Thought paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thought paper - Assignment Example However, it seems like it would take a quick study to recognize the cues that indicate these issues. In most cases, I wouldn’t have caught the cues if it hadn’t been for the arrows pointing them out. However, not having the arrows to do so, I might have paid closer attention to the text. What I found most interesting about the article was that the final couple, who were discussing issues that would never be resolved, were the ones that had the best chances of celebrating a happy marriage. Their issues didn’t seem to be much different from the other couples featured – couple 1 fundamentally disagreed about him talking to her more when he wanted only to be left alone and couple 3 had essentially the same problem as she wanted him to talk to her more and he wanted to leave things private – but the outcomes were very different simply by the way they discussed them and the expectations each had. Couple 1 expected the other to change, couple 3 acknowledge d that they had different ways of seeing things and agree to continue trying to meet halfway. As far as the article relates to class readings, I can see a lot of ways in which the communication styles of the couple will affect the family. The naturalistic study vows not to interfere in the relationship and thus is able to determine which communication styles are effective in helping a marriage last. There are a number of ways that the family can be examined, but all of these would be affected by poor communication. For example, there seems to be a strong bias in which the women are constantly seeking attention and validation from the men and in which the men are constantly seeking escape or silence from the women. This could be the examination of the conflict theorists or the biosocial theorists. The issues brought up in chapter three regarding poverty and the

Treating The Aged With Respect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Treating The Aged With Respect - Essay Example The old adage is to enjoy life to the fullest, from the early years to the onset of the sunset years. This is equally applicable to anyone, whether rich or poor, as enjoyment of life can be quite simple. It does not take plenty of money to do so, although money certainly helps in so many ways if one can have it (and plenty of it if possible). There are advantages to growing old, such as experience and wisdom that supposedly goes with it; love and respect are the other things one can crave for. American society is characterized by a hectic lifestyle and working schedule; everybody is either at school trying to earn a degree or working hard to earn enough for comfortable living and also at the same time attain that iconic American dream, to reach the middle class. Another dream is to have squirreled away enough savings for an enjoyable retirement to afford some things. This paper deals on the question whether Americans treat their aged with enough respect and love. Discussion Contrary to anecdotal evidence, Americans greatly honor their old relatives although it can be admitted that most of these younger people are often quite busy pursuing their careers that precludes them expressing their love and respect for their senior loved ones in the more frequent ways that most people normally expect. But nevertheless, they express this through phone calls. They also send loving letters to them, and for those seniors who are Internet savvy, then they can also connect on the Internet through social networking sites such as Facebook. A point is that people mistakenly believe the seniors are largely forgotten in a fast-moving society such as America where everybody is in a hurry to get off to somewhere. From the viewpoint of the old and aged citizens of this country, they have the vantage point of having a lifetime of memories or a long list of experiences to comfort them in their old age. They may suffer from some infirmity but that does not preclude them from enjoying life as long as they are not bedridden yet and can still pursue some activities of normal living (Cowley x). Seniors can also surprisingly be creative and inventive when it comes to meeting some of their physical needs without asking for help. These can be illustrated by taking their time when walking (very slowly so as not to fall) or find a new way of doing things only t hey can think of. What is quite remarkable is often their positive outlook on life despite advancing in years and facing the inevitable (Janis 5). Most seniors tend to become deeply spiritual as they are in a stage in life prior to going into eternity. Today's senior citizens enjoy an active lifestyle unlike that of earlier generations of aged people who were confined to nursing homes and spend the rest of the day doing nothing or keep playing the same parlor games over and over throughout a day. The advent of modern medicine has made senior living worthwhile and older or retired people can go wherever they want to such as places as go on luxury cruise or enjoy a sunny beach environment in a tropical country. These people go whenever they want to go with no one curtailing their activities. A positive attitude is the next best thing to having good health; it keeps the years away. The saying is to live and love well enough to keep mind and muscles going for a long time (Stein 52). You nger people show their respect for older loved ones when they visit them in nursing or retirement homes to enjoy being together with their aging parents or relatives. Moreover, they also show respect

