Yevtushenkos Babi Yar Essays (931 words) - The Holocaust In Ukraine

Yevtushenko's Babi Yar Babi Yar, a poem written by Yevgeny Yevtushenko, tells the story of the Nazi invasion into a small part of Russia, in which, throughout the duration of World War II, over one-hundred thousand Jews, Gypsies and Russian POW's were brutally murdered. However, what is unique about this particular perspective is that the narrator is not a Jew, but a mere observer who is aghast at the atrocities that took place during the Holocaust. It is through allusions, as well as other literary devices, that Yevtushenko elucidates caustically the absurdities of the hatred that caused the Holocaust, in addition to the narrator's identification with the Jews and their history of oppression. Perhaps, the most effective literary device used in "Babi Yar" is the allusion. The first clear allusion seen in the poem is the one concerning Egypt(line 6). This reference harks back to the Jews' enslavement in Egypt before they become a nation. In line 7, the narrator makes reference to how so many Jews perished on the cross. The reason for these initial allusions in the first section is clear. Yevtushenko is establishing the history of the Jewish people, being one of oppression, prejudice, and innocent victims. The next illusion in the poem is a reference to the Dreyfus Affair, a more modern display of irrational and avid anti-Semitism. It is in the Dreyfus affair that an innocent man is accused of espionage and is sent to jail for more than ten years, notwithstanding an overwhelming amount of evidence pointing to his innocence, simply because he is a Jew. Yevtushenko uses these allusions to lead up to his referral to a boy in Bielostok who is murdered by the Russian common-folk. Clearly, The narrator is teaching a lesson with a dual message. Firstly, he is informing the reader of the horrors that took place in Russia during the Holocaust. Perhaps even more of a travesty, however, is the fact that humankind has not learned from the past in light of the fact that this "episode" is merely one link in a long chain of terrors. Yevtushenko goes on to allude to Anne Frank, a young Jewish teenager who left behind a diary of her thoughts and dreams, and how the Nazis strip her of any potential future she has when she is murdered in the death camps. Clearly, the allusion creates images in the mind of the reader that mere descriptions via the use of words could not. Another effective literary device used in the poem is the first person narrative in which the narrator identifies with those victims which he describes. This is seen in the case where the narrator says "I am Dreyfus", or "Anne Frank, I am she." The narrator does not claim to understand what the feelings and thoughts of these people are, but rather, he is acknowledging the fact that they are feeling, "detested and denounced" and that unlike the rest of the world who turned its head, or the Russians who actually abetted such heinous crimes, this gentile narrator can not empathize, but does sympathize with his Jewish "brethren." Another extremely powerful device used by Yevtushenko is the detail of description and imagery used to describe events and feelings that are in both those whom he identifies with, as well as himself. "I bear the red mark of nails"(line 8) seems to include much of the suffering that the Jews have to endure. The statement is almost one of a reverse crucifixion in which the Jews are crucified and now have to suffer with false accusations, blood libels, and Pogroms for the duration of time. The poet describes very clearly the contempt most people have for the Jewish people and how many of these people aided in the barbarity . In line 13, for example, the poet speaks of "shrieking ladies in fine ruffled gowns" who "brandish their umbrellas in my face." In addition, Yevtushenko also depicts explicitly how the "tavern masters celebrate" at the sight of "(a Jewish boy's)blood spurt and spread over the floor." The contrast of age in "Babi Yar" is also quite effective. In the last three sections, the reader finds out that the narrator is remembering the past, mourning those who have perished.

Jaques Cousteau essays

Jaques Cousteau essays On June 11, 1910, Jacques Cousteau was born. His family live in a small town called Saint Andre de Cubzac in France. Although he was a sickly child, Jacques parents never could have imagined their son to be doing what he was doing for the world of science and deep-sea exploration in the future. Even at early childhood, Jacques dreamed of finding buried pirates treasure. Times were hard for the Cousteau family in France, though. In 1920, when Jacques was ten years old, the family packed their bags and started a new life in New York City, New York. Here, Jacques father got a new job. In New York, Jacques attended the Holy Name School. When he was off of school in the summer, though, Jacques and his family vacationed to Lake Harvey, Vermont, where Jacques first learned how to swim and hold his breath underwater. After two years in America, his family Jacques family decided to move back to France. When Jacques got back to France, one of the first things he did was buy a brand new movie camera he had been wanting with his savings. Even though he was very smart, Jacques started doing very badly in school. He also made a lot of trouble at school. Eventually, it became too much, and Jacques Cousteau was expelled from the school for throwing rocks at its windows. Jacques, though, always seemed to be able to learn from his mistakes. That same year, he was sent to military boarding school for his behavior. Here, Jacques did very well and excelled in all of his classes. In 1929, Jacques graduated from the boarding school, and in the next year, he joined the French navy. While in the navy, he took many journeys on boats around the world. On one of these trips, he met a young woman named Simone Melchior. Melchior was also a member of the French navy and stayed with Cousteau throughout many of their journeys. On July 12, 1937, the couple was married. Mr. And Mrs. Jacques Cousteau went o...

