Tuesday, December 31, 2019

The Religious Code Of Islam - 888 Words

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Lunar calendar, meaning hot and dry in the Arabic language. An Islamic month begins with the spotting of the new crescent in the western horizon after the sun has set. Ramadan is 29 or 30 days depending on whether the new moon is sighted of the 29th day of the eighth month, Sha’ban. If the moon is spotted Ramadan has begun and fasting will begin with the next dawn. If the new moon does not appear on the 29th day, Sha ban will last 30 days long and Ramadan as well as fasting will begin the next day.) Healthy adult Muslims Fasting in the month of Ramadan is a deed of worship required of all healthy adult Muslims. During the fast, adult Muslims are required to refrain from all oral intake of food, water, beverages, or drugs as well as from sexual activity, between dawn and sunset. Muslims must follow the moral code of Islam very strictly as failure violates the requirements of fasting. Muslims fast because they are commanded by Allah to d o so. However, the additional benefits of fasting include gaining control over urges such as hunger and thirst, living a moral life and forming a closer relationship with Allah. The fasting period begins after a pre- dawn meal known as suhur and is ended with the meal that immediately follows sunset known as iftar. It is tradition for iftar to begin with a drink of water followed by a dried date representing the same modest source of food that Prophet Muhammad ate when he broke fast. However, anyShow MoreRelated Thomas W. Lippmans Understanding Islam Essay1224 Words   |  5 PagesThomas W. Lippmans Understanding Islam Thomas W. Lippman gives an introduction to the Muslim world in the book Understanding Islam. He has traveled throughout the Islamic world as Washington Post bureau chief for the Middle East, and as a correspondent in Indochina. This gave him, in his own words, sharp insight into the complexities of that turbulent region. However, the purpose of the book is not to produce a critical or controversial interpretation of Islamic scripture. It is insteadRead MoreThe Basic Message Of Islam757 Words   |  4 PagesWhat was the basic message of Islam, and why was it able to expand so successfully? The basic message of Islam was that there was one God who ruled over the other Gods and whose name was Allah. Muslim Prophet Muhammad was the last and greatest prophet of Allah. He believed that Allah had exposed himself in Moses and Jesus and thru the Hebrew and Christian traditions (203). The last revelations were given to him. These revelations were written down in a holy book that became the Qur an. TheRead MoreChristianity And Homosexuality : The Way Of Thinking1395 Words   |  6 Pagesthat â€Å"the complexity of the issue is often over-simplified either because of an inadequate appreciation for the diversity of positions promulgated about homosexuality among Christian denominations today or because of long-held cultural taboos and religious biases about the root ‘causes’ of homosexuality†(O’Brien). I somewhat agree with the article when it talks about how it is assumed that Christianity is automatically against homosexuality. I think that Ch ristianity hadn’t really thought out itsRead MoreThe Secular Leaders From The Catholic Church1245 Words   |  5 Pagesmanaged to keep the peace, however he had one major different religious belief. Thai difference was that the Romans were allied to the Church of Rome; the Goths, Theodoric included, were Arians. Theodoric granted religious freedom to all. Clovis, king of the Franks was baptized and had thousands of his soldiers be baptized with him. (The Franks were the only Catholics.) Clovis used the Church to unite the people, and had a set order of religious rituals. As the Franks spread Arianism died out. HoweverRead MoreImportance Of Hijab In Islam1031 Words   |  5 Pages Hijab, widely defined as a headdress covering Muslim women is one of the most visible and easily identifiable symbol of Islam. While in some of the Muslim countries hijab is a cultural and religious norm, it has caused a lot of controversy in other countries, like Western countries which often inte rpret hijab as a symbol of oppression of Muslim women. There have been various regulations recently even in progressive countries like France regarding wearing a hijab in public places and this shows thatRead MoreThe Between Modern Liberal Agenda And Traditional Islam964 Words   |  4 PagesThe marked correlation between Islam and gender inequalities in