Extended Definition of the Word Religious Essay

When defining a word, a simple step to take is get a dictionary and it will surely help someone whose problem is grasping for the meaning of a particular word. And as one reaches for a dictionary to determine a word’s definition, observation has to be taken with regards to the word’s denotation/s (direct meaning) and connotation/s (meanings which are implied), if ever these are included. In so doing, a proper grasp of the word will be obtained. The same basic rules will be applied by this writer to clarify on the meaning of the word â€Å"religious. † From its first meaning, to how it is being used by many nowadays, to how the Bible uses the word. Dr. Lisa Rowe Fraustino, an editor and a professor at State University of New York, said that the meaning of words changes over time. If one wants to find out what is the exact meaning of a term or an expression in a culture, the person needs to observe carefully how do the speakers/writers use it (Fraustino, 1998). Generally, the word religious is taken to mean of a person who is observant of a religion; a person who devoutly follows certain spiritual teachings of a considered sacred society (http://www. brainyquote. com/words/re/religious211796. html). This kind of definition is what people commonly apply to monks, priests, an ordained minister, and to those who are simply observants of certain religions. In recent years though, the word is acquiring an extended meaning. It can now be applied to just anything that characterizes rigidity. A doctor may advice a patient, who is borderline diabetic to avoid foods high in sugar content, and may tell the patient finally, to follow the advice â€Å"religiously. † This means, because of the urgency of the patient’s need to cut on sugar, to follow the order rigidly. If the person in this case, before being diagnosed as having too much high blood sugar, was naturally a type who has a liking for sweets, this time – as the doctor had given his professional advice – sweet foods must be reduced to tolerable measure, if not totally avoided. This is what the doctor means when he told his patient to keep his advice in a â€Å"religious† manner. Thus, today, the uses of the word religious have extended beyond its original meaning. Although it retains certain aspects of it, like the scrupulous observance of a devout person to his/her religion, the connotations now include anything that suggests strictness, and not necessarily commitment to a spiritual order. The general understanding that is retained by many about â€Å"religious† is most likely taken from the Bible’s portrayal of it in several passages found therein. For example, in the book of Acts 17:22 in the New Testament, Apostle Paul observed the Athenians to be â€Å"very religious. † The Apostle has used the word in its broad meaning, which includes allegiance to certain beliefs which are not necessarily of the same order as that of the apostles and the Jews. As long as there is a belief in the Supreme Being or beings, spiritual realities, and rituals, religion is present and its adherents can be described as religious. And so, the Bible, when speaking of being religious, it does not immediately mean â€Å"being right in practice of piety† before God. The reason for this is not difficult to see in other portions of the Holy Writ. The author of the book of James, which is also found in the New Testament, implied in his statement that there are two kinds of religion in the eyes of God: one is â€Å"useless,† and the other is â€Å"pure and undefiled† (Jas. 1:26-27). Even though the general meaning embraces any religion and religious order, every belief and practice, and it is true that the Bible itself attests to the fact that there many religions as well as different practices that humans observed even in the early times of the history of humankind, the Bible nevertheless distinguishes between true and false religion. There is true, as well as, there is false religion. Given the fact, however, that the word religious has already taken new forms of meaning nowadays, those who use the word loosely must note the differences of usage. Let us observe what the speaker means when he/she uses the word, because now, it can mean many other things. References: 1. Fraustino, Lisa Rowe. 1998. Word Usage (Study Unit), by Thompson Education Direct, 925 Oak Street, Scranton, Pennsylvania 18515. 2. Date Accessed: October 6, 2008. http://www. brainyquote. com/words/re/religious211796. html 3. The Holy Bible, New King James Version. 1982. Thomas Nelson, Inc

45 Synonyms for Food

45 Synonyms for Food 45 Synonyms for â€Å"Food† 45 Synonyms for â€Å"Food† By Mark Nichol Food means â€Å"a substance we eat for nutritional and/or gustatory purposes,† but that word is bland. For a tastier experience, use one of its synonyms listed below to convey the connotation you desire your readers to digest: 1. Aliment: food as nourishment 2. Bite: a bite’s worth of food, but also a small amount of food, such as a snack, or a casual reference to a larger amount 3. Board: the food laid out on a table, from the association of board with table; also denotes the part of the housing arrangement known as room and board, where room refers to lodging and board to meals 4. Bread: a synecdochic reference to food (synecdoche is a rhetorical device in which a part stands for a whole, as in â€Å"All hands on deck† for â€Å"All sailors on deck†) 5. Chow: food (slang); also a verb, as in â€Å"Chow down† 6. Comestible: food (formal or mock-formal); also a synonym for the adjective edible 7. Comfort food: food that satisfies nostalgic yearnings for traditionally prepared meals 8. Cooking: food, especially as specifically prepared, as in â€Å"I like her cooking† 9. Cuisine: food prepared in a specific fashion, as according to cultural tradition, or the manner or style of cooking 10. Diet: the particular combination of food for a person, group, or society, or a combination of food specified for or by a person for health reasons and/or weight loss; also a verb referring to the process of improving or maintaining health and/or losing weight 11. Dish: a preparation of food served in a single container as part of a meal; also, a container or piece of dinnerware for cooking, serving, or eating food, or an attractive person, or a verb meaning â€Å"to gossip† 12. Eatable: food; also a synonym for edible 13. Eats: food, especially convenient or simple food (slang) 14. Entrà ©e: the main course of a meal 15. Fare: food, in the sense of what is available or what is traditionally eaten 16. Fast food: food prepared rapidly, especially in restaurants that serve food quickly and at a high volume; also, used as an adjective in this sense or in that of something produced with little regard for quality 17. Feed: food for livestock; also used to describe an informal fund-raising event such as a crab feed in which a featured food is served with other dishes 18. Fodder: see feed; also refers to material in general that is readily available for use or consumption (â€Å"cannon fodder†) 19. Foodstuff: something used as food, especially as a raw ingredient in a food product 20. Goodies: edible treats 