World War 2 Consequences

Causes of World War 2 The World War 2 began in 1939. This is when France and Britain declared war on Germany. This occurred when Germany invaded Poland and therefore, this is what triggered the outbreak of war. However, the causes of the war are more complex.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on World War 2 Consequences specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The major causes of this Great War were the unresolved issues that resulted from the World War 1. Another reason was due to the effects of the Great Depression. This occurred in the 1930s. Another reason is the interwar period in Europe. Several events accumulated and led to the outbreak of the war. One of the events that contributed to the series of events includes the invasion that occurred in Poland in 1939. Soviet Russia and Germany were responsible for this invasion. Another event that had a great effect was the invasion into Republic of China. The Empire of Japan was responsible for this and this occurred in 1937. Several European powers such as the United Kingdom, Russia and France expanded their territories using force and aggression. This is a process that was referred to as expansionism or imperialism. Germany and Italy were not as successful as the other nations when it came to gaining territory under colonial rule. When Germany lost land to the other nations, it led to their relocation. This cause the Germans to get bitter and this interfered with their relations with their neighbors. This contributed to the feeling of revanchism. Under Nazism, Germany started a program that would lead to the restoration of the country’s rightful boundaries. These were the boundaries that were in place before World War 1. This lead Rhineland to reoccupied. When Hitler saw the success of this action, he believed that he could further invade Russia and Poland without causing any major war. Another leading cause is the failure of appeasement. The a ctions by Germany were thought to be reasonable since they thought that Germany had the right to re-arm herself in order to be ready to defend itself.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, the Munich Agreement was signed. This was between Germany, Italy, Britain and France. Czech was not invited and this made them feel betrayed. However, Hitler went ahead to break the terms and conditions of the Munich Agreement. He invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia. It was evident that the policy of appeasement had failed. Another thing that led to the World War 2 was the failure of the League of Nations. The reason why the U.S. was involved in the war The United States had remained neutral in the war but they were provoked into it. This was when the Japanese bombed the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor. This made the Japanese official enemies of the United States. The Japanese later bombed the U.S . fleet in the Philippines. This then agitated U.S., which decided to declare war on the Japanese. A few days later, Hitler decided to declare war against the United States. This led the U.S. to respond with fire. This then led to the full involvement of the United States in World War 2. FDR also wanted the United States to be involved in the war. He made public statements about Germany’s attacks. The Germans had made three separate attacks on U.S. vessels that had carried civilians. The U.S. pressured the Japanese with embargoes and caused their economic fall. It was after that when Hitler did what has been referred to as the ‘greatest military blunder in history’. This was when he declared war against the United States. He also wanted the Japanese to attack Russia on the eastern side. However, this did not happen. Since the Japanese were not involved, Germany had to fight on both sides and this is the main reason why Germany did not succeed. Hitler tried to hel p the Japanese because he was not aware how badly off they were. He believed that Japan had an army that had not seen defeat for more than a century.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on World War 2 Consequences specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since the Japanese were misguided, they made a mistake of attacking Pearl Harbor. This gave the Americans an incentive. The reason why Japan attacked Pearl Harbor dates back to the time when the U.S. banned any form of trade with the Japanese. This was because the Japanese had been aggressive towards the Chinese. As the U.S. embarked fully in the war, it ended up spending 42 billion dollars towards the war. Why the allies in Europe and the Pacific won The allies included the U.K., U.S., France, Soviet Union, Republic of China and Poland. The emperor of Japan had underestimated the abilities of the U.S. to make war in the Pacific. However, the Japanese army did not have suffici ent resources to go ahead with the war. The British, on the other hand, pushed the Japanese killing all those who appeared on their path. As a result, almost a half a million of them were killed. The U.S. also continued to capture the islands and drew closer to the Japanese territory. China, Russia and Britain then liberated the portions of China that had been occupied by the Japanese. The attempts of the Italians and Germans to greedily capture and expand their empires were not successful. This was because they had bad strategy and morale. The Russians came in from the east and killed more than half of all the German soldiers. This led the allies to land in Normandy and they liberated France. Consequences of the war World War 2 had diverse effects throughout the world. The consequences included both positive and negative effects. Firstly, millions of lives were lost as a result of the war. Millions more were left homeless. Another consequence was the division of Germany. It was div ided into four and each was governed by the allied powers. These included the United Kingdom, United Nations, Soviet Union and France. These were the direct effects.