various social institutions is a complex and multi-faceted matter. This paper will seek to explore the disjuncture between modern-liberal agenda and traditional Islam. More thoroughly, the idea of conflicting freedoms will be covered, and exactly how this opposition can be solved to establish a more progressive society. It is important to note that Islam should not be covered under a homogenizing umbrella that establishes them as oneRead Morechanges in Africa from 500 C.E to 1500 C.E783 Words   |  4 PagesE to 1500C.E The role of religion has changed over time in West Africa from the migration of Islam bringing its new faith, rituals, and establishment of a greater connection with the outside world through trade and cultural diffusion. However the unique African religion that existed beforehand was still retained; the African culture still believing in animism and polytheism even after the spread of Islam. From 1000-1500 CE the role of religion has seen changes and continuities influenced by the spreadRead MoreChristianity And Islam : The World s Largest Religions1501 Words   |  7 PagesChristianity and Islam are two of the world’s largest religions. According to Pew Research â€Å"there are 2.18 billion Christians of all ages around the world and there are about 1.6 billion Muslims.† The two religions share many similarities. For example both religions teach that â€Å"there is One true and only God, the righteous and transcendent Creator of all things in heaven and earth† (34). Both religions have foundational texts, Christianity has the bible and Islam has the Quaran. Although among theirRead MoreThree Main Religions in the Continent of Asia907 Words   |  4 Pagesregion which includes the countries of Saudi Arabia and Iran. The people of Southwest Asia are primarily one of three religions; Christian, Judaism, or Islam. These religions all have different practices, rituals, and teachings but also have some similarities. Each religion has their own holy book, key cites, worship places, and special religious holidays. In Southwest Asia, your religion is based on your family history, beliefs, customs, and traditions. The first religion to get foundedRead MoreEssay on Islam in the American Soil542 Words   |  3 PagesIslam in America The mention of the word Islam in the American soils evokes mixed reactions, especially after the September 11 attacks that left the American security agencies at the edge of confusion. Islam is equated to terrorism by most none Islam Americans. This is the general notion that was left in the minds of many westerners. Though not all Muslims who are terrorists, the people who are normally perpetuating in terrorist’s attacks purport to profess Muslim faith and often they are heard chanting

Monday, December 23, 2019

Taking a Look at Cyberbullying - 693 Words

Introduction I. Attention Getter: A. Have you ever been called â€Å"ugly†? Have you ever been called â€Å"four eyes†? Have you ever been called â€Å"slut†? Has someone made you feel totally insecure about your appearance? Everyone in this room has probably been bullied at least once in their life. It is not the best feeling is it? It makes one feel insecure, humiliated and very uncomfortable. It has the power to destroy lives, mentally and physically. II. Central Idea: A. Cyber Bullying is a known problem all across the world. It goes unnoticed as actual bullying most of the time, but cyber bullying can be very harmful and sometime even fatal. More and more people are standing up against it but there are still a lot of cyber bullies in the world. III. Credibility Statement: A. I am speaking up for victims who have been bullying and they really need our helps to make them to feel stronger enough to know they are not alone anymore. Our goal is to help teens, families, schools, and communities to get the education and help they need to prevent being bullied. IV. Important Statement: A. I will sharing some of things that you should consider to be careful what you say to someone, those bullying statistics show that bullying is on the rise among young adults, teen and children which it pushed too far and many cases leading to cases of teen suicide or death. V. Main Points: A. Cyber Bullying B. Effects C. Statistics Transition: First, I would give you a general overview of cyberShow MoreRelatedTaking a Look at Cyberbullying520 Words   |  2 PagesI. Introduction – Cyberbullying is occurring all over the world, and it is slowly growing. A. What is cyberbullying? 1. â€Å"Cyberbullying is bullying, through the use of technology or electronic devices such as cell phones, computers, video gaming systems, and the Internet† (Coakley). 