Battle of Chapultepec in the Mexican-American War

Battle of Chapultepec in the Mexican-American War The Battle of Chapultepec was fought September 12-13, 1847, during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). With the start of the war in May 1846, American troops led by Major General Zachary Taylor scored quick victories at the Battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma before crossing the Rio Grande to strike the fortress city of Monterrey. Assaulting Monterrey in September 1846, Taylor captured the city after a costly battle. After the Monterreys capitulation, he annoyed President James K. Polk when he gave the Mexicans an eight-week armistice and permitted Monterreys defeated garrison to go free.   With Taylor and his army holding Monterrey, debate commenced in Washington regarding American strategy moving forward. Following these conversations, it was decided that a campaign against the Mexican capital at Mexico City would be critical to winning the war. As a 500-mile march from Monterrey over difficult terrain was recognized as impractical, the decision was made to land an army on the coast near Veracruz and march inland. This choice made, Polk was next required to select a commander for the campaign. Scotts Army Though popular with his men, Taylor was an ardent Whig who had publicly criticized Polk on several occasions. Polk, a Democrat, would have preferred a member of his own party, but lacking a qualified candidate, he chose Major General Winfield Scott.   A Whig, Scott was seen as posing less of a political threat. To create Scotts army, the bulk of Taylors veteran units were directed to the coast. Left south of Monterrey with a small force, Taylor successfully defeated a much larger Mexican force at the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847. Landing near Veracruz in March 1847, Scott captured the city and began marching inland. Routing the Mexicans at Cerro Gordo the following month, he drove towards Mexico City winning battles at Contreras and Churubusco in the process. Nearing the edge of the city, Scott attacked the Molino del Rey (Kings Mills) on September 8, 1847, believing there to be a cannon foundry there. After hours of heavy fighting, he captured the mills and destroyed the foundry equipment. The battle was one of the bloodiest of conflict with the Americans suffering 780 killed and wounded and the Mexicans 2,200. Next Steps Having taken Molino del Rey, American forces had effectively cleared many of the Mexican defenses on the western side of the city with the exception of Chapultepec Castle. Situated atop a 200-foot hill, the castle was a strong position and served as the Mexican Military Academy. It was garrisoned by fewer than 1,000 men, including the corps of cadets, led by General Nicols Bravo. While a formidable position, the castle could be approached via a long slope from Molino del Rey. Debating his course of action, Scott called a council of war to discuss the armys next steps. Meeting with his officers, Scott favored assaulting the castle and moving against the city from the west. This was initially resisted as the majority of those present, including Major Robert E. Lee, desired to attack from the south. In the course of the debate, Captain Pierre G.T. Beauregard offered an eloquent argument in favor of the western approach which swung many of the officers into Scotts camp. The decision made, Scott began planning for the assault on the castle. For the attack, he intended to strike from two directions with one column approaching from the west while the other struck from the southeast. Armies Commanders United States Major General Winfield Scott7,180 men Mexico General Antonio Lopez de Santa AnnaGeneral Nicholas Bravoaround 1,000 men near Chapultepec The Assault At dawn on September 12, American artillery began firing on the castle. Firing through the day, it halted at nightfall only to resume the next morning. At 8:00 AM, Scott ordered the firing to stop and directed the attack to move forward. Advancing east from Molino del Rey, Major General Gideon Pillows division pushed up the slope spearheaded by an advance party led by Captain Samuel Mackenzie. Advancing north from Tacubaya, Major General John Quitmans division moved against Chapultepec with Captain Silas Casey leading the advance party. Pushing up the slope, Pillows advance successfully reached the walls of the castle but soon stalled as Mackenzies men had to wait for the storming ladders to be brought forward. To the southeast, Quitmans division encountered a dug-in Mexican brigade at the intersection with the road leading east into the city. Ordering Major General Persifor Smith to swing his brigade east around the Mexican line, he directed Brigadier General James Shields to take his brigade northwest against Chapultepec. Reaching the base of the walls, Caseys men also had to wait for ladders to arrive. Ladders soon arrived on both fronts in large numbers allowing the Americans to storm over the walls and into the castle. The first over the top was Lieutenant George Pickett. Though his men mounted a spirited defense, Bravo was soon overwhelmed as the enemy attacked on both fronts. Pressing the assault, Shields was severely wounded, but his men succeeded in pulling down the Mexican flag and replacing it with the American flag. Seeing little choice, Bravo ordered his men to retreat back to the city but was captured before he could join them (Map). Exploiting the Success Arriving on the scene, Scott moved to exploit the capture of Chapultepec. Ordering Major General William Worths division forward, Scott directed it and elements of Pillows division to move north along the La Verà ³nica Causeway then east to assault the San Cosmà © Gate. As these men moved out, Quitman re-formed his command and was tasked with moving east down the Belà ©n Causeway to conduct a secondary attack against the Belà ©n Gate. Pursuing the retreating Chapultepec garrison, Quitmans men soon encountered Mexican defenders under General Andrà ©s Terrà ©s. Using a stone aqueduct for cover, Quitmans men slowly drove the Mexicans back to the Belà ©n Gate. Under heavy pressure, the Mexicans began to flee and Quitmans men breached the gate around 1:20 PM. Guided by Lee, Worths men did not reach the intersection of the La Verà ³nica and San Cosmà © Causeways until 4:00 PM. Beating back a counterattack by Mexican cavalry, they pushed towards the San Cosmà © Gate but took heavy losses from the Mexican defenders. Fighting up the causeway, American troops knocked holes in the walls between buildings to advance while avoiding Mexican fire. To cover the advance, Lieutenant Ulysses S. Grant hoisted a howitzer to the bell tower of the San Cosmà © church and began firing on the Mexicans. This approach was repeated to the north by US Navy Lieutenant Raphael Semmes. The tide turned when Captain George Terrett and a group of US Marines were able to attack the Mexican defenders from the rear. Pushing forward, Worth secured the gate around 6:00 PM. Aftermath In the course of the fighting at the Battle of Chapultepec, Scott suffered around 860 casualties while Mexican losses are estimated at around 1,800 with an additional 823 captured. With the citys defenses breached, Mexican commander General Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna elected to abandon the capital that night. The following morning, American forces entered the city. Though Santa Anna conducted a failed siege of Puebla shortly thereafter, large-scale fighting effectively ended with Mexico Citys fall. Entering into negotiations, the conflict was ended by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in early 1848. The active participation in the fighting by the US Marine Corps led to the opening line of the Marines Hymn, From the Halls of Montezuma...

