First Battle of El Alamein in World War II

First Battle of El Alamein in World War II The First Battle of El Alamein was fought July 1-27, 1942, during World War II (1939-1945). Having been badly defeated by Axis forces at Gazala in June 1942, the British Eighth Army retreated east into Egypt and assumed a defensive position near El Alamein. Pursued by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the British constructed an elaborate array of defenses. Commencing attacks on July 1, Axis forces proved unable to break through Eighth Army. Subsequent British counterattacks failed to dislodge the enemy and by late July a stalemate ensued. In the wake of the fighting, command of Eighth Army passed to Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery who would lead it to victory at the Second Battle of El Alamein that fall. Fast Facts: First Battle of El Alamein Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: July 1-27, 1942Armies Commanders:AlliesGeneral Claude Auchinleckapprox. 150,000 menAxisField Marshal Erwin Rommelapprox. 96,000 menCasualties:Axis: approx. 10,000 killed and wounded, 7,000 capturedAllies: approx. 13,250 casualties Background Following its crushing defeat at the Battle of Gazala in June 1942, the British Eighth Army retreated east towards Egypt. Reaching the border, its commander, Lieutenant General Neil Ritchie, elected not to make a stand but to continue falling back to Mersa Matruh approximately 100 miles to the east. Establishing a defensive position based on fortified boxes that were linked by minefields, Ritchie prepared to receive Field Marshal Erwin Rommels approaching forces. On June 25, Ritchie was relieved as the Commander-in-Chief, Middle East Command, General Claude Auchinleck, elected to take personal control Eighth Army. Concerned that the Mersa Matruh line could be outflanked to the south, Auchinleck decided to retreat another 100 miles east to El Alamein. General Claude Auchinleck.   Public Domain Auchinleck Digs In Though it meant conceding additional territory, Auchinleck felt El Alamein presented a stronger position as his left flank could be anchored on the impassible Qattara Depression. The withdrawal to this new line was somewhat disorganized by rearguard actions at Mersa Matruh and Fuka between June 26-28. To hold the territory between the Mediterranean Sea and the depression, Eighth Army constructed three large boxes with the first and strongest centered on El Alamein on the coast. The next was situated 20 miles south at Bab el Qattara, just southwest of Ruweisat Ridge, while the third was located on the edge of the Qattara Depression at Naq Abu Dweis. The distance between the boxes was connected by minefields and barbed wire. Deploying to the new line, Auchinleck placed XXX Corps on the coast while the New Zealand 2nd and Indian 5th Divisions from XIII Corps were deployed inland. To the rear, he held the battered remnants of the 1st and 7th Armoured Divisions in reserve. It was Auchinlecks goal to funnel Axis attacks between the boxes where their flanks could be assaulted by the mobile reserve. Pushing east, Rommel increasingly began to suffer from severe supply shortages. Though the El Alamein position was strong, he hoped that the momentum of his advance would see him reach Alexandria. This view was shared by several in the British rear as many began preparing to defend Alexandria and Cairo as well as readied for a retreat further east. Rommel Strikes Approaching El Alamein, Rommel ordered the German 90th Light, 15th Panzer, and 21st Panzer Divisions to attack between the coast and Deir el Abyad. While the 90th Light was to drive forward before turning north to cut the coast road, the panzers were to swing south into the rear of XIII Corps. In the north, an Italian division was to support the 90th Light by attacking El Alamein, while in the south the Italian XX Corps was to move behind the panzers and eliminate the Qattara box. Rolling forward at 3:00 AM on July 1, the 90th Light advanced too far north and became in entangled in the 1st South African Divisions (XXX Corps) defenses. Their compatriots in the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions were delayed getting started by a sandstorm and soon came under heavy air attack. Finally advancing, the panzers soon encountered heavy resistance from the 18th Indian Infantry Brigade near Deir el Shein. Mounting a tenacious defense, the Indians held through the day allowing Auchinleck to shift forces to the western end of Ruweisat Ridge. Along the coast, the 90th Light was able to resume their advance but was stopped by South African artillery and forced to halt. On July 2, the 90th Light attempted to renew their advance but to no avail. In an effort to cut the coast road, Rommel directed the panzers to attack east towards Ruweisat Ridge before turning north. Supported by the Desert Air Force, ad hoc British formations succeeded in holding the ridge despite strong German efforts. The next two days saw German and Italian troops unsuccessfully continue their offensive while also turning back a counterattack by the New Zealanders. July 12, 1942 - 25-pounder guns of the 2/8th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, in action on the coastal sector near El Alamein, Egypt.   