Second Language Aquisition

Second Language Acquisition What is Second Language Acquisition? In second language learning, language plays an institutional and social role in the community. It functions as a recognized means of communication among members who speak some other language as their native tongue. In foreign language learning, language plays no major role in the community and is primarily learned in the classroom. The distinction between second and foreign language learning is what is learned and how it is learned. Slide 2: Learning a second language requires: 1. formal language instruction in an academic setting; 2. nteractions with the second language outside of the classroom; 3. pedagogical practices, strategies and methodologies which facilitate second language learning (how); and 4. teaching the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing along with comprehension and thinking (what). Slide 3: The study of second language acquisition involves: 1. how second languages are learned ( t he process); 2. how learners create a new language system with limited exposure (interactions); 3. language proficiency levels (competence and performance of the language); and 4. hy some learners achieve native-like proficiency. How Do Learners Acquire a Second Language? Learners acquire a second language by making use of existing knowledge of the native language, general learning strategies, or universal properties of language to internalize knowledge of the second language. These processes serve as a means by which the learner constructs an interlanguage (a transitional system reflecting the learner’s current L2 knowledge). Communication strategies are employed by the learner to make use of existing knowledge to cope with communication difficulties.Slide 4: Learners acquire a second language by drawing on their background experiences and prior knowledge in their first language. They experiment with the second language by using features found in their first language which a re similar to those in the second language. This dependence on the first language serves to help the learner construct an interlanguage, a transitional system consisting of the learner’s current second language knowledge. Communication strategies help the learners use what they already know to overcome breakdowns in communication. Slide 5:Individual differences affect second language acquisition. These differences may be developmental, cognitive, affective or social. There are factors that are fixed which we cannot control such as age and language learning aptitude. There are some variable factors such as motivation which are controlled by social setting and the course taken for developing the second language. Teachers need to know that variable factors are controlled through the learning environment, by knowing their students’ cognitive styles, their learning preferences, how they teach, and what they teach.Slide 6: There are many different types of learner strategies which teachers need to be aware of in order to understand the strategies children bring with them and how they learn best. Language learners may need to be taught strategies for relating new knowledge to prior knowledge, for organizing information more effectively and for seeking opportunities for communicating with target language speakers. Slide 7: Researchers identified a natural order of strategies for developing a second language.The order of development starts with the very simple imitation of a word or language structure, to self-talk, to self-correcting, and to role-playing. An awareness of this natural order can help teachers of second language learners plan lessons to facilitate language learning and increase the learners’ self-esteem and self-confidence. Slide 8: There are several theories of second language acquisition which have provided information on how second languages are learned. The Universalists studied a wide-range of languages to find out how languages vary and what makes them vary.They looked at language patterns, language universals (features of language which are common across many languages) as well as other properties of language. Slide 9: Universalists also claimed that language is acquired through innateness (nature) and that certain conditions trigger the development of language (nurture). The search for meaning is innate. Activities and instructional materials need to be presented in a meaningful, relevant and interesting manner in order to allow students to make language learning connections. Slide 10:Behaviorists claimed that learners learn by undergoing training and practice through a series of stimulus and response chains and operant conditioning. The environment provides the stimulus and the learner provides the response. According to the Behaviorist theory, reinforcement motivates the formation of a language habit. Behaviorist Theory (Continued) Theory When the learner learns a language, this learning includes a se t of stimulusresponse-reward (S-R-R) chains. Imitation provides the learner with a repertoire of appropriate, productive responses.The learner learns to imitate or approximate the productive responses provided by the environment. The characteristics of human and non-human learners include the ability to: 1. 2. 3. 4. respond to stimuli in a certain way; intuitively evaluate the reward potential of responses; extract the important parameters that made up the stimulus response (positive reward chains); and generalize these parameters to similar situations to form classes of S-R-R chains. Slide 11: Language learning requires effort and practice.Behaviorists further claimed that learners imitate or approximate productive responses. For instance, learning how to write is not universal across cultures because some cultures do not have a history of written language, therefore learning how to write involves a conscious effort and specific training, as well as a willingness to learn by trial and error. Responding to stimuli in this instance is critical in order for writing to take place. Slide 12: Nativists claimed that language learning is biologically determined.Each person is born with an innate ability to learn language. The basic innate language learning capacities are referred to as the Language Acquisition Device (LAD). This view asserts that the environment only serves to trigger the Language Acquisition Device (LAD) which determines what children acquire. Children acquire much of their language ability before coming to school, thus supporting the innate structures argument. Nativist Theory (Continued) 1. 2. 3. the ability to distinguish speech sounds from other sounds in the environment; TheoryMcNeill (1966) described the LAD as consisting of four innate linguistic properties: the ability to organize linguistic events into various classes that can be refined later; knowledge that only a certain kind of linguistic system is possible and that other kinds are not; and the ability to engage in constant evaluation of the developing linguistic system in order to construct the simplest possible system out of the linguistic data that are encountered. 4. Nativists have contributed to the discoveries of how the system of child language works.Theorists such as Chomsky, McNeill, and others helped us understand that a child’s language, at any given point, is a legitimate system in its own right. Slide 13: The Nativists also contend that learners actively construct grammar for themselves by actively listening to the language around them and trying to determine the patterns in the utterances. Learners progress through language in predictable stages. The learner will not respond to error correction if he/she is not developmentally ready. Slide 14: Cognitivists claimed that the conditions for learning language are the same conditions that are necessary for any kind of learning.They believed that human beings have the capacity for developing logical thinking. Acquiring knowledge is a cognitive process which involves automatic processing (rountinzed) and controlled (temporary) learning. Cognitivist Theory (Continued) Language Learning as a Cognitive Process 1. 2. Theory Learning a language involves internal representations that regulate and guide performance. Automatic processing activates certain nodes in memory when appropriate input is present. Activation is a learned response. Memory is a large collection of nodes. Controlled processing is not a learned response.It is a temporary activation of nodes in a sequence. Skills are learned and routinized only after the earlier use of controlled processes have been used. Learner strategies contain both declarative knowledge i. e. knowing the ‘what’ of the language-internalized rules and memorized chunks of language, and procedural knowledge i. e. know the ‘how’ of the language system to employ strategies. 3. 4. 5. 6. Slide 15: The Cognitive theory undersco res the fact that the learner brings an innate mental capacity to the learning task. He/she also brings perceptions of relationships between what he knows and what he/she needs to know.Learner strategies are used for learning the rules of a language and how to use the language for different audiences and purposes. Theories of Second Language Acquisition (Continued Social Interactionist Theory supports the view that the development of language comes from the early interactions between infants and caregivers. Social interactionists stress: Theory the importance of a child’s interactions with parents and other caregivers; the importance of â€Å"motherese†; contributions of context and world knowledge; and the importance of goalsGlew (1998) claims that learners have to be pushed in their negotiation of meaning to produce comprehensible output. The classroom context needs to provide adequate opportunities for target language use to allow learners to develop competence in t he target language. Slide 16: Social interactionists believe that human language emerged from the social role that language plays in human interactions. They further believed that the environment plays a key role and that adults in the child’s linguistic environment are instrumental in language acquisition.Language learners need many opportunities for using the target language in order to develop competence. Slide 17: Social interaction is the key to language processing. Input from the social interactions provides a model for negotiation opportunities. Vygotsky (1978) believed that learners bring two levels of development to the learning: an actual developmental level and a potential developmental level. These two levels are referred to as the Zone of Proximal Development. Learners can move from actual development to proximal development through social interactions with others. Slide 18:Krashen proposed five hypotheses for second language acquisition. He explored the notion t hat acquisition is different from learning because one takes place in a natural environment while the other takes place in an academic setting. He further claimed that we learn language in a predictable order. Some language structures are learned earlier than others. The monitor is the self-correcting mechanism that learners use to edit what they say before they speak or write. The learner can overuse the monitor and stifle communication. Slide 19: Krashen proposed that when learners are provided with comprehensible input they acquire more.When the learner’s affective filter is up, this means that information is not reaching the learner. This may be because of fear, anxiety or low selfconfidence in language learning. The ideal situation is for the filter to be down so that the language acquisition device can receive the input necessary for language acquisition. Cummin’s Second Language Framework Cummins makes a distinction between social language and academic language. 1. Social language refers to the everyday conversational language which is supported by the use of illustrations, realia, demonstrations, etc. Context Embedded). Studies show that language learners acquire social language in approximately two years. Social language deals with the here-and-now language, therefore second language learners tend to acquire it faster. 2. Academic language is the language of school tasks which is more abstract and decontextualized (Context Reduced). Some second language learners who develop fluent spoken English have difficulties in reading and writing because they may be at different levels of proficiency while they are moving from social language (BICS) to academic language (CALP).It takes between five to seven years for second language learners to acquire academic language. Slide 20: James Cummins developed a framework for second language acquisition that involves the identification of both social and academic languages. The basic interpersonal commun ication skills are acquired from everyday use of the language and are supported by cues in the environment (context-embedded). The cognitive academic language proficiency is more abstract language which is not supported by environmental cues (context-reduced).Slides 21-22: Context-embedded tasks are for the most part cognitively undemanding because learners are able to depend on cues for assistance. There are some tasks that are context-embedded, more complex and impose cognitive demands. The learners in these situations can still rely on environmental cues for help. Slides 23-24: Context-reduced tasks can be both cognitively undemanding and cognitively demanding as well. Cognitively undemanding tasks are simple to carry out but do not contain environmental cues i. e. reading for personal purposes.Cognitively demanding, context-reduced tasks are more abstract and decontextualized. Slides 25-26: The components of communicative competence include: 1) grammatical competence which is kn owing the structure of the language; 2) sociolinguistic competence which involves the use of the language for different audiences, purposes and norms of communication; 3) discourse competence which includes combing and connecting utterances both spoken and written; and 4) strategic competence which involves using language to meet communication goals. Slide 27:Competence is the underlying knowledge which is the mental representation of linguistic rules. This knowledge is nonobservable because it is internal. Performance is the overtly observable production of competence (comprehension and production of language). Slide 28: The three general principles of language learning include: 1) the law of exercise-active and repeated responses to stimuli (practice); 2) the law of effect-reinforcing learner responses (providing immediate corrective feedback); and 3) the principle of shaping-learning language through learning chunks (bit-bybit).Slide 29: These principles operate under the assumpt ion that language learning is the formation of habit. The learner’s automatic responses were prompted by stimuli. Interesting and motivating stimuli turns responses into automatic, routinized learning. The level of difficulty required to learn a second language depends on the amount of time it takes to learn a second language pattern. The time from which controlled responses (short-term) turn into automatic responses (long-term) is dependent on learner differences, learning conditions, and teaching pedagogy. Input and InteractionL2 acquisition can only take place when the learner has access to input in the second language. This input may come in written or spoken form. Spoken input occurs in face-to-face interactions. Non-reciprocal discourse includes listening to the radio or watching a film. Behaviorists claim that presenting learners with input in the right doses and then reinforcing their attempts to practice them can control the process of acquisition. Chomsky pointed ou t that in many cases there was a very poor match between the kind of language found in the input that learners