Short Story Author Analysis - Isaac Babel Research Paper

Short Story Author Analysis - Isaac Babel - Research Paper Example However, it was his engagement with the truthful depiction of the heinous acts committed by those in high authority that landed him in trouble with Stalin that eventually led to his execution. In Babel’s life, the loss of life and tenderness of emotion went hand in hand. Most of his literary work carries an understated preoccupation with the theme of ‘death’ and since, this preoccupation formed an indispensable part of his growing years; detachment was an inevitable consequence. His collection of thirty five short stories, by the title ‘Red Cavalry’ is the epitome of violent depictions in his work through his career. This violence and morbid details of death and murder stem from first hand accounts after being a recruit in the 1st Cavalry Army. As he floated through war-affected times, in his personal life, his several marriages and extra-marital affairs began to tell a tale of disillusionment with permanence of any sort. The only permanence that there was, was that of the insecurities of an unstable and ‘always-at-risk’ life that stayed with him for the rest of his life. As Lionel Trilling remarks about Isaac Babel: â€Å"He was captivated by the vision of two ways of being, the way of violence and the way of peace, and he was torn between the two† (Trilling, 119) As a writer, Babel always remained in the eye of controversy. The stories from ‘Red Cavalry’ like Crossing the River Zbrucz, My first goose and Salt are all stories with diverse plots and yet are tied together with the element of death in some form. ‘Crossing the River Zbrucz’ or ‘Crossing into Poland’ begins on a morbid note, which casts its shadow over the rest of the narrative. The somber mood of the story is however offset intermittently with an odd Wordsworth-like description at times. â€Å"Faint-hearted poverty closed in over my couch. Silence overcame all.

Why might we consider justice to be an essentially contested concept Essay - 1

Why might we consider justice to be an essentially contested concept - Essay Example It is the hope of this brief analysis that the reader will come to a more full and complete understanding of the way in which societal recognition of justice has come to be defined as well as some of the core drawbacks to the way in which this term impacts different individuals and points of view in different ways. Firstly, one of the core interpretations that were presented by Plato, and individuals before and after him, was that moral virtue is ultimately the definitive aspect of justice. Naturally, within such a definition, two distinct words stand in contrast with one another (Plant, 2011). First of these is â€Å"moral† and the second one is â€Å"virtue†. Unfortunately, these two are not mutually exclusive and necessarily involve compliments of one another as a function of their own definition; lending the reader to realize that a situation of philosophical analysis is somewhat adulterated by this reality (Rawls, 2011). Further identifications and definitions were predicated upon the fundamental or tacit/innate concept of justice and the belief that it was given by God/god/gods. Although this interpretation was useful in helping individuals to understand the natural rights and concepts of justice that helped to define a given political system, these also fell short due to t he fact that they leveraged an understanding â€Å"justice† that was predicated upon a particular belief system or religion. Naturally, this was also fundamentally flawed as it promoted one particular set of ideals and interpretations over a litany of others (Ryan, 2009). A further issue that exists is the fact that even if it is understood in terms of a universal application of fairness and equality under the law, it will invariably place a particular worldview, ethnicity, or culture as a barometer for the way in which this concept should be defined and administered. Looking into the current exhibition of the justice system in most of the developed