Public Domain Auchinleck Hits Back With his men exhausted and his panzer strength badly depleted, Rommel elected to end his offensive. Pausing, he hoped to reinforce and resupply before attacking again. Across the lines, Auchinlecks command was bolstered by the arrival of the 9th Australian Division and two Indian Infantry Brigades. Seeking to take the initiative, Auchinleck directed XXX Corps commander Lieutenant General William Ramsden to strike west against Tel el Eisa and Tel el Makh Khad using the 9th Australian and 1st South African Divisions respectively. Supported by British armor, both divisions made their attacks on July 10. In two days of fighting, they succeeded in capturing their objectives and turned back numerous German counterattacks through July 16. With Germans forces pulled north, Auchinleck commenced Operation Bacon on July 14. This saw the New Zealanders and Indian 5th Infantry Brigade strike the Italian Pavia and Brescia Divisions at Ruweisat Ridge. Attacking, they made gains on the ridge in three days of fighting and turned back substantial counterattacks from elements of the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions. As fighting began to quiet, Auchinleck directed the Australians and the 44th Royal Tank Regiment to attack Miteirya Ridge in the north to relieve pressure on Ruweisat. Striking early on July 17, they inflicted heavy losses on the Italian Trento and Trieste Divisions before being forced back by German armor. Final Efforts Utilizing his short supply lines, Auchinleck was able to build a 2-to-1 advantage in armor. Seeking to utilize this advantage, he planned to renew the fighting at Ruweisat on July 21. While Indian forces were to attack west along the ridge, the New Zealanders were to strike towards the El Mreir depression. Their combined effort was to open a gap through which the 2nd and 23rd Armoured Brigades could strike. Advancing to El Mreir, the New Zealanders were left exposed when their tank support failed to arrive. Counterattacked by German armor, they were overrun. The Indians fared somewhat better in that they captured the western end of the ridge but were unable to take Deir el Shein. Elsewhere, the 23rd Armoured Brigade took heavy losses after becoming mired in a minefield. To the north, the Australians renewed their efforts around Tel el Eisa and Tel el Makh Khad on July 22. Both objectives fell in heavy fighting. Eager to destroy Rommel, Auchinleck conceived Operation Manhood which called for additional attacks in the north. Reinforcing XXX Corps, he intended for it to break through at Miteirya before proceeding to Deir el Dhib and El Wishka with the goal of cutting Rommels supply lines. Moving forward on the night of July 26/27, the complex plan, which called for opening several routes through minefields, quickly began to fall apart. Though some gains were made, they were quickly lost to German counterattacks. Aftermath Having failed to destroy Rommel, Auchinleck ended offensive operations on July 31 and began digging in and fortifying his position against an expected Axis assault. Though a stalemate, Auchinleck had won an important strategic victory in halting Rommels advance east. Despite his efforts, he was relieved in August and replaced as Commander-in-Chief, Middle East Command by General Sir Harold Alexander. General Sir Harold Alexander. Public Domain   Command of Eighth Army ultimately passed to Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery. Attacking in late August, Rommel was repulsed at the Battle of Alam Halfa. With his forces spent, he switched to the defensive. After building Eighth Armys strength, Montgomery commenced the Second Battle of El Alamein in late October. Shattering Rommels lines, he sent Axis forced reeling west.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle What makes a childrens book so popular that by 2014, the 45th anniversary of its publication, more than 37 million copies had been sold and it had been translated into more than 50 languages? In the case of Eric Carles The Very Hungry Caterpillar, its the combination of wonderful illustrations, an entertaining story, and a unique book design. Carles illustrations are created with collage techniques. He uses hand-painted papers, which he cuts, layers, and shapes to create his colorful artwork. The pages of the book vary in size, which is part of the fun. The Story The story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a simple one that emphasizes numbers and days of the week. The caterpillar is not only very hungry, but he also has unusual tastes in food, ones that delight children. After popping out of an egg on Sunday, the very hungry caterpillar eats holes through the books pages as he eats his way through a variety of foods, beginning with one apple on Monday and two pears on Tuesday and ending with five oranges on Friday and 10 different foods on Saturday (chocolate cake, ice cream, a pickle, Swiss cheese, salami, a lollipop, cherry pie, sausage, a cupcake, and watermelon). Not surprisingly, the very hungry caterpillar ends up with a stomach ache. Fortunately, a serving of one green leaf helps. The now very fat caterpillar builds a cocoon. After staying in it for two weeks, he nibbles a hole in the cocoon and emerges a beautiful butterfly. For an entertaining explanation of why his caterpillar comes out of a cocoon rather than a chrysalis, see Eric Carles website. The Artwork and Design Eric Carles colorful collage illustrations and the books design add immensely to the books appeal. Every page has a hole in it where the caterpillar eats through the food. The pages for the first five days are different sizes, corresponding to the number of pieces of food the caterpillar eats. The page for the day the caterpillar eats one apple is very small, a little bigger for the day it eats two pears, and full size for the day it eats five oranges. Why Eric Carle Writes About Small Creatures As for the reason so many of his books are about small creatures, Eric Carle gives the following explanation: When I was a small boy, my father would take me on walks across meadows and through woods... Hed tell me about the life cycles of this or that small creature... I think in my books I honor my father by writing about small living things. And in a way, I recapture those happy times. Recommendation The Very Hungry Caterpillar was originally published in 1969 and has become a classic. It is a good picture book to own or to take out of the library frequently. Children 2-5-years-old enjoy hearing the story again and again. Babies and toddlers particularly enjoy the board book edition. Happily, you will enjoy reading it to them again and again also. Add to the fun by making a story sack to go along with the book. See directions for a variety of story sacks, including a story sack for on our  Family Crafts site. (Philomel Books, 1983, 1969. ISBN: 9780399208539)