received and the kind of language they themselves produced.Comprehensible input (Krashen’s, 1985 Input Hypothesis) proposed that learners acquire morphological features in a natural order as a result of comprehending input addressed to them. Long (1981a) argued that input which is made comprehensible by means of the conversational adjustments that occur when there is a comprehension problem is especially important for acquisition. Swain (1985) proposed the comprehensible output hypothesis which states that learners need opportunities for â€Å"pushed output† in speech or writing that makes demands on them for correct and appropriate use of the L2.Slide 30: Input and interaction are very important factors in second language acquisition. Second language acquisition can only take place when the learner has access to input in the target language. Teachers can prov ide comprehensible input in their instructional delivery coupled with opportunities for interactions. Adjustments are made in order to facilitate the comprehension of messages. Just as important is comprehensible output. Learners need to be given opportunities to produce spoken or written discourse which forces them to use correct and appropriate use of the second language.The Role of the Native Language in Second Language Acquisition Language Trans fer The role of native language in second language acquisition has come to be known as â€Å"language transfer. † It has been assumed that in a second language learning situation learners rely extensively on their native language. According to Lado (1957) individuals tend to transfer forms and meanings, the distribution of the forms and meanings of their native language and culture to the foreign language and culture.This transfer is productive when the learner attempts to speak the language. This transfer is receptive when the le arner attempts to grasp and understand the language and culture as practiced by native speakers. Lado’s work and much of the work of that time (1950’s) was based on the need to produce pedagogically relevant materials. A contrastive analysis of the native language and the target language was conducted in order to determine similarities and differences in the languages. Slide 31: The first language has a distinct role in second language acquisition.When language learners have a strong linguistic and communicative foundation in their native language, then the process of second language acquisition involves language transfer. Learners transfer forms and meanings as they attempt to speak or write the second language. Transfer takes on a receptive role when the learners listen to native speakers of the language and try to understand what is being said. Similarities in the two languages are transferred positively (language facilitation), while differences cause a nonproducti ve transfer (language interference). Framework for Explaining L1 Transfer Language Trans ferThe L1 system is used for both comprehension and production. The interlanguage system is also used in comprehending and receiving messages. The L1 system is used in hypothesis construction responsible for interlanguage development. Comprehensible input serves as a major source of information for hypothesis construction. L2 output may be used for hypothesis construction. Slide 32: Language learners rely on their first language to produce language and to comprehend it. Hypotheses construction of language comes when learners manipulate and test language forms to further their interlanguage, the stages of development between L1 and L2.The second language output helps the learner test hypotheses of how language works and helps them construct new ones. Teachers provide comprehensible input in order to help learners acquire information for hypotheses construction. Slide 33: Language transfer is a co gnitive process which involves the strategic use of the first language in learning the second language. The flexible thinking that occurs in the learner’s mind is representative of the interconnectedness between the two languages. Bi-cognitive thinking occurs spontaneously and with great ease.Learners think in their first language, transfer that thinking into the second language and then produce the utterances that meet the communication situation. There is a distinction between transfer experienced for communication purposes and transfer experienced for second language learning. First language transfer helps the learner receive and produce messages for communication purposes. Transfer in learning situations happens when the learner uses the first language to formulate hypotheses about second language rules. Language Language Transfer Trans ferWhere the two languages were identical, learning could take place through positive transfer to the native-language pattern. Where the two languages were different, learning difficulty arose and errors occurred resulting from negative transfer. Chomsky (1959) set in motion a re-evaluation of many of the behaviorists claims. This re-evaluation included area such as: the dangers of extrapolating from laboratory studies of animal behavior to the language behavior of humans were pointed out; 2. the terms stimulus and response were exposed as vacuous where language behavior was concerned; 3. nalogy could not account for the language user’s ability to generate totally novel utterances; and 4. studies of children acquiring their L1 showed that parents rarely corrected their children’s linguistic errors, thus casting doubt on the importance of reinforcement in language learning. All this led to the reconsideration of the role of L1 in L2 learning. 1. Slide 34: When language features in the two languages are similar, positive transfer from the first language to the second language occurs. When language feature s in the two languages are different, learning difficulties and errors happen.This transfer process made it evident to researchers that the native language definitely plays a major role in second language acquisition. The Nature of the Interlanguage Continuum Cognitive theories of interlanguage claim that with the assistance of learning strategies, learners build mental grammars of the second language. Learners draw on the rules they have constructed to interpret and produce utterances. Learner’s utterances are only erroneous with reference to the target language norms, not to the norms of their own grammars.The interlanguage continuum consists of a series of overlapping grammars. Each share some rules with the previously constructed grammar, but also contains some new or revised rules. A rule has the status of a hypothesis. Slide 35: The implication of the interlanguage continuum for teachers is that with assistance from learning strategies, learners are able to build mental grammars (rules) of the second language. The continuum represents different interlanguage stages (overlapping grammars) that the learners go through to use the rules they have learned to interpret and produce speech.Rules are classified hypotheses because the learner tests certain language rules in his/her development. Selinker’s Interlanguage Theory Selinker’s Interlanguage Theory maintains the separateness of a second language learner’s system and gives the system a structurally intermediate status between the native and target languages. According to Selinker, second language learners are producing their own self-contained linguistic system. The system is not a native language or target language system, rather it falls between the two.Stages of Interlanguage Development include: 1) random errors (presystematic); 2) experimentation and inaccurate guessing; 3) emergent-growing in consistency in linguistic production; 4) backsliding-appears to have grasped but later regressed and unable to correct errors; 5) systematic stage-ability to correct errors on their own; rules may not be well-formed but display more internal self-consistency; 6) stabilization-few errors are made, have mastered the system to the point of fluency; and 7) intralingual-inconsistencies within the target language; Global errors-affect meaning;local errors-close similarities in word form (i. . spelling). Interlanguage Continuum Interlanguage Stages L1 L2 ______/____/______/____/_______/_____/___/_____/_____/______ Basilang Mesolang Acrolang Slide 36: Each of the stages of the interlanguage continuum represents each grammar that the learner builds which represents more complexity as he/she moves on the continuum. Second language learners begin in their first language and as teachers provide the formal and informal second language instruction, learners move forward in their development.When learners encounter difficulties in any of their interlanguage stages, they can fo ssilize (learning stops at some given point) or they may experience backsliding (regression). The continuum can be related to language learner categories used for identifying bilingual/ESL students. Basilang is equivalent to the beginner; mesolang is the category of an intermediate learner; and acrolang is the category for the advanced learner. Slide 37:The identification of errors that language learners make is important in order to understand the source of errors and the corrective measures teachers can offer. Errors happen when learners lack knowledge of second language rules, while mistakes occur when learners are unable to perform their competence (underlying knowledge that is non-observable). Overt errors are deviations in form and covert errors are those that are well-formed but do not communicate what the learner intended. Learner Errors Error Analysis is used for examining errors as a way of investigating learning processes.Much of the early work on learner errors focused o n the extent to which L2 acquisition was the result of L1 transfer or creative construction (construction of unique rules similar to those which children form in the course of acquiring the native language). The presence of errors that mirrored L1 structures was taken as evidence of transfer (interlingual), while those errors similar to those observed in L1 acquisition were indicative of creative construction (intralingual). The study of learner errors showed that although many errors were caused by transferring L1 habits, many more were not.It was found that learners went through stages of acquisition and the nature of errors varied according to their level of development. Error analysis could not show when learners resorted to avoidance and it ignored what learners could do correctly. Slide 38: For teachers of English language learners, it is important to understand the role of errors in second language learning. Error analysis is important because it gives us the opportunity to e xamine learner errors and determine if errors are a consequence of first language interference or not.Implications for teachers come in planning instruction that addresses patterns in errors made by students experiencing language interference, grouping practices to target the identified errors, and instructional methodologies and strategies for helping learners overcome some of their errors. Slide 39: Errors made by a language learner can give teachers insight as to how much knowledge the learner has in the second language. They are a means of diagnosing progress or lack of progress in second language development.Errors are to be seen as part of a process of second language acquisition not just as the result of imperfect learning. Slide 40: Errors are systematic and will occur until the language learner recognizes them and corrects them. If communication is clear, even when learners produce errors such as â€Å"no want† then the error is in the language structure and not in t he learner’s system (interlanguage). Slide 41: Contrastive analysis helps teachers understand potential errors language learners make. This understanding will allow teachers to identify what needs to be learned and what is already in the learner’s system.What needs to be learned will be the focus of instruction and what is already learned will be the knowledge the learner brings to the learning situations. The pedagogical materials that resulted from contrastive analysis were based on the claim that language is a habit; language learning involves the establishment of a new set of habits; the native language interferes with the reception and production of a second language; and accounting for errors involves considering differences between the first and the second languages.The greater the differences the more errors will occur; and difficulty and ease in learning a second language are determined by differences and similarities between the two languages in contrast. Sli de 42: Thomas and Collier (1997), proposed the Prism Model of Language Acquisition for School. This model includes first and second language cognitive development, academic development, language development as well as social and cultural processes. Slide 43: The cognitive development component is a subconscious process that is developmental. Thought processes are built through interactions.It is critical that cognitive development take place in the first language so that the foundation is strong and positive transfer of skills and concepts occurs. Slide 44: Academic knowledge, concepts and skills transfer from the first to the second language. In order to make the necessary instructional adjustments, teachers need to provide instruction in the learners’ first language and a strong English as a Second Language component during the instructional day in order to make academic content meaningful. The interruption of academic development in the first language will likely promote a cademic failure.A good balance of academic instruction (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) in the first language and vocabulary and oral language development (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills) through ESL will facilitate language transfer and transition when the learner is ready. According to research, it takes a language learner from 5-7 years to reach academic proficiency in the second language. It takes from 2-3 years to acquire BICS. Therefore, teaching BICS in the two languages and having a strong ESL program are essential if language learners are to be ready for transitioning from the first to the second language.Slide 45: Language development includes Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) which are acquired subconsciously as well as the innate ability learners bring with them to the academic setting (CALP). In order to assure both cognitive and academic success in learning a second language, the learner must be taught in his/her first language to a hig h cognitive level so that the learner can develop the necessary competence and performance in the second language. Slide 46:Second language learners go through everyday experiences which impact the acquisition of the second language. The home-school connection is very important in order to help language learners respond to second language learning more effectively. The sociocultural support that language learners need must be evident at home, at school, in the community and in society at large. The instructional environment can either create social unity, linguistic and ethnic respect, and value for bilingualism or it may promote a psychological distance between two groups, cultures and languages.Slide 47: In conclusion, teachers working with second language learners must consider the learners’ linguistic, cultural, and academic needs, as well as the levels of language proficiency. Teachers should encourage their students to experiment with language and not be afraid of makin g errors. Errors are part of the learning process just as error correction is part of the teaching process. Teachers should not ignore errors, but focusing too much on them can cause anxiety, fear and hamper learning.