Business Ethic - Flag of convenience Coursework

Business Ethic - Flag of convenience - Coursework Example matters over ships flying its flag.† Prevented by the odium linked with flags of convenience, several new shipping registries have placed themselves up as tax havens, more suitably pertained to asquasi-flag of convenience registries that is provided with firm maritime laws and the administrative machinery to enforce and implement them. There are three foundations when it comes to. The first one is that the ship registration conveys nationality to a ship and carries it within the command of the national law of the country of registration. Article 6 of the Convention of the High Seas (1958) particularly indicates that ships shall sail under the flag o one country solely and shall be subject to that flags special jurisdiction. Another is that a ship should also comply with international laws embodied in conventions that have been approved by the flag state and that is enforced. Apart from this, a ship could also be subject to the laws imposed by a country in whose territorial waters or port it is at present functioning. However the "law of the flag" often has supremacy over the "law of the port of call." Since the country of registry together with the law of the flag primarily influence ship operating economics, the option of register is critical to ship-owners. Ship registries could be divided into two broad categories: closed and open registers. Closed registers limit flagging only to nationals, such that a German would not be able to register his ships under the Russian flag. On the contrary, open registers are available to any ship-owner in spite of nationality. For instance, the United Kingdom is considered as an open register in that an American shipowner could register his vessels in the name of the British flag. Amongst open registries, there are national registers which deal with shipping companies in fundamentally the similar manner as any other business in the country. It is also noted that there are international registers which have been particularly

Ethical Issues in Geriatric Service Organizations

Ethical Issues in Geriatric Service Organizations LINA DIAZ Common ethical issues and conflicts experienced by managers and practitioners of geriatric service organizations and recommend alternative measures to remove or minimise such ethical dilemmas and conflicts experienced by managers and practitioners of geriatric organizations. Actual and potential conflict of interest between family members, professional There are common ethical issues and conflicts experienced by health professionals and managers of geriatric service organizations. Ethical consideration rendering for elderly patients, no matter what the age, if they are able to make health decision for themselves, then they should receive the right to do without being pressured. If they are incapable of doing it then the relatives will make such decision. In the world of the elderly, ethical issues are greatly important because they are very vulnerable. In such, that elderly are taken advantage of their rights as patients. The ethical issue, dilemmas involve the elderly and those healthcare provider or family members. The team of caregiver needs to form a group to provide a better care, to enhance the quality of care, and quality of life. Ethics and morality are not equivalents. Although ethics is frequently study of morals, for the elderly and their healthcare providers, ethics means two different things. For the elderly, ethics is about how they want to be treated and allowed to make their own decisions. For family members as caregivers, ethics is about doing what is right even when no one is looking. For professionals providing eldercare, ethics is about adherence to established canons of ethics promulgated by organizations. There are common Ethical issues in the eldercare providers. The Actual Conflicts of Interest, several conflicts of interest may arise when family members and professional caregivers assist or represent the elderly. Conflicts involving spouses and their wishes versus the elder’s wishes and interest; conflicts involving family members from different generations and their wishes versus the elders interest; conflicts involving a fiduciary (such as a guardian, conservator or agent under a power of attorney) who may have interest different than elder; and conflicts involving the care provider’s business interest versus the elder interest, wellbeing and quality of life. The Poten tial, Future or Perceived Conflicts of Interest, are those which are not actual conflicts when rendering assistance to the elder’s. For instance, a power of attorney is prepared by the elder’s attorney and signed by the elder to give his son the power to manage all his business affairs when the elder could not. At this point there is a potential conflict of interest. Later, after the elder is actually incapacitated, the son as agent seeks legal counsel concerning strategy that could impoverish the elder by transferring the assets to the son. The potential conflict has now become a conflict of interest. Social workers should be alert and avoid conflicts of interest that inhibit the exercise of professional discretion and impartial judgment. Clients should be inform in potential conflicts arises and assist to resolve the issue that protect the client interest. Ethical Issues and the Elderly www.ensingnlaw.com Confidentiality Confidentiality issues is one the hardest things to learn by many healthcare providers and how to maintain patient confidentiality. Privacy maybe invaded and confidentiality violated by revealing information that can be used to expose a client to unwanted response from healthcare provider. Issues form the client cannot discuss with our family, friends or spouse. Yet, in reality it happen, even it is illegal unless it is done with great discretion to protect the client’s identity. Under the law, we need to ask permission from the client about discussing clients care even with his own family. There are some other privacy issues that caused health care institution to rearrange offices, designate waiting areas and sign in sheets to protect the privacy and identity of the patients. Trust is very essential part in establishing relationship between caregiver and clients. Patients need to know that they can discuss sensitive information with their health provider in a safe condition. However, there are some issues such as public health issues like Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, sexually transmitted disease and communicable disease which require reporting. Being a health care provider, confidentiality is very important to practice, discussing with colleague, we need to make sure that others cannot hear the conversation or identify a patient. The records and charts of the patients must be kept confidential in legal terms. It should protect the information and responsibly share the information to trusted one. Yet there are rare circumstances, such as when a court order has been issued, wherein a physician may be legally obligated to disclose information without the patient’s signature. Similarly, a physician might have a duty to warn, if it is believed that a patient poses an obvious threat to other individuals. The health care provider should avoid disclose any personal and medical information that has been entrusted to them by the patients. When a pa tient’s private information is shared, there is the expectation that health care providers will keep the information in confidence. This may include patient’s diagnosis, history of illness, drug use, and family history. The importance of confidentiality to elderly patients should not be overlooked. Although health care team, family and friends might assume that these concepts are unimportant to an elderly patient, the patient might not agree. A competent patient should expect that information share with the health care provider will kept confidential. Confidentiality Issues www.netplaces.com Ethics Programs www.miami.edu Decision-making capacity of the elderly Decision making capacity and competency in the elderly, the number of older adults with cognitive impairment has increased. There is growing need for assessments to identify their decision making capacity and competence. The importance of assessing decision making capacity is respecting the values and interests of older adults. It is necessary to ensure that intervention improve care for all older adults. However, issues related to capacity to consent raise many difficult questions that must address. Assessing the decision making abilities of understanding, appreciation, reasoning, and expressing a choice is very important. Assessing competency becomes increasingly critical when the patients wish id to forego a life-saving procedure. Supporting patient’s choice regardless of the outcome of that decision is an important part of patient advocacy and therefore an important component of patient care. Decision Making Capacity www.ncbi.nlm.nib.gov