Similarities of Spanish Ni to English Nor

Similarities of Spanish Ni to English Nor The Spanish conjunction ni is the equivalent of the English nor, and sometimes it is used in different ways than nor would be used. Different Uses of Ni In addition to being used as a  direct translation of nor, ni  can be used two or more times in succession to mean neither...nor and it can mean not even. In many cases in the English translations nor is used for clarity, even though the translation is correct if it is translated as or. Do not be surprised by double negatives  in Spanish. Although shunned in English, Spanish commonly uses double negatives to deliver emphasis. Ni As the Equivalent of Nor Ni is the equivalent of nor when it follows a verb that is preceded by no or another negation word such as nunca or jams. Spanish Sentence English Translation No quiere or ni hablar de su hijo. She doesnt want to hear or [nor] speak about her son. No puedo encontrarlo ni descargarlo. I cant see it or [nor] download it. Nunca estudia ni hace nada. He never studies or [nor] does anything. No compr palomitas ni refrescos. I didnt buy popcorn or [nor] soft drinks. Ni Used as Neither ... Nor Ni used twice or several times in succession can be used as the equivalent of neither ... nor. In Spanish, ni  precedes each item in the series. Spanish Sentence English Translation Ni sus creadores ni administradores son responsables. Neither its creators nor its administrators are responsible. Ser ni ms ni menos verdadero. It will be neither more nor less true. Ni nosotros ni el club hemos recibido nada. Neither we nor the club have received anything. Es como si mi blog hubiera desaparecido, porque no puedo verlo, ni yo ni nadie. It is as if my blog had disappeared, because I cant see it, not I, nor anybody. No me dabas amor, ni dinero, ni joyas ni nada. You give me neither love, money, jewels nor anything. Ya no habr muerte, ni luto, ni llanto, ni dolor. There will be neither death, mourning, tears nor pain. When Ni Means Not Even Ni can be used to mean not even, in the form of  ni​ siquiera. The word  siquiera is usually optional. Ni siquiera is the more emphatic form. Spanish Sentence English Translation Ni (siquiera) lo imaginbamos. We didnt even imagine it. Ni (siquiera) la supermodelo es inmune a los estragos del tiempo. Not even the supermodel is immune to the ravages of time. Ni (siquiera) Einstein era capaz de entenderlo. Not even Einstein was capabale of understanding. No tengo ni (siquiera) una moneda. I dont even have one coin.