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, there were indirect effects and consequences of the war. One of the direct effects was that the war acted as a catalyst for various local, regional and global phenomena. This included the redrawing of the borders of Europe. U.K.’s welfare state was also born as a result of the war. Another result of the war was the creation of Israel. Various organizations also rooted as a result of the world war. Such organizations include the World Bank, the United Nations, World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund. The war also led to the emergence of new technologies. One of such technologies was nuclear fission. This was necessary for the nations to produce nuclear weapons in order to protect themselves from future attacks. Another technology was the invention of the jet engine and electronic computer. This essay on World War 2 Consequences was written and submitted by user Marcos E. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The battle of Midway essays

The battle of Midway essays I am doing a report on the disease Diphtheria. The definition of the disease is a bacterial disease that affects the throat and can cause serious or fatal complications. It is a serious disease caused by the bacterium. There is a lot of history on this disease. In the late 1800s diphtheria came across western Europe and the United States, it killed thousands of children. The diphtheria characterized by infection is more contagious than the disease characterized by respiratory infection. Diphtheria is a disease of the respiratory system. It causes membranes to grow on the inner throat. Sometimes the membranes release a toxin into the bloodstream(which is poisonous). The membranes clog the air passages then you can hardly breath, most of the time you will die. You should have complete bedrest for two to three weeks. Then a man named Bela Schick came over the Schick test. He discovered that the disease was only to be found in humans. It may sometimes enter and effect the skin. This disease is now rare in most of the world. That is most of the history There are many symptoms that can aware you that you have the disease. You should notice the first symptoms during the first through seventh days after you get it. Some of the first symptoms you sill get are fatigue, a low-grade fever, and a sore throat. Next you will also notice swelling to the neck. Some other symptoms are painful swallowing, nausea and vomiting, chills, bloody, watery drainage from nose, scabbing of nostrils and upper lip, bluish coloration of skin, fever, headache, breathing difficulty, croup-like cough, hoarseness, stridor, drooling, and rapid breathing. Those are most of the symptoms of There are many treatments for Diphtheria. As soon as the disease is suspected diphtheria antitoxin is given as an intramuscular injection. The Disease is treated with ...

Current Ethical Issues in Managerial Accounting Report Research Paper

Current Ethical Issues in Managerial Accounting Report - Research Paper Example The ethical issues might generate from these activities or functions which perform by the managerial accountants in an organization. The various ethical issues which are currently prevailing in management accounting reports are related to overproduction, cost allocation, replacement of assets and conflicting interests amid the stakeholders (Taicu, n.d.). This paper intends to identify a particular ethical issue that is currently being debated. Moreover, a detailed analysis of the identified ethical issue, recognition of the relevant stakeholders and suitable recommendations as well as rationale to mitigate with the ethical issues will also be depicted in this paper. A Brief Overview of the Recent Ethical Issue A recent ethical issue has been observed in an organization named UBS, a global business firm which offers different financial services to the customers in over 50 nations. It has been viewed that the organization faced substantial financial loss of nearly UK$ 2.3 billion in th e year 2011 due to the involvement of certain ethical issues. The ethical issues which were involved in this case were regarding false accounting and fraudulent activity of misinterpretation of the financial statements which can be related to the process of managerial accounting. In relation to this case, the former trader of UBS named Kweku Adoboli was alleged for the conduct of such ethical issues. False accounting can be considered as one of the major ethical issues as it occurs when the assets or liabilities of an organization are overstated for the motive of making the financial position of the business more stronger. The ethical issue of false accounting generally occurs due to various reasons like hiding losses, inflating the share prices, reporting unrealistic profits and obtaining additional financing from banks. The ethical issue of false accounting was majorly involved with the case of UBS. The former trader of the company i.e. Kweku Adoboli may perform the ethical issue of false accounting by adopting any one of the aforementioned unethical practices. Consequently, the former trader was arrested due to the conduct of unethical practices in terms of false accounting and fraudulent activity of misinterpretation of the financial statements (Shirbon, 2012). Identification of the Relevant Stakeholders The stakeholders are regarded as individuals or groups upon whom an organization depends for its success. They