West European Studies

The Battle of Hurtgenwald (or Hurtgen Forest) was fought from 19 September 1944 to 10 February 1945 and was the longest and hardest fought battle in the history of the US military. Fought in the 50 square mile, heavily forested area on the border of Germany and Belgium, by the time the battle came to an end, the Americans had suffered over 33,000 casualties while the Germans had 28,000 casualties.

By the fall of 1944, the allied armies had reached Seigfried Line, a German defensive position that was fronted by antitank obstacles. The Allied Forces wanted to quickly move through the Seigfried line and so decided to advance through the Hurtgen Forest to capture the city of Duren. The Allied forces would have had a better tactical victory if they had tried to capture several dams on the Roer River. For the Germans, the battle at Hurtgen Forest was important to protect their army which was preparing for a counteroffensive. On 21 October 1944, Aachen, a city on the northwest border of the forest came under Allied control. Instead of exploiting this situation Lieutenant General Courtney Hodges decided to capture the forest and eliminate the German forces in an attempt to secure his southern flank.

Fighting in the Hurtgen Forest was difficult since it was thickly wooded and vehicles could not pass through them. As a result, only the infantrymen could fight this battle. In the first phase, the 9th Infantry Division attacked at Lammersdorf on the edge of the forest. The Germans were easily able to ward off this attack by pounding the Americans from a hill overlooking the village. On the other hand, the advance of 60th regiment towards Hufen-Alzen was impeded due to limited visibility of only a few feet, poor radio functionality and anti-personnel mines. In the first month of the battle, the army was able to advance only a few kilometers in to the forest while suffering over 4,500 casualties.

In November, the Allies launched a new offensive but the First Army encountered the German technique of exploding trees, wherein the shells the exploded 80 to 100 meters above the ground and as the troops laid prone on the ground, they were showered with shrapnel and wood splinters. The American trees quickly learned to hug the trees instead but not before they had suffered many casualties. The inability to penetrate the forest strengthened the strategists resolve and they planned Task Force Ripple of nine tanks, a few tank destroyers and 300 foot soldiers. The attack was doomed from start and as the tanks never arrived and Germans successfully defended their territory. The Allied forces continued to suffer losses until Hitlers counteroffensive on December 16, 1944, made the Battle of Hurtgen forest less important.

The Germans were successful in holding off the attack for so long because they were much more familiar with their home terrain. The cold weather also did not help the allied forces. The Germans also booby trapped the forest wit mines to slow Allied progress. On top of it, German snipers were spread across the forest and shot American soldiers who often got lost in the snow covered landscape.
Thus weather and strategic defense helped the Germans hold on to the Hurtgen Forest for so long.

Strategic background
The 10th Mountain Division (or Light Infantry) can be defined as the light infantry division of the United States army which is based at Fort Drum, New York. It is considered as the XVIII Airborne Corps subordinate unit and only element that is division-sized of the US Army specializing in fighting under very harsh weather and terrain conditions. The designation of the mountain is retained by the division for the purpose concerning history although it is normally organized as a light infantry division. Prior to North African Campaign victory, there existed some disagreements in between Allies which had the best strategies in order to defeat Axis. Washington Churchill, who was among the British, adopted a strategy that was their traditional naval-based peripheral. This traditional strategy of the British which was against the continental army was supposed to fight as to be part of a mount small and a coalition peripheral operations that were designed to make the enemy weak gradually. The US favored a strategy that was direct because they had a large army for fighting the German in Northern Europe.

Italy
The mountain division did sail for Italy in the year 1944 who arrived on 6 January 1945. Immediately it entered Italy as the last Army Division of the US during World War 2 to enter combat near Orsigna and Cutigliano. British Eighth Army forces landed in Italys toe on September 3 1943 during Operation Baytown. This was the day when the government of Italy had agreed with Allies to an armistice. On September 8, Italy announced publicly the armistice even if the German forces had prepared for defense with no assistance. Except two opposite divisions, salerno and Eighth Army got tied up resulting to disarming of the Italian army.