Finding Nemo Film Analysis

Finding Nemo Film Analysis  »Ã‚ ¿ Pixar Animation Studios made a large splash at the summer box office on May 30, 2003 with Finding Nemo. Directed by Andrew Stanton and Co-Director Lee Unkrich, Finding Nemo won an Oscar, thirty-four other awards, and thirty-five nominations; also, the film was ranked in the top ten American Film Institutes list of the ten greatest films in the genre Animation in June 2008. With all of the movies accomplishments, how could one not see this joyful movie? This film also stars Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, and Alexander Gould (Finding Nemo). Finding Nemo is a tale of an adventurous young clownfish, Nemo, who ends up in an aquarium. In search to find his son, Marlin finds Dory, and the two of them encounter adventures and reunite with Nemo. Finding Nemo is a remarkable movie due to the enlightening theme, meticulous and glorious animation, and a well-played cast. The theme of Finding Nemo forms through a father-son love story. Several components of the story help interpret the message of the film. One major element is the concern about Nemos short fin, a deformity that keeps Marlin worried. Stanton states: [Nemos disability is] a metaphor for anything you worry is insufficient or hasnt formed yet in your child (Corliss). Parents become worried about a handicap in their child and think that the disability is a corrupt view of the parent. This movie can teach parents that there is no perfect father or child, like Marlin and Nemo. On Marlins journey, Marlin is set on finding his son when divers take Nemo; on his journey he meets the unforgettable Crush who is the complete opposite of Marlin, relaxed with parenting. Corliss explains, When Marlin asks the sea turtle Crush how a father knows when his kids are ready to swim out on their own, the wise dude replies, Well, you never really know. But when they know, you know- yknow?'(Corliss). Parents c an relate to Crush and Nemos devoted dad that children need to grow up and discover the world. The message of the movie is important for parents; the message is about letting go and getting back. According to Corliss, Nemos fish-out-of-water plot was hatched back in 1992, when he visited Marine World in Vallejo, Calif. His feelings of protectiveness towards his own boy Ben inspired the father-son story (Corliss). By looking at the views of Stanton, readers may see how he and other parents feel about the letting go and getting back policy. Even though parents may find the policy hard to follow, watching this movie can help relieve the hard way of stress by understanding the lesson of the movie. O Sullivan elucidates, [Nemos]father is forced to enlist the aide of a beautiful stranger to decipher the only clue left at the crime scene, even while the pair narrowly averts such threats as a trio of predatory thugs foundering in a 12-step program (O Sullivan). Through all of Marlins comica l, action-packed, and nerve-racking encounters, he learns his lesson after gaining Nemo back, knowing when to hold means knowing when to let go. The spectacular animation is a huge hit in Finding Nemo. The almost impossible underwater animation requires many elements and hard work and Pixar has outdone it. The animation consists of glorious images that represent the ocean in varying degrees of darkness and light, stillness and turbulence, clarity and obscurity, and in ways that high light the myriad colors possessed by underwater life(McCarthy). McCarthy describes the underwater animation with such beauty that how could one resist to see the hard work paid off. In addition, the underwater detail is the product of meticulous effort. Ansen proclaims, High on the movies list of accomplishments is its creation of an undersea wonderland whose opalescent colors and shifting light reflect the enchanted aura of dreamy aquatic photography (Ansen). The movie successfully sustains a watery ambience, which is not an easy thing to do given that water is semitransparent. With an unexpected beauty, Finding Nemo is able to portray decent use of color and form. According to Ebert, Finding Nemo is one of those rare movies where I [want] to sit in the front row and let the images wash out to the edges of my field of vision (Ebert).This animation makes people feel like they are inside the movie. Also, for many people, they could have a second-viewing for the effects. A perfect cast comments the perfect movie. Dory needing an enthusiastic personality was matched with the perfect voice, Ellen DeGeneres. Ansen believes, Ellen DeGeneres, hilarious and poignant, gives a tour de force reading (Ansen). DeGeneres attracts a prodigious crowd to Finding Nemo. According to Holden, Ms. DeGeneres infuses what could have been a one-note role with an irresistible enthusiasm and playfulness (Holden). Without her reading, Dory would not have the same personality. Other characters are also very memorable. Michael O Sullivan