Myths of Cultures and Civilizations Essay -- Civilization, Myths, Lege

From before the dawn of civilization as we know it, humanity has formed myths and legends to explain the natural world around them. Whether it is of Zeus and Hera or Izanami-no-Mikoto and Izanagi-no-mikoto, every civilization and culture upon this world has its own mythos. However, the age of myth is waning as it is overshadowed in this modern era by fundamental religion and empirical science. The word myth has come to connote blatant falsehood; however, it was not always so. Our myths have reflected both the society and values of the culture they are from. We have also reflected our inner psyche, conscious and unconscious, unto the fabric of our myths. This reflection allows us to understand ourselves and other cultures better. Throughout the eons of humanity’s existence, the myths explain natural phenomena and the cultural legends of the epic hero have reflected the foundations and the inner turmoil of the human psyche. Over the recent centuries, the definition of myth has decayed into a word synonymous with falsehoods and lies. This idea of myths being completely false and therefore useless is a fairly modern one. To combat the rise of empirical science in the 1900s, theologians brought the idea of wholly literal, fundamental religion into being to combat ideas that did not perfectly align with the tenants of the religion (May 24). This was the final death blow to the idea of the metaphysical myth that was already wounded from thousands of years of being denounced as pagan or barbaric. The rise of empirical science also lent to the decay of the meaning of myth. Science was able to explain the natural world far better than a myth ever could; however, it lacked the metaphysical aspect. Due to these rising ideologies, myths hav... ...ng, Ph.D.. n.p. 2002. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. Drysdale, Jilian Miller. â€Å"Faces of the Goddess.† Synchronicity. Dec. 1999/Jan. 2000: 29-31. Sirs Renaissance. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. Freud, Sigmund. The Future of an Illusion. New York: Norton & Company Inc., 1961. Print. Henderson, Joseph. â€Å"Ancient Myths and Modern Men.† Man and his Symbols. Ed. Carl Jung. New York: Doubleday & Company Inc., 1964. 104-158. Print. Jung, Carl. â€Å"Approaching the Unconscious.† Man and his Symbols. Ed. Carl Jung. New York: Doubleday & Company Inc., 1964. 1-104. Kromholz, Susan Foster, and P. Kyle McCarter. â€Å"Why Myth Endures.† Johns Hopkins Magazine. Aug 1990: 32-37. Sirs Issues Researcher. Web, 07 Apr. 2104. May, Rollo. The Cry for Myth. New York: Norton & Company, 1991. Print. Sels, Nadia. Myth, Mind, and Metaphor: On the Relation of Mythology and Psychoanalysis. n.p. 2011. Web. 25 Mar 2014.