McDonald’s Corporation

McDonald's Corporation is the world's leading food service organization. The corporation started out as a small drive-through in 1948 by two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald. Raymond Albert Kroc, a salesman, saw a great opportunity in this market and advised Dick and Mac to expand their operation and open new restaurants. In 1961 Kroc bought out the McDonald brothers. By 1967 McDonalds expanded its operations to countries outside the U.S.A. This unyielding expansion led the Corporation to open 23,000 McDonald's restaurants in 110 countries in 1994, producing $3.4 bn in annual revenues. In addition, McDonald's opens a new restaurant every three hours. Also, McDonald's has twice the market share of its closest U.S. competitor, Burger King, representing 7% of total U.S. eating-out sales. Similarly, McDonald's serves about 1% of the world's population on any given day through its 23,000 restaurants internationally. â€Å"Big Mac†, the world's most sold hamburger was developed by Jim Delligutti in 1967 to feed construction workers. ‘Big Mac' is the biggest attraction and backbone of the corporation. Moreover, McDonald's maintains its competitive advantage by constantly creating new items to add onto its menu. This shows us that McDonald's practices an analyzer type of strategy, introducing new items and defending its existing ones. â€Å"We serve people with good quality food, fast and at low cost.† McDonald's vision is to dominate the global food-service industry. Global dominance means setting the performance standard for customer satisfaction and increases market share and profitability through successfully implementing our convenience, value and execution strategies. To have a clear picture of McDonald's corporation we need to look at its Task Environment, which includes its: We shall also explore McDonald's Workforce Diversity and its Total Quality Management. Customers are those who pay money to acquire an organization's goods or services. For many years McDonald's mostly targeted the young people, however this has changed in this decade; McDonald's has turned towards a more general market. By doing this McDonald's concentrates on the family, targeting a diverse market which includes consumers ranging from children to elderly people, using products such as the â€Å"happy Meal† for children and â€Å"Egg McMuffin† for the elderly. McDonald's also realized the changing world we live in and the need for healthier food, since there is an ever changing demographic group, who demand fast, top quality food that is low in calories. McDonald's responded to this opportunity and introduced a new and innovative product. This new product was a regular hamburger that tasted like the real thing but was made of plant material like Soya beans. This same product also targets another demographic group, vegetarians. McDonald's mostly uses psychographic segmentation targeting the working and middle classes. These are the people that are more susceptible to enter a fast food restaurant, since these are the people that lead a fast moving life and thus require a fast meal. In brief McDonald's customers are of all classes, but largely working and middle classes, and people of all ages. A competitor is an organization that competes with other organizations for resources. In our findings, McDonald's has two types of competitors in the Lebanese market: Indirect refers to firms producing one or two products that compete with McDonald's products and therefore be a threat to the company. We have identified four indirect competitors: Henry J. Beans, T.G.I. Friday, K. F. C. and Popeye's. Henry J. Beans offers hamburgers and fries on its menu, therefore competing with McDonalds for customers of these products. However, Henry J. Beans also known as Hank's is a more of a bar restaurant and therefore a hang out place, as a result charging more money for its products. Hank's targets middle to upper class customers, so where most of these customers overlap are in the middle class. T.G.I Friday is another indirect competitor reflecting the same characteristics as Henry J. Beans. Other indirect competitors are K. F. C. and Popeye's, both competing for the chicken nuggets and fries customers. In brief, Hank's and T.G.I. Friday's competes with McDonald's by offering hamburgers and fries, whereas K. F. C. and Popeye's compete with McDonald's by offering chicken nuggets and fries. Direct competitors refers to firms producing the same products or services as McDonald's does. Here we found that McDonald's has three direct competitors: Burger King, Wendy's and Hardee's. McDonald's closest rival is Burger King, which operates a total of 9644 restaurants in 110 countries. Wendy's is McDonald's second largest rival, which is also in the fast food business, where Wendy's operates 6776 restaurants in 32 countries. Hardee's, McDonald's third largest rival is also in the fast food business and is the only direct competitor apart from Juicy Burger in the Lebanese market. Hardee's operates 3080 restaurants in 20 countries. As we have illustrated McDonald's faces stiff competition from three major competitors, Burger King, Wendy's and Hardee's. Suppliers is an organization that provides resources for other organizations. McDonald's has practiced a backward vertical integration, by replacing most of its suppliers. It has done so for two reasons, 2) To ensure that its products are of top quality. These supplies include beef and milk to be used in its products, which it gets from its farms. Other suppliers include local grocery stores that supply McDonald's with fresh vegetables. Soft drinks are supplied exclusively by Coca-Cola, which is also its ally. McDonald's supplies also include raw material such as flour, sugar, yeast, etc.,. A strategic ally is an organization working together with one or more other organizations is a joint venture or a similar arrangement. McDonald's has formed a strategic alliance with: Walmart, Chevron, Amoco, Disney and Coca-Cola. Walmart, which is a large shopping mall chain in the U..S. and several neighboring countries, is allied with McDonald's, which offers great opportunities for both companies. McDonald's has restaurants in each Walmart, offering its customers conveniences and excellent fast food at a low cost ease of accessibility. McDonald's corporation describes it best in this scenario: â€Å"Imagine a busy shopping day at your local Walmart and having the ability to sit down with the kids and enjoy many of our McDonald's favorites, like ‘Big Mac' sandwiches, world famous fries and kids favorite ‘Happy Meal'. McDonald's understands your busy lifestyles and the demands on your time. That's why we are making it easier for you to do more things in less time.† McDonald's is engaged in an alliance with two petrol companies, Chevron and Amoco. This alliance represents the ultimate in convenience. At these locations, one finds a full-menu McDonald's restaurant with dining room service. Nothing can be more convenient, because one can fill up the car with gas and get a meal all in one stop. Another important alliance that McDonald's has is with Disney. Here McDonald's has the sole right to sell fast food in Disney's theme parks around the U..S. and other Disney operations in the world. Under the terms of the agreement, McDonald's will operate restaurants and Disney will promote its films through McDonald's. Regulators are groups or governmental agencies that can control and influence the organization's policies and practices. An example is Lebanon a few years ago when the U..S. government banned all U..S. citizens and organizations to come or operate in Lebanon. Another good example would be the embargo imposed on Iran where U..S. organizations were banned to operate in this country. Another group of regulators called interest groups can and have influenced McDonald's to treat its animals (cow and chickens) in a much more humane manner, which resulted in the restructuring of McDonalds' farms throughout its operations around the world. The summary of the task environment which is by definition a specific organizations or groups that affect the organization, which includes competitors, suppliers, customers, strategic allies and regulators. Here we described the task environment's importance to McDonald's, where McDonald's faces both opportunities and has threats in its environment. Diversity exists in a group or organization when its members differ from one another along one or more important dimensions such as age, gender, and ethnicity. Diversity is very important for McDonald's. Here millions of teens start out by working at McDonald's. Here some of the teenagers move on to get various jobs such as movie stars, skilled workers, famous athletes, management positions and other educated positions in society. At McDonald's two thirds of middle and upper management started out as crewmembers in a McDonald's restaurant. There are opportunities for everybody in McDonald's from teenagers to elderly workers, and from people just entering or reentering the job market. Moreover, McDonald's offers special jobs for people who have disabilities, such as people who are in wheel chairs and those who must use crutches permanently. Furthermore, McDonald's offers their workers flexible working hours. For example, hours for people seeking just a few hours of work per week and those who seek full time positions. The work force at McDonald's also have some say in their working hours, such as if they prefer the morning, mid-day, or evening shifts in the restaurant. So, McDonald's uses diversity to create a good atmosphere in their work places among workers and management. Here they offer work to all kinds of people without discrimination and the workers have flexible hours that provides customer satisfaction. Quality is the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs. For McDonald's, total quality management (TQM) involves that the employees are at work on time, are neatly dressed, and are clean. The employees must make sure that the customers constantly receive safe food, which implies that the employees must wash their hands often to remain clean. Moreover, the employees must follow certain Standard Operational Procedures, so the customers always receive exceptional quality and service. This includes the employees using plastic gloves when they prepare the food, that the meat and fries are properly fried, and that the vegetables are thoroughly washed when used in the food. Another TQM is that the employees rely on teamwork and high energy to get the job done, so that the customers do not have to wait long for their food. Furthermore, McDonald's management emphasizes that their restaurants should be clean. This involves that the restaurants are tidy, sparkling and spotlessly clean. As McDonald's illustrates the quality is that the employees delivers fast, accurate and friendly service with a smile.