Amelia Earhart and Sally Ride essays

Amelia Earhart and Sally Ride essays Amelia Earhart and Sally Ride each achieved major goals in fields that were traditionally reserved for men. Amelia Earhart became the first woman in history to make a solo transcontinental flight in 1928 and Sally Ride became the first woman in space in 1983. After achieving these goals, they each spoke to girls and women. They encouraged them not to feel restricted by what society expected of them as women. Amelia Mary Earhart was born on July 24, 1897, in Atchison, Kansas. Her parents' names were Edwin and Amy and she had a sister named Muriel. Amelia was a tomboy when she was young. She loved playing outdoors. She was also interested in stories of women who combined marriage and career, which was a rare occurrence at that time. During World War One, at the age of 20, Amelia served in a Voluntary Aid Detachment. She loved flying, but wartime restrictions prevented her from going up in the air. Amelia knew that her goal in life was to become a pilot. She chose a woman, Neta Snook, to teach her to fly. Amelia felt that she would be less self-conscious learning from a woman. She bought her own plane. In 1928, Amelia rode on a transcontinental airplane flight. The flight made her the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean by air. In 1931, Amelia married George Palmer Putnam. He was a publisher who promoted Amelia's flights. Amelia became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean on her own in 1932. The transatlantic flight marked the high point in Amelia's accomplishments because it was a great step forward for women. Margaret Dreier Robins of the Women's Trade Union League said, "Is it not in us in America to think that if one of us does something we can do it also?". From 1928 to 1937, Amelia promoted aviation to women. She believed that women could play an important role in the promotion of flying, and if they were uncooperative they could hold back its promising future. Although she had already set records i...