observes, Pixars attention to minute details of characterization—lobsters speak with New England accents, seagulls are mindless, yapping clones [fixate] on their next meal—pay off big time (O Sullivan). These voices also bring in the full effect of the characters and movie, making the movie very comical. Finding Nemos fame is an outcome of an unforgettable theme, breathtaking animation, and a comical and perfect-fitting cast. The paradox of love theme can relate to all parents and future parents. Furthermore, the spectacular and detailed animation can warrant for a second viewing and make people feel in a state of reverie. Finally, the cast produces a stunning success. This film is outstanding connecting to each person in the audience. Finding Nemo is a success to Pixar films and one must not resist seeing it! Works Cited Ansen, David. Freeing Nemo: A Whale of a Tale. Newsweek. Newsweek, Inc., 2 June 2003. Web. 12 January 2010. Corliss, Richard. Hook, Line, and Thinker. Time. Time Inc., 19 May 2003. Web. 12 January 2010. Ebert, Roger. Finding Nemo. Rogerebert.com. Rogerebert.com, 30 May 2003. Web. 14 January 2010. Finding Nemo. Internet Movie Database. IMDb.com, Inc. Web. 27 January 2010. Holden, Stephen. Film Review: Vast Sea, Tiny Fish. Big Crisis. The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 30 May 2003. Web. 13 January 2010. McCarthy, Todd. Finding Nemo. Variety. Reed Business Information, 26 May 2003. Web. 12 January 2010. O Sullivan, Michael. Finding Nemo: This Fish Story is a Keeper. The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company, 30 May 2003. Web. 13 January 2010.

United Nations Peacekeeping Essay example -- World Politics Peace UN E

United Nations Peacekeeping Figures Not Available â€Å"The United Nations is so radically defective that it is incapable of establishing world order; truth be told, not only has the UN failed [to achieve its peacekeeping objectives], but it was always bound †¦ to fail† (Simioni 12). At first sight, it would seem that this is part of just one of the many current debates about the effectiveness of the UN as the main arbitrator of the international community. In fact, it represents one of the view points expressed in August 1947, soon after the failure of the first and only round of negotiations concerning the establishment of a transnational army under direct UN command (DEA 33). Since then, the controversy about the role of the United Nations in maintaining global security has remained an ever-current issue, with prominent political personalities contesting the reliability, and even the underlying principles of such an organization. In spite of the never-diminishing criticism, the UN remains a key player on the global ar ena, the only truly representative spokesperson for an increasingly complex assembly of peace-seeking nations. Moreover, ever since its establishment in 1945, the United Nations has achieved notable successes in promoting world peace, by delivering efficient peacekeeping and peacemaking operations, by diversifying its conflict-prevention measures, and by maintaining an equidistant and impartial position towards combatant parties. These standards have been considered essential in assessing the effectiveness of the UN throughout its existence. The neutral stance towards world issues was highly valued by the founders of the organization. Subsequently, former Secretary-General U Thant stated, â€Å"the basis of the UN is the pledge by sovereign states to co-operate†¦ in [efficient] joint missions to alleviate conflicts worldwide†¦ in a responsible and [fair] manner† (qtd. in Schoenberg xi). In later years the trend to broaden peacekeeping initiatives represented Kofi An nan’s main strategy of further enhancing the organization’s ability to cope with new geopolitical developments. Therefore, in evaluating UN successes it is essential to consider both quantitative and qualitative evidence supporting the three above-mentioned criteria. From peacekeeping to peacemaking Over the years, the UN has moved from traditional, observer-based peacekeeping to more... ...ealing with relentless sovereign countries, the Security Council also coordinates the activity of the International War Crimes Tribunal, which can prosecute war criminals in spite of the immunity offered by their political position. Thus, the UN is able to actively deter heads of state and other important officials from instigating to grave human rights violations and other types of abuses against the civilian population (â€Å"War Crimes†). Therefore, the structure and the prerogatives of the Security Council give the United Nations not only its highly valued impartiality – an impartiality that is vital to the process of peacekeeping – but also the ability to minimize the costs for the innocent bystanders of armed conflicts. Overall, the United Nations represent a mechanism that is highly proficient in promoting world peace, by deploying efficient peacekeeping and peacemaking operations, by implementing diverse conflict-prevention measures, and by maintaining an impartial position towards combatant parties. In fact, the UN is currently the only international organization that has the mandate of virtually the entire international community to work towards global peace and security.

