Battle of Dak To in the Vietnam War

The Battle of Dak To was a major engagement of the Vietnam War and was fought from November 3 to 22, 1967. Armies Commanders US Republic of Vietnam Major General William R. Peers16,000 men North Vietnam Viet Cong General Hoang Minh ThaoTran The Mon6,000 men Background of the Battle of Dak To In the summer of 1967, the Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN) initiated a series of attacks in western Kontum Province. To counter these, Major General William R. Peers commenced Operation Greeley using elements of the 4th Infantry Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. This was designed to sweep PAVN forces from the jungle-covered mountains of the region. After a series of sharp engagements, contact with PAVN forces diminished in August, leading the Americans to believe that they had withdrawn back across the border into Cambodia and Laos. After a quiet September, US intelligence reported that PAVN forces around Pleiku were moving into Kontum in early October. This shift increased PAVN strength in the area to around division level. The PAVN plan was to utilize the the 6,000 men of the 24th, 32nd, 66th, and 174th regiments to isolate and destroy a brigade-sized American force near Dak To. Largely devised by  General Nguyen Chi Thanh, the goal of this plan was to force the further deployment of American troops to the border regions which would leave South Vietnams cities and lowlands vulnerable. To deal with this build up of PAVN forces, Peers directed the 3rd Battalion of the 12th Infantry and the 3rd Battalion of the 8th Infantry to launch Operation MacArthur on November 3. Fighting Begins Peers understanding of the enemys intentions and strategy was greatly enhanced on November 3, following the defection of Sergeant Vu Hong who provided key information regarding PAVN unit locations and intentions. Alerted to each PAVN units location and objective, Peers men began engaging the enemy the same day, disrupting the North Vietnamese plans for attacking Dak To. As elements of the 4th Infantry, 173rd Airborne, and the 1st Brigade of the 1st Air Cavalry went into action they found that the North Vietnamese had prepared elaborate defensive positions on the hills and ridges around Dak To. Over the ensuing three weeks, American forces developed a methodical approach to reducing PAVN positions. Once the enemy was located, massive amounts of firepower (both artillery and air strikes) were applied, followed by an infantry assault to secure to objective. To support this approach, Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 173rd Airborne established Fire Support Base 15 on Hill 823 early in the campaign. In most instances, PAVN forces fought tenaciously, bloodying the Americans, before vanishing into the jungle. Key firefights in the campaign occurred on Hills 724 and 882. As these fights were taking place around Dak To, the airstrip became a target for PAVN artillery and rocket attacks. Final Engagements The worst of these took place on November 12, when rockets and shellfire destroyed several C-130 Hercules transports as well as detonated the bases ammunition and fuel depots. This resulted in the loss of 1,100 tons of ordnance. In addition to the American forces, Army of Vietnam (ARVN) units also took part in the battle, seeing action around Hill 1416. The last major engagement of the Battle of Dak To began on November 19, when the 2nd Battalion of the 503rd Airborne attempted to take Hill 875. After meeting initial success, the 2/503 found itself caught in an elaborate ambush. Surrounded, it endured a severe friendly fire incident and was not relieved until the next day. Resupplied and reinforced, the 503rd attacked the crest of Hill 875 on November 21. After savage, close-quarters fighting, the airborne troopers neared the top of the hill, but were forced to halt due to darkness. The following day was spent hammering the crest with artillery and air strikes, completely removing all cover. Moving out on the 23rd, the Americans took the top of the hill after finding that the North Vietnamese had already departed. By the end of November, the PAVN forces around Dak To were so battered that they were withdrawn back across the border ending the battle. Aftermath of the Battle of Dak To A victory for the Americans and South Vietnamese, the Battle of Dak To cost 376 US killed, 1,441 US wounded, and 79 ARVN killed. In the course of the fighting, Allied forces fired 151,000 artillery rounds, flew 2,096 tactical air sorties, and conducted 257 B-52 Stratofortress strikes. Initial US estimates placed enemy losses above 1,600, but these were quickly questioned and PAVN casualties were later estimated to be between 1,000 and 1,445 killed. The Battle of Dak To saw US forces drive the North Vietnamese from the Kontum Province and decimated the regiments of the 1st PAVN Division. As a result, three of the four would be unable to participate the Tet Offensive in January 1968. One of the border battles of late 1967, the Battle of Dak To did accomplish a key PAVN objective as US forces began to move out from cities and lowlands. By January 1968, half of all US combat units were operating away from these key areas. This led to some concern among those on General William Westmorelands staff as they saw parallels with the events that led to French defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954.  These concerns would be realized with the beginning of the Battle of Khe Sanh in January 1968. Resources and Further Reading Vietnam Studies: Tactical and Material InnovationsEdward F. Murphy, Dak To. New York: Presidio Press , 2002.