invest significant amounts of money into an organization and anticipate attaining greater financial return. With regard to the ethical issues, it has been apparently observed that the organization suffered huge financial loss of nearly UK$ 2.3 billion in the year due to the prevalence of significant moral issues. The ethical issues include false accounting practices and fraudulent acts of misinterpretation of financial statements. The relevant stakeholders who were involved with the ethical practices are the company itself and the former trader of UBS named Kweku Adoboli. The potential reason of this stakeholder i.e. Kweku Adoboli to conduct the ethical practice of false accounting was to strengthen his financial position and also to attain significant earnings (Shirbon, 2012). Recommendations and Rationale After acquiring a brief idea about the ethical pract

The globalization essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The globalization - Essay Example Also the period of recession, economical development/ advancement have has a major impact on the families of the two country. Owing to the globalization, the families in the two countries have started to come a lot closer with Indians adopting the pub culture from West and Americans shifting to meditation and Yoga, generally considered a heritage of India. Still, there is some difference in the two families owing to the long held cultural values by the residents as well as because of the economical strata of the two countries. Although the concept of consanguinity originally referred to relations by "blood," some anthropologists have argued that one must understand the notion of "blood" metaphorically, and that many societies understand 'family' through other concepts rather than through genetic distance. A group of family constitutes a society. A society is generally responsible for determining the behavior pattern for the families. The cultural ethoses are perpetuated from society to future generations via the head of the family. The primary responsibility of every family is to work for the betterment of society as a whole. From the perspective of children, the family is a family of orientation: the family serves to locate children socially, and plays a major role in their enculturation and socialization. Although the above mentioned pattern is common to most of the societies, irrespective of the fact whether they are based in developed country or the developing country, but there are certain difference in terms of the cultural ethos and the behavioral pattern observed. We in our study will take example of family from a developed nation - USA and a developing nation India to mark the similarity and the difference. Developed Country- USA American Family: Belonging to a family is one bond almost everyone in the world shares, but as we have discussed family patterns vary from country to country, region to region and may even vary between various castes and creeds. The United States has many different types of families, but the traditional structure of a typical American family, a nuclear family, is still persistent for a very long time now. Yet, over a span of few years, American society has witnessed an evolution in family structure and daily life in many respects, because of various different factors, emerging from a huge development in the field of science and technology. But as said by wise people, there are no free lunches, this advancement in science and technology has lead to a greater commitment in the professional life thereby giving a jolt to work life balance and

Henry David Thoreau Essay Example for Free

Henry David Thoreau Essay Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862) was an American writer and philosopher famous for his naturalistic and anarchical ideas as well as his adherence to the movement of transcendentalism. Thoreau was a vegetarian, actively stood against slavery and war, and was one of the first who supported Darwin’s theory of evolution. Among his many works, the best known are his essay, Civil Disobedience, a proclamation against injustice and an urge for individual opposition to civil government, and the book ‘Walden’, where Thoreau’s reflects his personal experience of living simple life in natural environment. Although these works, like many others of Thoreau, are considered ‘transcendental’ and had been published ages ago, the ideas and concepts they contain may still at some point be related to the issues we may face while living in the 21st century. In general, the core of transcendental beliefs is a faith into a perfect spiritual state of mind that transcends both empirical and physical. It can only be realized through the person’s intuition, not through the doctrines of any existing religions. Therefore, it is rather a philosophy then a religion. The transcendentalism was grounded on principles that are ‘transcendental’, i. e.  based not upon sensual experiences but upon inner feelings and empirical, spiritual essence of a human. (En. wikipedia. org) American transcendentalism was mainly dominating in the first half of the 19th century, encouraging to abandon our mundane world, establish close relationship between human and nature, and to concentrate on ideal existence through spiritual abundance and self-reliance. Henry David Thoreau was admitted as a co-founder of this movement not only for his great thoughts on transcendentalism, but also for his empirical ideas and personal practice of his beliefs, which was greatly illustrated in his most famous book, ‘Walden’. The book firstly released as ‘Walden, or Life in the Woods’ (1854) was later widely recognized as one of the best non-fictional works of American authors. Living amidst woodland that belonged to