Evaluation essay of movie home alone Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evaluation of movie home alone - Essay Example The Christmas mood begins with background music that reflects Christmas songs. Viewers therefore get a belief that that is where most focus of the movie will lie. However, a great suspense develops early in the movie when Kevin’s parents leave for Paris without him. More characters appear in the film when the parents of Kevin leave for Paris. Close ups are used to introduce the characters while mid shots are employed during conversations. A selection of natural dress code shows a normal family image, for instance the appearance of the mother of Kevin in a long dress shows that she is an elderly mother. The suburb Chicago shows that Kevin is from a rich family and the lighting further emphasizes the festive season. The acting was well done. The main actors are Macaulay Culkin, who plays the role of eight-year boy called Kevin and two burglars, Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci. In addition, the actors mind their language. This has made the suitable for all family viewing. The movie commences with Kevin’s family giving an impression of them as the main characters with Kevin as the protagonist because he is an only child. Even so, the story develops quickly with Kevin as the main character and more characters appear. Culkin had many scenes to play, which he did well. His high level of confidence and self-esteem is also a contributing factor to success of the story. The woman playing the role of Kevin’s mother uses little makeup. For that reason, she appears more mature with a motherly figure. This is further emphasized by her dressing code. The story line of the movie is just amazing. There is a striking balance between religion, family life and just some stupid ideas that bring out the comic feel of the movie. The family life is clear at the beginning of the movie when Kevin and the parents chat happily. Towards the end of the movie, there is an expression of socialization. This happens when

Downsizing and Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Downsizing and Globalization - Essay Example This paper presents a critique of the globalization and downsizing, and the reasons why organizations engage in these strategies. Downsizing Strategy Downsizing is a management strategy that involves reduction of an organization’s labor force as a result of corporate restructuring that is focused on maintaining competency in a highly competitive environment. Mergers and acquisitions are among the significant drivers for downsizing. For instance, the acquisition of PeopleSoft by Oracle led to a reduction in the number of employees by 5,000 in a bid to increase efficiency in the new organization. PeopleSoft’s revenue had been declining as a result of the economic crises that significantly affected the profitability of UK firms in 2007 (Blackburn, 1999). However, mergers and acquisitions may necessitate downsizing due to duplication of roles among employees from the merging organizations. The dominant organization tends to retain a greater share of its human resources whil e selecting few employees from the other organization, mainly those with specialized skills that may help in maintaining competitiveness (Kothen et al. 1999). Revenue management is focused on maintaining high revenue while keeping costs at the lowest level possible. Downsizing is among the key strategies for revenue management since organizations find it easy to reduce the workforce and utilize the remaining employees maximally. The operating environment is under constant changes that may affect an organization’s profitability if drastic measures are not undertaken. For example, globalization of industries has increased competition as foreign firms establish subsidiaries globally. Local industries in the global economies are faced with challenges with regards to product quality and production costs. For example, Spar (2003) observes that the cost of labor in China is low compared to some developed economies such as US and the UK. Foreign companies have therefore established s ubsidiaries in China where they produce at lower costs and then sell their products to other economies where the cost of labor is high. This trend has significantly affected industries operating in such economies since they have to minimize spending on labor to effectively compete with organizations that have taken advantage of the Chinese labor market. They have been compelled to lay off workers as well as calling for early retirement (McCann et al. 2008). Technological advancements have significantly influenced the need for organizations to downsize. Organizations engage in innovations to maximize production and increase efficiency. However, some innovations reduce labor-intensive work thereby reducing the need for workers. For example automation of processes increases speed and efficiency in production compared to human labor. Moreover, the recurrent expenditures of maintaining human resources are avoided since the machines require an initial capital outlay and occasional mainten ance. Many organizations globally downsized after introducing computers in their processes. This was a significant development that increased efficiency and accuracy in record keeping as well as service delivery to customers (Froud et al. 2000). Efficiency improvement involves reduction of the excess workers that perform tasks which have little contribution to the organization’