21. Groceries: food purchased at a store 22. Grub: see eats 23. Handout: food given free for charitable purposes 24. Home cooking: food prepared at home in a traditional manner, with the nostalgic connotation of comfort and familiarity 25. Larder: a supply of food, from the synonym for pantry 26. Meal: the food served at a particular sitting 27. Meat: see bread, or food consisting of the flesh of an animal other than a fish 28. Menu: the food served during a meal, or a list of food to be served; also, any list of offerings or choices 29. Mess: a meal served to a group of people who routinely eat together, as a ship’s crew; also, that group of people or the location where they eat, or a certain amount of food 30. Nourishment: food in the sense of something that satisfies the need to eat; also, the act or state of nourishing or being nourished, or something other than food that provides a corollary benefit 31. Nutriment: something that satisfies the need for nutrition 32. Pabulum: food prepared in a semiliquid state for ease of eating and/or digestion; also, communication of minimal value or sophistication thought to be acceptable to lowest-common-denominator consumers, or, rarely, communication thought to be intellectually stimulating 33. Provender: see feed, or food in general 34. Provisions: a supply of food made available for specific use, as by an expedition 35. Ration: a supply of food made available for a specific person, as a member of a military unit, or, in plural form, such food in general; also, a supply of another commodity as dictated by availability 36. Refreshment: a snack or small meal intended to sustain until the next meal 37. Slop: low-quality food, or leftovers given to livestock; also, garbage, excrement, or slush, or effusive communication 38. Store: see larder 39. Subsistence: the minimum amount of food necessary for survival; also, the equivalent in nonedible commodities 40. Sustenance: see aliment 41. Table: see meal and larder 42. Take-out: food obtained from a restaurant to be eaten elsewhere 43. Viand: see dish, or a piece or item of food, especially a particularly delicious one, and, in plural form, see provisions 44. Victuals: food, or see provisions; as victual, a verb synonymous with provision in the sense of supplying with provisions 45. Vittles: food (a dialectical spelling of victuals) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Mostly Small But Expressive InterjectionsThe Writing ProcessAdvance vs. Advanced

Picking the Right Security Certification

Picking the Right Security Certification As the world gets more connected, it also gets less safe. And as more and more information is exchanged via email and websites, and more folks buy stuff online, more data and money is at risk than ever before. That’s why those with technical certifications in security are becoming more and more in demand. But there is a lot to choose from; which one might be right for you? We’ll give an overview of the most popular, and in-demand, security certifications you can get. For this article, we’re going to look at vendor-neutral certifications, which means specialized credentials from security companies like CheckPoint, RSA, and Cisco won’t be included. These certifications teach general security principals  and will have the widest range of usability. CISSP The CISSP, from the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, known as (ISC)2, is generally considered the hardest security title to get, and the most well-regarded as well. How hard is it? You’re not even eligible unless you have five years of security-specific experience. It also requires an endorsement by someone who can attest to your experience and qualifications. Even if you pass the exam, you may still be audited. That means (ISC)2 can investigate and make sure you have the experience you claim to have. And after that, you need to recertify every three years. Is it worth it? Most CISSPs would tell you yes  because the CISSP certification is the name hiring managers and others know. It verifies your expertise. As security expert Donald C. Donzal of The Ethical Hacker Network says, many consider the CISSP â€Å"the gold standard of security credentials.† SSCP The baby brother of the CISSP is the Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP), also by (ISC)2. Like the CISSP, it requires passing an exam, and has the same rigorous checks in place, like needing an endorsement and the possibility of being audited. The main difference is your knowledge base is expected to be smaller, and you only need one year of security experience. The test is much easier, as well. Still, the SSCP is a solid first step into your security career  and is backed by (ISC)2. GIAC The other major vendor-neutral certification organization is the SANS Institute, which oversees the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) program. GIAC is SANS’ certification arm. The GIAC has multiple levels. The first is the Silver certification, which requires passing a single exam. It has no real-world component, making it of dubious value in the eyes of potential employers. All you really need to do is be able to memorize the material. Above that is Gold certification. This requires writing a technical paper in your area of expertise in addition to passing a test. This adds significantly to the value; the paper will demonstrate an individual’s knowledge of a subject; you can’t fake your way through a technical paper. Finally, the Platinum certification is at the top of the heap. It requires a proctored, two-day lab practical after achieving Gold certification. It’s given only at certain times of year  during a SANS conference. This could be a stumbling block to some certification-seekers, who may not have the time or money to fly to another city to take a lab test over a weekend. If, however, you make it through that process, you’ve proven your skills as a security expert. Although not as well known as the CISSP, a GIAC Platinum credential is certainly impressive. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) CISM is administered by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). ISACA is more well known for its CISA certification for IT auditors, but CISM is making a name for itself as well. The CISM has the same experience requirement as the CISSP – five years of security work. Also, like the CISSP, one test must be passed. A difference between the two is that you need to do some continuing education every year. The CISM appears to be as rigorous as the CISSP, and some security pros think it is actually more difficult to get. The reality, though, is that it is still not as well known as the CISSP. That should be expected, however, given that it didn’t exist until 2003. CompTIA Security+ On the lower end of security certifications, CompTIA offers the Security exam. It consists of one 90-minute exam with 100 questions. There is no experience requirement, although CompTIA recommends two or more years of security experience. Security should be considered entry-level only. With no required experience component and a simple, short test, its value is limited. It might open a door for you, but only a crack.