R. W. Emerson, his friend and another founder of transcendentalism, near Concord, Massachusetts, in the small unpretentious self-built cabin, Thoreau mainly aimed to isolation from society for its better, more objective understanding. He stayed there alone for almost two years but kept receiving and returning visits. For example, he often went to Emerson’s hÐ ¾use for meÐ °l and conversÐ °tion. Moreover, as he indicates in the book, the cabin was located ‘at the edge of town’, not in the wilderness, even not far away from his family home. Therefore, he focuses reader’s attention on the importance of human’s closeness to the nature, self-reliance and meditation. The book combines Thoreau’s autobiography with a criticism of society, namely American consumerism, materialism, and nature destruction, the issues still common in our century as well. Such experiment of cut-off living was made by Thoreau for special purposes. First, he tried to escape the negative effects of the Industrial Revolution through keeping agrarian lifestyle. Interesting fact, the experiment was of a temporary character, and in the book Thoreau strongly advises his readers to avoid repeating it. Thus, anyone who studies Thoreau’s works has to keep in mind that at some degree they should be approached philosophically rather than understood literally. Second, the writer wanted to practically experience the main transcendental belief that every individual can transcend from normal to divine by means of nature itself. Like other members of the movement, in the ‘Walden’ Thoreau, for example, speaks about Vedic concepts to illustrate his vision of the nature. â€Å"I lay down the book and go to my well for water, and lo! There I meet the servant of Brahmin, priest of Brahma, and Vishnu, and Indra, who still sits in his temple of the Ganges reading the Vedas, or dwells at the root of a tree with his crust and water-jug. I meet his servant come to draw water for his master, and our buckets as it were grate together in the same well. The pure Walden water is mingled with the sacred water of the Ganges. (Thoreau 221) At some point, Thoreau’s attempts to promote the ideals of transcendentalism may seem to be impractical and rather inapplicable. In fact, after an in-depth analysis, Thoreau’s ideals may even look infeasible, namely his appeals to ascetic way of living and refusal of common human needs. In the scope of critical thinking, impossibility to follow the idea of living without any blessings of civilization is rather obvious. The average American who lives in the 21st century can hardly imagine him- or herself without Internet connection, using cell-phones, driving cars, or going to supermarkets. Nevertheless, it is possible at certain degree. Moreover, due to global ecology problems, it even may become necessary for each of us to refuse some advantages of our daily welfare for the great purpose of saving the world from environmental catastrophe. For this reason ‘Walden’, as well as many other Thoreau’s works, is frequently quoted by specialists who work in various fields and are concerned with the environmental problems of the Earth in general and in the USA in particular. While the whole issue of bad ecology becomes more and more crucial, Thoreau’s idea of simple life in the forest turns out to be not as unsuitable as it seemed at first glance. It is important to mention that Thoreau’s works on natural history is a great anticipation of findings and methods in the fields of ecology and the history of environment, which later became main sources of nowadays movement of environmentalism. In the book ‘Earth Rising: American Environmentalism in the 21st Century’ we read that â€Å"some 150 years ago, transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau, sitting in his tiny cabin on Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts, was already mourning the loss of the wilderness and the debilitating effect of industrialism on the human spirit†. (Shabecoff 16) Thoreau significant influence onto the entire concept of nature preservation and conservation is unquestionable. â€Å"In the United States†¦ the movement expanded in the 1800s, out of concerns for protecting the natural resources of the West, with individuals such as John Muir and Henry David Thoreau making key philosophical contributions. Thoreau was interested in people’s relationship with nature and studied this by living close to nature in a simple life. He published his experiences in the book ‘Walden’, which argues that people should become intimately close with nature. The conservationist principles as well as the belief in an inherent right of nature were to become the bedrock of modern environmentalism†. The conservation movement is a political, social and scientific movement that aims to protect natural resources, including plant and animal species as well as their habitat for the future. Chiefly in the United States, conservation is seen as differing from environmentalism in that it seeks to preserve natural resources expressly for their continued sustainable use by humans. In other parts of the world conservation is used more broadly to include the setting aside of natural areas and the active protection of wildlife for their inherent value. (En. wikipedia. org) Because of Thoreau and his associates humanity became truly concerned about the nature, the world we live in. He can definitely be called a pioneer ecologist. Numerous contemporary movements and organizations prove the actuality of environment problem and therefore significance of all Thoreau’s works related to nature preservation. For example, his vision of the environmental issues in the 19th century became a ground for the book ‘From Walden to Wall Street: Frontiers of Conservation