus infection is fatal encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in humans and horses, and many birds. History While many forms of encephalitis exist, West Nile Virus was first isolated and identified in the West Nile District of Uganda in 1937. The virus, which was seemingly isolated to North Eastern Africa, became recognized as a cause of severe human meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the spinal cord and brain) in elderly patients during an outbreak in Israel in 1957. In addition to the human victims of this disease, the virus was found Egypt and France during 1960s to have fatal effects within horses. While this disease spread through Northern African and Southern Europe, 1999 marked the first appearance of West Nile Virus in North America, with encephalitis reported in both humans and horses. West Nile in the United States The West Nile Virus first came to the U.S. public's attention following an outbreak in New York in August 1999 where eight patients has contracted ecephalitis from the virus. In the following four years the virus spread to almost all 48 contiguous states. In the United States cases were initially infrequent until 2002, when a massive outbreak occurred in the Mississippi River basin during August and September. As it has spread through the country, nearly 8,500 people have been diagnosed with the virus, which has lead to 189 deaths. The emergence of the new disease has been followed closely by the media and the government. Many areas that have experienced significant outbreaks of the Virus have occured have implem... ...e a much better chance of even avoiding the itch of a mosquito bite. Make sure that you drain standing water around your yard and repair the screens on your windows and doors to keep the bugs from coming in. * Step Three:Help Your Community Control the Disease. While it is relatively easy to control what happens around your home, it takes community effort to help curb West Nile on a city wide level. Help authories by reporting any dead birds that you see, see if your city/town has a mosquito control program that you can help with, or even get together with your neighborhood to clean the local park and remove mosquito breeding areas in public spaces. West Nile Virus is nothing to be afraid of, but it must be taken seriously. The process by which these goals are met are simple, but require you to take proactive measures in your day to day life.

Eng Comparing and Contrasting Literary Forms Essay

Poetry, drama and short story are literary forms that provide readers with entertainment, insight, pleasure, escape and sometimes information. Readers can find satisfaction in any of the three genres because the styles, variations, language and themes cater to everyone’s preference: tragedy, comedy, profanity or just for pleasure. There is a piece of literary work to suit every taste. Poetry, when performed live, gives the words rhythm, music and life. John Updike in his poem Dog’s Death in lines one to sixteen, the rhythm and pattern are not as distinct as in lines seventeen to twenty; where the beats are strong and there is a certain level of intensity leading up to the finale†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Good Dog.† â€Å"Back home, we found that in the night her frame, Drawing near to dissolution, had endured the shame Of diarrhea and had dragged across the floor To a newspaper carelessly left there. Good dog.† (Clugston, 2010) Usually one performer presents a poem to t he audience whereas in drama there are many actors, stage settings and music that combine to create a complete stage production. Drama is written for theatre production. Actors impersonate the characters by reciting the words that are written in the play. For example, Maurya the main character in the play Riders to the Sea, says the closing words to her son before he left home: â€Å"You’d do right to leave that rope, Bartley, hanging by the boards†¦for it’s a deep grave we’ll make him by the grace of God.† The actors must also follow the author’s directions. She kneels down and the curtain falls slowly. (Clugston, 2010) Drama and play are written for specific purposes. The poem, when it is performed, is similar to an actor doing a soliloquy in a play. For example Macbeth’s speech: â€Å"I have lived long enough: my way of life Is fall’n into the sere, the yellow; And that which should accompany old age, As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have; but, in their stead, Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honor, breath Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not.† (Clugston, 2010) This speech is poetry within a play unlike the short story. The author of a short story on the other hand, depends on imagery, symbolism, similes and other literary devices to awaken the reader’s imagination, create the big picture and to pull him/her into that place. Unlike poetry and drama, the short story is not written for performance but for the reader’s pleasure and escape. The plot, setting, theme, point of view, characters, style, the actual story line and the ending of a short story all combine to give the reader a slice of the experience of the specified era. Alice Walker in the â€Å" Welcome Table,† paints a picture of racial segregation in the church in the state of Georgia. She wrote about a black old woman who entered a whites-only church. â€Å"The reverend of the church stopped her pleasantly as she stepped into the vestibule†¦..†Aunty, you know this is not your church?†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Inside the church she sat on the very first bench from the back.† (Clugston, 2010) This picture is of the old woman/main character sitting at the back of the church and the reverend reminding her that she is in the wrong place. In other words she is out of place. Short stories appeal more to the reader’s imagination and senses and are not usually performed unless they are adapted for stage. Reference Clugston, W. R., (2010). Journey Into Literature, San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education Inc.

Who Invented Computer and Video Games

It would be something of a misnomer to attribute the creation and development of video games to any singular moment or event. Rather, the process can be best described as an ongoing evolution, a long and winding journey of advancements with numerous inventors all playing pivotal roles. In 1952, A.S. Douglas wrote his Ph.D. thesis at the University of Cambridge on Human-Computer interaction. As part of the project, Douglas created the first graphics-based computer game: a version of Tic-Tac-Toe. The game was programmed on an EDSAC vacuum-tube computer, which relied on a cathode ray tube display.In  1958, William Higinbotham created the first true video game. His game, titled Tennis for Two, was devised and played on a Brookhaven National Laboratory oscilloscope. Using an MIT PDP-1 mainframe computer, Steve Russell designed SpaceWar!—the first game specifically made for computer play in 1962.In 1967, Ralph Baer wrote Chase, the first video game played on a television set. (Baer, who was then part of military electronics firm Sanders Associates, first conceived of his idea in 1951 while working for Loral, a television company.)In 1971, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney  created the first arcade game. It was called Computer Space and was based on Steve Russells earlier game of Spacewar! A year later, the arcade game Pong was created by Bushnell, with help from Al Alcorn. Bushnell and Dabney would go on to become the founders of Atari Computers that same year. In 1975, Atari re-released Pong as a home video game. Larry Kerecman, one of the first video arcade game operators, wrote:   The brilliance of these machines was that Nolan Bushnell and company took what was computer programming (in Space War) and translated it into a simpler version of the game (no gravity) using hard-wired logic circuits. The printed circuit boards that comprise electronics of these games use integrated circuits called small-scale integrated circuits. They consist of discrete logic chips and gates or gates, 4-line to 16-line decoders, etc. straight out of the Texas Instruments catalog. The shape of the rocket ship and flying saucer even are visible in a pattern of diodes on the PC board. In 1972, Magnavox released  the first commercial home video game console, The Odyssey, which came pre-programmed with a dozen games. The machine had originally been designed by Baer while he was still at Sanders Associates in 1966. Baer managed to gain his legal rights to the machine after Sanders Associates rejected it.In 1976, Fairchild released the first programmable home game console, the Fairchild Video Entertainment System. Later renamed Channel F, the system was one of the first to use a newly invented microchip  by Robert Noyce of the Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation. Thanks to this chip, video games were no longer limited by the number of TTL switches.On June 17, 1980, Ataris Asteroids and Lunar Lander became  the first two video games to be registered with  the United States Copyright Office.In 1989, Nintendo introduced the popular Game Boy system, a portable handheld video console created by game designer Gumpei Yokoi. He was also known for creating Virtual Boy, Famicom (and NES) as well as the Metroid series.