On 19 February 1945, Battle of Monte Castello followed the preliminary actions in collaboration with Brazillian Expeditionary Force troops. Monte Della Torraccia was attacked by the unit and the peaks got cleared after some days of serious fight. The division did fight north Canolle on early March and moved within 15 miles of Bologna. For a period of about three weeks that followed, they maintained the defensive positions. In April 20, the division jumped off, captured Mongiorgio, entered Po Valley, and seized strategic points Bomporto and Pradalbino. On April 25 they reached Verona, 10th on April 23 crossed Po River and at Torbole and Nago they ran into serious opposition. After amphibiously crossed the Lake Garda, it gave security to Porto di Tremosine and Gargnano on 30th April when resistance in Italy from German ended. On 2 May 1945 after German surrendered Italy, the division continued with the security duty. They received various German units who surrendered and screened the occupation areas near Kobarid, Trieste, Log pod, Bovec, Slovenia, V-E Day until Mangartom which was the end of war in Europe.

As the Allies headed north, they encountered more difficult terrain Apennine Mountains formed a spine along peninsula of Italy which was offset towards east direction. In the very mountainous places of Abbruzzi half of peninsula width comprised of peaks and crests of over 3,000 feet. This was a bit easy to defend the re-entrants and spurs towards the spine which confronted Allies with rivers and ridges succession across their advance line. The rivers got unexpected and sudden flooding which thwarted the plans of Allied commandments.

All Quiet on the Western Front was written by Erich Maria Remarque. Initially it was a featured story in a newspaper, printed in two parts in November and December 1928. A year after, in 1929, it was finally published as a book. Remarques work became a bestseller around Europe until the Nazi Government banned its distribution. Remarque was subsequently forced to exile first to Switzerland then to the United States.

The books protagonist is Paul Baumer. His characterization is based on the real life experiences of Remarque. Remarque is a veteran of World War I. So many of the events that went on in Baumers life were paralleled to the authors. Through Baumer, Remarque was able to express his true feelings about the war and he had to go through as part of it.

Just like Remarque, Baumer was urged to join the army by his high school teacher. He and his friends were barely out of their teens when they were forced into the frontline. The changes that they had to deal with were massive and overwhelming. It was very difficult and Remarque made sure that his words articulated that.

All Quiet on the Western Front is essentially anti-war. Its slant was influenced by Remarques personal detestation towards the war and its haunting after-effects. In the beginning volunteering in the war seemed very noble and patriotic. The country was in peril and people needed to step up. However as the war continued, all reason was lost. It became a series of unending battles. So much damage and very little gained. Through his characters, Remarque pointed out the senselessness of war. In one instance Baumer exclaimed, I see how people are set against one another, and in silence, unknowingly, foolishly, obediently, innocently slay one another (Remarque, 1929).

He argued that war takes away a persons humanity. In the fierceness of battle one forgets that on the other is another human being probably fighting for the very same reasons. Most of the time the realization comes too late. The character Baumer killed a French soldier and in death he remembered that the soldier was a man. He began questioning why they became enemies in the first place. Remarque clearly showed in this instance that war could temporarily blind a person. War creates an atmosphere of competition consequently turning it into a numbers game. Very little regard is given to the fatal losses it produces.

War can drastically alter a persons identity. In the heat of battle values are lost and it becomes purely a fight for survival. Remarques characters were only in high school when they joined the Army. They were convinced to volunteer after their teacher assured them it was their patriotic duty to do so. All were young, idealistic and full of life. However, after months of fighting, they became hardened and jaded.

One of the strongest passages in the book says Youth We are none of us more than twenty years old. But young That is long ago. We are old folk (Remarque, 1929). War forces the young to grow up too fast. In war there is no room for childish mistakes. The saddest part is that most of them have to give up their dreams and desires.

Remarque went through the very same experience. Through the eyes of his characters, he painted a heartbreaking picture of how war takes away the youthfulness of life. At one point it was said, We were eighteen and had begun to love life and the world and we had to shoot it to pieces (Remarque, 1229). In exchange those who participate in it become old and weary rapidly.