Analysis Of Arthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman

Emily Alimusa COM 101—FALL 2014 Death of A Salesman Essay Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman offers an instructive example for understanding the production and maintenance of identity through communicative interaction in a family using the character Biff Loman. Throughout the play, we see Biff’s character develop and change. He is in an identity crisis and is trying to understand his place in the Loman family. Biff is constantly seeking the truth about himself. He believes there is more to his life than the lies Willy has been feeding him and his brother all of their life. In the same note, he wants to prove to his father that he is not the under achiever Willy makes him out to be. In the play, Willy Loman creates his own reality for himself. This reality is merely a fantasy world where he and his two sons are great and successful salesmen. They are well liked and the best there is. Willy tells his sons since they were at least teenagers that they key to success is to be well liked. Be internal izing this into his boys, they believe that his father is successful and that they want to be just like him. Linda, Willy’s wife, has helped him co-construct his reality by constantly making excuses for Willy. She maintains the image of Willy being great all the way through the boys’ adulthood. This is especially important for Biff. Biff has always thought very highly of his father. Through social interaction, this reality is maintained. In the scene when Willy, Hap and BiffShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Death Of A Salesman 1325 Words   |  6 PagesArthur Miller is one of the most successful and enduring playwrights of the post-war era in America. He focuses on middle-class anxieties since the theme of anxiety and insecurity reflects much of Arthur Miller’s own past. The play addresses loss of identity and a man’s inability to change within him and society (Miller 16). The American Dream has been an idea that has motivated society for centuries. It often times becomes the main theme for many movies, novels, and poems. In, The Death of aRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman 1136 Words   |  5 PagesGarett Miller Mr. James Mahle THE2000 2 August 2, 2016 Arthur Miller’s Impact Arthur Miller was born in 1915, and he died in 2005. He is possibly the most well-known and influential American playwright. He grew up during the Great Depression, so many of his plays deal with the American middleclass lifestyle. His two most influential works are Death of a Salesman and The Crucible. Death of a Salesman is about the tragic white collar worker, Willy Loman, while The Crucible is about the Salem witchRead MoreArthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman1027 Words   |  5 PagesAn Analysis of Tragic Heroism of Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller This literary study will define the tragic heroism of Biff Loman in Arthur Miller’s play The Death of a Salesman. Biff is initially a victim of Willy’s continual harassment to make more money and find a better career. In this family unit, Biff must endure the unrealistic and fantasy-based elusions of his father in his fanatical pursuit of the American Dream. However, Biff soon learns of Willy’s extra-marital betrayalRead MoreQuest For Literary Form : The Greeks Believed That The Tragedy1742 Words   |  7 Pagesof tragedy followed this belief. In the modern times, there has been a change in this view with various authors abandoning the classical form to follow more liberal forms of literacy. (Kennedy Gioia, Pp. 1203) Aristotle s Concept of Tragedy The analysis of Aristotle on tragedy formed the guideline for later poets in the Western civilization. Aristotle defined tragedy as â€Å"the simulation of actions that are stern, containing magnitudes, comprehensive in itself in a suitable andRead MoreFailure Of The American Dream In The Writings Of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zora Neale Hurston, And August Wilson1418 Words   |  6 Pages†American Dream† in the writings of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Arthur Miller, Zora Neale Hurston, and August Wilson. Fitzgerald’s account of the Jay Gatsby s rise to fame in the 1920s defines the failure of financial success as part of the American Dream. Gatsby will eventually die due to his excessive greed, which is not unlike the emotional death of Willy Loman as he fails to become a successful salesman in Author Miller’s Death of a Salesman. More so, Hurston’s depiction of Nanny’s own failures inRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible 1052 Words   |  5 PagesArthur Miller was one of the leading American playwrights in the 20th century. Arthur Miller was born on October 17, 1915 in Harlem New York City to Isidore and Augusta Miller (GradeSaver). After graduating from high school, Miller worked a variety of odd jobs including hosting a radio program; this was before the University of Michigan