Reasons for the Defeat of the Germans

Reasons for the Defeat of the Germans Reasons for the Defeat of the Germans and the Results of Victory 17 January 1945 Entry of the Soviets in Warsaw 13 February Destruction of Dresden 25 April Meeting of the Soviet an US forces 2May Storming of the Reichstag, end of the Battle of Berlin 8 May German unconditional surrender Took an unexpectedly long time- it was obvious by late 1944 and victory seemed imminent with the Germans retreating on all fronts. The victory was delayed due to the insistence on an unconditional surrender (no armistice) by the allies and Stalin feared his allies would make a separate peace so the unconditional surrender was partly to reassure him. Stalin wanted to win the race for Berlin before the Americans.   Pushed west at maximum pace liberating Warsaw, Budapest, Prague and Vienna. Continuous all-out full frontal assaults, regardless of casualty counts. Allied Supreme Commander General Eisenhower allowed the Soviets to win to minimise casualties and clashes with the USSR. March 27th, 1934 slow the advance order. By early 1945 the German war effort was badly weakened by the mass bombings of cities such as Dresden which where industrial hubs. The Red army reached the outskirts of Berlin and met the USA at Torgau on the Elbe. Final battle of Berlin. General Zhukov used tactics that caused very high losses. For Stalin, the defeat was as much military as political. He wished to control as much of Central Europe and Germany providing a buffer zone against any future threats The symbol of victory was the storming of the Reichstag on 2nd May 1945. Reasons for the Defeat of the Germans Soviet Strength: The USSRs geographical size made it effectively impossible for a knock-out blow. German forces constantly faced the problems of being dangerous overstretched and the lines of communication. The size allowed new armies and industrial bases to be built beyond reach. Population (171,000,000 in 1941) nearly three times Germanys (Hitler did have the annexed populations too), the USSR could sacrifice men in a way impossible for the Germans. Vast natural resources (oil)m the longer the war went on the stronger the Soviet military-industrial power became, outproducing the Germans in everything by 1943. Command Economy established before the war, well-suited to total war and the emergency mobilisation of workers and resources. Leadership, after a bad start the USSR became ruthlessly effective, Stalin was a very capable war leader and his generals became highly competent, Propaganda and patriotism motivated the armed forces and civilians to fight and endure. German weaknesses: Failure of the rapid initial victory. December 1941, two front war. Germany lacked self-sufficiency, by 1943 to 1944 war production depended on all-out exploitation of dwindling economic and human resources. Hitler made strategic mistakes sacking best generals in favour of yes men. Abolished the War ministry replacing it with a high council he headed installing von Brauchitsch and Keitel to replace Fritsch. No winter coats. Germans alienated the nationalities provoking resistance and partisans. Allied Contribution: Dangerous threat to Hitler on other fronts (two front war) Mass bombing campaigns by British and Americans from 1943 caused huge damage to German industry weakening the resources available to fight on the Eastern Front. Allied secret intelligence gained via code breaking undermined German effort at crucial times (Stalin never informed directly) Enormous amounts of military and economic aid. Results of victory for the USSR: Emerges at the new world superpower, galvanised the USSR and unleashed its huge economic potential. The war badly weakened other European powers and made the USSR dominant militarily. Germany as the main enemy was: occupied, economically destroyed and likely to be demilitarised. For the regime, it was the glow of victory; that vindicated the communist ideology, offering a road to socialism as a replacement for fascism and an alternative system for capitalism. Massive territorial expansion incorporating: the Baltic states and parts of East Prussia. They also took over many East Central European countries that were weak and established pro-Soviet regimes. Also, caused one of the largest migrations in history 12,000,000 refugees, mostly ethnic Germans fled between 1944-1945 as the Red Army advanced. Despite the extent of the victory fears and insecurity remained. Stalin was anxious about the economic power of the USA. Feared a resurgent Germany (he wanted to break in into 300 independent states and make them farmland to supply food to Moscow) Feared and distrusted his own people and repressed any who returned including soldiers and prisoners of war. Disagreements on the Four-Power Occupation of Berlin, even after the moment of victory it was obvious an overall peace would be difficult. Germany drawn into 4 occupation zones (Soviet, French, American, British). Berlin was entirely within the Soviet Zone but was divided into 4 zones ruled by a Joint Allied Control Commission. Led to recurrent disputes between the USSR and the West. BUT AT A MASIVE PRICE: Post-war Reconstruction: The industry was devastated, not least in part due to the war claiming 1/8of the population and causing massive dislocation. Stalin promised in 1945 that the USSR would become the leading industrial power by 1960. Gosplan was instructed to prepare the 4th Five Year Plan for economic recovery. Set ambitious targets for industry (85%) and agriculture. 