IT Applications and Groupware Essay

Groupware Technology uses software that collaborate the work of different groups. It is based on internal networks and centralized storage space. The purpose is to facilitate fast communication without physical contact. Groupware includes email, workflow, calendaring, instant messaging and conferencing. Implementation Strategies The three main strategies for effective implementation and use of groupware are as follows: Understanding the Organizational Requirements This is the most important part for implementation any technology or group in an organization. Different organizations require different groupware products as they have different requirements. (Hills) A groupware that is good for one organization might turn out to be a disaster for another. Therefore it is necessary to understand the requirements of the organization before implementing any new technology. This involves the study of underlying business processes and work flows, mapping them and then identifying gaps and areas which need improvement or need to be automated. The goals of the company, its organization structure and size are important factors in evaluating what is best for the company. Large companies with great number of employees require higher level of collaboration as compared to small companies and therefore need more complex technology. The communication structure within the organization is also an important factor. Some organizations follow a strict and formal stru cture of conversing while others rely on less formal way. Thus the communication style needs to be understood before implementing technology to automate it. Lastly the new technology must blend well with the existing systems. Most of the organization do not follow a sharing culture and people like to work independently and are reluctant to share information. Implementing Groupware technology in such an organization will not be effective as people would oppose any change that will be threat to their existing culture. The solution lies in first changing the organization culture and then implementing the new technology. The company should promote a collaborative culture that encourages people to work in teams and share their work and ideas. (Hills) Managing and Training People People are an important asset of any organization. If their needs and requirements are not satisfied then any change introduced in bound to fail.   Unless the technology is accepted by the users, any investment in that technology would be a complete failure. People usually oppose change because they like doing the things they have always been done. Therefore it is important to understand their concerns, problems and interactions before implementing the groupware technology. They need to be assured that the new technology is not to replace them but to make their work more efficient and fast. Employees most fear the loss of control and privacy as groupware makes everything available to everyone through a centralized system. These fears can be overcome by making people a part of implementation process and involving them as much as possible. Moreover people do not like to follow standard operating procedure and follow the more convenient methods. Thus the actual work practices need to be studied and incorporated in the groupware systems. (Hills) The success of any investment in technology depends on how readily it is accepted by the users. Therefore whenever a new technology is introduced the user must be trained to use it. They must be made to feel secure and assured that the technology is to improve their work. Organizations must hold training and interview sessions to cover all their needs and to involve them in the implementation process as much as possible. The purpose and benefits of the new groupware technology must be well communicated. 3. Using the Right Technology and Tools Once the organization and people requirements are well understood, the organization knows which technology is suitable for them. However other than the organizational structure and people, the technology infrastructure of the organization is also an important factor. There are four main factors to consider:  · Internal Network Structure The groupware technology is meant to provide a shared environment through collaboration and therefore require good understanding of the existing network technology. Network delays, User interface, audio/video quality, notifications and concurrency control are vital considerations since they all affect the user experience. (Brinck, 1998) If the existing Networks of the company are not up to the standard and face considerable delays and suffer from slow response time then implementing any new technology would do no good but will actually make things worse. Therefore organizations must upgrade their technology infrastructure including internal networks to utilize full benefit of the new technology.  · Collaborative tools One of the challenges in the collaborative environment is the tracking of shared documents. In a shared environment documents are used by multiple people and there exist multiple copies of the same document in different places. This makes hard to identify which the final version of the document. So Tracking and Version Control tools in groupware keep a record of all changes in a document and present the user with one final version. Features like Digital Signatures also help in tracking documents by storing information about who holds the document at what time and what changes were made. (Miller, 2005)  · Maintaining Privacy and Control Since collaborative systems allow sharing of information, thus Privacy and Security are the two major challenges faced by organizations implementing groupware. However some information is private and needs to be protected. The collaborative environment of groupware technology allows all information to be available to everyone at all time. This may lead to unauthorized access of information. One way to protect confidential information is to gives users control over what information they want to share. Also enforcing controls over what information a user can view saves private information to be seen by users who do not require it.   (Brinck , 1998)  · Consistency and Concurrency In groupware systems, one document is viewed by multiple users. Therefore it is important that consistency is maintained and all users view the same type of information. For example if one user has red color for a particular document and the other user has a blue color for the same document then this will create confusion. All users must be view the same data. To avoid this misunderstanding users must now what information is private and what information is shared. It is also important that users are provided customized view as all users don’t require everything. However customization requirements must not conflict with consistency. Every user must know how others are viewing the information. (Brinck, 1998) Concurrency is coordinating multiple tasks that are done at the same time. In a shared environment one document can be accessed by multiple users. This causes problems like one person accessing the document for all the time, unauthorized access and conflicting changes made by all users. To avoid such issues techniques like floor control, locking and merging is used. In this only one person can control over who accesses the document and for what time. The person who wants to access the document locks it so that other users can just view it without modifying. Similarly all users can edit the document during the time it is locked with them. In the end all the changes by different users are merged together so that the users have one final document at the end. (Brinck, 1998) Conclusion Technology infrastructure including the internal networks of the organization is important  issue that needs attention for any new technology implementation. However the social impact  cannot be ignored. It is highly required for successful implementation that the technology fulfills  the needs of users and is accepted by them.