2. â€Å"Examples of cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles† (Stop). B. The differenceRead MoreTaking a Look at Cyberbullying966 Words   |  4 Pages   Cyberbullying is the use of Information Technology to harm or harass other people in a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner. According to U.S. Legal Definitions, Cyber-bullying could be limited to posting rumors or gossips about a person in the internet bringing about hatred in other’s minds; or it may go to the extent of personally identifying victims and publishing materials severely defaming and humiliating them. With the increase in use of these technologies, cyberbullying has become increasinglyRead MoreTaking a Look at Cyberbullying1105 Words   |  4 Pagesmain reasons teens spend so much time on the internet is so that they can be noticed by their peers and therefore, become more popular. Billiteri reports that in accordance to Danah Boyd, professor of Internet and Society at Harvard, â€Å"What fuels cyberbullying is status in schools — popularity, hierarchies, whos cool, whos not.† As Alex recalled this hysterical and entertaining fight, he also shared that each girl involved in the Twitter fight gained at least 50 followers, thus incrementing theirRead MoreCyberbullying Prevention And The Prevention1031 Words   |  5 PagesThe prevention and responding to Cyberbullying is a way to stay away from all the dangers. Parents, schools and anyone can help stop children from cyberbullying and help them if they are getting cyberbullied. Anyone can help the prevention of cyber bullying, help others respond to it, and warn people about how dangerous it can become. Cyberbullying prevention can start with just anyone, from parents to other teens across the whole U.S. Parents can talk to their children while they are growing upRead MoreSocial Media Bullying And Cyberbullying1383 Words   |  6 PagesSocial media bullying is called Cyberbullying. Cyberbullying takes place over computers, tablets, and cell phones. Cyberbullying occurs through apps, forums, SMS, gaming where people can view, text and online in social media. It also includes sharing, sending or posting negative, untrue, harmful and mean content about another person. You may also find your personal or private information blasted on these sites that can cause humiliation and embarrassment. Cyberbullying can cross the line going intoRead MoreThe Effects Of Bullying On Students Within The School System920 Words   |  4 Pageshas more of an emotional impact on students and it’s mostly verbal. Social media plays a huge role in bullying as well, so what can teachers do in order t o stop cyberbullying or bullying in general? While I was in high school, there was a lot of bullying going on, but most of it involved social media and would be defined as cyberbullying. My senior year of high school there was an anonymous account that was made by one of the students who attended. On this specific account called â€Å"LB ConfessionsRead MoreBullying : The Causes And Effects Of Cyberbullying1508 Words   |  7 PagesCyberbullying is usually between a few students that are in the same class or even in the same age group. A lot of people think they know what cyberbullying and bullying is but they are not the same. Cyberbullying can affect a kid as much as physical bullying. Cyberbullying has been proven to affect one out of every three children. There are seven or more different ways a person can be cyberbullied. It can lead to person a harming themselves or others being harmed. Cyberbullying has been provenRead MorePersuasive Essay On Cyber Bullying1453 Words   |  6 Pagesofficials can serve as a crutch for those kids who need someone to rely on. By collaborating and interacting with their students, teachers and school officials can create a bond or connection with them to acknowledge that the students have someone to look up to and/or ask for assistance with cyber-bullying. However, there are also many ways that by connecting or interacting with students can draw a red flag. Most teachers main concern with their students is that they are in an safe environment andRead MoreThe Effects Of Social Networking On Teenagers And Teenagers1511 Words   |  7 Pagessocial rank. In recent studies cyberbullying rates have found that about 1 in 4 teens have been the victims of cyberbullying, and 1 in 6 admit to having cyberbullied someone (Cyberbullying, 2016). More than have half of teens surveyed that have felt abused through