Importance of Understanding Culture Diversity in the Workplace

Importance of Understanding Culture Diversity in the Workplace In business today it is important to have a diverse group of employees in the workplace. Our textbook defines diversity as real or perceived differences among people in race, ethnicity, sex, age, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, religion, work and family status, weight and appearance, and other identity-based attributes that affect their interactions and relationships (Bell, 2012, p. 5).It is very important to understand the cultural, ethnical, and gender differences by professionals and management in the workforce in this day and age. If an organization develops a reputation for valuing all types of employees, it will become known as an employer of choice, in which workers from all backgrounds feel they have the opportunity to work, grow, and be treated fairly (Bell, 2012, p. 4). By being diverse in its employees, a business has a better opportunity for new ideas and growth potential and less likely to be stymied.Despite extraordinary corporate and media attention paid to diversity in the past thirty years, discrimination, inequality, and exclusion persist in organizations (Bell, 2012, p. 4). As discussed this week in class, when the department head turned down the Jamaican friend for the position, even though he seemed better qualified, it showed stereotyping and prejudices can have a negative effect in the workplace. The situation made for an uncomfortable, even negative environment in the workplace.By the department head’s negative behavior it caused a barrier for productivity and potentially harmed working relationships. It is essential in today’s business world for managers and professionals to understand the importance of cultural, ethnical and gender differences to make the workplace environment an at-ease one for employees to thrive and be productive. In every culture there are unique thought processes and behaviors and these cultural differences have a strong impact on workplace interaction and communication.What may be considered the norm for one person’s culture could be completely unacceptable to another. People from diverse cultures bring new ways of thinking, ingenuity and communication skills needed to endure in today’s workforce. Working in and learning in environments with people who are different can benefit individuals through intellectual engagement, perspective taking, and greater understanding of the implications and benefits of diversity (Bell, 2012, p. 4). In the healthcare industry, employers benefit by hiring a diverse workforce.Hospitals have come to appreciate that by hiring staff from different cultural, ethnical, and gender backgrounds, it brings a great deal of valued thoughts and insight when it applies to patient care. Ultimately, if a hospital's workforce more closely resembles the patient population it serves quality measures and patient satisfaction scores will improve (Commins, 2012, p. 2). Nursi ng care must become more culturally, ethnically, and gender diverse in order for the nursing unit to reflect the diversity of the population it treats.The ball and sock experiment really showed me how it feels to be different. I felt awkward and uncomfortable, I struggled with daily tasks that I normally accomplished without having to even think about, for example, brushing my teeth, shaving my legs, inserting the keys into the ignition of my car, shifting the gears of my car to just name a few. By the end of the day I could perform these tasks more easily but I still had to use more focus and effort.The ball and sock experiment opened my eyes to how it must feel to be outside of what society considers to be the norm and gave me a new appreciation for how these differences help shape our society. In conclusion, it is very important to understand the need for cultural, ethnical, and gender differences by professionals and management in the workforce in this day and age. Diversity in the workplace, no matter in healthcare or any other business, is of the utmost importance for growth and prosperity.

The Pankhursts and the Sufferagettes essays

The Pankhursts and the Sufferagettes essays Emmeline Pankhurst was the founder of the Womens Franchise League in 1889, she was also a member of the Manchester branch of the NUWSS. By 1903 Pankhurst had become frustrated at the NUWSS lack of success in their struggle to get the vote for women. With the help of two of her daughters, Christabel and Sylvia Pankhurst, she formed the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). At first the main aim of the organisation was to recruit more working class women into the struggle for the vote. She also had another daughter, Adela, who became a leader of left-wing socialism in Australia. By 1905 the media had lost any real interest in the struggle for women's rights. Newspapers rarely reported meetings and usually refused to publish articles and letters written by supporters of women's suffrage. In 1905 the WSPU decided to use different methods to obtain the publicity they thought would be needed in order to obtain the vote. They took a much more militant role in campaigning and this won them both respect by some women and the press attention that they wanted. In 1905, Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney attended a meeting in London to hear Sir Edward Grey, a minister in the British government. When Grey was talking, the two women constantly shouted "Will the Liberal Government give votes to women?" When the women refused to stop shouting the police were called to evict them from the building. Pankhurst and Kenney refused to leave and during the struggle a policeman claimed the two women kicked and spat at him. Pankhurst and Kenney were arrested and charged with a ssault. Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney were found guilty of assault and fined five shillings each. When the women refused to pay the fine they were sent to prison. This case shocked Britain. For the first time in Britain, women had used violence in an attempt to win the vote. It was only now that members of the WSPU became known as suffragettes. This started a...