1/3 expenditure to be spent on the Ukraine which had been mostly devastated by the war. Very important for industry and agriculture. Stalin set out to exceed pre-war levels by three times to recovery, causing an upswing in the economy allowing for rationing to be abolished and for consumer goods to be produced! Industry: Much of the industry needed to be switched away from military and back to the civilian economy. Industry struggled to adjust to peace in 1946: Mining: down over 50% 1940 Electricity production: down 48% Steel: down 55% Transport: widely disrupted. Workforce: diminished, exhausted. Problems intensified by the sudden ending of Foreign aid (Lend Lease) 08/1945. Despite the difficulties by 1950 there was considerable industrial recovery: 1940 1945 1950 Coal (Tons) 165.9 149.3 261.1 Oil (Tons) 31.1 19.3 37.9 Steel (Tons) 18.3 12.3 27.3 Cement (Tons) 5.7 1.3 10.1 Electricity (Kilowatts) 48.3 43.2 91.2 The Soviets demanded the fulfilment of full war reparations from enemy countries, even those who had pro-Soviet governments. Huge amounts of material and equipment travelled East (mostly scrap metal) from occupied Germany. Sometimes entire factories and workers were moved to Russia, the effect of this is probably small however. Under the 4th five-year plan recovery was impressive: Steady increase in consumer goods. Rebuilding of the heavy industry. Some steady living standard growth. By 1948 wages reached 1938 levels. Agriculture: DEVASTATED: Gosplan figures of losses: Kolkhoz: 98,000 Tractors: 137,000 Combine Harvesters: 49,000 Horses: 7,000,000 (meat and war) Cattle: 17,000,000 Pigs: 20,000,000 Sheep: 27,000,000 Food: -60% 1940 levels. Poor prospects hindered by: Sever labour shortage as many peasants were the body of the army (27,000,000 people dead overall does not take in those injured) Scorched earth policy hurts the Ukrainian bread basket. Only 75% land cultivated in 1940 was cultivated in 1945. 1946 driest year since 1891, and the HARVEST WAS POOR ONTOP OF THIS! Led to some regions experiencing famine: Famine of 1946-1947 began in Ukraine and Central Russia (Stalins most hated areasà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) physical aspect not helped by dislocation caused by the war, especially shortage of labourers and lack of machinery. Nothing on the stage of the Great Famineà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Khrushchev claimed that in both Stalin exported grain abroad rather than relieving the famine. Letter to local Politburo representative on the management of a collective farm in Western Siberia September 1948 adapted by Noah: Why should we give you everything and not receive a gram back, undermining the economy of collective farms. We realise that during the war the grain was needed to supply the army and we gladly gave up everything. We had poor harvests in 45, 46, 47 but we gave everything for the recovery. How come in 1948 we cant keep some? We hoped that after achieving quota we could give out one kilo per work day, with these collections taking more than the quota we have nothing, there is not enough seed to sow for 1949, we dont see a crumb of bread and live off potato. The recovery: Was slow and patchy, the 4-5YP bought some increases but failed to reach targets. By Stalins death the agricultural sector was unsatisfactory but some areas recovered better. However, the famine cycle in Russia was broken 0 famine since 1947. One major thing holding back recovery was Stalin himself: His book: Economic Problems of Socialism in the USSR 1952. The writings were undeniable and this discouraged innovation and change. After Stalins death, the successors felt they had to introduce reforms and concessions to peasant farmers to alleviate their problems. 1940 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 Grain (tons) 95.6 65.9 67.2 70.2 81.2 78.7 92.2 Potatoes (tons) 76.1 74.5 95 89.6 88.5 58.7 69.2 Cotton (tons) 2.2 1.7 2.2 2.5 3.5 3.7 3.8 Cattle (m head) 28 23 23.8 24.2 24.6 24.3 25.0 Speech at the Supreme Soviet by Georgii Malenkov, published in Izvestia, 09/07/1953 (post Stalin GM in temporary control), adapted by Noah: Until now [Stalins death] we have not been able to develop light industry and the food industry at the same pace as heavy. We are obliged to ensure more rapid improvement in peoples living standards. We must significantly increase the output of consumer goods and in grain production. We need to reduce compulsory quotas from collective farms and reduce agricultural taxes. Summary: War was won at a great cost. But vindicated Stalins role as leader. Post-war reconstruction was more successful than may have been expected in 1945 amid the ruins.