Internal Sanctions

One of John Stewart Mill’s focuses in his book Utilitarianism, is that utilitarianism has all the sanctions of other moral systems. Events or excuses that people accept as permission to continue with a choice. These sanctions derive from a wide spectrum of different approvals, usually built upon moral preference. Mill is able to categorize every human license into exist internal and external sanctions, and believes that it is possible to change your moral selection.External sanctions exist outside of the individual, independent of his mind. They may take the form of peer pressure, the fear of disapproval, or the fear of god. Internal sanctions stem from one’s conscience. These consist of feelings like discomfort or joy when one realizes the consequences of a decision. These feelings can influence actions, especially if one’s moral nature is particularly sophisticated. Internal sanctions often prove to be more powerful than any external sanctions because they do r equire more emotional attention.Because these forces are often based on individual morals and duty, there is no reason that they can’t be changed to support utilitarian principles. Some philosophers suggest that individuals are more likely to follow moral principles if the see them as object fact, rather than subjective feelings. Mill observes that regardless of what a person believes the root of a moral principle to be, his ultimate motivation is always subjective feeling. Mill focuses on if the feeling of duty is â€Å"innate or implanted,† mostly because this area is so confusing.To try and understand how both of these sanctions would affect choice, it could be explained as follows: If a religious leader, government professional or respected philosopher was to suggest to society that all our current morals were wrong and it was the purpose of humans to promote suffering among men, would society be able to change? People must be capable of internalizing this extraneo us command, and convince their conscience that it is morally acceptable. But could a person force his mind to accept such a drastic and dramatic change?Mill would way that is most definitely possible, especially for this example. People could easily be educated and socialized and develop the internal sanctions to promote suffering, but they would be artificial feelings. Since these emotions are not particularly a part of human nature or experience, the society would end up reacting more on external sanctions, with internal reactions. Sanctions are something we constantly unconsciously use to make decisions. Whether it is outside or inside forces that compel us to make a decision, our morals are the mold.