Student's Post Week 3 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Student's Post Week 3 - Research Paper Example Principle of integrity also tested your ability to be honest and truthful to your organization regardless of your contrary opinion to its policy (Birdsall, 2005). While being ethical, with respect to the two principles, would protect your organization’s interest and foster its corporate image for respecting intellectual property rights, it would hurt the Indian buyers who already felt that they were victims of discrimination. I also believe that your post did not respond to the question accurately because the question required identification of three ethical principles and exploration of consequences of either implementing or violating them. I like your post that develops a realistic scenario for ethical evaluation and your ethical analysis over the situation. I however believe that reviewing ethical principles instead of ethical theories would have been a more accurate response to the discussion question. You could have discussed principles such as honesty and respect of other stakeholders to the simulated organization. Being honest to the organization’s ethical guidelines and respecting minors’ personality by refusing to recruit and overexploit them would establish the organization’s corporate image and save it from legal liabilities (Piper, 2002). Birdsall, N. (2005). Asymmetric globalization: Global markets require good global politics. In F. H. Maidment (Ed.), International business (14th ed., pp. 92-96). Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill Contemporary Learning

Registered Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Registered Nursing - Essay Example Since ill patients depend on nurses, I am interested to venture in this since it is my dream to touch and provide comfort to people who are not well. To be qualified though, I have to be registered to make sure I deliver quality health care. This is for me to meet the educational requirement. Although, educational requirement depends on the country you are to be registered, nevertheless, in most part of the globe, the completion of a bachelor’s degree or associate’s degree is the foremost requirement. A student may graduate with an earned diploma. The bachelor’s degree last for four years and is more comprehensive because it includes both theory and practicum to sharpen nursing skills learned in the four walls of the classroom. Practicum is done in the hospital and in the community settings. Associate program on the other hand, is taken for only two years with both theory and clinical exposure just the same but not as comprehensive as the bachelor’s degree . This makes most registered nurses to go back to pursue bachelor’s degree to meet the prerequisites and be selected for nurse’s NCLEX examination (Baker, 2008). Attached to the white uniform of nurses, I do understand that they have varied tasks since they comprise the biggest group within the health care system.

Nursing-Prevention of Pressure Ulcer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Nursing-Prevention of Pressure Ulcer - Essay Example Prevention of pressure ulcer can be considered as such a topic which is concerned with multiple specialties. Reason behind the choice of topic: A pressure ulcer is a skin area that that would break down as the patient stays in a constant position for too long. Since there is no shift of body weight in certain cases of maladies, irregularity in blood supply may take place in the area of the body under pressure leading to pressure ulcer (Bluestein & Javaheri, 2008). Pressure ulcer (also called bedsore or decubitus ulcer) can be seen in a variety of patients. From patients who have diabetes to those who have Alzheimer’s disease, pressure ulcers may be diagnosed. Therefore, while discussing pressure ulcers, there is a scope to discuss its occurrence in relation with a variety of diseases. Moreover, today in the urban society, hospitals are coming across increased number of accident cases (particularly, the road accidents). Pressure ulcers are often found in patients who have serious problems in mobility, especially due to various accidents. The problem is thus becoming comparatively com mon and deserves attention in the field of nursing. How the topic relates to the workplace: As a nurse in a nursing home or hospital, adequate knowledge of pressure ulcers may prove to be a basic requirement in the case of caring older adults and accident victims in particular. â€Å"Part of a nurse’s work is to assist patients with their physical, spiritual, and social needs if patients are unable to satisfy these needs on their own. Hygiene and skin condition, including nutritional balance, are significant factors in preventing pressure ulcers† (Romanelli et al, 2006). In today’s urban society, increased number of older adults with impaired mobility is leading to larger number of patients with pressure ulcers. Moreover, accident victims too may face the problem of these ulcers in the course of long treatment. Preventing pressure ulcers thus becomes one of the most

Fit And Filling Facility For The Elderly Assignment

Fit And Filling Facility For The Elderly - Assignment Example The most notable features of the space around and within the park are that the pathways are paved using colored concrete blocks. The paving of the pathways and the common areas are done using different colors, and that choice was made for different reasons. First, the choice of white materials for the pathways was made to guarantee that hygiene levels would remain as high as possible. Secondly, the different colors for the pavements will help the aged suffering from dementia to recall their respective rooms, and their way to facilities like the health center, the shopping center, and common facility amenities. From the outside, towards the front side of the facility, there is a pathway heading to the suburban shopping mall which is located about 50 meters from the facility. At the shopping mall, there are many of the stores that an aged person would need to visit, including a bread shop, a Starbucks outlet, and a wellness center, which provides aerobics, physical fitness, and physiotherapy services. From the outside, a visitor can see the two-bedroom apartments of different sizes, ranging from 825 to 2000 square feet. At one extreme side of the facility, close to the fence, there is the health center, where the elderly living at the facility are rushed for urgent medical care (Secker et al., 2003). At different sections of the facility, the common open parks will have different plant species, in order to help the aged to remember their respective house and the entrance to their main hall.