Finance Foundation

LB5212:03 FINANCIAL FOUNDATIONS FOR MANAGERS Singapore Campuses Study Period 3, 2012 LB5212:03 Financial Foundations for Managers SUBJECT GUIDE 2012 Study Period 3, Singapore Campuses Contents Contents1 1. School Overview0 2. Subject at a Glance0 3. Subject Details0 4. Subject Readings and Resources0 5. Assessment Details0 6. Grading Criteria0 7. Student Assistance0 8. Important Policies & Guidelines0 9. Postgraduate Skills & Qualities0 10. Lecture & Tutorial Schedule0 11. Annexure0 School OverviewThe School of Business is at the forefront of innovation in business and information technology education. With a focus on internationalisation, growth and innovation, the school exploits its unique regional location and expertise in courses that combine discipline-based excellence with practical application. JCU aims to empower responsible managers with practical skills underpinned by cutting edge theory. The school is one of the largest schools at JCU in terms of student numbers and offer s programs at Brisbane, Cairns, Singapore and Townsville.Graduate coursework degrees include the flagship program the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Professional Accounting (MPA), Master of Economics (ME), and Master of International Tourism and Hospitality Management (MITHM). The school also includes Information Technology, offering a Master of IT (MIT and MIT Extended). Within the coursework masters suite of degrees there are opportunities for joint degree combinations. JCU’s recently ‘refreshed’ MBA is committed to an agenda of responsible management, in which all our activities are consistent with sustainable and ethical business practices.Across the four campuses, there are majors available in Marketing, Human Resource Management, Managerial Accounting, Dispute Resolution and International Tourism. Research degrees are also available at honours, masters, and Doctoral levels. Honours students from JCU have an outstanding record of gaining quality jobs in government and consulting circles and a number of students have won Australian Postgraduate Award scholarships and progressed into doctoral courses. There are a number of different pathways into the postgraduate study areas, with direct entry for those already holding an undergraduate degree.For those who do not have a first degree but have relevant work experience and professional experience, the pathway to postgraduate study starts with a Graduate Certificate, progresses through the Graduate Diploma, and reaches the Masters level and above by following these indirect entry strategies. Our staff are friendly and approachable and our degrees are designed to help you develop skills for application anywhere in the world in the dynamic business environment of the twenty-first century. A number of our staff have been recognised through independent rankings as world leaders in their field.School of Business staff have also recently won national awards for teaching excelle nce, and are committed to helping students achieve their career goals. JCU’s School of Business is committed to working towards achievement of genuine and sustainable reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider community, as outlined in the JCU Reconciliation Statement at

Information Security

Information Security An organization is a particular entity of people having a collective goal/purpose to be achieved over a targeted period of time. There are certain types of organizations that take various forms such as partnership business, individual, business or one which includes a hybrid organization. In that respect, a hybrid organization is one that operates both in public and private sectors at the same time. It incorporates voluntary associations, non-governmental organizations, among other types (Pieterse, Caniels, Homan, p. 818). What is common among all these types of organizations is they need to safeguard every piece of detail away from any unauthorized personnel. This practice of securing data, regardless of their form that may either be physical or electronic from individuals who are ineligible for its access is what is popularly termed as Information Security. In short form, it can be simply referred to as InfoSec. To that extent, InfoSec proves critical in the development confidence that will ensure that the management of functions of the business assures the stakeholders of the integrity of the data and processes that the firm carries out or operates. This paper will focus on matters information security based on a fictional company. Working as a consultant in a certain non-governmental organization based in the state of Illinois, there appears to be a need of safeguarding the intellectual property and data in this organization. Sandburg Youth Sports Association (SYSA) is the name of the organization where I work as the Information and Communication Technology consultant. My role consists of functions pertaining to ascertaining that the operations of the technological systems are smooth and functional. Moreover, I am meant to facilitate improvements as well as enhancement of process functions to ascertain the success of the operation of business functions. The company SYSA was founded in the year 1996 by one Mr. Timmy Christopher. I chose this