Another unfortunate effect of the war on its partakers is that it distances them from what is real. It shatters relationships between families and friends. Baumer, the protagonist, spoke of this ordeal when he visited home. He had a very difficult time assimilating with his family and his community. He no longer felt attached to what used to be the most important parts of his life.

Most of the time veterans of war come back withdrawn and lonely. Feelings of isolation are common. Remarque was very successful sharing this challenge with his readers. He wrote, There is distance, a veil between us (1929). While it is painful to accept, veterans of war are turned into someone different. There is no way to look back. The joys of the past remain in the past.

The truth is participants of war are forced to build new and stronger relationships with their troop mates. Comradeship becomes their most important source of understanding. They shared the gravest of difficulties. They go through life and death situations together. There is no one else who could appreciate their feelings except for those who were there with them.

Participants of war build a gap between them and the people they left behind. In the frontline, lives are at stake. They fight for survival. This is their only motivation. As a result anything apart from preserving life is thought of as trivial and insignificant.

The effects of war stay with those who were there for the rest of their lives. The horrors they suffer through are too much to handle. When in battle they need to take emotion out of the equation, leaving them suppressed and restrained. After the war it is different. All the pent up feeling come rushing back and it stays with them forever.

One of the most difficult things to go through is when one survives while others die. They suffer the guilt of being alive. The randomness of death in battle produces confusion.
Those who are spared begin to question their fate and their comrades.

When Baumer was killed at the end of the book he was described as looking calm. Remarque made this so to illustrate that sometimes people who were part of the war welcome death more. Sometimes it is only in death that they can truly escape the agonies they went through. It is also in death that they become truly equal with comrades who shared these agonies with them.

The First World War, also know as the Great War, was the bloodiest in history. So many lives were lost. So much damage was inflicted by the war. Remarque questioned All for what

Remarque served during World War I in Germany. After the war only came depression. The war totally destroyed the country and the rest of Europe. In his book, Remarque wrote of the endless destruction that war brings with it. Remarque reminded readers that in the end no matter the reason for war, it pails in comparison to the sacrifices that were made for it.

The book All Quiet on the Western Front provided readers a first-hand look of what war can do to a country and its people. If there is one word that Remarque associated with war it is devastation. World War I devastated his nation, his friends, and himself. In his eyes war does not do anybody good.

The strength of the book lies in Remarques vivid portrayal of events. He allowed readers to experience what the characters were experiencing. His point of view was based on reality. He did not just imagine it he lived it and so eloquently expressed it.

Remarque clearly narrated what war did to him and why he so strongly opposed it. For a country, it only brings forth much ruin. For a people, it only brings forth much despair. In the end, no one wins in a war, not the country, not the people, and more so not those who fought in it.

Chivalry, andor the concept of Chivalry, has been around for a few hundred years.  Historically, Chivalry was an unspoken code of ethics that young knights in the days of the Crusades believed in and followed almost religiously.  The concept of Chivalry was designed to produce knights and solders with a code of ethics that was moral and good, polite and strong.  It was a deliberate move from the religious sectors to make loyalty, honor, truth, valor and honesty the most worthy of attributes a soldier or individual could personify.  Although not as prevalent and revered today as it was in the medieval times, Chivalry still exists and can be witnessed during war times, the court systems and in gender-based circumstances.

Perhaps one of the most obvious forms of Chivalry in todays society is witnessed by the actions of our military personnel, our soldiers.  War is violent it is killing and surviving.  Yet, during war times, soldiers can be seen protecting children, women and civilians of the enemy.  To be chivalrous one must protect the weak and those that can not protect themselves otherwise.  Soldiers go to great lengths to try and protect civilians, even at the risk of their own lives.  There are numerous photographs on the Internet attesting to such chivalrous actions soldiers carrying children, cradling them in their arms while they try to shelter them,  providing food and water, and helping to repair andor rebuild homes and shelters.
     
Chivalry is also about being devout Christians, respecting religion and being faithful to God.  No matter what heinous crime a person may commit, the courts still have that person swear on a Bible that they will tell the complete truth.  It is almost expected that the criminal will tell the truth by swearing an oath.  The penalty for lying under oath is Perjury and can be punished by jail time and fines. Although this is not as significant of an example as many others, it is important to note that even in todays society, there is a lot of importance and tradition instilled in the court systems.