Case Study 4 - Adrian Lamo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Case Study 4 - Adrian Lamo - Assignment Example This is because he targeted companies such as Microsoft and prominent people like the jimmy carter (IT Security Editors). He wanted to know the things these entities do in secret, hence he went ahead to hack into their systems to fulfill his desire of knowing everything that goes on behind the public eye. He fits into the hacker stereotype because since childhood, when he hacked into systems, he was not interested in pleasing his friends, but he hacked for fun, and endeavored to advance his knowledge (IT Security Editors). The hacker stereotype is a smart person who is not concerned with social gains they gain from the actions, but long to know everything that makes them smart on the computer. His punishment fits his crime since he was not judged harshly and he was put under house arrest rather than going to prison. He confessed to his mistakes, and was willing to abandon the bad hacking habits. However, I feel that the damages he had to pay were high since he had no bad

Issues in crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Issues in crime - Essay Example They are directly not involved in the unscrupulous activity. (1) At this point, it also needs to be specifically highlighted that even employees are immensely benefited by corporate crimes, for their jobs are safeguarded along with getting promotions. To put the matter in a nutshell, the very livelihood of the employees becomes dependent on them being active participants in acts of corporate crime. (1) The motives for carrying out these acts (of corporate crime) vary from one case to the other. Yet, it has been seen that the following three are the primary objectives propelling all corporate crimes: A) To bring about both a rise in profits and also a drop in costs. B) To enable a rise in demand as well as a decline in competition. C) To exercise strong control over workers, markets and supplies. (1) Factors abetting corporate crimes It can conveniently be maintained that corporate crimes started to exist from the same time when commercial organizations first began their operations. I n the contemporary era, there has been a surge in instances of corporate crime, and there indeed are highly valid reasons behind that. The various features of a typical corporate organization have now become more complex than ever, and the conventional systems of internal control are now obsolete. Additionally, the rapid growth in information technology has ensured that the power now wielded by the corporate is without a precedent. This is so much so that the modern-day corporate organizations are making sure that they are in total control of their governance. (2) The biggest factor to which the growth in corporate crimes is attributable is inadequate corporate governance. Corporate governance encompasses various policies, procedures and laws, etc, which endeavor to make sure that persons employed in an organization are made accountable. As mentioned in the preceding paragraph, they (corporate organizations) are now fully empowered to govern themselves, with the related laws being n ot so stringent. This is more so when the corresponding scenario of the past is taken into consideration. As has been stated earlier, the existing systems are being rendered powerless in ensuring accountability of corporate organizations. In addition, since the recent past, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of commercial transactions of corporate organizations. This has made things even more difficult for the prevalent laws in preventing the crimes (corporate). Last but in no way the least, the lengthy formal procedures pertaining to the governance have just further compounded the issue. This is in the sense that, they (procedures) have transformed the scenario as being more conducive for carrying out corporate crimes. (2) Various surveys that have been carried out in the recent past point out to a highly disturbing fact. A substantial chunk of corporate crimes of the present-day era are those that have been perpetrated by the managements of huge business houses. At this juncture, it also has to be noted that the losses resulting from such acts are very huge, and thus exerting an adverse impact on the economy. (2) Seriousness of corporate crimes Corporate crime is more serious an issue that what it is actually considered to be, by many people. In this context, it needs to be

Mergers and Acquisitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Mergers and Acquisitions - Essay Example A study conducted by UNCTAD (2006) shows that 17 percent of the FDI in the world comprise South-North and South-South flows and of this the cross-border acquisitions occupy a significant proportion. This project would look into the cross border acquisitions with an insight into the reasons driving the acquisitions and influential factors impacting such acquisitions. Factors motivating cross border acquisition Various theories have been developed that explain the significance of the mergers and acquisitions. According to Efficiency theories the main motive behind such deals is to exploit the benefits arising out of synergies or economies of scale. Market power theories highlight that acquisitions lead to oligopoly benefits. Agency theories state that the acquisition and acquisition deals mitigate agency problems like removing the inefficient managerial staff. This theory also states that it may also give rise to agency problems such as imprudent managerial decisions solely guided by t he motive of empire building. Besides this the acquisition deals are also guided by the advantages arising from the ‘benefits of diversification’. Though there is no single theory on mergers and acquisitions however these theories have garnered empirical support. Studies have shown that the shareholders of the target firm benefit the most in such deals whereas the shareholders of the bidder firm do not derive any immediate benefit from the deal. The abnormal return that that the bidders can enjoy is either slightly negative or zero. The combined return of the bidder-target firm is found to be universally positive indicating that the acquisition deals lead to value creation. It has also been seen that the stock price of the target firms’ exhibit higher returns in the case of cash offers as compared to the stock offers; hostile takeovers as compared to friendly takeovers; and multiple bidder as compared to contests by single bidders (Gregoriou & Neuhauser, 2007, p. 1). The success associated with the M&A deals has eluded many corporations. Marks & Mirvis (1998) state that the failure rates of such deals is around 50 to 75 percent. Despite the uncertainties associated with the deal the acquisition and acquisition deals are on the rise. The various benefits arising out of the deal include managerial synergies, cost synergies, market synergies etc. The sources of synergies include consolidated purchases, production, administration, marketing, market power, cross-selling, acquisition of technical expertise, patent, knowhow of the target, market expansion etc. In the horizontal acquisitions that involve integration of two companies belonging to the same sector the main motive is gaining market share of the target firm. This happens in the case of matured industries where the opportunities of growth are nearly exhausted, presence of excess capacity etc. Horizontal acquisitions result in enhanced revenue, savings in cost and better growth opportunit ies (Hitchner, 2006, p.106). The acquiring firm also gets a control over the customer base of the target firm thereby raising the total revenue base of the bidder firm.

Expectations regarding the role of women by their families in India Essay

Expectations regarding the role of women by their families in India - Essay Example Women in India are expected to depend upon men in almost every matter of life. Although roaming about of women on their own is considered a sign of modernity and perceived as self-confidence on the part of the women, yet it is translated negatively when it comes to considering such independent women for marriage. One of the families searching for a bride for their son expressed their perception about such independent women in these words, â€Å"A girl who ‘roams about’ the city by herself is not the girl for our family† (Nanda 429). In order for the married couple to live a prosperous life, it is considered imperative that the bride is below the groom in a variety of matters that include but are not limited to height, education, and professional status. Although the people of India are generally very optimistic about getting their daughters educated especially in the contemporary age, yet when it comes to marriage, too much education is a demerit rather than a mer it because the boys on average themselves are not very highly educated. The Indian society has established family as the first and the foremost priority for women and everything else including profession falls secondary to it. Girls are expected to have their marriage arranged by their parents rather than searching for their husbands themselves.