social and digital media. Cyberbullicide is suicide indirectly or directly influenced by experiences with online aggression (Hinduja pAtchin, 2009). This leads to there being a connection between cyberbullying and suicide. Youth who are bulliedRead MoreA New Form of Bullying: Cyberbullying1259 Words   |  5 Pagesin person; but, in this generation, cyberbullying is a new form of harassment that goes beyond the schoolyard. This way, indiv iduals can be bullied all day and any day, but when you ask teens today, 81% of them think it is funny. (NPC) This shows that most teens do not think of cyberbullying as much of a threat, even though the rate in has gone up. In 2008–2009, the School Crime Supplement indicates that 6% of students in grades 6–12 experienced cyberbullying. (Stop Bullying) Six percent of the

Sunday, December 15, 2019

The Host Chapter 1 Remembered Free Essays

I knew it would begin with the end, and the end would look like death to these eyes. I had been warned. Not these eyes. We will write a custom essay sample on The Host Chapter 1: Remembered or any similar topic only for you Order Now My eyes. Mine. This was me now. The language I had found myself using was odd, but it made sense. Choppy, boxy, blind, and linear. Impossibly crippled in comparision to many I’d used, yet still it managed to find fluidity and expression. Sometimes beauty. My language now. My native tounge. With the truest instinct of my kind, I’d bound myself securely into the body’s center of thought, twined myself inescapably into its every breath and reflex until it was no longer a seperate entity. It was me. Not the body, mybody. I felt the sedation wearing off and lucidity taking its place. I braced myself for the onslaught of the first memory, which would really be the last memory ?C the last moments this body had experienced, the memory of the end. I had been warned thorougly of what would happen now. These human emotions would be stronger, more vital than the feelings of any other species I had been. I tried to prepare myself. The memory came. And, as I’d been warned, it was not something that could ever be prepared for. It seared with sharp color and ringing sound. Cold on her skin, pain gripping her limbs, burning them. The taste was fiercely metallic in her mouth. And there was the new sense, the fifth sense I’d never had, that took the particles from the air and transformed them into strange messages and pleasaures and warnings in her brain ?C scents. They were distracting, confusing to me, but not to her memory. The memory had no time for the novelties of smell. The memory was only fear. Fear locked her in a vise, goading the blunt, clumsy limbd forward but hampering them at the same time. To flee, to run ?C it was all she could do. I’ve failed. The memory that was not mine was so frighteningly strong and clear that it sliced through my control ?C overwhelmed the detachment, the knowledge that this was just a memory and not me. Sucked into the hell that was the last minute of her life, I was she, and we were running. It’s so dark. I can’t see. I can’t see the floor. I can’t see my hands streched out in front of me. I run blind and try to hear the pursuit I can feel behind me, but the pulse is so loud behind my ears it drowns everything else out. It’s cold. It shouldn’t matter now, but it hurts. I’m so cold. The air in her nose was uncomfortable. Bad. A bad smell. For one second, that discomfort pulled me free of the memory. But it was only a second, and then I was dragged in again, and my eyes filled with horrified tears. I’m lost, we’re lost. It’s over. They’re right behind me now, loud and close. There are so many footsteps! I am alone. I’ve failed. The Seekers are calling. The sound of their voices twists my stomach. I’m going to be sick. â€Å"It’s fine, it’s fine,† one lies, trying to calm me, to slow me. Her voice is disturbed by the effort of her breathing. â€Å"Be careful!† another shouts in warning. â€Å"Don’t hurt yourself,† one of them pleads. A deep voice, full of concern. Concern! Heat shot trough my veins, and a violent hatred nearly choked me. I had never felt such an emotion as this in all my lives. For another second, my revulision pulled me away from the memory. A high, shrill keening pierced my ears and pulsed in my head. The sound scraped through my airways. There was a weak pain in my throat. Screaming, my body explained. You’re screaming. I froze in shock, and the sound broke off abruptly. This was not a memory. My body ?C she was thinking! Speakingto me! But the memory was stronger, in that moment, than my astonishment. â€Å"Please,† they cry. â€Å"There is danger ahead.