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'The Battle of Trafalgar: A Tale Of Triumph Over Adversity' book review
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About Admiral Lord Nelson
Admiral Lord NelsonEvery year on October 21, England commemorates
Trafalgar Day. One cannot use the term "celebrates," for although this
holiday does commemorate one of the greatest victories at sea, it also
memorializes the death of England's most beloved admiral. In the years
that have passed since the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 his reputation
has not been surpassed, but rather has grown as the admirals of other
navies have looked to his life for inspiration and tactical
instruction. Although many admirals have been compared to him, none
has ever been set above him. Even Raymond Ames Spruance, who won an
overwhelming victory over a superior Japanese force at Midway and went
on to win many other great battles of World War II in the Pacific, can
never take better than second place to this extraordinary man.
Horatio Nelson was born on September 29, 1758, to Catherine (Suckling)
Nelson, the wife of Edmund Nelson, rector of Burnham Thorpe, in the
county of Norfolk. He was a sickly child from the start and grew up
small and slender. His mother died on Boxing Day in 1767, when young
Horatio was only nine years old.When the Falklands Crisis of 1770
arose, young Horatio saw this as an opportunity to contribute his
effort to the problem and asked his older brother William to write a
letter to their father asking him to have their uncle Maurice Suckling
take him to sea.
Captain Suckling was dubious about this idea, but he agreed and
Horatio entered the Navy on January 1, 1771. At the time he was only
twelve years old, but this was common. Horatio's introduction to the
Navy was singularly unpromising, for...
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...d going
to sea so quickly, duty was too much a part of his personality for him
to refuse.
There is something of the cosmic in the unfolding of that last month
as he proceeded toward the final battle. Even almost two hundred years
after the fact, a well-written account of how Lord Nelson went into
the Battle of Trafalgar can bring tears to a reader's eyes. Even as he
was winning his greatest victory ever, he was struck down by a
sniper's bullet. He lingered on in great agony for several hours, long
enough to know that he had won a victory grander than he'd ever won
before. However he would not live to reap its glory, which would go to
his unworthy brother William. The true line, represented by his
daughter Horatia, would be tormented by privation and obscurity while
others would bask in the radiance of his legacy.
When Adam entered the Navy he was the oldest in his group. This did not stop him from being one of the top performers in his class and by far one of the most popular. He received many reports from his commanding officers while he was in SEAL training praising how well he was doing. “He scored OUTSTANDING on the most recent command inspection and SEAL PRT. Brown is on track to become a stand out performer. He has unlimited potential and is dedicated to excellence” (Blehm 159). Adam performed very well on his SEAL training and he could do anything because he never took the easy way out. Adam was so determined to be a Navy SEAL that he always was the first to do everything and do it right. Reports like these were very common for Adam. He never got a bad report, and they all praised his work ethic and willingness to do anything to help somebody. After he became a SEAL and he was working his way through the ranks of the military, he was shot in the eye with a practice bullet while training. This caused him to lose vision in that eye. He loved the Navy and wanted to keep trying to make his way to SEAL Team SIX, the most elite military group. He could have been dismissed from the military and gotten paid for getting hurt in action, but he decided to make some changes and go back and fight with his team. He started by switching over to shooting left-handed and went to Sniper School. One of Adam’s classmates in Sniper School commented on how astounding it was for Adam to go through the course. “To lose vision in your good eye within a year prior to that class and say ‘Screw it, I’m going to Sniper School -- oh, and by the way, I’ll do it all left-handed, that’s hard core. I don’t think it’s ever been done in the history of sniper schools in the world” (183). To go blind in your dominant shooting eye and complete Sniper School, arguably one of the hardest advanced combat course in the Navy, is unheard of and
In the early morning of 19 February 1945, United States Marines assigned to the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Division led the initial assault on the Japanese controlled island of Iwo Jima, with the objective of capturing and securing the island. This was the beginning of one of the fiercest and bloodiest; and more decisively, the most strategically important battles fought during World War II. After the dust had settled, and the smoke had cleared, the causalities and losses were astounding. 6,821 U.S. Marines along with 18,844 members of the Imperial Japanese Army had paid the ultimate sacrifice. A decisive US victory on the island of Iwo Jima later played a pivotal role in the overarching defeat of the Japanese Empire and its Armed Forces (Morison, 1945).
of something big. This battle marked the being of the end of World War II.
Prior to the Battle of Midway, American involvement in World War two was just beginning. On June 4th 1942 Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamo launched an attack on the Midway atoll, commencing one of the greatest naval battles in history. Only 6 months after its attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan’s carrier fleet was viewed as strong and nearly invincible. America’s decisive victory over the Japanese fleet swayed the momentum of the Pacific war.