Biography of Bernardo OHiggins, Liberator of Chile

Biography of Bernardo O'Higgins, Liberator of Chile Bernardo OHiggins (August 20, 1778–October 24, 1842) was a Chilean landowner, general, president, and one of the leaders of its struggle for independence. Although he had no formal military training, OHiggins took charge of the ragged rebel army and fought the Spanish from 1810 to 1818, when Chile achieved its independence. Today, he is revered as the liberator of Chile and the father of the nation. Fast Facts: Bernardo O'Higgins Known For:  Leader during Chiles struggle for independence, general, presidentBorn:  August 20, 1778 in Chilln, ChileParents: Ambrosio OHiggins and Isabel RiquelmeDied:  October 24, 1842 in Lima, PeruEducation: San Carlos College, Peru, Catholic school in EnglandNotable Quote: Lads! Live with honor, or die with glory! He who is brave, follow me! Early Life Bernardo was the illegitimate child of Ambrosio OHiggins, a Spanish officer born in Ireland who immigrated to South America and rose through the ranks of the Spanish bureaucracy, eventually reaching the high post of Viceroy of Peru. His mother Isabel Riquelme was the daughter of a prominent local, and he was raised with her family. Bernardo only met his father once (and at that time he did not know who he was) and spent most of his early life with his mother and traveling. As a young man, he went to England, where he lived on a small allowance that his father sent him. While there, Bernardo was tutored by legendary Venezuelan Revolutionary Francisco de Miranda. Return to Chile Ambrosio formally recognized his son in 1801 on his deathbed, and Bernardo suddenly found himself the owner of a prosperous estate in Chile. He returned to Chile and took possession of his inheritance, and for a few years he lived quietly in obscurity. He was appointed to the governing body as the representative of his region. Bernardo might well have lived his life as a farmer and local politician if it were not for the great tide of independence that was building in South America. OHiggins and Independence OHiggins was an important supporter of the September 18 movement in Chile, which began the nations struggle for independence. When it became apparent that the actions of Chile would lead to war, he raised two cavalry regiments and an infantry militia, mostly recruited from families who worked his lands. As he had no training, he learned how to use weapons from veteran soldiers. Juan Martà ­nez de Rozas was president and OHiggins supported him, but Rozas was accused of corruption and criticized for sending valuable troops and resources to Argentina to help the independence movement there. In July 1811, Rozas stepped down and was replaced by a moderate junta. OHiggins and Carrera The junta was soon overthrown by Josà © Miguel Carrera, a charismatic young Chilean aristocrat who had distinguished himself in the Spanish army in Europe before deciding to join the rebel cause. OHiggins and Carrera would have a tempestuous, complicated relationship for the duration of the struggle. Carrera was more dashing, outspoken, and charismatic, while OHiggins was more circumspect, brave, and pragmatic. During the early years of the struggle, OHiggins was generally subordinate to Carrera  and dutifully followed his orders as best he could. This power dynamic would not last, however. The Siege of Chilln After a series of skirmishes and small battles against the Spanish and royalist forces from 1811–1813, OHiggins, Carrera, and other rebel generals chased the royalist army into the city of Chilln. They laid siege to the city in July of 1813, in the middle of the harsh Chilean winter. The siege was a disaster for the rebels. The patriots could not completely dislodge the royalists. When they did manage to take part of the town, the rebel forces engaged in raping and looting, which caused the province to sympathize with the royalist side. Many of Carreras soldiers, suffering in the cold without food, deserted. Carrera was forced to lift the siege on August 10, admitting that he could not take the city. Meanwhile, OHiggins had distinguished himself as a cavalry commander. Appointed Commander Not long after Chilln, Carrera, OHiggins, and their men were ambushed at a site called El Roble. Carrera fled the battlefield, but OHiggins remained despite a bullet wound in his leg. OHiggins turned the tide of the battle and emerged a national hero. The ruling junta in Santiago had seen enough of Carrera after his fiasco at Chilln and his cowardice at El Roble and made OHiggins commander of the army. OHiggins, always modest, argued against the move, saying that a change of high command was a bad idea, but the junta had decided: OHiggins would lead the army. The Battle of Rancagua OHiggins and his generals battled Spanish and royalist forces throughout