† The danger is behind! I scream back in my mind. But I see what they mean. A feeble stream of light, coming from who knows where, shines on the end of the hall. It is not the flat wall or the locked door, the dead end I feared and expected. It is a black hole. An elevator shaft. Abandoned, empty, and condemned, like this building. Once a hiding place, now a tomb. A surge of relief floods through me as I raced forward. There is a way. No way to survive, but perhaps a way to win. No, no, no! This thought was all mine, and I fought to pull myself away from her, but we wer together. And we sprinted from the edge of death. â€Å"Please!† The shouts are more desperate. I feel like laughing when I know that I am fast enough. I imagine their hands clutching for me just inches behind my back. But I am as fast as I need to be. I don’t even pause at the end of the floor. The hole rises up to meet me midstride. The emptiness swallows me. My legs flail, useless. My hands grip the air, claw through it, searching for anything solid. Cold blows past me like tornado winds. I hear the thud before I feel it†¦ The air is gone†¦ And then pain is everywhere†¦ Pain is everything. Make it stop. Not high enough, I whisper to myself through the pain. When will the pain end? When†¦? The blackness swallowed up the agony, and I was weak with gratitude that the memory had come to this most final of conclusions. The blackness took all, and I was free. I took a breath to steady myself, as was this body’s habit. My body. But then the color rushed back, the memory reared up and engulfed me again. No! I panicked, fearing the cold and the pain and the very fear itself. But this was not the same memory. This was a memory within a memory ?C a final memory, like a last gasp of air ?C yet, somehow, even stronger than the first. The blackness took all but this: a face. The face was as alien to me as the faceless serpentine tentacles of my last host body would be to this new body. I’d seen this kind of face in the images I had been given to prepare for this world. It was hard to tell them apart, to see the tiny variations in color and shape that was the only markers of the individual. So much the same, all of them. Noses centered in the middle of the sphere, eyes above and mouths below, ears around the sides. A collection of senses, all but touch, concentrated in one place. Skin over bones, hair growing on the crown and in strange furry lines above the eyes. Some had more fur lower down on the jaw: those were always males. The colors ranged through the brown scale from pale cream to a deep almost-black. Aside from that, how to know one from the other? This face I would of known among millions. This face was a hard rectangle, the shape of the bones strong under the skin. In color it was light golden brown. The hair was just a few shades darker than the skin, except where flaxen streaks lightened it, and it covered only the head and the odd fur stripes above the eyes. The circular irises in the white eyeballs were darker than the hair but, like the hair, flecked with light. There were small lines around the eyes, and her memories told me the lines was from smiling and squinting into sunlight. I knew nothing of what passed for beauty among these strangers, and yet I knew that this face was beautiful. I wanted to keep looking at it. As soon as I realized this, it disappeared. Mine, spoke the alien thought that should not have existed. Again, I was frozen, stunned. There should have been no one here but me. And yet this thought was so strong and so aware! Impossible. How was she still here? This was me now. Mine, I rebuked her, the power and authority that belonged to me alone flowing through the word. Everything is mine. So why am I talking back to her? I wondered as the voices interuppted my thoughts. How to cite The Host Chapter 1: Remembered, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Pacific War Essay Example For Students