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research Paper Example He asks Molly, who is his backup, to get back to work as she was engaged in a chat even after lunchtime. Molly resorts to chatting claiming that Dan cannot boss her around. He thinks of reporting this to the floor supervisor, Mr. Davis who at that time was reviewing low performance of his employees and was thinking how to get the employees to become efficient. Evaluation of the Scenario Promoting Cultural Diversity   In the given case, Karishima has a different cultural background and is having problem in adjusting. Similarly all the other employees are having a problem in adjusting with her because of her accent and other differences such as her inability to dress up the way other call centre employees do. The management should inform the existing employees of a new /foreign employee being hired. This is because it will prepare them to face the differences. Moreover, the employee being hired should be trained a little. This can be done by giving the employee an orientation for abo ut 2 weeks at least. In this way, the employee won’t be working formally but will get to know people at work and will start communicating with them. The strategies for cultural diversity are based on complexity theory. Solving Problems   One obvious problem in the case above is that, there are many problems but apparently no one is trying to reach solutions. Susan has a problem with her co worker, Karishma but she does not take the case to her supervisor rather she complains about it to her friend and instead of trying to reach a solution she laughs it off with her. Joy does not appreciate what her colleagues are gossiping about related to Karishima and wants to correct them but concludes otherwise leaves to go back to work in a sour mood. Even here she does not try to reach a solution for the problem; rather she ignores it and spoils her mood. Whenever a problem is observed, employees should be asked to discuss the problem with the management or with the senior staff. More over, they should be encouraged to discuss the problem on a horizontal level as well. This will help employees to learn more about each other and will bring them closer to one another. This strategy is based on Cognitive resource theory, which states that a leader obtains effective group performance by first making effective plans, decisions and strategies, and then communication them through directive behavior (Robinson, pg 351, 1998). Furthermore, the head should communicate with those working under him so that he can learn about problems faced by the lower staff thus becoming able to solve their problems efficiently. This can be based on University of Michigan Studies which state that there is an employee oriented leader and a task oriented leader. In this case, the leader should be employee oriented so that he can emphasize on interpersonal relations (Robinson, pg 357, 1998). Motivating Employees In the given case, employees are not motivated. They just work for the sake of mone y or because it is necessary for them. However, it is important that employees at a workplace are motivated or else they lose interest in work and are not able to perform their best. In this case, Mr. Davis is reviewing low employee performance and he knows it is because the employees are not motivated. Employee motivation is imperative for an organization. Employees can be motivated intrinsically as well extrinsically. In order to give them extrinsic motivation, the management can announce

Henry Polic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Henry Polic - Research Paper Example Furthermore, Henry taught acting before the camera at Emerson College and held classes in performing and acting at the Dramatic arts Academy of America of which were both in Los Angeles. Born in 1945, in Pittsburgh, Henry Polic went to Florida State University and attained his masters degree in acting. After graduation, he was enlisted and stationed at Kansas Fort Riley, and later connected with the Tent Theatre of Missouri, and Miami’s Player’s Theatre, to mention but a few (Barnes 1). The early 1970s saw Henry Polic move to Los Angeles where he made his debut in TV as the Nottingham Sheriff in 1975 and also in the When Things Were Rotten comedy, which featured Richard Gautier. Henry Polic was a well-known game-show player, featuring frequently on the Pyramid of $25,000 and its eventual manifestation, the Pyramid of $100,000, of which Polic together with Dick Clark hosted. Furthermore, Henry was a host of a game-show as well and also running the 1986 ABC’s Double Talk. Apart from being a popular game show host, Henry Polic acted as Dracula briefly in NBCs 1970s series Monster Squad and featured as a guest in numerous shows, including Mork & Mindy, Alice, Eight Is Enough, Sheena, Murder, She Wrote, as well as Saved by the Bell (Barnes 1). Besides Polic’s work on Batman, he gave his voice to the Smurfs series and other various series. On Webster, Henry Polic acted as Jerry Silver, a confidant as well as the secretary to Katherine (Susan Clark), which had 54 episodes of the entire series, and ran from 1983-1989 on ABC as well as in syndicate. In the 1980s, Henry Polic II was frequently viewed as a popular guest player on numerous game shows. His most regular guest slots were on the several manifestations of Pyramids, as he featured many times on the Pyramid of the $25,000 and the Dick Clark as well as the John Davidson-hosted versions of the Pyramid of the $100,000 for producer Bob Stewart. Henry Polic also did

The Case of Egyptian Metal Industries (Metalco) Study