Chile for another year before the next decisive engagement. In September 1814, Spanish General Mariano Osorio was moving a large force of royalists into position to take Santiago and end the rebellion. The rebels decided to make a stand outside the town of Rancagua, on the way to the capital. The Spanish crossed the river and drove off a rebel force under Luà ­s Carrera (brother of Josà © Miguel). Another Carrera brother, Juan Josà ©, was trapped in the city. OHiggins bravely moved his men into the city to reinforce Juan Josà © in spite of the approaching army, which far outnumbered the rebels in the city. Although OHiggins and the rebels fought very bravely, the result was predictable. The massive royalist force eventually  drove the rebels out of the city. The defeat could have been avoided had Luà ­s Carreras army returned, but it did not- under orders from Josà © Miguel. The devastating loss at Rancagua meant that Santiago would have to be abandoned: There was no way to keep the Spanish army out of the Chilean capital. Exile OHiggins and thousands of other Chilean rebels made the weary trek into Argentina and exile. He was joined by the Carrera brothers, who immediately began jockeying for position in the exile camp. Argentinas independence leader,  Josà © de San Martà ­n, supported OHiggins, and the Carrera brothers were arrested. San Martà ­n began working with Chilean patriots to organize the liberation of Chile. Meanwhile, the victorious Spanish in Chile were punishing the civilian population for their support of the rebellion. Their harsh brutality only caused the people of Chile to long for independence. When OHiggins returned, the general population was ready. Return to Chile San Martà ­n believed that all of the lands to the south would be vulnerable as long as Peru remained a royalist stronghold. Therefore, he raised an army. His plan was to cross the Andes, liberate Chile, and then march on Peru. OHiggins was his choice as the man to lead Chiles liberation. No other Chilean commanded the respect that OHiggins did (with the possible exception of the Carrera brothers, whom San Martà ­n did not trust). On January 12, 1817, a formidable rebel army of some 5,000 soldiers set out from Mendoza to cross the mighty Andes. Like  Simà ³n Bolà ­vars epic 1819 crossing of the Andes, this expedition was very harsh. San Martà ­n and OHiggins lost some men in the crossing, although their sound planning meant that most soldiers survived. A clever ruse had sent the Spanish scrambling to defend the wrong passes and the army arrived in Chile unopposed. The Army of the Andes, as it was called, defeated the royalists at the  Battle of Chacabuco  on February 12, 1817, clearing the path to Santiago. When San Martà ­n defeated the Spanish last-gasp attack at the  Battle of Maipu  on April 5, 1818, the rebel victory was complete. By September 1818, most Spanish and royalist forces had retreated to try to defend Peru, the last Spanish stronghold on the continent. End of the Carreras San Martà ­n turned his attention to Peru, leaving OHiggins in charge of Chile as a virtual dictator. At first, he had no serious opposition: Juan Josà © and Luis Carrera had been captured attempting to infiltrate the rebel army. They were executed in Mendoza. Josà © Miguel, OHiggins greatest enemy, spent the years from 1817 to 1821 in southern Argentina with a small army, raiding towns in the name of gathering funds and weapons for liberation. He was finally executed after being captured, ending the long-standing and bitter OHiggins-Carrera feud. OHiggins the Dictator OHiggins, left in power by San Martà ­n, proved to be an authoritarian ruler. He hand-picked a Senate and the 1822 Constitution allowed representatives to be elected to a toothless legislative body.  OHiggins was a de facto dictator. He believed that Chile needed a strong leader to implement change and control simmering royalist sentiment. OHiggins was a liberal who promoted education and equality and curtailed the privileges of the wealthy. He abolished all noble titles, even though there were few in Chile. He changed the tax code and did much to encourage commerce, including the completion of the Maipo Canal. Leading citizens who had repeatedly supported the royalist cause saw their lands taken away if they had left Chile and they were heavily taxed if they remained. The Bishop of Santiago, the royalist-leaning Santiago Rodrà ­guez Zorrilla, was exiled to Mendoza. OHiggins further alienated the church by allowing Protestantism into the new nation and by reserving the right to meddle in church appointments. He made many improvements to the military, establishing different branches of service, including a Navy to be led by the Scotsman Lord Thomas Cochrane. Under OHiggins, Chile remained active in the liberation of South America, often sending