Pacific War Essay Pacific WarWorld War II was fought across more landand involved more men than any other war in the history of human civilization. Never before or since has there been a war of such vast importance andof such a large scale. The United States had an absolutely crucialrole in the outcome of this war. The U.S. was faced with the colossalchallenge of waging two wars at the same time on two very different partsof the planet. The European front was, of course, the more obviousof the two considering the undeniable atrocities and evils that were beingcommitted by Adolf Hitler. Involvement on the European front wasinevitable and, generally more accessible for U.S. forces. Less thanthirty years before, the United States had fought in Europe, so we werefamiliar with the terrain and appropriate strategy. However, thePacific Campaign of World War II presented a unique challenge for UnitedStates Armed Forces. Never before had we fought in the South Pacificor even on terrain that resembled that of the Pacific islands. Withthe Army heavily involved in Europe, in December of 1941 the United Stateswere forced into a war that it w as not familiar with nor knew how to fight. Luckily, however, for the U.S., the Marine Corps were the perfect outfitfor the kind of fighting need in the Pacific Campaign. Because oftheir training in land to sea combat, the Marines were uniquely preparedfor the war that faced them, whereas, the Army could never have successfullywaged war in the Pacific. Without the Marine Corps fighting in thePacific, the whole war against Japan would not have succeeded. From 1939-1941, at the dawn of Adolf Hitlerswar machine in Europe, the United States seemed above the rest of the world. Separated by the vast Atlantic Ocean, the U.S. enjoyed an incredible amountof security. We were almost entirely untouchable from the flamesof war rapidly growing in Europe, and the majority of American citizenswere happy to not be involved. To them, the European conflict wastoo far away to have any direct or meaningful impact on their lives. Infact, public opinion did not think that it was even necessary to enterthe war at all. However, Roosevelt saw otherwise. He knew thata war in Europe could very well mean a war in the States. Only thirtyyears before, in World War I, the same kind situation had evolved intothe war to end all wars, where the United States had played a key role. So, Roosevelt desperately wanted and needed to change the minds of nearlythe nearly the entire American public; this task presented an almost impossiblechallenge. With war beginning to be fought in Europe,England was in dire need of any aid they could receive. At the beginning,this aid came in the form of supplies furnished by the United States. Ammunition, food, clothing, and weapons of all kinds were being shippedover to Europe and creating incredible wealth for the American government. Entering the war meant losing a very profitable trade with the desperateallies in Europe. Luckily for England and for Roosevelt, the UnitedStates were soon presented with an undeniable reason for entering the war. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombedPearl Harbor. This act of aggression towards America, provided fora perfect entrance into the war, and now the people of America were incitedenough to back a full-scale war against Hitler and Japan. However,one huge problem still existed, and that was the problem of a two frontwar. Many were frightened that the U.S. had taken on a task thatwas a bit too much for the nation to handle. The Army was the perfectforce for fighting the war in Europe. They were trained for the landcombat they would face, and had knowledge of the land from World War I. In addition, the Army was already on the move to Europe, so splitting theArmy into two different forces for Europe and the South Pacific was outof the question. The only option that the U.S. government had forwaging war against Japan was the Marine Corps. Marine units had beenstationed in the South Pacific in Australia and Samoa. They onlyneeded to be reinforced. Especially convenient for the United Stateswas the fact that the Marine Corps was perfectly suited for the kind ofwarfare that would be faced against Japan. Marines are trained specificallyfor land to sea and sea to land operations. In addition, their closerelationship with the Navy insured that the two fighting forces could worktogether and be successful. Both General Douglas MacArthur and AdmiralChester Williams Nimitz orchestrated the unique strategy used in fightingthe Japanese, known as Island Hopping. Both the ground troops andthe Navy were perfectly choreographed to strike at strategic Japanese strongholdsaround the Pacific. The goal was to destroy all Japanese dominanceand to move ever closer to the Japanese mainland. The beginning of the Pacific Campaignwas the Battle of Guadalcanal. At the beginning of the war with Japanhad an empire reaching frighteningly close the Australian coastline. The Japanese advance had to be brought to a halt if the American forceshoped to assert dominance in the Pacific. Coming off the