Climate change - a global problem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Climate change - a global problem - Essay Example The research will aim to provide intensive information regarding Building Design and Construction as against climate change. Scientists are predicting future environment and weather extremities and it is highly important to be prepared for potential changes. With future Sea level rise, flooding might be precipitated and if so, there is a need for protection. All EU Countries have ratified the Kyoto Protocol and agreed that they are responsible for 14% of World emissions and that the reduction of same is an EU responsibility. Ambitious new targets should be set to conserve all possible energy, working through adaptation. Homes and offices have to alter their design, construction and usage of material according to these highly relevant issues. There is an element of truth in saying that the buildings of medieval days were highly suitable for the climatic conditions prevailing in a particular region, because they had evolved over centuries with common sense and practicality and were the most suitable to that region. With climate change, any region's climate is not conventional any more and buildings have to be designed and built according to changing needs. Hence, this is a significant research area which would be very useful for future of buildings renovation and creation included. RESEARCH QUESTION AND HYPOTHESIS: A lot of uncertainty exists in this field as the climate changes are uncertain and unpredictable. The question of future buildings is based upon the research conducted in this area regarding future building designs, materials and methods of construction. I would like to concentrate on the design, raw material and construction of a 'Green Building' according to norms dictated by existing research information in all three fields. I will find ways and means of applying research into practice and look for as much information as possible, already available in scientific sectors of various countries, in an effort to combine it and make it suitable for practical use. As future weather conditions are not region-particular, but unpredictably universal, information from all quarters, economic, material industry, energy, solar studies, geography, climate surveys, history, archaeology, architecture, sociology, culture and heritage included, become necessary and relevant. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: Research will be done on material available from studies, research work, papers, journals, books, electronic media, mass communication, architectural reports and surveys, material production company reports and in-house research centre reports etc. Study has to be extended to Government policies, guidelines, Council regulations, norms and rigidities of City building creation that might provide hindrance and limitations for 'Green Buildings'. This will extend to practical matters like roof tile testing for their durability and power of withstanding elements, their overlap, pitch or slope, measurements and how they suit to the best possible weather

Archimedes Principle Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Archimedes Principle - Lab Report Example Below are tabulated results indicating numerous physical properties of different materials determined through a typical Archimedes Principle experiment. Admittedly, both weight and density are physical properties of matter. Density is calculated by finding the ratio of a material’s mass to that of the material’s volume. Contrarily, weight is the mass of a material in a particular gravitational field. In the calculations, weight was obtained when mass was multiplied by 9.98; the earth’s acceleration due to gravity. In this context, I believe that weight is a variable property which changes with a corresponding change in the external force of gravitational acceleration. However, density is a rather static variable in matter. Density is derived from the unchanging parameters of mass and volume. On the other hand, weight is derived from the unchanging parameter of mass and the changing parameter of gravitational acceleration (Smith 28). Therefore, the experiment’s computations indicate that density describes a material more accurately than weight. When an object is suspended in air, gravity is the only major force acting on that object. However, an object immersed in water is acted upon by two major forces; gravity, and buoyant force. Gravity pulls an immersed object down while buoyant force pushes the immersed object upwards. Consequently, a portion of the object’s actual weight is neutralized by the upward force of buoyancy, thus causing an immersed object to weigh less (Smith 31). Technically, an object does not lose the same amount of weight when immersed in a liquid other than water. First, water and other liquids have different densities. Buoyancy of objects is determined by the ration of an object’s density to that of the reference liquid. Since buoyant forces determine the weight of an immersed object, then the magnitude of buoyant forces acting on a water-immersed object are not necessarily equal to the

Multilateralism and the International Organizations Essay

Multilateralism and the International Organizations - Essay Example The first modern instances of multilateralism occurred in the nineteenth century in Europe after the end of the Napoleonic Wars where the great powers met to redraw the map of Europe at the Congress of Vienna. The Concert of Europe, as it became known, was a group of great and lesser powers that would meet to resolve issues peacefully. Conferences such as the Conference of Berlin in 1884 helped reduce great power conflicts during this period, and the nineteenth century was one of the Europes most peaceful. This system, however, was destroyed by the First World War and consequently, the League of Nations was created by the conflict world leaders in order to try to prevent any other form of conflict. Still, after the Second World War, the leaders saw the League of Nations failure and decided to create the United Nations in 1945 with a structure intended to address the weaknesses of the previous body. Unlike the League, the UN had the active participation of the United States and the Soviet Union, the worlds two greatest contemporary powers. Along with the political institutions of the UN, the post-war years a wide array of other multilateral organizations such as the GATT (now the World Trade Organization), the World Bank and the World Health Organization developed. The collective multilateral framework played an important role in maintaining world peace in the Cold War. Moreover, United Nations peacekeepers stationed around the world became one of the most visible symbols of multilatera lism in recent decades. Today there are so many   multilateral institutions of varying scope and subject matter, ranging from the International Telecommunication Unit (ITU) to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and Organisation For the Prohibition Of Chemical Weapons(OPCW); although many such organizations were founded or are supported by the UN, they are   by no means maintained within the UN system.  Ã‚  

Exploring the politics of the Texas Railroad commissions regulation of Research Paper - 1

Exploring the politics of the Texas Railroad commissions regulation of texas oil and gas from 1917-1941 - Research Paper Example In the 1920s, there was a sporadic pattern of cooperation between the state and federal governments. Tensions were high in the coordination of the state activities and those of the federal government over the control of resources. The head quarters of the railroad commission are in the state of Texas in the United States and act as among the most powerful state agencies in the country. The paramount duties and responsibilities of the Texas Railroad Commission were to regulate the entire business of oil and gas exploration and mining in the United States. Most of the oil and gas deposits of the country are in the state of Texas hence the strategic location of the commission’s headquarters in order to ensure proper administration and control of oil and gas exploration activities in the country. In addition to the regulation of gas and oil production in the United States, the Texas railroad commission also monitors and controls major shares of the pipeline safety, uranium mining, gas utilities, liquid petroleum gas safety, and surface coal. All these responsibilities lie under the docket of the commission ever since its inception. The name of the commission is a little confusing to the common citizens who are not aware of the true duties and responsibilities of the company. ... The commission does not have any links or deals with the regulation of railroads in any way at all. The name simply developed out of common utterances. Issues surrounding the commission politics The Texas Railroad Commission had a number of politics surrounding its operations as well as dealing with other factors concerned with their duties and responsibilities. The company had both internal as well as external politics facing its operations and execution of its duties and jurisdictions, especially considering it primary control of the entire industry of oil and gas exploration within the United States of America from the year 1917 to the year 1941. The commission expanded its initial mandate of overseeing petroleum exploration and the regulations of oil pipelines from 1917, to the control of oil and gas production within the entire country in 1919, and finally elevated to the regulation of delivery systems of natural gas in the year 1920. Technically, the Texas Railroad commission g ained control of all the exploration and production activities of oil and gas within the United States, a task that made the commission elevate to become the single most powerful commission in the country, while others argued it had too much power for a single commission. The politics of this commission rose from time to time due to many occurrences in the country. One particular occasion whereby there was high political tension surrounding the activities and duties of the Texas rail road commission was in the 1930s whereby there was an oil boom in the state of Texas. This oil boom led to the escalation of oil prices to 25 cents per barrel. The commission was unable to negotiate a compromise price for the sale of the oil

Ecology Essay Example for Free

Ecology Essay There has been a growing concern for the rise of environmental problems around the world. Ecology students from the University of Georgia came up with a list of the top ten environmental problems of the world. Based on this list, I came up with my top five environmental problems that people consider to be pressing problems in the environment. First in my list is human overpopulation. While it is part of human nature to procreate and multiply, the unchecked growth of the human population has led to the over consumption of goods and resources, thereby leading to poverty – a culprit as well of environmental problems. The over consumption of resources by human population can take its toll on the limited resources that the world can provide. Next in my list of the world’s top environmental problem is the pollution of our water quality and quantity. Sewage from cities, unregulated releases from industrial and agricultural sites, and dumping of wastes in the oceans collectively exacerbate the worldwide problem of water pollution (Gibbons). If left like these, we may have a serious water problem in the coming years. Following the problem of water pollution is the problem of air pollution. As more and more cities and countries are industrialized, the use of fossil fuels has also risen. Such has led to acid rain, dissolution of the ozone layer, smog, and the general elimination of clean air (Gibbons). The top 4 environmental problem is global climate change, which is admittedly interconnected with water and air pollution. Global warming has already received a lot of press mainly because such phenomenon has been going on for the past 4 billion years and it has steadily risen in the past decades. Water level has risen and as air pollution worsens, so does global warming. Lastly, the loss and degradation of habitats have been considered by ecologists as one of the most pressing environmental problems as human advancement and development as well as deforestation has led to the decline of the biodiversity. There are many species which are on the brink of extinction because their natural habitats are already destroyed or perished.

The Gathering by Isobelle Carmody portrays the dark side of human nature Essay Example for Free

