World War One Sources Questions
Sources D, E and F differ greatly in their description of the battle of the Somme, as they are three different sources, which were written at varying times by people who all had different motives for writing. Source D is a cartoon, depicting the battle of the Somme. It portrays one big fist, about to punch a hole in the German line. The view it is giving is the official British propaganda view, which under DORA, the censoring act, had to be depicted by all newspapers. The motive of this is to try and keep public moral high, and ensure a steady stream of volunteers to the army. The source was written in 1916, just before the battle when it was vital that a steady stream of recruits volunteered. The source depicts the official British army view of the battle, and it is one of staggering over-confidence. It implies the battle will be quick and easy. Source E is a diary entry from a soldier who went to the war, and fought in the battle of the Somme. This source represents the average soldiers view. It is reliable as it is a diary entry. This means it is reliable as it was written for personal reasons. It plays down what had happened, probably because the author himself was having such trouble coming to terms with it. It was written as if the soldier knew what was happening, but was not willing to write it in its full horrific details. It is possible that he was too shocked by
Are knights and castles a sufficient explanation for Norman military success between 1066 and 1087?
Are knights and castles a sufficient explanation for Norman military success between 1066 and 1087? "Military organization was crucial to the success of the Norman conquest. With strong armies, the Kings could defeat their internal and external enemies on campaign. With enduring symbols of military power and might, they could intimidate them into lasting submission1" Military power, and indeed success, was crucial to the Normans during the initial conquest of England. A great deal of this success can be attributed to the skill of the Norman knights and armed forces, as well as the castles built; yet there may be other factors that affected the military success of the Normans. Perhaps one of the greatest and most significant explanations for military success were the Norman knights; as they played multiple roles in ensuring this. William the Conqueror was able to draw on a large pool of potential leaders, given the military nature of the ruling class. They proved particularly useful as the king could not be everywhere at once, and by have his subjects around the country, he could ensure better control over the country as a whole. However, in a military sense a knight owned a horse and Armour and formed part of the cavalry. The knights in the cavalry were essential to the Norman military success, as there seems to have been a great reliance upon them; they made up a quarter of
The poem Vergissmeinicht has originated from a small incident or experience. The poem is written by Keith Douglas. Vergissmeinicht contains a universal statement, it is that the enemy may be the enemy at war but a much-loved person at home.
The poem Vergissmeinicht has originated from a small incident or experience. The poem is written by Keith Douglas. Vergissmeinicht contains a universal statement, it is that the enemy may be the enemy at war but a much-loved person at home. Douglas has included an incident in which I think the poem has originated from. The incident is based during the war, where there had recently been a battle. The incident begins when the enemy soldiers, only a small group, have returned to find a scene where they had fought before only to find a dead soldier who had been badly wounded. The reader is firstly notified by receiving the impression that the soldier was still alive lying sprawling in the sun, "and found the soldier sprawling in the sun" But he was not, as he was killed in the last battle by the soldiers who stood over him, he lies decaying in the sun. The reader is given the thought that the dead soldier was lying dead in the state that he was because he hit the opposition's tank. The soldiers look in the gun pit and find a photograph of the lady who belongs to the soldier to be found lying dead. As the poem goes on, Douglas puts a deeper message into it; that soldiers have two sides to their lives. Douglas changes the tone of the poem gradually through stanza by stanza. The first stanza is based on a common everyday war experience. The tone in this stanza is showing that
By 1943 Great Britain had overcome the threat passed by the German aircraft and submarines. Explain the reasons for the outcome of the Battle of Britain and the Battle of Atlantic.