specific entity because as a sportsman and having a deep interest in technology; it quenches my passion. At the same time, SYSA gives me the opportunity to give back to the community in terms of the skills I acquire through what I learn there. Description of the Organization Sandburg Youth Sports Association (SYSA) is one of the few non-governmental sports organizations in the United States whose central aim is to use sports and technology to broaden the socioeconomic gap in the community while also effecting enhanced use of technology as a weapon of change in the society. This organization serves mostly the youth in the state of Illinois but is not limited to this state alone, but is also open to the rest of the members of the surrounding publics and the United States as a whole. To that extent, SYSA is an organization that is dedicated to the development of the community through the championing of sports activities. In that esteem, the SYSA is an organization that empowers members of the community towards the achievement of their goals and aspirations. It is a sure way of ensuring that the community members are mobilized effectively to enhance their effective management of sports talents. For that reason, I am proud to be associated with SYSA especiall y based on the fact that I am tasked with the responsibility of handling its technical functions. The organization comprises mostly of volunteers who offer their time and services in return for knowledge and skills that they acquire from experts based on the firm. However, some sections of the organization comprise of fully employed personnel who play the most significant part in running the organization. In total, there is an estimate of about 20 highly qualified employees and another 30 volunteers, including myself, who are dedicated to ensuring that the operations of the business are successful. Together, the various individuals work alongside each other to facilitate the success of the initiatives put forward by the firm’s objectives. The company ensures that staff members work cohesively to meet the objectives of the organization effectively. In my capacity, I ensure that the technical systems are well maintained to ensure that the functionality is effective and that all technical processes are operational. Structure of the Organization SYSA is run by highly self-motivated individuals and operates on a Matrix management method whereby each department consists of two or three bosses who are well-trained experts and are assisted by other volunteers whose work is to ensure that everything runs in order as per the objectives of the organization (Galvin, p. 5). The SYSA headquarters located in Illinois is supported by ten other zones in the same state. Inside the gated headquarters, there are offices which facilitate the running of the organization at large. Other structures include a payable gym service which is open not only to the staff, but also to members of the community and a fully stocked and functional library. The main task handled by the Executive Director of this organization is to oversee all the day to day programs and offer directives whenever called upon to. Second to the Executive Director is the Human Resource Manager whose responsibility is to maintain and enhance human resource programs, policies, and practices. The other departments i.e. the Library and the Gym are manned by two overall managers who have volunteers under them to assist in their work. Regulatory requirements. In its aim of providing opportunities to the youth through sports and technology, SYSA is fully aware of the regulatory compliances they are supposed to adopt in its structure. The services and daily activities carried out within the SYSA headquarters are ISO certified and meet the International Standards. In the United States of America, any reported case of breaking the laws and regulations of the organization attracts a criminal or civil penalty. Risks. As stated above, the SYSA organization deals with various data mostly in the gym, the library and the other 10 zones involved. This data may be financed in terms of money payable in the gym or library fines, statistical data in the library or even the zonal information from the SYSA organization came into existence. With all this in mind, there is the need to protect and safeguard the physical and electronic information fed in the organization. Some of the potential risks facing the organization’s information may come through manipulation of the zone data in ones’ own selfish interest. One may also try to hack into the gym department’s system and edit their financial statements in their favor or even clear the debts illegally. Hence, there is a need to put measures in place to avoid and prevent any potential loss to the organization. Threats to Information Security may appear in many forms. The most common threat of all is cybercrime and software attacks. Sabotage and information extortion are also similar avenues of Information Insecurity. A few examples of software malfunctions are observed when the system is attacked by viruses, Trojan horses and phishing attacks, among others. With technology advancing in every dimension every passing day, it is common to hear of organizations’ systems being hacked and money laundering