The Gathering by Isobelle Carmody portrays the dark side of human nature Essay The Gathering by Isobelle Carmody portrays the dark side of human nature. It shows that mans behaviour does not vary over long periods of time and across different cultures. It shows that each and every single person has an evil or dark side to them and it is whether they succumb to this evil or follow the paths of light and goodness that decide what kind of person they are. Cheshunt, where the story is set appears to be a fairly normal town. When Nathanial and his mother arrive, Nathanial instinctively knows that something is not quite right. Nathanial is there for a reason. He and the other members of The Chain must learn the power of friendship to defeat the evil Kraken. The dark side of human nature is seen in many characters: Cheshunts headmaster Mr Karle is a truly evil person. Although Mr Karles only role in the community is Deputy Principal of Three North, he has manipulated those who do have a major role in the community into making himself the main power over all Cheshunt. His goal is to become the ruler of the world, starting with Cheshunt. To make sure that The Chain does not defeat him, Mr Karle defeats one member at a time. Mr Karle portrays the dark side of human nature he has attained power that he then uses to control all those around him. He has become corrupted by this power and with it he is able to manipulate the other characters to perform vicious acts. Mr Karle taunts and mocks in an attempt to emotionally destroy those around him he takes pleasure in others emotional pain. He causes distress in Nathanial when he tells him of his cold hearted father who was Insanely jealous. Unstable. Violent (page 263) and how Nathanials mother learnt not to speak to anyone or smile in fear of what his father would do to her. When Mr Karle reminds Indian that his sister is brain damaged because of Indians own mistakes he does this knowing the heartache this will cause. He mocks Nissa calling her unfeminine and unattractive and how no one could love such a creature except out of pity (page 246). Mr Karle defeats one character at a time. He is physically cruel and used force to hurt them. Mr Karle embodies all that is the dark side of human nature, he is cruel both emotionally and physically Then the Kraken stepped forward and slapped her across the face. A trickle of dark blood ran from the corner of her mouth (page 249). He is corrupted by power, he is manipulative and in all this he takes pleasure. He is a true sadist. The dark side in human nature is also portrayed in many of the other characters, this is evidenced in Buddha Isobelle Carmody has used the name Buddha that represents peace and harmony and made him a killer. He burns Nathanials dog, The Tod, who is Nathanials only true friend and Nathanial loves. The match landed in his tail and flames swept forward up over him. Devoured him. He arched and coiled, yelping in pain and fright, and then he screamed, a long inhuman howl of agony and terror. (page 214). When Buddha burns The Tod it is a vicious, cowardly act and is evidence of how dark mans nature can be, that he can murder a poor, defenseless creature that is incapable of fighting back, also that the act was carried out in front of Nathanial to cause him immense grief and feelings of powerlessness. What is even more disturbing is that this is such a real act that could happen in our everyday life. How the people who are in a position to protect us and how they use this authority in a destructive way is also shown. The police, who are supposed to be good and honest are corrupt and evil. They protect the evil leaders and enforce their law, The pamphlet stuck under the door the day we arrived had welcomed us to the neighbourhood and urged my mother to join the Community Committee. It had a lot of by law information and the bit about the curfew was last. It said no one was to be out in the streets after ten at night without a specific reason. (page 20). The police either stood aside and let the people of Cheshunt be intimidated and bullied or were doing the intimidating and bullying themselves. Seth is a part of the chain that is needed to defeat the evil but Seth has given in to his dark side. He has a very weak character. Despite Seth being a brain (page 10), looking like one of those perfect guys off Coke ads (page 10) and coming from a good family, His father is a policeman (page 55) he is pathetic. He is sneaky and drinks alcohol to escape facing reality. He cant deal with his own problems (his parents are divorced and he cant deal with being in the Chain and the effort it takes to defy Mr Karle) and uses his weaknesses as an excuse to attempt to commit suicide, Seth lay on his back between them, his face dead white. (page 142) He breaks promises You promised, Nissa said icily. (page 138). He also betrays those around him Mr Karle gave Nissa a radiant smile. Got him? But you misunderstand, Nissa. I didnt get Seth. He came to us. (page 250). Nathanials father is a character who shows that mans dark side does not vary over long periods of time. Nathanials father was a violent jealous man who liked to have complete control over everything. He was jealous of Nathanial and the attention he got from his mother, especially when Nathanial was a baby I had to sometimes hold your mouth to stop the crying (page 264). Mans darkest nature was shown when his father attempted to kill Nathanial, Children should be seen and not heard, he said, and his big hands closed around my neck. And squeezed. (page 247). This is absolute evidence of innate evil that a father could try to murder his own son. In conclusion, The Gathering shows us the dark side of human nature and it is vividly portrayed. It has a realness that shows that evil is present in the past and in the future and is occurring right now, in all parts of our life. It shows that power can corrupt you and consume you absolutely. It also shows us that cruelty, deceit, jealousy and manipulation are just some of the many ways evil can be shown.