One of the codes of Chivalry involved the treatment of women.  Knights were expected to almost revere women, protecting and defending them.  The demands of todays society sees a lot of women having to work to make ends meet or to help in the family budget.  Women are not near as helpless as they were once considered in medieval times.  They have means to support themselves and their families, and a lot more laws protecting women have been employed.  Regardless, there are a lot of chivalrous actions deferring to women.  Many men still open doors for women, whether they know them or not.  On dates men may buy women flowers, open car doors, pay the tab at restaurants, etc.  Men still have that inherent trait to be protective of women.  This protective nature can be seen in everyday life. For example, couples walking hand-in-hand down the sidewalk with the man walking closest to the curb, making sure he is closest to the danger, or, couples sleeping habits, wherein the man sleeps on the side of the bed closest to the door, apparently to protect against intruders.

Chivalry, although not demonstrated in the same degree as a few hundred years ago, is still alive and prevalent today.  It is seen, although maybe not actually realized as being chivalrous, in many aspects of our lives.  It is seen in war situations with soldiers protecting innocent civilians, in our court systems with an emphasis on honesty and religion, and in gender-based situations where men will many times show deference to the female species.  It is an important part of society, helping to maintain honesty, decorum, honor, loyalty and lawfulness.  Chivalry encourages quality treatment of others and is usually appreciated by the recipient. It is a benefit to society, not a hindrance.  Chivalry, as is said, is not dead, but alive and kicking.

Microhistory is a branch of history developed in the early 1970. The focus of this subject is the history of particular thing, place or individual. It concentrates more on analyzing the past in a more detailed manner in a very small scale. The development of this branch of study gained an important role to the study of the new history. Anthropology and sociology are usually associated with microhistory giving this field a broader sense of learning.  The Bewitching of Anne Gunter  by James Sharpe is related to this branch of study (microhistory) as the book illustrates the shocking and true story of witchcraft, deception and murder.

The book describes the bewitching of a young little girl in a small rural village in Berkshire England in 1604. The book also illustrates a very intriguing depiction of medieval practices from a very unusual point of view.  The bewitching of Anne Gunter  successfully demonstrates the relation of multiple factors which to the common sense appears unimportant hence, the book describes the world of politics, theology and cultural development of one society. The book is an essential material in demonstrating and illustrating the way of life in the early years of the 17th century.

The work of Sharpe qualifies as microhistory because the author scrutinizes the detailed events in the life of Anne Gunter during the 17th century (where the main focus of his story is mostly on Anne Gunter s life). The book demonstrates that a small incident in an enormous history can be described in detail. In 1604, Anne Gunter experienced some sort of sickness which nobody could explain. Several doctors who tried to examine her came up with a conclusion that the cause of her suffering was due to some sort of witchcraft. By the time she heard the cause, she instantly accused three women of witchcraft claiming that they were the cause of her agony. Her life during the 17th century England is meticulously illustrated by Sharpe although the documentation of Anne s interrogation is not clearly stated due to poor writing of the clerk who was responsible for the records of Anne s trial (interrogation process).

A number of great men became interested at her case, apparently because out of curiosity. In addition, Sharpe also shows detailed, progressive experiences of Anne for example,  She had feigned insensibility while trumpets had been sounded near her, as swords had been flourished before her, and yet more pins had been stuck into her breasts and arms to prove her lack of feelings  (Sharpe, 3). He also illustrates the long agony of Anne before she was sent to the Star Chamber (infamous court in England)  She had already experienced some months of confinement, during which she had been subjected continuously to questioning and medical examination  (Sharpe, 4). The three women were accused Agnes Pepwell who had a child out of matrimony, her illegitimate daughter Mary Pepwell and the third is Elizabeth Gregory   all of them were considered societal misfits. Among the three accused persons, the story of Elizabeth was the most significant to tell because she was universally disliked and the worse part of it is that the father of Anne had a dispute against the Gregory s. Mary and Elizabeth faced trial for the crime of witchcraft but eventually they were acquitted. Agnes fled away before she was summoned by the court. However, the father of Anne was dissatisfied with the outcome or the verdict. As a result, he brought the case of Anne to the attention of King James but the king was not as gullible like the many people at that time. As a result, King James found out the deception of Anne s father. Anne was turned over to the care of the church and the proceedings where brought about the two instigators in the Star Chamber.  