Challenges Minorities Face Trying To Get Ahead in Corporate America Essay

Challenges Minorities Face Trying To Get Ahead in Corporate America - Essay Example As an initial matter, the barriers to minority success in the corporate world are well-known. A Glass-Ceiling Commission was formed by Congress in 1991 to study the barriers and to make recommendations. Robert Reich, the former Secretary of Labor, described this glass ceiling as "the existence of invisible, artificial barriers blocking women and minorities from advancing up the corporate ladder to management and executive level positions" (Good for Business, 1991, p.iii). The problem, therefore, is not whether such problems exist, for they most certainly exist, but how to remove the barriers to corporate advancement. The first barrier is defined as a societal barrier, and this type of barrier is considered to be outside the power of the corporation. This barrier refers to educational restraints and to stereotyping and bias, whether conscious unconscious, which affect minorities. Minorities need the educational qualifications to even begin to think about working for a corporation in a significant capacity. This, in turn, demands access to good schools, access to the money necessary to focus on studying rather than working part-time jobs, and a commitment by corporations, communities, and governmental organizations to provide minorities with the financial resources and proper education. This is a dangerous barrier. The lack of access to a good education can lead to failure in the very beginning of a person's life. The second barrier is referred to as an internal structural barrier. This barrier, in contrast to the societal barrier, is firmly within the control of corporations. This refers to a lack of commitment to minority hiring, training, and inclusion in the "pipeline" system of advancement. This barrier assumes that a minority has the educational qualifications for a particular job. Nonetheless, statistics demonstrate that minorities with the same educational qualifications are not treated equally. The Glass Ceiling Commission highlights this barrier, An analysis of 1990 U.S. Census data shows that Black men who hold professional degrees and top management positions earned 79 percent of what white men earn. Black women, also with professional degrees and in top management positions, earn 60 percent of what white men in comparable positions earn (Good for Business, 1991, p. 13). These statistics suggest that corporations are not doing enough to promote capable and well-qualified minorities within their own organizational structures. There is, in short, no disparity in educational qualifications. Indeed, the sole disparity seems to be in terms of compensation and access to promotion. The latter disparity, in a nation which prides itself on equality, is impossible to justify. The third barrier is a more generalized governmental barrier. This barrier ranges from the lack of data collection about minorities in private business to weak enforcement of government mandates and poor reporting of problems for minorities in the labor force. It must be admitted, in fairness to corporations, that their primary function is maximizing profits for shareholders. To impose costly and time-consuming governmental duties on corporations would result in dislocations of labor and inefficiencies. That said, it is the duty of the government, whether national, state, or local, to promote and protect the welfare of its

