By: Rohan Pavuluri
The sinking of the Titanic is one of the most well-known tragedies in modern history. The story of the “unsinkable” ship that collided with an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage in 1912 has captured the imagination of people for more than a century. In this article, we’ll explore the history of the Titanic, examine its design and construction, and delve into the events that led to its sinking. The Titanic was a massive passenger liner, touted as the largest and most luxurious ship of its time. It was built by the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland for the White Star Line. The ship was 882 feet long, 92 feet wide, and had a gross tonnage of 46,328. It was equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including wireless telegraphy and electric lighting. The Titanic set sail from Southampton, England, on April 10, 1912, with 2,223 passengers and crew members on board. Its destination was New York City, and the ship was scheduled to arrive on April 17. However, just four days into the voyage, disaster struck. At around 11:40 pm on April 14, the Titanic collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean. The ship’s crew attempted to avoid the iceberg, but it was too late. The iceberg tore a large hole in the ship’s hull, and water began flooding into the compartments below. Despite the severity of the damage, many passengers and crew members remained unaware of the seriousness of the situation. Some even continued to play cards and dance in the ship’s ballroom. However, as the water continued to rise, panic began to set in. The Titanic’s crew tried to launch the lifeboats, but there were not enough for all of the passengers and crew members on board. The ship’s designers had believed that the Titanic was virtually unsinkable, and therefore only included enough lifeboats to accommodate 1,178 people, less than half the number on board. As a result, many people were left stranded on the sinking ship. The Titanic’s stern began to rise out of the water, and those still on board faced a terrifying and hopeless situation. At 2:20 am on April 15, the Titanic sank into the icy waters of the North Atlantic. Of the 2,223 people on board, only 710 survived. The sinking of the Titanic was a tragedy that shook the world. In the aftermath of the disaster, there were numerous inquiries and investigations into what had gone wrong. One of the key factors was the lack of lifeboats. There were also questions about the speed at which the ship was traveling, the design of the ship, and the actions of the crew. The Titanic remains a symbol of the hubris of humans and of the dangers of underestimating the power of nature. It is a reminder that even the most advanced and sophisticated machines can be brought down by the forces of the natural world. In conclusion, the story of the Titanic is a cautionary tale that has captivated people for generations. The sinking of the “unsinkable” ship continues to intrigue and inspire people to this day. It is a reminder that even the most advanced technology is not infallible, and that we must always be prepared for the unexpected. The story of the Titanic and the people who lost their lives on that fateful night will continue to be remembered for generations to come.
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By: Rohan Pavuluri
The Japanese Tsunami of 2011 was an unprecedented disaster that shook the world with its magnitude. On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific Coast of Japan, triggering a massive tsunami that ravaged the country's east coast and caused widespread destruction and loss of life. The disaster claimed the lives of over 15 thousand people, displaced hundreds of thousands, and caused billions of dollars in damages. The earthquake that triggered the tsunami was the most powerful ever recorded in Japan and the fourth most powerful in the world since modern record-keeping began in 1900. The earthquake struck at 2:46 pm local time and lasted for six minutes. The earthquake was so powerful that it shifted the Earth's axis by about 10 centimeters and caused the entire country to move by 2.4 meters. The tsunami that followed was equally devastating. It struck the coast of Japan with a wall of water that reached heights of up to 40 meters. The tsunami waves swept away entire towns, destroyed buildings, and caused widespread flooding and landslides. The disaster also triggered a nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which suffered a meltdown and released radioactive material into the environment. The Japanese government responded quickly to the disaster, mobilizing thousands of rescue workers, military personnel, and volunteers to provide aid to those affected. The government also set up evacuation centers and provided food, water, and medical supplies to those in need. The international community also provided aid and support to Japan, with countries around the world sending rescue teams, medical supplies, and financial assistance. The Japanese people showed remarkable resilience and strength in the face of the disaster. Despite the loss of their homes, possessions, and loved ones, they remained determined to rebuild and recover from the disaster. The Japanese government and the international community also played vital roles in supporting the recovery efforts, providing financial assistance, technical expertise, and other resources to help rebuild the affected areas. In conclusion, the Japanese Tsunami of 2011 was a tragic and devastating disaster that caused property damage and immense loss of life. However, the resilience and strength of the Japanese people, combined with the support of the international community helped the country recover and rebuild from the disaster. The lessons learned from the disaster have helped improve disaster preparedness and response efforts around the world, making the world a safer place for everyone. By: Rohan Pavuluri