Sharpe describes a brilliant story about England during the 17th century, apparently to impart something to people. A girl who had suffered at the hands of her very oppressive and murderous father was eventually freed. The author also tackles many aspects of medieval culture and society in England at that time (it is though impossible to cover all events concisely). He discusses witchcraft definitely in a cultural context, illustrating that societal awareness of witchcraft is related to general social conditions. Sharpe offers an excellent and very convincing evidence to support his case of the influence of printed materials in the case at hand over the discussion of the appearance of printed materials as a mean of influence upon popular culture that dates the phenomena prior to an earlier period of time than many histories. The book is a challenging and stimulating piece of work because of the author s special treatment to a particular belief - the widespread perception that witchcraft was largely a manifestation of misogyny that amounts to the debunking of traditional understanding about witchcraft. Sharpe effectively linkes the emergence of the belief in witches and satanic possession during the 17th century England to the reformation and its influence on the contemporary consciousness in detailed manner of telling Anne Gunter s story. He shows that there was so much information about witchcraft and demonic possession that had been inculcated in the tradition of England at that time. As such he reasons that those who step to the feign bewitchment are expected to know how they were suppose to act in such situation and those people who witnessed such bewitchment are expected to know how to react. Actually Sharpe does not believe in the existence of witches but in Anne s particular case, he is uncertain with his standing beliefs about witchcraft and found himself reassessing his conviction about this case. There is a great chance that people will really be mislead about the real cause of the suffering of Anne because there is a high possibility that it could actually be point out that she was a victim of witchcraft due to her violent and painful appearance, her continuous vomiting of pins and other objects, her fainting and the swelling of her stomach, depict an horrific cruelty and abuse. Anne s suffering was not really inflicted by the three accused women of bewitching her, Sharpe reveals that the main cause of her torment was her own father who wants his enemies to be convicted of witchcraft. Sharpes study of the case of Anne Gunter makes the reader enthralled. It also presents a compelling view of the life in 17th century England at the period of trials. The book also reveals that the human foibles can allow such ideology grasp a community and upturn it.The work of James Sharpe, a well researched, well written, enlightening and fascinating material is what a history book should be.

The statement  knowing the average thoughts and actions of a society is helpful if one has a brief time to try to understand a historical period, but if one wants to truly understand the history of a time or society, a microhistorical approach offers the greatest opportunity for in-depth knowledge  is very true in regards of the work of James Sharpe because of its detailed way of presenting the events. Due to this method, the reader perceived a very clear picture of what really happened at the past. Microhistorical approach is a very efficient way of presenting event not like other historical approach that may overlook some incidents that is essential for better understanding.  

In the 1920s, the German economy greatly suffered from high rates of recession. According to Cap (2000, pg 230) any bank needed a lot of courage to lend Germany capital to offset the acute foreign exchange deficit. The situation deteriorated and it was worst by June 1931. The inflation had depleted all the countrys savings and it had to rely on loans from Britain to offset the deficit. The capital flight from the economy was worsened by the World Wars which preceded this period. (Cap, 2000, pg230). It was in 1930s that the research and development in airplanes critically began a campaign to redesign and modify the earlier existing planes to improve the capability and effectiveness of the military. This led to massive investment in the aircraft industry with many industries being established for the same purpose under high level of secrecy in Germany (Suckert, 2010). It led to the development of many aircraft industries in Germany, which slowly started to heal the badly hit economy by reducing the unemployment levels as well as reducing the recession levels in the country. The jet model developed in 1939 was later to revolutionarize the jet industries not only Germany but also in Britain and other European countries. (Pavelec, 2007, pg 5). Therefore, the jet engine and the aviation development in Germany became a handy solution in reconstructing German economy at the time. The paper tries to analyze the sectors of the German economy that were affected by the invention of the jet engine and the implications that the jet development had on them.