recent winat the Battle of Midway, the American troops were filled with increasedvigor and enthusiasm about the war. The Battle of Guadalcanal orOperation Watchtower was hasty and ill prepared assault. Most, ifnot all, intelligence that the Marines had on the island were from outdatedGerman maps from World War I. Even its commanders would derisivelyrefer to it as Operation Shoestring (Costello 321). In fact, theonly reason the Marines were able to land so easily was because of a weakinitial defense on the part of the Japanese army. Nevertheless, onAugust 6, 1942 at midnight, the Pacific assault campaign began. Eleven transport ships accompanied bycruisers made their way towards Lunga Point at the north of the island. Because of a failure in Japanese intelligence, the enemy had no knowledgeof the creeping American Marines that were so close to their shore. At 6:13 in the morning, the first shots were fired on the island by a heavycruiser called Quincy (Costello). Not long after the shelling commenced,American aircraft carriers let loose bombers and fighters the further assaultthe Japanese held island. The enemy was caught completelyoff guard. The actual landing of the island was performed with incredibleease. More Marines were injured by sharp coral heads as they wadedup the dun-colored beach than by enemy bullets (Costello 323). Soon, however, Japanese cruisers arrivedon the scene and caught the U.S. Navy completely off guard destroying U.S.S. Chicago and the Australian H.M.A.S. Canberra. Luckily, for the recentlylanded Marine Corps, Japanese Admiral Mikawa withdrew and did not attackthe island itself. However, the Marines ashore were now with reinforcementsor provisions. So, the Marines quickly finished the captured airstripunder constant bombings by the Japanese Air Force. Now, reinforcementswere brought in, and the Marines were strengthened. The followingengagements were primarily offensive on the part of the Marines. They had to clear the entire island of Japanese soldiers. On August19, 1942, the Marines engaged the enemy in an awful, bloody battle. The Japanese had attempted to sneak up on the Marines under the cover ofnight, only to be heard and gunned down. However, the ferocious fightingstyle of the Japanese proved resilient to Marine machine guns. TheJapanese continued to move forward. However, the effort was in vain. To his Coy Mistress Essay ThesisEmperor Tojo had convinced them through anti-U.S. propaganda that the Americanswere evil and that they should avoid all contact with the enemy troops. Despite the sad ending, the battles for Saipan-Tinian proved without adoubt that the Pacific War belonged to the Marines and the Army shouldstay at the European front. The next big battle for the Marines wasperhaps their most famous, Iwo Jima. The reasons for the battle forIwo Jima were once again because of the necessity of the Army Air Corps. While Saipan-Tinian had provided the U.S. with key airfields close to Japan,the Air Corps wanted to be even closer to Japan in order to cut down oncasualties and expense. Iwo Jima was very attractively seated halfwaybetween Saipan-Tinian and the Japanese mainland. The Army Air Corpscould launch daily B-29 raids from new airstrips on Iwo. The battle itself was expected to be huge. Admiral Kelly Turner and General Holland Smith both thought that it wouldbe the largest battle yet and would have an estimated 20,000 casualties. The brunt of the work was given to the 4th and 5th Divisions under MajorClifton B. Cates and Major Kelly E. Rockey. The 3rd Division wasto wait in reserve. The primary goal of the battle was to captureMount Suribachi, the most heavily fortified part of the island. ByFebruary of 1945, nearly a quarter of a million U.S. troops were set forinvasion. The Navy bombarded the island fiercely. General Smith had wanted ten days of shelling prior to landing in orderto break up all Japanese defenses; the operation was that huge. Whenthe first wave of Marines landed, Japanese troops seemed unfazed by theshelling and rained fire down upon the 9,000 Marines advancing on theirbeaches. The 28th Regiment made their way through 1,000 yards ofdefense and to the base of Mount Suribachi, the 27th was stuck by enemyfirepower, and the men of the 5th Division were struggling on the beacheson 15-foot sand ridges, which made it like trying to fight in a bin ofloose wheat' (Costello 544). By nighttime, thirty thousand Marines wereashore on Iwo Jima and 2,000 had been killed. The next day the Marinesbegan their push towards the two airstrips on the island. U.S. troopswere