The Rise Of The Nazis History Essay

The Rise Of The Nazis History Essay Adolf Hitler was born an Austrian citizen and Roman Catholic at 6:30 PM on April 20 1889 at an inn called the Gasthof Zum Pommer in the town of Braunau-am-inn. Adolfs father- Alois Hitler- constantly reinforced correct behaviour with, sometimes very violent, punishment. After Adolfs elder brother- Alois- fled from home at the age of 14, Adolf became his fathers chief target of rage. At the same time, Adolfs mother- Klara Pà ¶lzl- showered her son with love and affection, as any mother would. When Adolf was three years of age, the Hitler family moved to Passau, along the Inn River on the German side of the border. The family moved once again in 1895 to the farming community of Hafield. Following another family move, Adolf lived for six months across from a large Benedictine monastery. As a youngster, the young boys dream was to enter the priesthood. However, by 1900, his artistic talents surfaced. Adolf was educated at the local village and monastery schools and, at age 11, Hitler was doing well enough to be eligible for either the university preparatory gymnasium or the technical/scientific Realschule (secondary school). Alois Hitler enrolled his son in the latter, hoping that he might become a civil servant. This was not to be. Adolf would later claim that he wanted to be an artist and he deliberately failed his examinations to spite his father. In 1903, Alois Hitler died from a pleural hemorrhage, leaving his family with enough money to live comfortably without needing to work. In 1905, Adolf left school for good. The following year he visited Vienna where he tried and failed to enter the School of Fine Arts, and the School of Architecture would not accept him without academic qualification. In 1907, Klara Pà ¶lzl developed terminal breast cancer. After an operation and many expensive and painful treatments with a dangerous drug, she died on December 21, 1907. Traumatized by the loss of his mother, Adolf moved to Vienna and, once again, failed to enter the School of Fine Arts. He stayed in Vienna, living in hostels and earning money by drawing posters for shops and postcard views of the city for passers-by. Adolf Hitler neither drank nor smoked. Being rather shy and awkward- with both men and women- he had few friends. Hitler read widely, losing all that remained of his religious faith, and replacing it with half-formed ideas of politics, philosophy and culture. World War One And The Peace Treaty of Versailles In 1913, Adolf Hitler moved to Munich, Germany, to avoid the risk of conscription in Vienna. However, this does not mean that he was a coward. When the heir to the Austrian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated by Slav terrorists in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, World War One began, and Hitler was quick to enlist in German Army. He joined the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment and, indeed, made a very good soldier. For once, his life had a purpose and he greatly enjoyed the comradeship, danger and the chance to wear a uniform. Excluding a short spell in hospital from 1916-1917, Hitler served as a company runner on the Western Front throughout the war. In reward for his brilliant service, Hitler was promoted to corporal and received two Iron Crosses, one of them the very rare Iron Cross First Class. Hitler, having been temporarily blinded by mustard gas in October 1918, was in hospital when an armistice was reached and the Great War ended. To him, the defeat of German was extremely devastating. The defeat was, in fact, devastating for all of Germany. The Treaty of Versailles, a peace treaty signed at Versailles in France on June 28 1919, punished Germany severely. In accordance with the treaty, Germany lost the following areas of land: Alsace-Lorraine (taken from France in 1870). Danzig (a strip of territory through East Prussia to form a Polish corridor to the sea). Areas in Schteswig, Silesia and on the Belgian Frontier. Saar Industrial region placed under international control but under French influence. Germany was also forced to comply with the following restrictions: Germany was forced to pay reparations for war damage. The price was fixed in 1921 at 132 billion gold marks. 9/10 of the German merchant fleet was confiscated. German rivers were opened to international traffic. Germanys overseas assets, totaling 16 billion marks, were seized. German colonies were taken over by the League of Nations and distributed as territories to Britain, France and Japan. The German army was confined to 100 000 men on long-service contracts. Most military installations and training schools were shut down. Military were withdrawn from the Rhineland and occupied by Allied Troops. The German Airforce was completely abolished. The German Navy was reduced to a maximum of 6 small battleships of only 10 000 tonnes each, 6 cruisers, 12 destroyers and 0 submarines. In Clause 231 of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was forced to confess guilt for the war, this being the basis for Allied punishment. The Formation Of The Nazi Party And Its Ideas: After World War One ended, Hitler remained for some time in the army. They put him to work gathering information on revolutionary political groups in Munich. On September12 1919, dressed in civilian clothes, Hitler attended a meeting of the Deutsche Arbeiterpartie (German Workers Party) in the back room of a Munich Beer Hall, with another twenty-five people. There, he listened to a speech by Gottfried Feder entitled, How and by what means is capitalism eliminated? After the speech, Hitler rose to leave when a man stepped forward and made a speech supporting the state of Bavaria breaking away from Germany and forming a new South German nation. This idea enraged Hitler to the point that he got to his feet and expressed his forceful opinion to the man for fifteen uninterrupted minutes. Anton Drexler, one of the founders of the party, allegedly whispered, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦hes got the gift of the gab. We could use him. After Hitlers outburst was complete, and Hitler started to leave, Drexler rushed to Hitler and invited him to read a forty-page booklet titled, My Political Awakening. Hitler was delighted to find that the German Workers Party reflected many of his own ideas- building a strong nationalist, pro-military, anti-Semitic party made up of working class people. However, in Mein Kampf, Hitler describes the condition of the party: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦aside from a few directives, there was nothing, no program, no leaflet, no printed matter at all, no membership cards, not even a miserable rubber stampà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦This absurd little organization with its few members seemed to me to possess the one advantage that it had not frozen into an organization, but left the individual opportunity for real personal activity. Here it was still possible to work, and the smaller the movement, the more readily it could be put into proper form. Here, the content, the goal, and the road could still be determinedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ After two days of thinking it over, Hitler chose to join the German Workers Party and became member no. 55. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I finally came to the conviction that I had to take this stepà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ It was the most decisive resolve of my life. From here there was and could be no turning back. Hitlers hatred of the Jews rapidly became part of the organizations policy. Advertising for their meetings appeared in anti-Semitic newspapers. On October 16 1919, during one such meeting, Hitler delivered an emotional speech that left the audience awestruck. Donations came in from every corner, and hundreds of Germans attended the frequent meetings to hear Hitler speak. In February 1920, Hitler and Gottfried Feder prepared a 25-point summary for the German Workers Party. The summary was fervently anti-capitalist and anti-Semitic. Among the 25 points was withdrawing the Treaty of Versailles, confiscating war profits, confiscating land without compensation, revoking civil rights for Jews and driving out Jews who had emigrated after World War One had begun. On February 24, in front of more than 2000 spectators, the summary was presented at a public meeting. In April 1920, the partys name was changed to the National Socialist German Workers Party or NAZI Party, and the red flag with the swastika was named as their party symbol. Hitler discovered that a local anti-Semitic newspaper was on the verge of bankruptcy and so he was able to purchase it for the party. In 1921, Adolf Hitler was named chairman of the Nazi Party. The Beer Hall Putsch and Mein Kampf Hitlers strengthening of the Nazi Party was meant not only to win more votes, but also to overthrow the Weimar Republic by a putsch or violent uprising. Encouragement for attempting this came from Italy in October 1922, when Benito Mussolini, a 37-year-old former journalist, led a successful putsch. Marching with his paramilitary forces into Rome, Mussolini toppled the government. He named himself II Duce (leader) and his supporters the Fascisti (Fascists). The Nazis copied Mussolini shamelessly. In November 1922, the colossal inflation of the German Mark triggered a state of emergency in Berlin and Munich. Seeing this as his chance, Hitler, on May 1 1923, tried to organize a putsch but it was never any threat to the Reichstag. However, on November 9 Hitler tried again. One day earlier, Hitler had held a rally at the Munich Beer Hall and declared a revolution. Led by Hitler and former Quartermaster General Erich Ludendorff, around 3000 SA (Sturmabteilung) brown shirts marched from the Bà ¼rgerbrà ¤ukeller- the largest beer hall in Munich. However, the putsch fell to pieces when they were fired upon by police. Around a dozen of the SA were killed in the consequent fighting and many of the leaders of the putsch were arrested, whilst others fled the country. Both Hitler and Ludendorff were captured and put on trial. Whilst the latter was cleared on a technicality, Hitler was not so lucky. He received the minimum sentence of five years imprisonment in Landsberg Fortress, though he only served close to nine months. Hitler used this time to dictate the first volume of his political memoirs, which he titled- Mein Kampf (My Struggle). In Mein Kampf, Hitler argued for war in the east to create a Grossdeutschland- Greater Germany- by removing the Soviet Union. The book also reiterated Hitlers hatreds, especially against the Jews and the Communists whom he saw as part of the Jewish conspiracy. The following is a passage from Mein Kampf: [The Jews] ultimate goal is the denaturalization, the promiscuous bastardization of other peoples, the lowering of the racial level of the highest peoples as well as the domination of his racial mishmash through the extirpation of the folkish intelligentsia and its replacement by the members of his own peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Released in 1927, the book had sold over 300 000 copies within 6 years, and Hitler was able to live off his earnings. The Depression and the Elections of 1932-1933 On his release from prison, Adolf Hitler was banned from public speaking and the Nazi party was temporarily outlawed. In February of 1925, Hitler reestablished the Nazi Party, and its popularity rose rapidly. By 1929, the number of members had risen from 27 000 to 108 000. However, in the May 1928 elections, the Nazi party only polled a disappointing 2.5% of the vote. This was probably because, in recent years, the economic state of Germany had gradually improved. With Paul von Hindenburg as President, inflation eased, average wages rose, international agreement solved the problem of reparation costs and, in 1928, unemployment dropped below 1 million for the first time in years. The country was accepted back into the international community, and was accepted into the League of Nations in 1926. After the Beer Hall Putsch, Hitler had accepted that his way to power was through politics rather than force. He did deals with nationalist parties, big businesses, landowners and the army. Before 1930, the Nazi Party began the Hitler Youth, the Student League and the Pupil League to win the support of the young Germans- Germanys future. The National Socialist Womens League even allowed women to get involved. On 24 October 1929, the Wall Street Crash triggered the Great Depression. Germanys rising employment rate dropped drastically and, by 1932, 6 million- or 1 in 3 people- were unemployed. Hindenburg decided to invoke Germanys emergency presidential powers, creating a new government made up of a chancellor and cabinet ministers to rule by emergency decrees, rather than by laws passed by the Reichstag. In September 1930, there was another election. The Nazi Party, mostly due to the Depression and a successful propaganda campaign, captured 18.3% of the vote, making it the second largest party in the Reichstag. In the July 1932 election, the Nazi Partys popularity once again rose, this time winning 37% of the vote. In the spring of that year, Hitler had opposed Hindenburg for the role of president in two democratic elections. The first, on March 13 1932, was disappointing for Hitler. He received just 30% of the vote, compared to Hindenburgs 49.6%. However, as the latter had just missed out on an absolute majority, another runoff election was scheduled for April 10 of that year. Hindenburg won the election again with 53% of the vote, but Hitler received 37%. In another party election, called for November 6 1932, the Nazi Party lost 34 of its seats in the Reichstag. It looked as though Hitler was going to be unsuccessful. Political Parties in the Reichstag May 1924 Dec. 1924 May 1928 Sep. 1930 July 1932 Nov. 1932 Mar. 1933 Communist Party (KPD) 62 45 54 77 89 100 81 Social Democratic Party (SDP) 100 131 153 143 133 121 120 Catholic Centre Party (BVP) 81 88 78 87 97 90 93 Nationalist Party (DNVP) 95 103 73 41 37 52 52 Nazi Party (NSDAP) 32 14 12 107 230 196 288 Other Parties 102 112 121 122 22 35 23 Hitler and Franz von Papen- a former chancellor and leader of the Nationalist Party- agreed to form a coalition. Hitler disagreed to a co-leadership, but instead promised that, if he were made chancellor, Papens supporters would be given important cabinet positions. They formed an alliance, though both were secretly planning to double-cross each other. Hitler waves at supporters after being named Chancellor- January 30 1933When the current chancellor, Schleicher, was forced to resign, Hindenburg was pressured by many- including industrialists, the military and even his own son- to offer Hitler the chancellor position. On January 30 1933, Adolf Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor. The Nazi Cabinet after when Hitler is named Chancellor January 30 1933Around noon, a teary-eyed Hitler emerged from the presidential palace. Surrounded by supporters, he got into his car and was driven down the street lined with cheery citizens. Weve done it! Weve