happening now and then. This requires every organization to step up to the task in order to combat these petty crimes which cause organizations millions of shillings. These threats, however, need to be mitigated by setting up countermeasures and safeguards so as to eliminate and block threats. Policies on the Deliverables In normal practice, every organization is mandated with the task of providing reasonable policies which will go a long way in ensuring that rules and regulations are followed to the letter, and any discrepancies in the stated laws are punishable. As the consultant of SYSA, I saw it appropriate to come up with a number of policies, according to law, whose aim is to ensure that the objectives of the organization are protected, and any case of unexpected incidences are tackled. The other influence of policy making is the ideology of the company where the values and beliefs of the organization are held in high esteem. It is hoped that any action contrary to the following stated policies is punishable according to law. Website Private Policy. This is a simple document that discloses how the visitor’s information will be used in the SYSA website. Members will access the gym services will be required to open a portal which they will use in registering their membership. All payments will be made through this site, and members will be made to know that the SYSA systems are fully encrypted. This is aimed to instill confidence in our website visitors and let them know that any information provided either in the gym or library services is secured and that the organization will be responsible for any eventualities. Privacy Policy. This is a legal statement/document which fulfills the legal duty that an organization is supposed to protect a client’s privacy. As the consultant employed by SYSA, I will make it clear to the visitors what the organization intends to do with the information they feed into our system. I would come up with a Protected Personal Data (PDD) which will include electronic data or any hard copy information of members. In this Privacy Policy, I would let the customers know that they should report any suspicious incidents about their confidential data to the relevant authority. When it comes to their financial information, I will install the Kali Linux software which guarantees security for information so that customers will not have to worry about their finances. Breach Notification Policy. In the case of any breach of zonal information, clients’ financial information or interferences with records in the library, SYSA will investigate and notify the individuals affected by any information security breaches. The system of the organization will be updated to the extent that any tampering of the system can be detected and an amicable solution generated before any major damage happens. The Executive Director must be notified with immediate effect any news of breaching through the appropriate channels so that action can be taken. This Breach Notification Policy is aimed to ensure that stored Protected Personal Data (PDD) is not lost, stolen or in any way compromised. In the unseen event that the PDD is interfered with, the policy would recommend immediate disclosure until the issue is resolved. Moreover, major incidents of breaching such as that of Personal Identity Information (PII) are treated exclusively and may attract heavier penalties . The state government will also be notified of this breach, especially when the financial information of the members is in question. Since prevention is better than cure, I would install a Compliance Software on all the systems in the organization. When this software is implemented, it will help the organization manage its compliance data in a more simplified and efficient way (Johnson, p. 311). Incident Response Policy. In the incident that the security of SYSA has been compromised/ breached, the following Incident Response Policy will be put into effect. After reporting the breaching incident to the state government, an abrupt investigation will be carried out on the potential customers affected. The main aim is to manage the situation in a way that ensures the damage is limited at the same time minimizing the recovery time and any costs whatsoever. Computers affected and infected with unwanted malware should be scanned, and the issue put on notice to all the customers. Any security incident will be handled with immense care based on the severity of the damage. Disaster Recovery Policy. There may be lapses in the security systems of SYSA. In the case of the system infrastructure failure, an initial risk assessment will be performed to evaluate any possible vulnerabilities. The company personnel are put in charge of the ICT department will set up facilities to ensure backup storage of data. I would also open cloud storage of data on the internet so that in the event of system failure, there is always a backup mechanism available. The organization will be entirely responsible for any losses of financial and other belongings of customers and will work hand in hand with the Insurance Companies to compensate the affected victims. Outsourcing will also be considered as a viable option in the management of these threats that affect the software on the