only moving 400 yards a day on Mount Suribachi (Costello). ByFebruary 23, however, Marines were at the base of the volcanic peak. On the 24th, Marines planted an American flag on a crater of the volcano;it was the first sign of victory. Away from Mount Suribachi, Marineswere slowly wearing down the Japanese defenses by never resting. They fought their enemys war by pushing relentlessly and with extremeforce. After a week or so, the Japanese line was no longer a line,but scattered groups of resistance. After nearly six weeks of fightingonly 216 Japanese were taken captive of the 20,000 originally on the island. Nearly 25,000 Marines were wounded and 6,000 were dead (Costello). The invasion was a success and the B-29s began their bombings of the Japanesemainland thanks to the Marine Corps. Okinawa was the last big battle of theMarine Corps in the Pacific War. This battle was to be the last drawfor Japan. Okinawa was frighteningly close to Japan and was veryheavily fortified. If captured, Japanese power and control wouldbe destroyed. The Fifth Fleet of the Navy provided themain support of the 1,200 ships used in the invasion. The 3rd MarineCorps under Major General Roy S. Geiger would do the fighting. TheU.S. expected that a force of 154,000 would be enough to defeat the Japanesedefense of 70,000. On March 26, 1945 the invasion began ona scale similar to that of D-Days in Europe. The 77th Infantry Divisionmoved ashore and secured a place to set up long-range guns and a headquartersfor the entire operation. On April 1, 1,300 American transports andships moved around the island. The Marines landed with surprisingease as the Japanese were luring them inland to move them away from theirNaval support. They continued moving inland with little opposition,however, after a week, U.S. forces began to encounter heavy defense. The Japanese held the Marines and fought viciously while Kamikazes raineddown upon the Navy. However, a greater blow was about to occur. On April 13, the troops received word the Roosevelt was dead. TheJapanese took full advantage of this and launched an awful propaganda waron the Americans. Pamphlets fell from Japanese planes reading, Thedreadful loss that led your late leader to death will make orphans on thisisland. The Japanese Special Assault Corps will sink your vesselsto the last destroyer. You will witness it realized in the near future'(Costello 560). The Japanese commander, Ushijima then launched amassive assault to back up his threat that resulted in nearly 5,000 Japanesecasualties and a stalemate. Kamikaze pilots continued to decimatethe U.S. Navy and they were growing weary of waiting for victory. The U.S. situation grew even dimmer as time passed. The 27th Infantry had to be replaced bythe 1st Marine Division. All was in disarray. But, then Marinesbegan to slowly crack through the Japanese defenses. Soon, the Japanesewere in desperation as the Marines began to win. The victory on Okinawaleft Japan devastated. Their armed forces were crippled and the countrysmorale was vastly deflated. Although the battle of Okinawa was wona great cost to the Americans, the Marines were victorious because theywere able to fight to the end and put the Japanese opposition down. Through their persistence and tenacity, the U.S. Marine Corps were ableto achieve victory against all odds and win the Pacific War where no oneelse could have. General Eisenhower once said that he doubtedMarines were better fighters than his own army Rangers. In a sensehe was probably right; if you tell picked men they are crack troops, theyare likely to fight like an elite. They difference is that IkesRangers were small bands of commandos, while the Marine Corps, a corpsdelite, fielded six divisions in the Pacificthree corps, a whole army(Manchester 298). The United States Marine Corps gave an entire fightingforce of the most elite troops to the Pacific Campaign. They foughtsome of the most ugly and most horrific battles in all of World War II. Their training in land to sea combat gave them an edge over the U.S. Armysland-only combat training. In sending the Marine Corps into the PacificCampaign, the United States proved its military dominance and resourcefulnessand shocked the enemy by showing that we could actually fight a two frontwar and win. Without the determination, strength, and aggressivenessof the Marine Corps in World War II, the Pacific Island Hopping Campaignvery well could have been lost to the Japanese. There was no otheroutfit in all the worlds armies more capable of fighting in the Pacificthan the Marines.