done it! he exclaimed exultantly. The Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Acts Despite his being sworn in as Chancellor, Hitlers coalition with the Nationalists still did not give them a majority, with only 247 seats out of a possible 583. On his first day as Chancellor, Hitler called for yet another election- to be held on March 5 1933. With the SS and the SA overcoming the police and ruling the nation, people who were being harassed or even murdered by the Nazis had nobody to go to. Several days passed and Hermann Gà ¶ring, an important member of the Nazi Party, claimed that he had uncovered plans for a Communist uprising. In actual fact, he had come across a membership list of the Communist Party and intended to arrest every one of its four thousand members. It is unknown what precisely happened on February 27 1933, but this is one rendition of the burning of the Reichstag Building. In Berlin, a deranged Communist named Marinus can deer Lubbe, 24, from Holland had, for the past week, been attempting to ignite government buildings to protest capitalism. It is though that Nazi Storm troopers had befriended the arsonist and even encouraged him to set light to the Reichstag. This happened at around 9 p.m. President Hindenburg and Vice-Chancellor Papen were dining at a club facing the Reichstag when they noticed the building was ablaze. Hitler was at the apartment of Joseph Goebbel- the Nazi in charge of Propaganda- at the time of the incident. When Hitler arrived at the scene, he told reporters the following: You are now witnessing the beginning of a great epoch [era] in German historyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Thus fire is the beginningà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The German people have been soft for too long. Every Communist official must be shot. All communist deputies must be hanged this very night. All friends of the Communists must be locked up. And that goes for the Democrats and the Reichsbanner as well. The following day, Hitler used the Reichstag fire to issue an emergency decree. Thousands of Communists, Social Democrats and Liberals were taken away top SA barracks to be beaten and tortured. Fifty-one anti-Nazis were brutally murdered. Fire engulfs the Reichstag Building February 27 1933On March 5, after an enormous propaganda campaign, the election results were in. The Nazis did not receive a majority- they were given only 44% of the vote or 17 277 180 votes. However, with their coalition with the Nationals, they did have a majority of 16 seats. Hitler now had a new goal. If he could obtain a two-thirds majority, then he could alter the constitution and give himself dictatorial powers. Needing only another 31 seats to do this, Hitler made use of blackmail, threats and false promises to have his Enabling Act voted for by opposition parties. The Enabling Act would, for four years, transfer power from the Reichstag to the Reich cabinet, including the power of legislation, budget, approval of treaties and constitutional amendments. When the Reichstag voted on the Enabling Act, it passed 441 to 84. All opposing acts were from the Social Democrats. Leader of the latter, Otto Wells, told Hitler subsequently: We German Social Democrats pledge ourselves solemnly in this historic hour to the principles of humanity and justice, of freedom and socialism. No Enabling Act can give you power to destroy ideas which are eternal and indestructible. Hitler, shouting with rage, replied with: You are no long needed!.. The star of Germany will rise and yours will sink! Your death knell has sounded! PART 2: THE NAZIS IN POWER Anti-Semitism from the Middle Ages EUROPE: Jews have always been the topic of hatred and ridicule since the death of Christ. The Jews were named Christ Killers and Murderers of God. This crime alone was considered so horrible that Jews were believed to be capable of any devilry. Martin Luther, founder of Protestantism, claimed that they were the Christians most vicious enemy, second only to Satan himself. Their synagogues should be set on fireà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Their homes should likewise be broken down and destroyedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ let us drive them out of the country for all time. Martin Luther, 1542 During the Middle Ages, Jews were said to be responsible for the years of the Plague that killed millions of Europeans. They were also widely believed to murder Christians- especially innocent children- for use of their blood during religious ceremonies. The Nazis made good use of these stories, hundreds of years later. When Jewish blood spurts from the knife, then things go twice as wellà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ From the Horst Wessel Song, a Nazi Anthem The Jews rarely lived in peace. Entire communities were raided and destroyed. Children were taken from their parents and raised as Christians. Some who refused to give up their beliefs were burnt at the stake. Jews were forbidden to be doctors, lawyers and teachers of Christians. Nor could they hire Christians to work for them, prepare food for Christians, be cared for by Christian nurses or live in the same household as a non-Jew. At many times, Jews were forced to wear a special badge so that Christians could recognize any Jews and easily avoid them. This treatment of the Jews was the basis of Hitlers persecution hundreds of years later. According to Christianity, lending money and charging interest- usury- was a sin. Jews were used to fill this job, used by the powerful to collect taxes and supervise peasant farmers of large estates. This role gave rise to such generalizations as, All Jews are rich, and The Jews control all money. After being pushed out of numerous countries, including England, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany, Jews were forced to live in limited areas- Ghettos. GERMANY: During the 11th Century, Christian knights travelled to the Middle East to kill Moslems during the Crusades. However, many found easier victims closer to home. Massacres in German towns left thousands of Jews dead. In the years of the Plague, hundreds of Jewish towns were brought to ruins and the persecution continued. At all times, Jews found their homes attacked, their synagogues burned and their cemeteries dishonored. In many country villages it was custom to stone Jews during the Holy Week before Easter. The word Anti-Semitism was first used in 1873 in a small book called The Triumph of Jewry over Germanism by Wilhelm Marr. Nazi Anti-Semitic Laws The following timeline lists the Nazi restrictions against the Jews from 1933 to 1942: 1933 March- Jewish lawyers were forbidden to work as lawyers in Berlin. Jewish judges were suspended from office. April- Jewish teachers were banned from teaching in state schools. Aryan and non-Aryan children were forbidden to play with each other. Jewish civil servants were dismissed from public office. Jews were excluded from sports and gymnastics clubs. 1935 March- Jewish writers were not allowed to carry out any form of literary work in Germany. Jewish musicians were not allowed to work in state orchestras. April- Jews were only allowed to sit on benches marked For Jews. Jewish art and antique dealers were not allowed to carry out their trade. September- The Nuremberg Laws All Jews had their German citizenship removed. Marriage ceremonies and extramarital sex between Germans and Jews were punishable by imprisonment. Marriages that had already taken place were declared invalid. 1936 January- Jews had to hand over electrical and optical equipment, bicycles, typewriters and records. April- Jewish vets were banned from working as such. August- Anti-Jewish posters were temporarily removed during the Olympic Games which took place in Berlin. October- Even if Jews converted to Christianity and were baptised, they were still to be classed as members of the Jewish race. 1938 January- Jews were forbidden to become members of the Red Cross. March- Only Aryan Germans could hold allotments. April- Jews had to declare their finances so that their assets could be seized by the government. July- Non-Jews were forbidden to leave anything in their wills to Jews. Jewish doctors were no longer allowed to work as doctors. Jewish street names were changed. August- Male Jews were forced to add the name Israel and female Jews the name Sara to their first names. Jewish passports were to be stamped with the letter J. November- Nov. 9-10- Kristalnacht (Night Of Broken Glass). German Jews are ordered to pay one million Reichmarks in for damages of Krystalnacht. All Jewish children are expelled from German schools and can attend only separate Jewish schools. December- Jews are banned from public streets on certain days. Jews are forbidden drivers licenses and car registrations. Jews may no longer attend universities as teachers or students. Aryanization is compulsory for all Jewish businesses. 1939 February- Jews are forced to hand over all gold and silver items. April- Jews lose rights as tenants and relocated into Jewish houses. September- Jews in Germany are forbidden to be outdoors after 8 p.m. in winter and 9 p.m. in summer. Jews in Poland are ordered to register all family members and relocate to the major cities. November- Jews in Poland are forced to wear the Star of David. The first Polish Ghetto is established. 1941 March- Deadline for entering the Poland Ghetto. May- Romania passes a law condemning adult Jews to forced labour. 1942 June- The German government closes all Jewish schools. Nazi Education It rapidly became clear to Hitler and the Nazis that it would be difficult to convert many of the Germans who had voted against them in the democratic elections. Therefore, the Nazis especially focused on controlling the German educational system so that the youth of Germany would accept the Nazi Principles. As Hans Schemm- leader of the Nazi Teachers League, put it, Those who have the youth on their side control the future. In Warsaw, a street sign states: Jews are forbidden to walk on this side of the street.As soon as the Nazis gained power in 1933, they molded the educational system to suit their needs. Private schools were closed or taken over, and racial hygiene was introduced with much emphasis into the school curriculum. Though many teachers supported the new system, a very large number were fired or left teaching, with some of the best educators emigrating. In 1934, Hitler appointed Bernhard Rust the Reichsminister fà ¼r Wissenschaft, Erziehung and Volksbildung, or the Reich Minister for Science, Education and Popular Culture. Rust was a former school teacher who had been fired for molesting a student. Rust immediately altered the schools to suit the needs of the Nazi Party. Jewish teachers and others who opposed the changes were fired. The remaining teachers and university professors were forced to join the National Socialist Teachers League. Anti-Semitism was also emphatically thrust upon students. Exams were given on topics such as this, and Jewish children would fail if they did not admit to their racial inferiority. Bernhard Rust continued as Minister of Education for twelve years before, in May 1945, he committed suicide when the Germans surrendered to Allied Forces. Kristalnacht The Nazi restrictions against the Jews steadily worsened. On October 28 1938, 17000 Jewish Polish citizens living in Germany were arrested and relocated across the Polish border and placed in relocation camps. One deportee was Zindel Grynszpan who had lived in Germany since 1911. On October 27, he and his family were forced out of their home, their store and their family possessions confiscated. A shattered storefront Kristalnacht- November 9-10- 1938 A burning synagogue at Baden-Baden Kristalnacht- November 9-10- 1938Grynszpans 17-year-old son, Herschel, was, at that time, living in Paris. When he heard of his familys relocation, he was so enraged that he travelled to the German embassy in Paris, intent on assassinating the German Ambassador. Instead, he settled for a lesser official, Third Secretary Ernst vom Rath. Rath, critically wounded, died two days later. This assassination gave Joseph Goebbels, Hitlers Chief of Propaganda, an excuse to launch an attack against German Jews. On the nights of November 9 and 10, mobs throughout Germany and Austria freely attacked Jews in the street, in their homes, at work and their synagogues. This event came to be known as Kristalnacht or the Night of Broken Glass. At least 96 Jews were mercilessly killed, hundreds more were injured, more than 1000 synagogues were burnt to the ground and around 7 500 Jewish businesses were destroyed. Cemeteries and schools were vandalized and 30 000 Jews were arrested and sent to concentration camps. It was unfairly decided by Nazi Officials that the Jews were to be held responsible for Kristalnacht. Accordingly, a fine of 1 billion marks was levied for the slaying of Vom Rath, and 6 million marks paid by insurance companies for broken windows was to be given to the state coffersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Snyder, Louis L. Encyclopedia of the Third Reich. New York: Paragon House, 1989:201) PART 3: THE HOLOCAUST The Creation of Ghettos in occupied Europe Though confining the Jewish race in ghettos had been occurring for centuries in numerous European countries, the Nazis ghettos somewhat differed. Whilst in previous centuries the ghettos had merely been a way to isolate the Jews from normal society, during the Holocaust they were a first step towards the Final Solution. In total, the Nazis established 356 ghettos in Poland, the Soviet Union, the Baltic States, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Hungary. The largest ghetto, in Warsaw, held 400 000 people. Other cities with large ghettos for Jews include Là ³dz, Bialystok, Czestochowa, Kielce, Krakà ³w, Lublin, Lvà ³v, Radom and Vilna. These large ghettos had brick or stone walls, wooden fences, barbed wire and guards placed at gateways. There were also a very large number of small ghettos, some housing as few as 3000 Jews. These were generally not sealed off as they were only used temporarily until the Jews could be sent to a larger ghetto. The conditions within these ghettos were very poor. Disease ravaged the over-crowded residents, and there was insufficient access to warm clothes and heating during the bitter cold winters. Starvation was an ongoing problem for many. Though it was illegal, parents continued to educate their children and many secretly held religious services and observed Jewish holidays. The Nazis built the Theresienstadt (or Terezà ­n) ghetto in northwestern Czechoslovakia to show visiting International Red Cross Inspectors the conditions in a typical ghetto. Flower gardens, cafà ©s and schools were constructed to shield the international community from the inhumane mistreatment of the Jewish and other people. The Einsatzgruppen The Einsatzgruppen (or Mobile Killing Units) were specially trained units of the S.S., whose orders were to execute on the spot all Communists, Jews, Gyspies and any other people deemed a threat or inferior. By the end of the war the Einsatzgruppen had murdered around 1.4 mill