Finance’ written in the current times. â€Å"Why do we invest in conservation? Why do human beings invest their time, energy and financial resources in protection of land, plants, and animals? We invest in conservation because it is an expression of our faith in the future. Conservation investment is an expression of our faith in the future of natural systems that are essential to life on Earth. It is an expression of our faith in the future of deeply loved natural wonders. And it is an expression of faith in the future of our families and communities whose lives will be immeasurably enriched by the living world that we are striving to sustain†. (Levitt 3) Here is one more evidence on how outstanding were the Thoreau’s works and what a great impact they made and still do. In ‘Walden’ he included a famous aphorism that â€Å"in wilderness is the preservation of the world†. Thoreau kindled the Wilderness Religion that found fertile ground in America and provided a spiritual basis for conservation. In ‘The Main Woods’ (1864) Thoreau called for the establishment of national forest preserves, helping to set the stage for the National Park movement. (Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature 6) Despite of the fact that Walden is considered by some critics a failed experiment, the issues raised in the book are still of current importance. As 21st-century people, for instance, we suffer of consumerism and globalization, with their negative ethical aspects. Thoreau’s prophetic awareness of them is amazing, they are as relevant now, as they used to be in his century. He rejects consumerism, its adverse effect on society with its status stratification, and still teaches us lessons vital for our survival and progress. Another kind of ideas Thoreau often promoted in his works are related to anarchism and civil disobedience. Thus, let us shift our attention to this theme of Thoreau’s writings and discuss how those fit in the American viewpoint of the 21st century. In his disobedience to the American low of his times he was as prominent as in his attempts to bring humanity closer to the nature. He certainly was a key figure in the American radicalism. Disobedience was the main point in his endeavors to justifÃ'Æ' morÐ °l anÐ °rchism and to encourage each individual to act on the basis of their personal judgments, their personal opinion about the very justice rather than civil regulations. Unfortunately, Thoreau offers nothing instead and relies of his personal sÐ µnse of justice, which is univÐ µrsal. Here is the historical background of the essay. â€Å"’Civil Disobedience’ is an analysis of the individual’s relationship to the state that focuses on why men obey governmental law even when they believe it to be unjust. But ‘Civil Disobedience’ is not an essay of abstract theory. It is Thoreau’s extremely personal response to being imprisoned for breaking the law. † Because he opposed slavery and because tax revenues contributed to the support of it, Thoreau decided to become a tax rebel. He was arrested and imprisoned. It was short as a one night but has had enduring effect through the writing of ‘Civil Disobedience’ which has exerted its powerful force over time. (McElroy 2) In accordance with Thoreau’s ideals, the government of his days was far from perfection due to Mexican-American war and slavery expanded in the US. Therefore, the essay was written as anti-slavery and anti-war protest soon after the war’s beginning. Thoreau later wrote about governmental justice. â€Å"If it is of such a nature that requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law. Let your life be a counter friction to stop he machine†¦ Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also prison†. (Thoreau 259) In the essay the author urges American citizens to show their disagreement to government by passive disobedience without acts of violence. Such form of protest was later used by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King who initiated movements for social changes. Thoreau was emphasizing the importance of acting upon the person’s ethical and moral beliefs. According to Thoreau, â€Å"unjust law exists: shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once? † This urge to disobedience is in tune with the message of ‘Walden’. Those who are not satisfied with the society should not obey its norms, and neither wait until the norms are changed, nor until the majority joins them, but live according to their own believes. Personal values should be compared to the ones of the contemporary society, and unless they comply, stick the voice of conscience. Thoreau also said that â€Å"it costs me less in every sense to incur the penalty of disobedience to the state, than it would to obey. I should feel as if I were worth less in that case. † (Thoreau 258) In fact, many of the issues pinpointed by Thoreau 150 years ago have not yet been overcome by the American society, and that strikes the most. He hated its slavish materialism as well as commercialism and believed that â€Å"the state should never rank above the individual conscience or the business of living. But if the state demands a person’s first allegiance by asking him to violate his conscience and participate in an injustice, the person should disobey – not through violence but by removing his cooperation. † (McElroy 3) Thoreau foresaw many issues typical to the modern American society. Over 150 years ago he predicted the crisis, spiritual and moral, that now corrodes it. The writer still begs us to slow down our hectic lives, to review our values, and to live in harmony with our consciences. He repeatedly talks about the possibility to establish a society where the justice is appreciated and the beauty of the nature is preserved.