History Coursework: By 1943 Great Britain had overcome the threat passed by the German aircraft and submarines. Explain the reasons for the outcome of the Battle of Britain and the Battle of Atlantic. The French had been defeated and Pétain had agreed terms with the Germans who had occupied the northern section of France. Pétain had set up a government in Vichy down in the south of France. General de Gaulle however set up an organisation in resistance of Germany called the 'Free French' in London. The Germans had come as far as France and still, ambitious as they were, wanted to go further by invading Britain. Whilst the Germans had begun to plan the invasion of Great Britain, they decided that they would break the supply lines of the British. This was because Britain had they most tons of shipping. In 1939 Britain had 21 million tons of merchant shipping whereas Japan, Germany and Italy put together had only 13 and a half million tons. The supplies of Britain came from USA and Canada through the Atlantic Ocean. The Germans decided to cut these supplies, using their U-boats, and this lead to the Battle of Atlantic. During the early 1940's Britain was at war with Germany resisting both over Britain (in the Battle of Britain: July - October 1940) and at sea (in the Battle of Atlantic: September 1939 - April 1945). The Battle of Britain occurred because Germany's main
Comparing Poems "Eve of Waterloo"
Sunday, 12 May 2002 Sam McDevitt Comparing Poems The "Eve of Waterloo" is about a surprise attack on a British army. The soldiers and commanders are enjoying a party when the French attack them interrupting their celebrations and forcing them to defend themselves. War soon followed. The poem is organised into eight stanzas with an "ababbcbcc" rhyming scheme. Looking over the poem, we see that it starts off in a very cheerful mood, but stanza two's latter lines, the mood begins to swing. They suspected noises but nervously denied them until they heard the cannons "opening roar". Paragraph 3 changes drastically and an all out battle unfolds. The "Battle of Waterloo" took place on June 18th 1815. Waterloo is situated in Belgium but the Britain's and French soon changed the place into a battlefield. The battle was a very significant one in historic context. It meant the end to the Napoleonic Wars. Infantry, cavalry and artillery were used in these wars. Throughout the poem there is an emphasis on tension. It starts off quite slow but by line 15, the tension begins. "That heavy sound" got the British denying the sound until the canon fires. This builds up the tension incredibly and urges the army into battle. Lines such as, "He rushed into field, and, foremost fighting fell", creates a scene of tension, excitement and speed. Napoleons attack is very quick and unnoticed
English Short story
English Short story The best soldier of our staff was Lieutenant Herman Brayle, one of the two aides-de-camp. I don't remember where the general picked him up; from some Ohio regiment, I think; none of us had previously known him, and it would have been strange if we had, for no two of us came from the same State, nor even from adjoining States. The general seemed to think that a position on his staff was a distinction that should be so judiciously conferred as not to beget any sectional jealousies and imperil the integrity of that part of the country which was still an integer. He would not even choose officers from his own command, but by some jugglery at department headquarters obtained them from other brigades. Under such circumstances, a man's services had to be very distinguished indeed to be heard of by his family and the friends of his youth; and "the speaking trump of fame" was a trifle hoarse from loquacity, anyhow. Lieutenant Brayle was more than six feet in height and of splendid proportions, with the light hair and gray-blue eyes which men so gifted usually find associated with a high order of courage. As he was commonly in full uniform, especially in action, when most officers are content to be less flamboyantly attired, he was a very striking and conspicuous figure. As to the rest, he had a gentleman's manners, a scholar's head, and a lion's heart. His age was
In military terms was anything achieved by the British at the Battle of the Somme?