accepted him. At school, he studied journalism, became the night editor of the Michigan Daily, and began experimenting with theater and writing plays. He lived throughRead MoreAmerican Dream Derailed in The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman1486 Words   |  6 Pagesimmigrants came to America searching for new opportunities and a better life. In the early 1900’s all people could do is dream; however, those dreams gave many different meanings to the phrase â€Å"American dream†, and for the most part, wealth and hard work play a very large role in the pursuit of â€Å"the dream†. In F. Scott Fitzgeral d’s novel, The Great Gatsby, and Arthur Miller’s drama, Death of a Salesman, both protagonists, Jay Gatsby and Willy Loman, are convinced that the way to achieve a better lifeRead MoreKing Lear and Death of a Salesman Essay672 Words   |  3 Pagessociety and the effect this has on the protagonists; Shakespeare’s King Lear which was first performed in 1606 during the Jacobean era, presents a patriarchal society. Whilst, Arthur Miller uses the characters in ‘Death of a salesman’ to show the failure of the ‘American dream’ during the â€Å"golden era† of America in the late 40’s. The ‘American Dream’ was a set of ideals which suggested that anyone in the US could be successful through hard work, and had the potential to live a happy life. The senseRead MoreImportance Of Modernism In Modern Theatre1042 Words   |  5 Pagesthe 1930-s, while theatrical modernism was only gaining popularity. Consequently, theatri cal modernism is a separate phenomenon in the world of arts with its unique features, history of development, and timeline. Because the traces of modernism are a common situation in modern theatre, it can be useful to identify the intentions of dramatists and their dedication to this philosophical idea. For analyzing the modernism in modern drama, it is necessary to discuss three modern plays (Death of a SalesmanRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller1127 Words   |  5 PagesArthur Miller: â€Å"Death of a Salesman† Analysis Willy Loman had been a salesman for all of his life. Although he was a hard worker and kept up with an exhausting schedule, his family always practically lived in poverty and Willy was inferior in his company. He always told his family that they would get the big break he deserved. He had raised two sons, Happy and Biff, to think that life has somehow cheated them and insists that they will get their payback someday. Willy s wife, Linda, lives in denial

Low Interest Rate Long Term Effect Free Essays

Low Interest Rates Long Term Effect â€Å"The prolonged low-interest rate environment is transforming the banking industry from savings and loans to service and loans,† said Dan Geller, executive vice president of research firm Market Rates Insight in San Anselmo, Calif. (Fitzpatrick) Consumers may think that the continued low interest rates are a profound thing, but banks on the other hand think much differently. Consumers are refinancing their houses at rates as low as 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Low Interest Rate Long Term Effect or any similar topic only for you Order Now 875%, while big banks like Hudson City Bancorp Inc. , a mortgage lender, are being forced to sell themselves to MT Bank Corp. These super low interest rates are complicating the industry’s journey to a recovery from the financial crisis. In the article† Low Rates Pummel Banks†, from the Wall Street Journal, Dan Fitzpatrick further explains the negative effect of long term low interest rates. Fitzpatrick describes it as â€Å"Borrowers Benefit, but Industry Lending Profits Hit Lowest Level in Three Years†. (Fitzpatrick) Usually, we would believe it to be true that lower interest rates are a good thing, because they make it cheaper to borrow. Like so, there are those in support of the lower rates for example, the Fed and the consumers. For the past four years, since the 2008 financial crisis, the Federal Reserve Board had been trying to bounce back the US economy. The short term interest rates are extremely low and by purchasing more bonds they are reducing long-term rates. In all this has lowered the Ten-year U. S Treasury yields to 1. 43%, the lowest since World War II. (Fitzpatrick) The Feds see this as a positive because they believe the low rates increase the economic growth along with employment. They support their belief by stating that the low rates make it easier and cheaper for companies and individuals to borrow money. These low rates developed, in part due to the Fed, have sprung a rush in the mortgage refinancing industry. The growth in mortgage refinancing has assisted fee revenue at two major companies, J. P. Morgan Chase Co. and Wells Fargo Co. , which control nearly half of the mortgage market. Wells Fargo decided to keep nearly $10 billion of residential mortgages, which they would normally sell to investors just in search of more yield. Fitzpatrick speaks of a woman in N. Y. , Katherine Karl, which was able to refinance her house at 2. 