The of Egyptian Metal Industries (Metalco) - Case Study Example By employing the traditional costing method, Metalco uses only â€Å"direct labor-hours† (Information Resources Management Information, 2013, p.1432) which shows very little relationship with the accumulation of the â€Å"factory overhead costs† (Information Resources Management Information, 2013, p.1432). This results in distortion of product price and also decreases the inducements for the managers in their way of managing the product costs. It has been found that both the methods are providing different results because the volume-based method of costing uses only cost of direct labor and the method of activity-based costing (ABC) make use of various cost drivers for each activity. There is difference in the way of computing per unit cost of factory overhead under both the methods. The method of traditional costing takes only â€Å"direct labor-hours† (See Appendix 1), while ABC method activity cost driver into consideration to compute the unit overhead cost (S ee Appendix 2). The result from the traditional method shows that product COM is more profitable as compared to RES (See Appendix 3). Whereas, the result form the ABC method reflects that product RES is more profitable then COM (See Appendix 4). Therefore, it has been observed that traditional method does not provide accurate result, whereas, ABC method gives more specific result. It has been analyzed that traditional method of costing does not provide accurate result because it does not utilize activity cost drivers for analyzing the per unit overhead cost. The result which has been obtained from both the methods are different form one another. Traditional method shows that product COM is better than RES, while the ABC method provides opposite result. Metalco shifted its preference from traditional method to ABC method because it gives more accurate analysis of the product cost. The ABC method determines each activity related to producing the item as

Role of Merchant Marine for the Allies

Role of Merchant Marine for the Allies ROLE OF MERCHANT MARINE IN SUPPORTING WAR EFFORT IN ASIA PACIFIC IN WORLD WAR II AND LESSONS FOR INDIA INTRODUCTION The men and ships of the Merchant Marine have participated in every landing operation by the United States Marine Corps from Guadalcanal to Iwo Jima and we know they will be at hand with supplies and equipment when American amphibious forces hit the beaches of Japan itself. Lt Gen Alexander A Vandergrift, Commandant US Marine Corps[1] Merchant Marine in the Second World War. The role of merchant marine in World War II (WW II) has been adequately expounded by many scholars. The merchant marine ships as carriers of essential materials both for civilian sustenance as well as for continuance of war effort for both the Allies as well as Axis powers became the raison d etre of some of the most pitched battles during WW II. Control of trans-Atlantic lines of communication for the Allies and their interdiction by the Axis powers led to the Battle of the Atlantic which lasted the entire duration of WW2.[2] Highly publicized and extensively analysed, this battle remains the most epochal sea battle involving merchant marine. The Asia Pacific region on the other hand, witnessed trade warfare of almost equal intensity but on a much lesser scale. The effectiveness of measures employed by both Axis and Allied forces to interdict each others merchant marine in this region decided the outcome of the Pacific war to a large extent. Asia Pacific Reversal of Strategies against Merchant Marine. What lends a modicum of uniqueness to the Asia Pacific region is that the policies adopted by Allies and the Axis powers against merchant shipping here were diametrically opposite to those being adopted by them in the Atlantic theatre at the same point in time. Japan in the Asia Pacific was faced with the same challenges as Great Britian in the Atlantic in terms of dependence on Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCS) for sustaining her war waging effort. Her merchant shipping was being targeted by the US submarine fleet much in the same manner that the German U boats were sinking Allied shipping in the Atlantic. Yet, Japan could not put into place effective convoy tactics similar to those that the Allies employed against the German U boat wolf packs. In addition, Japanese U boats remained largely ineffective in checking the Allied offensive owing to flawed doctrinal approach. Hence, understanding the reasons behind this revers al of strategies towards trade warfare is germane to understanding the overall contribution of merchant marine in the Asia Pacific. Success of Allied Merchant Marine Support. While Japan was economically strangulated through interdiction of her merchant marine, the Allies innovated to keep their ships fighting fit despite an acute lack of bases to do it from. The implementation of Advanced and Floating Bases[3] in the Pacific theatre and the yeoman service provided by Service Squadrons Eight and Ten[4] during the operations in the Asia Pacific region are indeed benchmarks as far as synergising the efforts of merchant marine and the fighting forces is concerned. Effective support of merchant marine proved to be a force multiplier for the Allies and allowed them to successfully wage a war of attrition against Japan. AIM This paper seeks to study the role of merchant marine for the Allies and the Axis powers in the Asia Pacific region in WW II by examining the effects of trade warfare, Naval Control of Shipping (NCS), convoy ops and U boat doctrines on both the sides. The paper would make recommendations relevant to the Indian context with special emphasis on Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) measures.[5] ALLIED AND AXIS MERCHANT MARINE IN ASIA PACIFIC REGION Requirement of Merchant Shipping Asia Pacific Region Axis Merchant Marine in Asia Pacific. The Axis merchant marine plying the Asia Pacific region belonged entirely to Japan. Prior to the outbreak of war, Japanese merchantmen were employed for transporting oil, iron ore, military hardware, etc. from USA, UK and her colonies and the Dutch East Indies.