Kublai Khan and the Mongols Invasions of Japan

Kublai Khan and the Mongols' Invasions of Japan The Mongol Invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 devastated Japanese resources and power in the region, nearly destroying the samurai culture and Empire of Japan entirely before a typhoon miraculously spared their last stronghold. Although Japan started the war between the two rival empires with hefty troops of honorable samurai, the sheer force and brute strength of their Mongol invaders pushed the noble warriors to their limits, making them question their very code of honor in facing these fierce combatants. The impact of nearly two decades of struggle between their rulers would echo on throughout Japanese history, even through the Second World War and the very culture of modern-day Japan. Precursor to Invasion In 1266, the Mongol ruler  Kublai Khan  paused in his campaign to subdue all of  China, and sent a message to the Emperor of Japan, whom he addressed as the ruler of a small country, and advised the Japanese sovereign to pay him tribute at once- or else. The Khans emissaries returned from Japan without an answer. Five times over the next six years, Kublai Khan sent his messengers; the Japanese  shogun  would not allow them even to land on Honshu, the main island.   In 1271, Kublai Khan defeated the Song Dynasty and declared himself the first emperor of Chinas Yuan Dynasty. A grandson of Genghis Khan, he ruled over much of China plus Mongolia and Korea; meanwhile, his uncles and cousins controlled an empire that stretched from Hungary in the west to the Pacific coast of Siberia in the east. The great khans of the Mongol Empire did not tolerate impudence from their neighbors, and Kublai was quick to demand a strike against  Japan  as early as 1272. However, his counselors advised him to bide his time until a proper armada of warships could be built- 300 to 600, vessels which would be commissioned from the shipyards of southern China and Korea, and an army of some 40,000 men. Against this mighty force, Japan could muster only about 10,000 fighting men from the ranks of the often-squabbling samurai clans. Japans warriors were seriously outmatched. The First Invasion, 1274 From the port of Masan in southern Korea, the Mongols and their subjects launched a step-wise attack on Japan in the autumn of 1274. Hundreds of large ships and an even larger number of small boats- estimated between 500 and 900 in number- set out into the Sea of Japan. First, the invaders seized the islands of Tsushima and Iki about halfway between the tip of the Korean peninsula and the main islands of Japan. Quickly overcoming desperate resistance from the islands approximately 300 Japanese residents, the Mongol troops slaughtered them all and sailed on to the east. On November 18, the Mongol armada reached Hakata Bay, near the present-day city of Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu. Much of our knowledge about the details of this invasion comes from a scroll which was commissioned by the samurai Takezaki Suenaga, who fought against the Mongols in both campaigns. Japan's Military Weaknesses Suenaga relates that the samurai army set out to fight according to their code of bushido; a warrior would step out, announce his name and lineage, and prepare for one-on-one combat with a foe. Unfortunately for the Japanese, the Mongols were not familiar with the code. When a lone samurai stepped forward to challenge them, the Mongols would simply attack him en masse, much like ants swarming a beetle. To make matters worse for the Japanese, the Yuan forces also used poison-tipped arrows, catapult-launched explosive shells, and a shorter bow that was accurate at twice the range of the samurais longbows. In addition, the Mongols fought in units, rather than each man for himself. Drumbeats relayed the orders guiding their precisely coordinated attacks. All of this was new to the samurai- often fatally so. Takezaki Suenaga and the three other warriors from his household were all unhorsed in the fighting, and each sustained serious wounds that day. A late charge by over 100 Japanese reinforcements was all that saved Suenaga and his men. The injured samurai drew back a few miles from the bay for the night, determined to renew their nearly hopeless defense in the morning. As night fell, a driving wind and heavy rain began to lash the coast. Close Call with Domination Unbeknownst to the Japanese defenders, the Chinese and Korean sailors on board Kublai Khans ships were busy persuading the Mongolian generals to let them weigh anchor and head further out to sea. They worried that the strong wind and high surf would drive their ships aground in Hakata Bay. The Mongols relented, and the great Armada sailed out into open waters- straight into the arms of an approaching typhoon. Two days later, a third of the Yuan ships lay on the bottom of the Pacific, and perhaps 13,000 of Kublai Khans soldiers and sailors had drowned. The battered survivors limped home, and Japan was spared the Great Khans dominion- for the time being.  