You are My Life :: Love Letters Dating Email Relationships

Dear Julie, It's fair to say that the past couple of weeks have been somber and gloomy for me. I have been living in the dark, as though a big black cloud has engulfed me. I have felt like there has been something missing from my heart, and although I wasn't sure what it was, I now realize it was the part I gave to you. Julie, you have been the missing part of my heart! Now, slowly, it's as though that piece is being put back into place and I'm starting to see a glimmer of light, just as though someone, somewhere has turned on a light and it's starting to flicker alive. It's hard for me to explain what this feeling is, all I can say is that when I've been with you lately, the movie I'm watching seems better, the music I'm listening to sounds more alive, even things like doing the dishes is more fun when you're with me. Everything I've ever done in my life has been better, brighter, and more exciting when I've been able to share it with you. I want you to know that the most important thing in my life is you. Nothing compares to holding you in my arms. I would never want you to not know the way I feel about you. I love you and I'm sure you must realize that, but for me, that is no longer enough now. I want you to really know how much I love you. I so dearly need the comfort and the security of knowing that whenever I say, I love you, you're going to say the same words. I wish that sometimes you would say them before I do and make me believe you mean them so much. I've feel so lucky that you've decided to share your life with me, and there's nothing, I wouldn't do to make you happy. I want you to want me. Just like I want you. There's no price you can put on love. I know you can't make love come back to the way it was: I know it'll come back, if, and when it's ready. I just want you to know that for every ounce of love you give to me, I will give it back to you a thousand times more. I worship and adore you and no one could ever compete with the beauty I see when you stand before me.

World War Two and the B-24 Bomber

Several aircraft from the World War Two era have achieved iconic status. The F4U Corsair, TBM Avenger and the B-17 and B-29 Super fortresses are all legendary in their service for the Allied cause. There is another such aircraft that never achieved the fame of those mentioned but was critical to the Allies war effort none the less. The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was the work horse of the Allied fleet. Its entrance into the war came at a critical and vulnerable time for Allied survival in Europe. After proving its effectiveness in early missions the B-24 would go on to be used in all theatres of the conflict.It was the most numerous, most versatile and possibly the most effective Allied plane of World War Two. The Design Stage The B-24 bomber was designed as part of the strategic bombing plans drawn up by the Allies in the 1930s. Built by Consolidated Aircraft of Ypsilanti, Michigan, the bomber took its first flight in late December of 1939. Consolidated was a subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company, an icon of American business. The Ford factory was able to produce more than four hundred B-24s per month. By 1941 the plane would enter wartime service. High demand in 1942-43 prompted Consolidated to expand its production facilities.The San Diego plant was increased to three times its original size. A new plant was built in Fort Worth, Texas. The flagship plant was built in Willow Run, Michigan in 1942. At the time this plant was the largest industrial plant of any kind in the United States. In the process thousands of Americans were put to work. The vastness of the Willow Run Plant made for some interesting accommodations. At a certain point in the assembly line the planes would be mechanically turned at a right angle. The purpose was to avoid having the planes crossing into a neighboring county where taxes were higher.Consolidated had received the contract to produce the B-17 bomber only one year earlier in 1938. After examining the capabilities of the B-17, the A rmy requested a faster and higher flying plane. The updated plans would result in the building of the B-24 Liberator. Designed as a strategic heavy bomber the airplane was affectionately referred to as the â€Å"Lumbering Lib† by the RAF pilots who used it to patrol the Atlantic. 2 â€Å"Liberator† would then be incorporated officially as part of the aircraft’s name. The plane almost immediately went into heavy production. A mainstay of the Army andNavy air forces, it was also used by the RAF (Royal Air Force) and the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force). The plane cost about $300,000 to build. By wars end over 19,000 B-24s had been built 3. This exceeds the total of any other Allied aircraft. 1. Philip Makanna. 