[6] After Japan attacked Indo China in May 1941, the USA responded with sanctions and cut off all trade. In order to keep the war machine moving, Japan now started importing oil from Indonesia, coal from Manchuria, rubber and iron ore from Malaya. With the outbreak of war, Japanese trade and her merchant marine were extensively plying within the Western Pacific region. One special aspects pertaining to the internal organization of merchant marine in Japan bears mention. Unlike the Allies, where merchant marine requisitioned for war effort was under a single point control, in Japan, merchant shipping was divided between Imperial Japanese Army, Imperial Japanese Navy and Ministry of Communica tion. The absence of a central coordinating agency left the merchant marine fractured in administration eventually leading to wastage of significant amount of tonnage.[7] The Japanese were singularly dependent on their merchant marine for sustaining the war on Allies. At the outbreak of war, Japanese merchant marine was about 6,000,000 tons which was considered just about adequate to meet their national needs.[8] The Japanese, having never been subjected to significant trade warfare did not have a well-defined structure of NCS. Allied Merchant Marine in Asia Pacific. The Allies had a significant merchant marine presence within the Asia Pacific region. The US itself had more than 1700 merchantmen[9] assigned to the Pacific theatre of which 450 merchantmen eventually participated in Pacific theatre combat operations. These ships were awarded Battle stars for their distinguished service.[10] Allied merchant marine in the Asia Pacific while being predominantly of American origin also had generous contribution from Australia, New Zealand, UK, Netherlands and Norway.[11] Movement of merchant ships within the theatre was relatively unopposed as compared to the Atlantic theatre. This was made possible due to an almost negligible Japanese submarine threat. In addition, the Allied NCS procedure were tested and proven in combat thereby streamlining the entire process of merchant marine movements, defensive measures, intelligence gathering, etc.[12] But what posed a significant problem for the Allied war effort was two fold: Lack of Bases for Stockpiling and Repair Activities. The vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean provided very few shore bases to set up stockpiles/ forward bases. This aspect gains significance because the numbers involved in supporting the fighting forces were indeed astronomical. For eg on Efate, the U.S. had seven 1,000-barrel steel tanks for aviation gasoline, two 10,000-gallon Diesel tanks, and four buried 5,000-gallon aviation-gasoline tanks, while at Havannah eight other buried tanks held 5,000 gallons each. In the Tulagi area the U.S. had ten 1,000-barrel tanks plus 12,000 barrels of aviation gasoline, a 60-000-barrel diesel-oil storage, and a 280,000- barrel fuel-oil farm. Guadalcanal added storage for 1,300,000 gallons of aviation gasoline.[13] The condition described above was reached in the initial phases of the offensive. Enhanced Distances of the Pacific.The Pacific Ocean stretches through 135 ° of latitude, 9,600 miles. Its greatest longitudinal extent measures 12,000 miles along latitude 5 ° N, covering an area of 63.8 million square miles.[14] An average voyage across this expanse of water from San Francisco to the closest island outpost in the Solomon Island chain would take in excess of 25 days provided the weather was favourable. Thus moving logistics across this vast expanse was a unique problem. Maintaining continuous flow of materiel in this theatre where an average soldier required 67 pounds of supplies per day was indeed a daunting challenge. Allied Efforts to Surmount Logistical Challenges Setting Up of Allied Mobile Service Squadrons. Based upon the above two peculiarities of the Pacific theatre, Admiral Nimitz ordered setting up of two mobile service squadrons. The basic idea was to use one mobile service squadron to support the fleet till achievement of one military objective. In the meantime, the second mobile service squadron would be set up ahead near the next objective. This way, the Fleet could continue its forward march and the support squadrons would leapfrog ahead.[15] This idea fit in well with the island hopping campaign. The service squadrons were an eclectic mix of naval ships, merchantmen, fleet auxiliaries and a number of specialized vessels. The combination of vessels, surface craft, and auxiliary equipment under the operational administration of the Service Squadron included: provisions stores ships, barracks ships, oil tankers, hospital ships, destroyer tenders, hydrographic survey ships, net cargo ships, net tenders, repair ships, pontoon assembly ships, submarine chasers, motor torpedo boats, picket boats, rearming boats, buoy boats, harbour tugs, salvage tugs, self-propelled lighters, ammunition barges, salvage barges, garbage barges, repair barges, floating dry-docks, degaussing vessels, floating cranes, salvage vessels, net gate barges, and any other type of ship considered necessary.[16] Analysis.A comparative analysis of both the Allied and the Axis merchant marine indicates that at the beginning of the Pacific War, both the forces had relatively high freedom of manoeuver with merchantmen having a clearly understood charter. The Allies had an edge over the Axis merchantmen in that they were under a unified and unambiguous command structure. This edge also extended to the synergistic approach towards their utilization in conjunction with fighting forces. On the contrary, Japanese attitude towards managing affairs pertaining to joint ops with merchant shipping and convoy ops was one of derision. Managing trade and merchantmen did not figure in the classical Mahanian concept of seapower which the Japanese were assiduously emulating and hence gave it only a peripheral treatment.