Shortly after its attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Japan gained control over much of Southeast Asia and the Central Pacific. The Japanese sphere of control extended west to Burma (Myanmar), south to the Dutch East Indies (now Malaysia) and New Guinea, and east to Wake Island. However, the United States assumed command of the Allied forces in the Pacific theater and mounted a counteroffensive that incorporated a strategic combination of land, air, and naval assaults. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCOS) — Adm. Ernest King, Adm. William Leahy, Gen. George Marshall, and Gen. Henry Arnold — were appointed in 1942 to provide a body of high command to direct U.S. operations during the war. Each member was a four-star officer from the U.S. Army, Navy, and Army Air Forces (AAF). The Marine Corps was not represented in this body during World War II. Convention dictated that a single officer should command all armed forces in the Pacific, but the JCOS could not agree on any one person to do so. At King’s urging, the body chose to bifurcate the theater and gave Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Adm. Chester Nimitz command over one half each. Even then, however, there was contention over how to make progress toward the Japanese homeland. MacArthur wanted to retake the Philippines en route to Tokyo, while Nimitz wanted an “island-hopping” approach that focused on small strategic gains throughout the Central Pacific. In 1944, the JCOS agreed on a two-pronged plan that combined both strategies. By October of that year, MacArthur had landed on Filipino soil, and Nimitz had seized the Mariana Islands, which severely crippled the Japanese’s naval and air power. Henry Arnold was of the opinion that the Bonin Islands could be useful for conducting B-29 Superfortress air raids on Tokyo. He was convinced that Iwo Jima (now Iō-tō) in particular, being halfway between the Mariana Islands and the Japanese capital, would place his fighters in range of the city so that they could support bombing operations in the region. Arnold had to rely on the Navy to take these islands for him, however. At the JCOS’s direction, Nimitz initially intended to take Formosa (Taiwan) rather than Iwo Jima, but recommendations from his subordinate admirals prompted him to propose that he seize Iwo Jima and Okinawa instead. The JCOS approved the plan, and in October 1944, Nimitz began preparations for an Iwo Jima invasion, later known as Operation Detachment. And then the battle began. Nimitz created a U.S. Joint Expeditionary Force of Navy and Marines to carry out Operation Detachment. At its disposal was an armada of 11 warships that were intended to soften up Japanese defenses with sustained bombardment. Maj. Gen. Harry Schmidt took charge of Marine operations. He fielded the largely veteran 3rd, 4th, and 5th Marine divisions, totaling some 70,000 troops. U.S. intelligence had reported only 13,000 Japanese defenders and excellent beach terrain for landing, so planners chose to have the Marines land on the southeastern beach in seven sections (listed southwest to northeast): Green, Red 1, Red 2, Yellow 1, Yellow 2, Blue 1, and Blue 2. The 28th Regiment at Green would plow across the 0.5-mile (0.8-km) stretch to the other side of the island to cut off and eventually take Mount Suribachi. The 27th Regiment at Red 1 and 2 would head northward past Motoyama 1, which would be taken by the 23rd Regiment at Yellow 1 and 2. The 25th Regiment at Blue 1 and 2 would head east to secure the right flank. Schmidt was prepared for Japanese banzai attacks, and he expected the swarm of bodies to expedite the invasion process; he anticipated total control of the island in no more than four days. His estimate was inaccurate, and it ended up being a month-long battle. In conclusion, the battle of Iwo Jima was a major battle in the United States’s attempt to end the war with Japan. The battle was expected to take four days, but it ended up taking four weeks. In this battle there were many casualties, but that did not stop the Americans from conquering the island, giving them great odds for ending the war. Sources: History.com By: Rohan Pavuluri
If you were a teacher, and you were offered the chance of a lifetime to go to space, would you accept it? That’s what public school teacher Christa McAuliffe did. She accepted the offer and she was to go to space on the Challenger space aircraft. I believe that most of you know what happened on this journey but in case you don't, the spaceship blew up shortly after liftoff, killing all the people on board the ship. Challenger disaster, explosion of the U.S. space shuttle orbiter Challenger, shortly after its launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on January 28, 1986. The disaster claimed the lives of seven astronauts. The primary goal of shuttle mission 51-L was to launch the second Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-B). It also carried the Spartan Halley spacecraft, a small satellite that was to be released by Challenger and picked up two days later after observing Halley’s Comet during its closest approach to the Sun. Greatest visibility among the crew went to teacher-in-space Christa McAuliffe of Concord, New Hampshire, the winner of a national screening begun in 1984. McAuliffe was to conduct at least two lessons from orbit and then spend the following nine months