875%, who expresses that her desire to refinance was because of the istoric low of interest rates. Many others like Karl have also taken opportunities to refinance their homes. Although those companies have survived, and Karl lowered her rate by 2. 5 percentage points, not all are seeing such positive effects. In an article by Robin Sidel of the Wall Street Journal, â€Å"Regional Bank Lands Big-City Deal†, we can see the downside of these low intere st rates. (Sidel) Hudson City, a mortgage lender based in Parmus, N. J. , has 135 branches, and has assets of $43. 6 billion, decided to sell itself to MT Bank Corp. , which is a regional bank. Hudson City’s loan portfolio was largely focused in mortgages, due to the drop in interest rates and the refinancing, the value of the portfolio dropped along with the interest rates. Once Hudson City had started to see a devalue of their portfolio, they had considered transforming themselves into a commercial lender. However, after much thought the Chief Executive Ronald Hermance decided this would take too long and increase their staff tremendously. (Sidel)This then led to the selling of Hudson City to MT Bank Corp. If interest rates continue to remain low we can expect to see more mergers and smaller banks selling out. In Chapter 5 of the book, there is an application called â€Å"Explaining Low Japanese Interest Rates†, which can help better understand the negative effect of low interest rates. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Japanese interest rates became the lowest in the world, in November of 1998, the interest rate on Japanese six-month Treasury bills actually turned negative. In correlation with the extremely low interest rates was a prolonged recession, which was followed with deflation. As we learned in the book, the negative inflation causes an increase in the demand for bonds, because of the decrease in expected return on real assets. This in turn caused the demand curve to shift to the right. The negative inflation also raised the real interest rate, thereby causing the supply of bonds to adjust, moving the supply curve to the left. In the end this led to an increase in the bond price and a decrease of interest rates. In the book it explains to us that the interest rate is negatively related to the bond price. In other words, when the equilibrium bond price rises, the equilibrium interest rate falls and vise-versa. There are other factors which led to the down fall of interest rates in the Japanese market. For example, the lack of profitable investments opportunities in Japan, and the business cycle contraction and the decrease of wealth during the business cycle contractions. These all would lead to the increase in bond price and the decrease of interest rates. This application shows us that low interest rates are not a good thing. In Japan’s case, the low and negative interest rates were a sign that their economy was in trouble with falling prices and a contracting economy. The interest will only rise back to normal levels when their economy returns back to a better economy. Fitzpatrick goes on to explain that because of the low interest rates banks will have to consider new ways to make money like Hudson City considered, by offering other services. However, higher cost of those banking services could lead to losing customers in the financial world which would then in return have a negative effect. He predicts that â€Å"Over time, subdues bank profits are likely to accelerate a shakeout that has halved the number of insured institutions over the past two decades†. (Fitzpatrick) He states this will happen by the pressure for smaller banks to take advantage of new technologies. The banks are suffering from the low interest rates in more ways than one. The low interest rates affect the bank’s benefit of holding depositors’ cash at the low rates. The problem with this is that many banks are stuck with a large increase in money to invest during which returns on securities are decreased. These deposit rates are at their lowest since the 50’s. (Fitzpatrick) Another way banks are suffering is due to the fact that they bet on higher-yielding mortgage bonds before rates fall. To counteract their losses banks are increasing loan prices. They are doing this in hopes of regaining their losses from the low interest rates, or refinancing of mortgages. In conclusion, although the low interest rates show a profit for some, the long term effect of low interest rates is bad for us. The low interest rates are a sign that are economy is in trouble, opposite of what the Fed is trying, just as in Japan. For our economy to return to a healthy economy, the interest rates will need to return to a normal level. Many banks will be forced to merger or sell out. Other banks will be forced to create new services. There will be an increased cost in the banking system, by increasing loan prices. The financial crisis and the Fed attempt to strengthen the economy have proven to be the derivative of the low interest rates which is driving the banking system, and mortgage lenders into chaos. Fitzpatrick describes it perfectly by quoting Mr. Lied saying Many smaller banks will â€Å"throw in the towel† and sell, as Hudson City did, if low rates persist, Mr. Lied said. â€Å"There are no magic bullets and there is no easy answer. † Works Cited Fitzpatrick, Dan. â€Å"Low Rates Pummel Banks. † Wall Street Journal 23 October 2012: A1. Sidel, Robin. â€Å"Regional Bank Lands Big-City Deal. † Wall Street Journal 28 August 2012: C1. How to cite Low Interest Rate Long Term Effect, Essay examples