organization’s system. The organization will do everything possible so that the recovery time is minimized so that the operations of the firm return to normality as soon as possible. This poli cy which has a repeated lifecycle is aimed to provide a systematic plan to manage, implement, maintain and recover any lost resources and data. Information Security Policy. In a bid to come up with an InfoSec policy, I would create one which protects confidential information about the clients’ details to avoid any possible harm. The organization is in no sole position to secure all information belonging to clients; therefore, SYSA will work in togetherness with the customers and ensure they are familiar with current relevant policies and state regulations. SYSA will make sure to provide a very secure database system and a comfortable work environment for the employed staff, volunteers, and all the other authorized personnel. For SYSA to deliver quality services to their customers, it will make sure all users understand what is required of them in the bid of protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the information they provide to the organization. SYSA will also respond to feedback as soon as possible and always improve on the possible areas of system lapses. Risk assessment is a crucial part of Information Security policy as it seeks to research on the vulnerable parts of an organization where information may be handled inappropriately. The process of risk management includes identification and estimation of the value of assets in the organization. Evaluate the potential impact that each thread will have to the assets and data of the organization. Finally, accept the risk and put up control measures to control and mitigate the risks. Terms of Use of Agreement or otherwise stated rules that one must abide by so as to use services used by an organization, in this case, SYSA. I would advise every member of the community to read this document carefully before putting pen to paper. This piece of information acts as a disclaimer such that one knows the rules and conditions to be followed through (Simitian, p. 1018). In the SYSA system, I would put an age limit of 18years since they are considered adults and would be entirely responsible for any actions. Every member should be responsible for their login details. If one does not accept the terms and conditions stated on the website of SYSA, they will not be eligible to receive the services offered by the organization. These Terms of use will be further deployed by use of the clickwrap agreement so that the user will first agree to the terms and conditions of the Sandburg Youth Sports Association before accessing the services. This acts as a manifestation of the agreeme nt. All that Information Security seeks to achieve is to preserve confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the customers’ information at the same time preventing unauthorized access to information entrusted to the organization by the client.

Cold War Capatalism v. Communism - 873 Words

â€Å"Capitalism v. Communism† During the Cold War, Europe was split between communist countries and non-communist countries. The strife was caused by the differences in the underlying values in capitalism and communism. During this time, the United States and the Soviet Union also had opposing ideologies. Despite the differing ideologies of capitalism and communism, both have affected the political, cultural, and economic development of Third World countries. Capitalism is â€Å"a way of organizing an economy so that the things that are used to make and transport products (such as land, oil, factories, ships, etc.) are owned by individual people and companies rather than by the government† (Merriam-Webster). Capitalists believe in economic†¦show more content†¦Democratic countries that are active participants in the capitalist economy are, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, and Switzerland (PBS). Despite popular belief, the US is not a capitalist country, but instead, practices mixed economics, using a mix of socialism and capitalism. Communism, by definition, is the anti-capitalism, â€Å"a way of organizing a society in which the government owns the things that are used to make and transport products (such as land, oil, factories, ships, etc.) and there is no privately owned property† (Merriam Webster). Communism is the belief that everyone in a society receives the same benefits from labor. The key ideas behind communism is that society should not have class stratification (proletariat, bourgeois, and upper class), and that the poor should be freed from poverty and endless labor. The â€Å"father† of communism is Karl Marx (1818-1883), who authored the Communist Manifesto with Friedrich Engels. The purpose of the Communist Manifesto was to separate communism from socialism, and was meant to arouse the proletariat class into action, â€Å"Let the ruling classes tremble at the Communist revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workingmen of all c ountries, unite!,†(1.4). Marx wanted to encourage the working class to rise up against oppression and take control. Countries which participate in communism are China, Cuba, North Korea, and Vietnam (About). â€Å"Communist leaders like