ISBN 0-87021-562-0. Cressman, Robert J.; et al. d. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. "A Glorious page in our history", Adm. Chester Nimitz, 1942: the Battle of Midway, 4–6 June 1942. Missoula, Mont. -. Pictorial Histories Pub.
On December 7th 1941, Japanese Planes and submarines attacked the United States Naval base at Pearl Harbor. This event singlehandedly brought the U.S from its then neutral stance in World War Two to a fighting member of the “Allied Powers.” Pearl Harbor was the first of a long series of confrontations between the U.S and the Japanese in an effort to gain control of the Pacific. Unlike the “War in Europe” the Pacific strategy was dominated by naval and aerial battles, with the occasional land-based “Island Hopping” Campaign. As such, one of the most important factors in the war in the pacific was Fleet Size, the more ships a country could send to war, the better. Pearl Harbor was the Japanese’s way of trying to deal with the massive U.S Pacific fleet. However, Pearl Harbor was not the turning point of the war. After December 7th the United States began work on numerous technological developments which would ultimately help them in one of the most important battles of WWII, the largest naval confrontation of the war, The Battle of Midway. The battle, which took place from June 4th to June 7th , 1942 is widely considered the turning point of the Pacific Theater (James & Wells). Through the Post-Pearl Harbor desire for “Revenge” and various technological advantages including code breaking and radar, the U.S were able to outsmart the Japanese at Midway and ultimately win the battle, eventually leading to a victory in the Pacific.
Even though half of a century separates us from the unforgettable event, it left horrible memories especially in those who saw, felt and experienced World War II which was waged on land, on sea, and in the air all over the earth for approximately six years. Whether it’s a battle, hospital, or holocaust, there are so many stories from the survivors, who can teach us not only about the profession of arms, but also about military preparations, global strategies and combined operations in the coalition war against fascism.
The Battle of Midway by Craig L. Symonds is an in depth look at the events and decisions both before and during The Battle of Midway, which started on June 4th, 1942. Symonds uses a combination of words, pictures, and maps to drive home his message in a beautifully crafted work. Over all the book focuses on the war in the Pacific starting from just after Pearl Harbor and then focusing in on The Battle of Midway. The author uses the Americans, as well as the Japanese, point of view to portray the many factors of war at sea. Throughout his novel, Symonds investigates the many aspects that would lead to an American victory as well as a turning point of the war in the Pacific. “A history of what is perhaps the most pivotal naval battle in American history necessarily must explore the culture of both the U.S. Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy, as well as the politics and technology of the age.” (Symonds 5).
The Battle Okinawa lost two of the highest ranking officers to die during WWII, with both Commanding officers dying in the Battle. The battle of Okinawa was an example of applying lessons learned and TTP’s in previous battles along with sound leadership and effective training that ultimately led to the Americans victory. Even without normal intelligence assets the Americans adapted their own TTP’s and used other assets to cover missing intelligence gaps on the battle field. References bryce, R. (n.d.).
“The Japanese force that had dominated the Pacific for six months was in ruins, extinguishing the hopes of an empire. Midway was that rarest of engagements - a truly decisive battle” (BBC History). Midway, to the Japanese, was a stab back at America after the Doolittle Raids of Tokyo. The Doolittle Raids wer...
The experience that the Japanese learned demonstrates what ingenuity and strong-willed Soldiers can do, even when facing great numbers and simultaneous overwhelming lethality on land, air, and sea. Wits and diligence can endure against even the most extreme technological superiority.
Without a doubt the Battle of Midway is the most important battle of WWII. The battle marked the end of Japan’s dominant reign over the pacific and began the start of the U.S.’s campaign to Tokyo (Prados). Midway was the end of Japan’s strategic initiative, enabling the America to take the offensive two months later at Guadalcanal. Without a U.S. victory in June 1942, The U.S. warships still would have dropped anchor in Tokyo Bay, but at a greater cost (Tillman). The Battle of Midway saved American and allied troops not only in the Pacific but also on the European front. For the reasons of giving The United States control in the Pacific and saving the life’s of Americans and our allies, Midway was the most important naval battle of WWII.
Captain Aubrey exhibits and demonstrates leadership characteristics that inspire his crew to be the best that they can be. One of the most important leadership traits that Captain Jack has is a single-minded focus on his purpose. All of his decisions are held up against the g...
He entered a battle when he had just learned of the uncertain odds, he nearly sacrificed the lives of his family while trying to act the hero in front of them, and he recovered from the death of his wife unnaturally quickly when faced with the prospect of leading a voyage. Though his experiences seem to depict the worst of them, he hints at evidence that he learned from these experiences and emerged a better person because of