1995. Ghosts in the Skies: Aviation of the Second World War. (San Francisco: Chronicle Books), p. 156. 2. Philip Makanna. 1995. Ghosts in the Skies: Aviation of the Second World War. (San Francisco: Chronicle Books), p. 157. 3. Bill Gunston. 2000. History of Military Aviation. (London: Hamlyn Pub. ), p. 93.Bomber design was still in its infancy and the B-24 did have some problems. It was prone to fire due to the placement of its fuel tanks. The only way to enter or exit the plane was through the bomb bay, a difficult proposition in a crisis situation. It was also somewhat cumbersome to fly. The plane’s designers had to make these tradeoffs in order to maximize the performance and the long range capability of the aircraft. The plane was also somewhat vulnerable to enemy fire, given its relatively lightweight construction. The high altitude capability of the plane helped minimize this threat.There were a substantial number of orders for the plane even while it was still only a prototype. In addition to the three dozen ordered by the Army, the French and British had each ordered more than three times that number. The French order was cut short by the German invasion in 1940. The British received their order and immediately put the p lanes to use on critical missions. Introduction to the War Ultimately, the B-24 would serve a wide ranging role in all corners of the conflict. It would be used to â€Å"equip 45 groups all over the world† 4. The initial role for the B-24 was to conduct deep ocean patrols.The British were in dire need of a long range patrol aircraft, Prior to the arrival of B-24s in the Atlantic, German U-boats were wreaking havoc on Allied shipping. British reconnaissance activities had a limited range. The arrival of the B-24 allowed the Royal Air Force to patrol much farther out into the ocean. As a result the U-boats were driven back into areas where they could be more easily targeted. The ultimate result was impressive – â€Å"The arrival of radar-equipped RAF B-24s in _____________________________________________________________________ 4. Bill Gunston. 2000. History of Military Aviation.(London: Hamlyn Pub. ), p. 93. Ireland†¦temporarily ended sinkings in the mid-Atlanticà ¢â‚¬  5. In 1942 the British began to use the B-24 in long-range bombing missions in the Middle East. Up to this time the plane had primarily served in recon and transport functions. American entry in to the war also led to a buildup of forces in England. Had the RAF Atlantic patrols not been effective; it is likely that the buildup would have taken much longer and Britain may have been lost. â€Å"The Mighty Eighth† was among the early American air groups transferred to Britain 6. The eighth brought with them numerous B-17s and B-24s.As the British and American forces continued to gain their footing, their mission would gradually evolve from the Atlantic patrols to the long range bombing missions over Germany. In the early years of the war radar equipped B-24s proved more than a match for the German U-boat menace. The RAF was able to drive the U-boats out of the middle Atlantic, at least for a while. The Germans would make modifications to U-boat strategy to counter the eff ects of the B-24s, but safe passage for shipping at this vital stage would play an important role in stemming the German tide.The British were able to gain their footing and the Americans were able to get a foothold in Europe. By defeating u-boats, the allies established control of the Atlantic, Saved Britain and made possible the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. 7 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Charles Gross. 2002. American Military Aviation: The Indispensable Arm. (College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press), p. 106. 6. Bill Gunston. 2000. History of Military Aviation. (London: Hamlyn Pub. ), p. 93. 7. Charles Gross. 2002.American Military Aviation: The Indispensable Arm. (College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press), p. 207. The plane would also become a key asset in the Pacific theater. With the B-29 still in development, U. S. forces needed a long-range bomber to cover the vast distances of th e Pacific Ocean. As additional bombers came on-line, the B-24 proved especially amenable to modification for different purposes. In that sense â€Å"It was altogether more versatile† than the B-17 and B-29 8. In the Pacific, the B-24 was considered the â€Å"standard† heavy bomber. Range was a primary asset of the B-24.Its ability to complete 2,000 mile missions without refueling made it possible to conduct missions far out at sea or over hostile territory. The plane could carry over 8,000 pounds of bombs. For defensive purposes, it was armed with ten . 