In military terms was anything achieved by the British at the Battle of the Somme? Post-war British folklore has deemed the Battle of the Somme a military catastrophe of the greatest kind. The image of the reckless slaughter of British troops on July 1st 1916 and the idea of "Lions being led by Donkeys"1 to their fate, which compromised of death is what resides in the minds of most regarding the Battle of the Somme. If at all a victory, it would have been classed as a 'Phyrric Victory'. On the surface it seems that very little land was gained over an extensive battle at the cost of many lives. It cannot be denied that the casualties were great, and to an extent unnecessary. It cannot be denied that the tactics and planning before and on July 1st 1916 were far from ingenious. However, what is usually forgotten in the minds of the public, is that there was more to the Battle of the Somme than July 1st; to judge this battle one must examine the whole battle, spanning four months. The idea of the Battle of the Somme being a success has emerged over the last forty years, and this argument has its merits, especially so if one penetrates the surface of the question and looks deeper. Prior to the Somme, there was a leaping gap in the calibre of the British and German armies. How the British army fared has been much publicised, but details of the German army's plight have been less
Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain In May 1940, the German Blitzkrieg swept through France, trapping the allies at Dunkirk, who were only rescued by an amazingly daring evacuation at the very last minute. Over 300,000 soldiers were saved, but this left Britain in a precarious position. A large part of the army's equipment was left in France, the country's morale was low, and Britain was isolated, with no allies left in Europe, and the USA not yet in the war. Only the English Channel prevented the might of the German army from doing to Britain what they had just done to France. After all Hitler's peace negotiations had failed, he began to put his plan for conquering Britain into action: OperationSeaLion. Obviously, in order to invade Britain, the English Channel would first need to be crossed, but the success of such a crossing and the ability to land on the other side was dependent on having air superiority. This meant that the RAF had to be destroyed, and quickly. No one in Nazi Germany doubted that this was possible, Herman Göring's all conquering Luftwaffe outnumbered the RAF by almost two to one. Göring believed that he could destroy the RAF in just four weeks. It isn't hard to see why they believed this to be the case; the British also knew they were outnumbered, and realistically they must also have known that if the Germans landed, they would have no way of stopping them, especially
Battle Of Britain.
Battle Of Britain Germany's defeat in the battle of Britain was was not just because of the luftwaffe's inadequacies and its commanders mistakes but also beacuse the british had key tactical advantages during the battle.One of the main reasons for Germany's defeat in the battle of Britain was due to the luftwaffe's inadequacies and its commanders mistakes. Goering was the commander of the luftwaffe. Although he had fought in WWI and he was an fighter ace, he wasnt so good at commanding an air force. He underestimated the strength of the RAF fighter planes throughout the battle. Also when Hitler decided to change the bombing tactics that was a fatal error. The critical weeks of the battle of Britain were the last week of August and the 1st week in september. During this period the RAF had 103 pilots killed in action and 128 seriously injured ie. they couldn't fly, they lost 500 planes in these 2 weeks as well. Also more importantly 6 key airfields were out of action because they had received such heavy bombing from Goerings Luftwaffe. However on the 7th of september Hitler ordered Goering switch targets from the British airfields to London and civilian targets. This was a fatal error because it did damage London but Fighter command was allowed to get back on its feet. Source F explains this point well."Hitler ordered Goering to switch the luftwaffe's attacks from airfields to
Yellow Palm Analysis. Yellow palm is based on scenes gathered from Palestine street, Bagdad, according to the poet, Robert Minninick
Yellow palm is based on scenes gathered from Palestine street, Bagdad, according to the poet, Robert Minninick. It explores the way the conflict which is ever present, affects the civilians there. During the first stanza we find the first example of this, as Minninick describes a ‘normal’ day in Palestine Street, ‘I watched a funeral pass, all the women wearing lilac stems’ ,but then reveals that the body is within a glass coffin, which brings the feeling of death one step closer. We also learn that the man has died from inhalation of a poison gas, which we all automatically recognize as being an un-natural death, perhaps even a sign of conflict! The second verse of the poem again begins with Normal surroundings, where Minninick stops at the ‘door of the golden mosque, to watch the faithful there’ , a mosque being a highly sacred building to Muslims, where cleanliness and respect are taken extremely seriously. However, Minninick then notes that there was ‘blood on the walls, and the muezzin’s eyes were wild with despair’ , from this we learn that it is not only the odd person out on the street who is affected by the attacks, the conflict is even present inside the most sacred of places, and the muezzin’s eyes of desperation implies that he feels threatened and helpless against the onslaught from ‘enemy’ missiles, and i feel this represents the