Case Analysis - Jennifer Essay Example for Free

Case Analysis Jennifer Essay Physician assisted suicide (PAS) is a common thing in some of the states where it is legally allowed. But, many people believe that the advocacy of Physician assisted suicide (PAS) is morally and ethically wrong . This paper analyses the case study of a Leukaemia patient Jenifer with respect to medically assisted death. Introduction Jenifer was a leukaemia patient who denied the treatment because of the complexity in the treatment and the limited anticipated success percentage.  She was ready to face the destiny and thought that her remaining time in the world is precious and it is not for spending in the hospital beds just like the recently died famous British celebrity Joe Goody. Though many of her close relatives tried to change her decisions, she has rejected all the treatment options. She has asked her close friend and nurse, Donna to give her some medications which may end her life in order to escape from the painful life. People have different opinions about Physician assisted suicide (PAS). Proponents of mercy killing argue that it is better to assist a person medically to terminate his life, if he/she is in a pathetic condition and no hope for a survival while the critics believe that nobody has the right to take the life since nobody can recreate it artificially. Even amidst the huge development of science and technology still the mysteries surrounding the birth and death is still unknown. Nobody knows from where we come and where we go and because of that life has precious value. The creator has certain mission to fulfil while sending the person to earth and only he has the right to call the person back once the mission is completed. It is ethically wrong to act against the will of the creator. â€Å"In order to be accountable, nurses act under a code of ethical conduct that is grounded in the moral principles of fidelity and respect for the dignity, worth, and self-determination of patients. Nurses are accountable for judgments made and actions taken in the course of nursing practice, irrespective of health care organizations policies or providers directives† (ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statement) Human life is so important and the every attempt of the nurse should be to preserve the human life. Nurses can take any actions to protect the life of a patient. At the same time a nurse should not be engaged in any sort of actions which may put the patient’s life in jeopardy. In the given case, Donna is not only a nurse, but a real friend as well for Jenifer. Both of them had close emotional attachments and relationships. So, Donna may be in an agony whether to allow Jennifer to die by giving her medications needed for that, or not. Donna was a friend and at the same time, a nurse. She should give priority to her profession and professional ethics in this situation. It is a fact that Jenifer is suffering from severe pain and it is difficult for Donna to remain helpless. Only thing Donna can do in these circumstances is try to lift the morale of Jenifer using some counseling techniques. Donna is primarily a nurse and she may be attached to many people through friendship relationships. It is not possible for her to assist all the suffering people or the people in no hope condition to die. Her profession is intended for saving the life rather than ending it. Even the doctors, who have the primary authority of treating the patients, often confused and hesitated to engage in activities related to mercy killing even if it is legally allowed. A nurse has no role in taking the decisions about mercy killing. It should be decided by the patient, doctor and the relatives of the patient. Conclusions Human life is so precious and mysterious so that nobody should attempt to finish it deliberately. Only the creator has the right to make modifications in his creations. Creator should have the right to destroy or sustain the life. Since no human has so far succeeded in creating a life, he has no authority to take it.

The Problem with Optimism in Habral and Voltaire :: Free Essays Online

The Problem with Optimism in Habral and Voltaire Bohumil Hrabal’s I Served The King of England follows Ditie, a vertically challenged hotel busboy, through his experiences and adventures, which, in effect, alter his philosophies about life. In an eighteenth century parallel, French satirist Voltaire takes his title character, Candide on a long, perilous journey that results in a similar shift in beliefs. Characteristically, Ditie is similar to Candide, both men are very naà ¯ve by nature and eternally optimistic about the worlds they live in. Only after these worlds are turned upside down by wars, natural disasters, inquisitions, and political changes, do Candide and Ditie learn that in order to be happy with their lives they must â€Å"cultivate [their] garden;† [1] create an individualized path for themselves based on their own philosophies. The parallels between Candide and Ditie are most obvious at the beginning of the novels. The stories of the two characters begin with them living well in grand residences under fairly good circumstances. Ditie is a busboy at the Golden Prague Hotel where, while not on duty, the staff is treated like guests of a slightly lower class. He makes enough money in his side business as a hot dog vendor that he is able to indulge his teenage fantasies weekly at a local whorehouse. Candide is living in castle Thunder-ten-tronckh with the beautiful Cunegonde, with whom he is in love. Neither boy realizes how little the people think of them. Candide is looked down upon as an inferior because though he was born of a noble mother, she never married, so he is in fact a bastard. Ditie, much to his later frustration is limited by his small stature. In addition to these similarities, they are both wide-eyed young boys, extremely impressionable and eager to please. Candide accepts Doctor Pangloss’ theories of metaphysico-theologoco-cosmonology without question. In layman’s terms this is a ridiculous take on the belief that everything happens for a reason. Voltaire is making a satirical jab at religion as well as philosophers [2] ; Candide blindly follows the teachings of Doctor Pangloss, even though he does not fully understand the ideas, as if they were words from a god. Ditie awards the same admiration and blind faith to his first boss at the Golden Prague Hotel, who reminds him to see and hear everything and nothing at the same time.