[17] ALLIED TRADE WARFARE VS JAPANESE CONVOY SYSTEM Effect of Trade Warfare Allied U Boat Offensive.The Allied U boat offensive in the Pacific theatre commenced in Jan/Feb 1942. The Allied submarine fleet in the Pacific comprised of submarines from US Navy, the Royal Navy of UK and a few small submarines from the Royal Netherlands Navy. The US Navy adopted an unrestricted submarine warfare policy. In addition to the same, they also adapted Wolf Pack tactics practiced by Germans in the Atlantic to utilize them in the Pacific theatre.[18] The nomenclature selected for the Allied Wolf pack was Coordinated Attack Groups (CAG).[19] The tactics were slightly refined to give more freedom to the submarine commander at sea and control from submarine commander ashore was reduced. Other than minor changes, the spirit of CAG was similar to the Wolf pack. The CAG offensive against Japanese trade proved quite effective. The US submarines alone sank a total of 4,779,902 tons of merchant shipping during the course of the war, in total accounting for 54.6% of all Japanese ve ssel losses.[20] Allied trade warfare thus, succeeded in strangulating Japan and prevented her merchant marine form aiding the war effort. Axis U Boat Ops against Allied Merchant Shipping.Japanese U boats were never tasked by the Japanese Naval High command for an all-out trade warfare role against the Allied merchant shipping. This was attributable to certain flawed doctrinal precepts which shall be discussed subsequently. In the Pacific war, the Japanese submarines have been credited with sinking of 184 merchant vessels amounting to a total of 907, 000 GRT.[21] This kind of a restricted offensive had no effect on the Allied merchant marine. Effect of Convoy System in Asia Pacific Japanese Convoy System. In view of the relentless U Boat onslaught on its shipping the Japanese response was decidedly inadequate. Regular convoy system was put into place only by 1943 by when Allied U boats had already sunk a tenth of the Japanese shipping. The escorts provided for convoys were inadequate numerically as well as in terms of capability. These escorts were ships which had lived their life in the Imperial Japanese Navy and were seconded for lesser important roles. This gross neglect continued till about Mar 1944 when merchant ship losses became prohibitive. The blockade of the Japanese mainland had started to pinch the war waging effort as almost half the Japanese merchant fleet had already been sunk. This is when, serious attention to Japanese convoying efforts was paid by Japanese High Command. The total number of escort units assigned for convoy ops went up from 25 in 1943 to 150 by 1944. Even then the numbers of escorts were inadequate and poor ASW technology did no t prevent losses from U boats in a big way.[22] Poor ASW capability of IJN ships remained its proverbial Achilles heel. This deficiency led to further attrition of not only its merchant shipping but a substantial amount of its combatant fleet as well.[23] By the time Japanese Navy put into place a shipbuilding system for manufacturing specialized ASW platforms they ran out of raw material. And so by 1945, their war machinery as also the economy came to a standstill. Effect on Japanese Convoy Routes.The cumulative effect of Allied U boat offensive and inability of Japanese Navy to offer effective protection to its merchant marine convoys led to abandonment of a large number of point to point routes within the Western Pacific ocean. By 1944, more and more convoys were hugging the coast during their transit making them more vulnerable to threat from mines as well. This led to transit time being doubled in many cases over well-established routes. An extract from Strategic Bombing Survey The War Against Japanese Surface Transportation (1947) is placed at Appendix which depicts the Japanese convoy routes that were abandoned during the course of the Pacific war due to the U boat offensive from Allies.[24] Japanese Submarine Doctrine. Having seen the proactive Allied U boat deployment policy which proved to be so effective against Japanese shipping, it is worthwhile to examine the Japanese U boat doctrine within the same period of time as well. The strong Mahanian outlook of the entire Japanese Naval leadership, who had been bred on tales of crushing defeat meted out to Russia in the Russo Japanese War, led them to adapt a submarine doctrine edificed on the following assumptions[25]: Submarines are suited for use as scouts and must engage enemy surface combatants. They must support the Grand Fleet in the decisive battle. Sinking merchant ships is not consistent with bushido (the way of the warrior) as the enemy can be destroyed by crushing his large combatants.[26] Submarines could be used as effective means for defending island garrisons. Analysis.In a broad stroke, it could be surmised that since the basic premises on which submarine doctrine of the Japanese were based were not sound, the overall exploitation of these assets became unfocussed and suboptimal.