My Diary On Tom Robinsons Case Essay Example For Students

My Diary On Tom Robinson?s Case Essay Now that I am looking back on Tom Robinsons court case, I have seen what my decision has done to my family and I have heard what my friends and neighbors have to say about the ordeal. If I could go back in time, I would still make the decision to defend Tom Robinson. This decision is backed by many reasons of logic and my morals. Many decisions people make are decided on what suits themselves, they do not think of other people and how it may affect them or show them what is right and what is wrong. I believe that defending Tom Robinson was the correct, moral action to take. If I did not take this case, I could never look at my children again (Lee 88). Many people say that I am a disgrace to the family for taking the case (Lee 83), however, I see it a little differently. In my eyes, I would be disgracing the family for not taking the case because it would not be just not to defend Tom Robinson since I knew that he was innocent. Throughout the trial, I believed (and still do) that Mayellas father, Bob Ewell, beat her (Lee 187). When I cross-examined Mayella, I tried to get her to admit to this, but she still insisted that Tom Robinson raped her (Lee 187-188). If a person would look at the evidence on hand, they would know that this was not the case. First of all, Toms left arm was crippled from being caught in a cotton gin (Lee 186). Considering the fact that she was bruised and beat on the right side of the face, this was not possibly an action from Tom. However, Bob Ewell was l eft handed, meaning that when he was hitting Mayella, he hit her along the right side of the face (Lee 177). Second of all, Tom was only trying to help Mayella with her chores around the house because no one else in the family would help her (Lee 191). Thirdly, why on this particular day, November 21st, were the children out of the house? Mayella told Tom that she had saved money for a whole year so she could treat them to ice cream (Lee 193). Also on that day, she asked him to come inside for the first time to fix the door hinges that did not need to be fixed (Lee 193). As stated by Tom, She sorta jumped on meshe hugged meshe reached up an kissed me side of th face. She says she never kissed a grown man before an she might as well kiss a nigger. (Lee194). Finally, why would somebody not call a doctor? When I asked Heck Tate this question, he replied, Well I can tell you why I didnt. It wasnt necessary, Mr. Finch. She was mighty banged up. Something sho happened, it was obvious. (Le e 167). In any case like this were there may be rape charges, a doctor should be called to clarify that the person had in fact been raped. When this case was finished, I was walking down the street when Bob Ewell approached me and spit in my face while threatening me (Lee 217). On Halloween night, he went way too far, he tried to kill my children (Lee 261-262). When he threatened me, I could handle it, but my children are different. Even if he was not finished with me, I would never of thought he would go after my Jem and Scout (Lee 269). This attempt of murder scared me, but at least they escaped with a few minor injuries. I believe that I made the right decision even though all of the terrible things that happened were a result from taking on the case. This case has made Jem and Scout stronger and has taught them to fight for what they believe in, even if it would bring hardships. In the end of this ordeal, Scout learned what I meant when I said that to really know somebody you have to walk in his or her shoes (Lee 279), which is a very important life lesson for anybody of any age. Jem and Scout also learned not to ju dge a person by his or her skin color, but by his or her heart. .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3 , .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3 .postImageUrl , .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3 , .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3:hover , .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3:visited , .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3:active { border:0!important; } .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3:active , .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3 .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7924583b93797afc3786cec2a1e8dea3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Current Moral and Social Issues Essay