lecturing students across the United States. The goal was to highlight the importance of teachers and to interest students in high-tech careers. Other members of the crew were commander Francis (Dick) Scobee, pilot Michael Smith, mission specialists Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, and Hughes Aircraft engineer Gregory Jarvis. The mission experienced trouble at the outset as the launch was postponed for several days, partly because of the delays in getting the previous shuttle mission, 61-C (Columbia), back on the ground. On the night before the launch, central Florida was swept by a severe cold wave that deposited thick ice on the launch pad. On launch day, January 28, liftoff was delayed until 11:38 AM. Unfortunately, the liftoff did not go as expected. In conclusion, the space shuttle called the ‘Challenger Rocket’ was launched into the atmosphere, but it failed, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars, and seven lives. This day will always be remembered, and it was a major moment in the history of the United States. By: Rohan Pavuluri
Two months after Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election, "[o]n January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol Building in Washington D.C., was attacked by a mob] of supporters of then-U.S. president Donald Trump... They sought to keep Trump in power by preventing a joint session of Congress from counting the electoral college votes to formalize the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. The attack was ultimately unsuccessful in preventing the election results from being certified." According to the House Select Committee which investigated this, the attack was the culmination of a seven stage plan made by Trump to change the result of the election. Within 36 hours of the event, five people had died: one was shot by the Capitol Police, another died of a drug overdose, and three died of natural causes, including a police officer. Many people were injured, including 174 police officers. Four officers who responded to the attack committed suicide within seven months. As of July 7, 2022, monetary damages caused by attackers exceed $2.7 million. Called to action by Trump, thousands of his supporters gathered in Washington, D.C. on January 5th and 6th to support his false claims that the 2020 election had been "stolen by emboldened radical-left democrats" (Naylor Brian), and to demand that Vice President Mike Pence and Congress reject Biden's victory. Starting at noon on January 6th at a "Save America" rally at the Ellipse, a park in Washington D.C. about 30 minutes away from the Capitol Building, Trump gave a speech in which he repeated false claims of election irregularities and proclaimed that the government was corrupt. People believed him and acted on their beliefs in the horrible event that we now call January 6th. In conclusion, Donald J Trump spread propaganda about the election and government corruption. This angered the people of the U.S. and caused a protest that took place on January 6th outside the Capitol Building. This event was a major moment in our nation’s history, and it will never be forgotten. By: Rohan Pavuluri
This edition of "This Day in History" is a sad one. In this edition, we will be talking about the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, a disastrous event that occurred on December 7th, 1941. On this date, over 2,500 people died. Why did this happen? The bombing of Pearl Harbor happened during the peak of World War II (WWII), a war between the Axis Powers and the Allies. This war began when Germany’s leader, Adolf Hitler, came to power and started conquering other countries then annexing their land to Germany. Japan and Italy allied themselves with Germany. Since the U.S. did not agree with Germany, they did not agree with Japan. The United States of America declared an oil embargo on Japan. Since Japan was not rich in resources, it got most of its oil through trade with the U.S. To get more resources, they started conquering islands in the Pacific. However, the resources were still not enough for Japan. So, in a late hope to try and “scare” America out of the Embargo, they decided to show America their naval and air power; they decided to attack the Naval Base of Pearl Harbor. The Japanese strike force consisted of 353 aircrafts launched from four heavy carriers. These included 40 torpedo planes, 103 level bombers, 131 dive-bombers, and 79 fighters. The attack also consisted of two heavy cruisers, 35 submarines, two light cruisers, nine oilers, two battleships, and 11 destroyers. Responding to this attack, the U.S. declared war on Germany, Japan, and Italy. Thanks to the U.S.’ help, the allies were able to win WWII. But winning WWII came with a cost. The Allies defeated Germany in May of 1945, but they did not defeat Japan until August. To defeat Japan, America had to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan and Nagaski, Japan. An atomic bomb is a weapon which can destroy an entire city with just one bomb. Every modernized country was attempting to create an atomic bomb, but the U.S. was the first to create one. Russia (the Soviet Union) was also trying to create an atomic bomb, but they were unsuccessful and were perplexed by the atomic bomb. This resulted in the 44 year long war called the Cold War, in which Russia and the U.S. were threatening each other with nukes, and other more advanced bombs. In conclusion, Japan attacked the U.S. naval base of Pearl Harbor to “scare” the U.S. out of the Oil Embargo. Enraged by this, the U.S. retaliated by declaring war against Japan, Germany, and Italy. This was how the U.S. entered World War II. |