[27] The Japanese were forced to cede that their U boats soon became powerless when faced with the superior ASW and technological capabilities of Allied warships. U boats could not defend island outposts of Japan and soon became supply mules for them which was a complete waste of their combat potential. Despite these telling setbacks, the Japanese high command was steadfast in refusing to recognize the effectiveness with which the Germans and later on the Allies exploited U boats. And so was frittered away a potent force which could have altered the face of Pacific war had they been used in an all-out merchant offensive against the Allies near the US West Coast, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, the Panama Canal and closer to major Indian ports/choke points. CONCLUSION Factors which Decided the Role of Merchant Marine in the Asia Pacific Region. During the course of the analysis of the role played by merchant marine in the Asia Pacific region in support of the war waging effort of both Allies and the Axis powers during WW II, the following major factors could be surmised: Trade Warfare.It is beyond doubt that the war in the Asia Pacific was one of logistics in its simplest form. The Allied forces built up a phenomenal logistics chain through synergised use of merchant marine in conjunction with fighting forces. The aim of the Allies was to effectively use this logistics stockpile to support their forces so as to cut the logistics lines of Axis powers. In cutting the Axis SLOCS, the aim was again to interdict Axis merchant marine which was the veritable lifeline of Japan. Hence both sides were inexorably dependent on their merchant marine for sustaining their war waging efforts. The role of merchant marine for both the side was pivotal. In this scenario, successful application of trade warfare allowed Allies to strangulate Japan and achieve significant advantage. Naval Control of Shipping. The major difference which contributed in a large way towards the overall effectiveness of Allied merchant shipping was the astute single point command and control. The Allies were fully aware of the importance of merchant shipping and had learnt their lessons well from the Atlantic theatre. On the contrary, Japanese shipping was divided between the Imperial Army, Imperial Navy and the govt with no central agency overseeing their functioning and utilization. This led to avoidable wastage of precious mercantile effort. Poor administration on part of the Japanese also led to non-implementation of convoy system in the early stages of war. Lack of effective NCS resulted in significant destruction of merchant marine which led to their economic strangulation and paved the way for their ultimate defeat at the hands of the Allies. Convoy System.The Allies did not have the need to implement a strict convoy system in the Asia Pacific unlike in the Atlantic theatre. This was due to an almost complete absence of Japanese submarine threat. The Axis shipping while in desperate need of effective convoy ops in the face of overwhelming U boat threat never got its act together while there was still time. By the time convoy ops were implemented by the Japanese, Allied U boats had inflicted irreversible losses on Axis shipping. The numerical and technical deficiencies of the Axis escort forces which were finally assigned for convoy ops only facilitated the attrition of Axis shipping which contributed in a big way to the ultimate Japanese defeat. Hence, ineffective implementation of convoy system by the Japanese prevented their merchant marine from playing a key enablers role to the war effort at the most crucial time during the Pacific war. U Boat Doctrines. The Allies took a leaf out the Axis powers Wolf pack tactics and implemented the same with great success against Japanese shipping. This was made possible due to a realistic approach by the Allied Naval leadership. The Axis powers on the other hand showed a complete lack of imagination in exploiting the U boat forces that they had. Rather than target Allied merchant shipping in a tit-for-tat manner, the Japanese U boats were frittered away on supply missions to outlying garrison islands and audacious reconnaissance missions which ultimately did nothing to further Japanese objectives. The Allies in fact won the war on Japanese merchant shipping by astute application of their potent U boat fleet with an aggressive doctrine. RECOMMENDATIONS NCAGS for Protection of Merchant Marine in Conflict and Peace Amongst all the factors that have been enumerated above, one factor that stands out as a significant contributor to the destruction of Japanese merchant marine was their lack of well evolved NCS procedures. The effectiveness of NCS has been proved both in war and in peacetime operations over the last century. The most recent example of successful application of these time tested procedures can be seen in the escort operations being conducted by IN, PLA(N) and Russian Navy in the Gulf of Aden for protecting ships from the scourge of Piracy. NCS and NCAGS in the Indian Context. Specifically, in the Indian context, NCS and NCAGS are both mentioned as distinct military roles in times of conflict in the maritime strategy document, Ensuring Secure Seas Indian Maritime Security Strategy. However, no further amplification on the ambit of operations is provided therein.[28] The Australian Maritime Doctrine (non NATO member) defines NCAGS as The provision of military cooperation, guidance, advice, assistance and supervision to merchant shipping to enhance the safety of participating merchant ships and to support military operations. (BR 1806).[29] Certain amplification of the scope of NCAGS is also provided in the doctrine to the extent that the overall aim of the operation becomes clear.[30] Need for Guidance Document on NCAGS.Presently there do not exist any Indian guidance/ policy documents in the open domain with regards to NCS/ NCAGS which are accessible to merchant mariners. It is recommended that the ambit of operations envisaged under NCAGS could be defined in an unclassified guidance document. In specifying a scope for these operations we could consider the NATO Allied publication in this regard which has evolved from the Wartime Instructions for US Merchant vessels of WW II.