50 caliber machine guns. The B-24 had been among the early generation of long-range bombers developed in between World Wars one and two. Even so, the aircraft boasted many new innovations and capabilities. Its design also allowed for great flexibility of use. Some B-24s were modified for use in reconnaissance missions. Their high altitude capabilities added to their effectiveness in this role.The B-24s engines also had the power for the plane to be used in transport of materials and personnel. A few were used as fuel tankers. The B-24 was even used as a VIP transport plane. The Prime Minister of Britain, Winston Churchill, used one as his personal transport plane. Turbo supercharged engines were first added to the XB-24B model along with body armor and self sealing tanks. Power driven turrets and additional nose guns were added to the 24C. The development of the Norden bombsight enabled the B-24 to drop its bombs accurately from a vertical distance of up to five miles.All in all the B-24 8. Christopher Chant. 1992. The Military History of the United States (Vol. 9). (New York: Marshall Cavendish), p. 91. Liberator was a fearsome weapon of war. The Liberator: †¦had the defensive firepower and high altitude performance to fight their way through screens of Axis fighters and then deliver their bombs with pinpoint accuracy. 9 The B-24H produced in 1943 was an even more formidable weapon. This ver sion had a power-operated gun turret in the nose of the aircraft. It also had an auto pilot system and a refueling system.An improved version of the Norden bombsight provided even better bomb accuracy. Analysis and Conclusion The B-24 Liberator filled a critical gap in the offensive and defensive capabilities of the Allied air forces. It was heavily relied upon throughout the war. In the early part of the war it provided a vital strike capability against the German U-boats in the Atlantic. The B-24 also proved itself in peace time. It was used well into the 1950s by the Coast Guard for rescue and weather recon missions. Near the end of the war and half a world away a B-24 launched the first radar guided air to ground missile in 1945.At the beginning of the war long-range bombing formation tactics were still in their infancy. Losses for the B-17 and the B-24 were high. As the war continued, tactics improved and the B-24 in particular became more effective. The B-24 was flexible enoug h to be used in all theaters of the war. Not only was it a constant presence in Europe and the Pacific; it also performed well in Africa, India and the Middle East. The Liberator ultimately made its name in the Battle of the Atlantic. The â€Å"Atlantic ________________________________________________________________________ 9. Christopher Chant. 1992.The Military History of the United States (Vol. 9). (New York: Marshall Cavendish), p. 126. Gap† was an area of the ocean where German submarines had previously operated with impunity. This threatened to cut of England from critical military and humanitarian supplies. The B-24 was the first aircraft with the range to effectively patrol the gap. For this reason it has been credited by some with saving Britain. It is possible that without them, attrition could have weakened Britain to the point where they were vulnerable to invasion. The redesigns of the B-24 were both effective and creative.Many of the ideas for these modificatio ns came from soldiers in the field. In one example, soldiers used a damaged B-24 to design a transport plane. Back in the United States, Consolidated put their ideas into mass production. The B-24 was rugged, innovative and flexible. It might be argued that its greatest effect on the war came from the sheer number of planes produced. More B-24s flew in the war than any other plane. The Ford Motor company was the unquestioned master of mass production. It had an unrivaled ability to produce huge numbers of machines very quickly.It is this type of industrial might that eventually overwhelmed the Axis powers. The B-24 Liberator was symbolic of that power. Notes 1. Philip Makanna. 1995. Ghosts in the Skies: Aviation of the Second World War. (San Francisco: Chronicle Books), p. 156. 2. Philip Makanna. 1995. Ghosts in the Skies: Aviation of the Second World War. (San Francisco: Chronicle Books), p. 157. 3. Bill Gunston. 2000. History of Military Aviation. (London: Hamlyn Pub. ), p. 93. 4. Bill Gunston. 2000. History of Military Aviation. (London: Hamlyn Pub. ), p. 93. 5. Charles Gross. 2002.American Military Aviation: The Indispensable Arm. (College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press), p. 106. 6. Bill Gunston. 2000. History of Military Aviation. (London: Hamlyn Pub. ), p. 93. 7. Charles Gross. 2002. American Military Aviation: The Indispensable Arm. (College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press), p. 207. 8. Christopher Chant. 1992. The Military History of the United States (Vol. 9). (New York: Marshall Cavendish), p. 91. 9. Christopher Chant. 1992. The Military History of the United States (Vol. 9). (New York: Marshall Cavendish), p. 126.