reinforcements and supplies to San Martà ­n and  Simon Bolà ­var, then fighting in Peru. Downfall OHiggins support began to erode quickly. He had angered the elite by taking away their noble titles and, in some cases, their lands. He then alienated the commercial class by continuing to contribute to expensive wars in Peru. His finance minister Josà © Antonio Rodrà ­guez Aldea was revealed to be corrupt, using the office for personal gain. By 1822, hostility to OHiggins had reached a crucial point. The opposition to OHiggins gravitated towards General Ramà ³n  Freile as a leader, himself a hero of the Independence wars, if not a hero of OHiggins stature. OHiggins attempted to placate his foes with a new constitution, but it was too little, too late. Seeing that cities were prepared to rise against him in arms, OHiggins agreed to step down on January 28, 1823. He remembered only too well the costly feuding between himself and the Carreras and how a lack of unity had almost cost Chile its independence. He went out in dramatic fashion, baring his chest to the assembled politicians and leaders who had turned against him and inviting them to take their bloody revenge. Instead, all present cheered for him and escorted him to his home. Exile General Josà © Marà ­a de la Cruz claimed that OHiggins peaceful departure from power avoided a good deal of bloodshed and said, OHiggins was greater in those hours than he had been in the most glorious days of his life. Intending to go into exile in Ireland, OHiggins made a stop in Peru, where he was warmly welcomed and given a large estate. OHiggins had always been a somewhat simple man and a reluctant general, hero, and president, and he happily settled into his life as a landowner. He met Bolà ­var and offered his services, but when he was offered only a ceremonial position, he returned home. Final Years and Death During his final years, OHiggins acted as an unofficial ambassador from Chile to Peru, although he never did return to Chile. He meddled in the politics of both countries, and he was on the verge of being unwelcome in Peru when he was invited back to Chile in 1842. He did not make it home, as he died of heart trouble while en route on October 24, 1842. Legacy Bernardo OHiggins was an unlikely hero. He was a bastard for most of his early life, unrecognized by his father, who was a devout supporter of the king. Bernardo was ingenious and dignified, not particularly ambitious nor an especially dazzling general or strategist. He was in many ways as unlike Simà ³n Bolivar as it is possible to be: Bolà ­var had much more in common with the dashing, confident Josà © Miguel Carrera. Nevertheless, OHiggins had many positive qualities that were not always apparent. He was brave, honest, forgiving, and dedicated to the cause of liberty. He did not back down from fights, even those he could not win. During the wars of liberation, he was often open to compromise when more stubborn leaders like Carrera were not. This prevented unnecessary bloodshed among rebel forces, even if it did mean repeatedly allowing the hot-headed Carrera back into power. Like many heroes, most of OHiggins failings have been forgotten and his successes are exaggerated and celebrated in Chile. He is revered as the Liberator of his country. His remains lie in a monument called The Altar of the Fatherland. A city is named after him, as well as several Chilean navy ships, countless streets, and a military base. Even his time as dictator of Chile, for which he has been criticized for clinging too tightly to power, is viewed by many historians as more beneficial than not. He was a strong personality when his nation needed guidance, yet by most accounts, he did not overly repress the people or use his power for personal gain. Many of his liberal policies, seen as radical at the time, are respected today. Sources Concha Cruz, Alejandor and Maltà ©s Cortà ©s, Julio.  Historia de Chile.  Bibliogrfica Internacional, 2008.Harvey, Robert.  Liberators: Latin Americas Struggle for Independence. The Overlook Press, 2000.Lynch, John.  The Spanish American Revolutions 1808–1826. W. W. Norton Company, 1986.Scheina, Robert L.  Latin Americas Wars, Volume 1: The Age of the Caudillo 1791–1899. Brasseys Inc., 2003.Concha Cruz, Alejandor and Maltà ©s Cortà ©s, Julio.  Historia de Chile  Santiago: Bibliogrfica Internacional, 2008.Harvey, Robert.  Liberators: Latin Americas Struggle for Independence.The Overlook Press, 2000.Lynch, John.  The Spanish American Revolutions 1808-1826. W. W. Norton Company, 1986.Scheina, Robert L.  Latin Americas Wars, Volume 1: The Age of the Caudillo 1791-1899. Brasseys Inc., 2003.

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Commuication and Culture Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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