[31] This NATO publication incorporates actions for a number of non-traditional threats which plague merchant marine in the present day. Promulgation of such a document would lay out the basic guidelines for co-operation with merchant men. This document could be used to lay out the terms of reference for carrying out Anti-piracy escort ops in Gulf of Aden. Once a policy/ guidance document is promulgated, a foundation for mercantile-military cooperation is laid for building up further. Participation/ Observer Status in NATO NCAGS Exercises.NATO member navies conduct NCAGS exercises like Bell Buoy and Lucky Mariner where member nations represented by NCAGS staff and merchant marine community come together in order to jointly exercise civil military response to a global threat scenario to shipping.[32] It would be worthwhile to have suitable Naval reps from IN attend these exercises either as participants or observers. This would allow us to remain in tune with the current developments in this field. Based on experience gained in such exercises, we could have our own scenario based exercises. BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Bagnasco, Erminio. Submarines of World War II. Annapolis. Maryland: Naval (1977) Blair, Clay. Silent Victory: The US Submarine War Against Japan. Naval Institute Press, 2001. Carter, Worral Reed. Beans, Bullets, and Black Oil: The Story of Fleet Logistics Afloat in the Pacific During World War II. Washington. DC: Department of the Navy (1953). Dyer, George C. Naval Logistics. (USNI Press, Maryland) 1962. Hughes, Terry and Costello, John. The Battle of the Atlantic, New York: Dial Press,1977. Huston, James A. The Sinews of War: Army Logistics; 1775-1953. Vol. 2. Government Printing Office, 1966 Milner, M. (2008). The Battle That Had To Be Won. Naval History, 22(3), 12-21. Nitobe, InazÃ…Â . Bushido, The Soul Of Japan: An Exposition Of Japanese Thought. GP PutnamsÃÅ'â€Å" sons, 1905 Smith, Steven Trent. Wolf Pack: The American Submarine Strategy that Helped Defeat Japan. Wiley, 2003 Vego, Milan. Operational Warfare At Sea: Theory And Practice. Routledge, 2008. Willmott, Hedley Paul. The Last Century of Sea Power: From Washington to Tokyo, 1922-1945. Vol. 2. Indiana University Press, 2010. 2.Collections. Hansen Kenneth P, Canadian Naval Operational Logistics: Lessons Learned, Lost, and Relearned? The Northern Mariner/le marin du nord, XX No. 4, (October 2010) Hoffman, F. G. The American Wolf Packs A Case Study in Wartime Adaptation JFQ 80, 1st Quarter 2016 Richard J. Smethurst, Japan, the United States, and the Road to World War II in the Pacific The Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol 10, Issue 37, No. 4, September 10, 2012 3.Documents. ATP-02.1 Naval Cooperation And Guidance For Shipping (NCAGS) Guide To Owners, Operators, Masters And Officers Edition A Version 1 September 2014 Clem Lack, B.A., Dip. Jour., Public Relations Officer, Premiers Department, Brisbane. Australias Merchant Navy, Read at the meeting of The Historical Society of Queensland on October 24, 1957 Department of Defense, Washington, D.C. World War II Informational Fact Sheets.1995, ED 406 277 Giesler Patricia, Valour at Sea Canadas Merchant Navy, Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada represented by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, 2005 Indian Naval Strategic Publication 1.2 Oct 2015, Ensuring Secure Seas Indian Maritime Security Strategy, Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy) Linn, James, Supplying the Asia-Pacific Theater: United States Logistics and the American Merchant Marine in World War II (2016) University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2167. ONeil, William D. Military Transformation as a Competitive Systemic Process: The Case of Japan and the United States between the World Wars. No. CRS-D0008616. A1. Center For Naval Analyses Alexandria VA, 2003. 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[Washington] Wigmore Greg A Debt Of Shame Repaid: Canadian Merchant Navy Veterans And Their Struggle For Compensation, Carleton University, Canada 4.Electronic Media/Websites (ab)http://combinedfleet.com/ss.htm (ac)http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=179117. http://ww6.enjoy.ne.jp/~iwashige/escorttext.htm http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1987/Ship-Losses-in-Tanker-War-One-Third-Total-Sinkings-in-WWII/id-fa55fe8e5a8a2a706f9d700df38fe247 http://www.alliedmerchantnavy.com/amn/canada/info-resources.html http://www.britannica.com/place/Pacific-Ocean http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/pacific-and-philippines http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/IJN/JANAC-Losses/JANAC-Losses-6.html http://www.merchantshipsozww2.com/about.php http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WAMJAP_ASW.php Japanese ASW weapons http://www.usmm.org/battleatlantic.html http://www.usmm.org/battlepacific.html http://www.usmm.org/ww2.html http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showthread.php/6399-IJN-Submarine-Doctrine Total no of words: 5373. No of words excluding articles, footnotes, bibliography and digits: 4115 [1] http://www.usmm.org/ww2.html (accessed on 12 Sep 16) [2] Milner, M. (2008). The Battle That Had To Be Won. Naval History, 22(3), 12-21. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/203459633?accountid=132150 The Battle of the Atlantic started on 3 September 1939 when U-30 sank the small British liner Athenia west of Ireland, and it ended on 7 May 1945 when U-2336 sank two small steamers in the North Sea off Newcastle, England. [3] George C Dyer,. Naval Logistics. (USNI Press, Maryland) 1962. p 119 [4] Worral Reed Carter,. Beans, Bullets, and Black Oil: The Story of Fleet Logistics Afloat in the Pacific During World War II. Washington. DC: Department of the Navy (1953). p 95, Chapter X [5] Indian Naval Strategic Publication 1.2 Oct 2015, Ensuring Secure Seas Indian Maritime Security Strategy, Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy) p 73 [6] Richard J. 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