While Kublai Khan sat at his capital in Dadu (modern-day Beijing) and brooded over his fleets misfortunes, the samurai waited for the  bakufu  in Kamakura to reward them for their valor, but that reward never came. Uneasy Peace: The Seven-year Interlude Traditionally, the bakufu gave a land grant to noble warriors at the end of battle so they could relax in times of peace. However, in the case of the invasion, there were no spoils to dole out- the invaders came from outside of  Japan,  and left no booty behind so the  bakufu  had no way to pay the thousands of samurai who had fought to fend off the Mongols. Takezaki Suenaga took the unusual step of traveling for two months to the  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Kamakura shoguns  court to plead his case in person. Suenaga was rewarded with a prize horse and stewardship of a Kyushu island estate for his pains. Of the estimated 10,000  samurai warriors who fought, only 120 received any reward at all. This did not endear the Kamakura government to the vast majority of the samurai, to say the least. Even as Suenaga was making his case, Kublai Khan sent a six-man delegation to demand that the Japanese emperor  travel  to Dadu and kowtow to him. The Japanese responded by beheading the Chinese diplomats, a terrible infringement of the Mongol law against abusing emissaries. Then Japan prepared for a second attack. The leaders of Kyushu took a census of all available warriors and weaponry. In addition, Kyushus landowning class was given the task of building a defensive wall around Hakata Bay, five to fifteen feet high and 25 miles long. Construction took five years with each landholder responsible for a section of the wall proportional to the size of his estate. Meanwhile, Kublai Khan established a new government division called the Ministry for Conquering Japan. In 1980, the ministry devised plans for a two-pronged attack the following spring, to crush the recalcitrant Japanese once and for all. The Second Invasion, 1281 In the spring of 1281, the Japanese got word that a second Yuan invasion force was coming their way. The waiting samurai sharpened their swords and prayed to Hachiman, the Shinto god of war, but Kublai Khan was determined to smash Japan this time and he knew that his defeat seven years earlier had simply been bad luck, due more to the weather than to any extraordinary fighting prowess of the samurai. With more forewarning of this second attack, Japan was able to muster 40,000 samurai and other fighting men. They assembled behind the defensive wall at Hakata Bay, their eyes trained to the west. The Mongols sent two separate forces this time- an impressive force of 900 ships containing 40,000 Korean, Chinese, and Mongol troops set out from Masan, while an even larger force of 100,000 sailed from southern China in 3,500 ships. The Ministry for Conquering Japans plan called for an overwhelming coordinated attack from the combined imperial Yuan fleets. The Korean fleet reached Hakata Bay on June 23, 1281, but the ships from China were nowhere to be seen. The smaller division of the Yuan army was unable to breach the Japanese defensive wall, so a stationary battle evolved. Samurai weakened their opponents by rowing out to the Mongol ships in small boats under cover of darkness, setting fire to the ships and attacking their troops, and then rowing back to land. These night-time raids demoralized the Mongols conscripts, some of whom had only recently been conquered and had no love for the emperor. A stalemate between the evenly-matched foes lasted for 50 days, as the Korean fleet waited for the expected Chinese reinforcements. On August 12, the Mongols main fleet landed to the west of Hakata Bay. Now faced with a force more than three times as large as their own, the samurai were in serious danger of being overrun and slaughtered. With little hope of  survival- and little thought of reward if they triumphed- the Japanese samurai fought on with desperate bravery. Japan's Miracle They say that truth is stranger than fiction, and in this case, its certainly true. Just when it appeared that the samurai would be exterminated and Japan crushed under the Mongol yoke, an incredible, miraculous event took place. On August 15, 1281, a second typhoon roared ashore at Kyushu. Of the khans 4,400 ships, only a few hundred rode out the towering waves and vicious winds. Nearly all of the invaders drowned in the storm, and those few thousand who made it to shore were hunted and killed without mercy by the samurai with very few returning to tell the tale at Dadu. The Japanese believed that their gods had sent the storms to preserve Japan from the Mongols. They called the two storms  kamikaze, or divine winds. Kublai Khan seemed to agree that Japan was protected by supernatural forces, thus abandoning the idea of conquering the island nation. The Aftermath For the Kamakura  bakufu, however, the outcome was disastrous. Once again the samurai demanded payment for the three months theyd spent warding off the Mongols. In addition, this time the priests who had prayed for divine protection added their own payment demands, citing the typhoons as evidence of the effectiveness of their prayers. The  bakufu  still had little to dispense, and what disposable riches they had  were given to the priests, who held more influence in the capital than the samurai. Suenaga did not even try to seek payment, instead commissioning the scroll where most modern understandings of this period come from as a record of his own accomplishments during both invasions. Dissatisfaction with the Kamakura  bakufu  festered among the ranks of the samurai over the following decades. When a strong emperor, Go-Daigo, rose in 1318 and challenged the authority of the  bakufu, the samurai refused to rally to the military leaders defense. After a complex civil war lasting 15 years, the Kamakura  bakufu  was defeated and the Ashikaga Shogunate assumed power over Japan. The Ashikaga family and all the other samurai passed down the story of the kamikaze, and Japans warriors drew strength and inspiration from the legend for centuries. As late as  World War II  from 1939 to 1945, Japanese imperial troops invoked the kamikaze in their battles against the Allied forces in the Pacific and its story still influences the natures culture to this day.