Textile Industry
The early development of the jet engine units had very negative impact on the textile industry in Germany. According to Suckert (2010), the government repossessed many of the textile industries at the Germany Poland border. The aim was to proceed with the aircraft development under high security and secrecy due to the ongoing cold wars and avoiding technology to be used by enemies. The remote areas provided conducive locations for the establishment of the jet industries. Suckert (2010) explains that this move crippled the textile industry, which was at the time on the blink of collapse caused by the war. Therefore, although it was a noble idea, the development of the jet engines spelled doom to the already struggling textile industries. This led to massive unemployment as thousands lost their jobs but some employees were later absorbed in the jet production plants. After the production was discovered, the plants were hurriedly closed and many people were reported to have lost their lives in the camps after they were left desperate Suckert (2010).

Reducing the Economic Depression
According to Crozier (1997, pg103), the recession experienced in Germany started to ease due to the army rearming which included the drastic development of the  jet industry. Therefore, the government reinvested heavily in the sector, which saw the economy being boosted out of the recession levels. The rearmament process was so severe that the unemployment levels fell by 2milion between 1932 and 1939 Crozier (1997, pg102). However, some analysts denied the argument that the recession drop was due to the rearming exercise though it remains a contentious issue with both the opponents and proponents of the providing economic facts to the debate. There is though a consensus that rearming of the army shifted most of consumer goods in favor of capital goods (Crozier, 1997, pg102). It would be therefore appropriate to link the high rate of the jet industry production to reduction of recession at the time.
                                                             
Industrial Growth
The jet engine was responsible for the development of several industries all aimed at developing the aerospace industries. According to Pavelec (2007 pg 4) 1930s was the period which saw numerous numbers of aerospace industries being developed. Some of these included Heinkel, Messerschmitt, Junkies, and Daimler all specializing in airplane bodies. Several engine-making companies also surfaced at the time. These included BMW, Daimler, Benz and the Junken engine department Pavelec (2007, pg5). The emergence of these companies opened a new window to fast development in the German economy with the government fully supporting and funding. The government invested a good share of its budget on the research and development in the aeronautical sector. However, according to Pavelec (2007, pg5), the development was not well grounded and had to stop after sometime and then regained several years after the Second World War.
         
The industrial development was a foundation for the future development, which was all aimed at increasing the German air strength in combat operations. It also marked the beginning of passenger planes, which would later revolutionaries the transport system several decades after. This was achieved through development of passenger planes at the same time with the jet planes (Crozier, 1997, pg 102). The German government through the military rearming and robust development in the planes industry discouraged the growth of consumer goods in favor of capital goods (Blackbourne, 2009). Through encouraging the growth of capital goods, heavy industries developed fast in Germany particularly in the aeronautics and automobile industries. This marked the beginning of heavy industries proliferation in Germany in the early 1930s.

The Labor Market
The fact that the first jet engines were specifically developed for military use made the industries to grow at a sporadic rate because of the military influence in the country at that time. Many people found employment in the aircraft industries as the government rushed to regain the Air supremacy in the world. According to Croizier (1997, pg 102) between 1932 and 1934 the aircraft industry increased the number of employed staff from 3000 to 125,000. This high employment rate was very positive to the German economy and contributed to the economic growth that superseded the growth of other European countries. This lead the industrial production to rise above 100 compared to the production in 1928 specifically between 1936 and 1939 (Crozier, 1997 pg 102). The high production rate and high rate of employment meant an increased in the living standards of the German citizens. After development of the aircraft industries, the labor market became oversaturated and there were a lot of people willing to work in the industries (Blackbourn, 2009). The high labor availability during this duration contributed to the robust economic development in Germany. The saturation of the labor market provided cheap labor to the industries also. The cheap labor on the other hand was an incentive for more entrepreneurs to venture into different productions due to the high margins got from exploiting the skilled and unskilled labor. Therefore, from the jet industries, many more industries sprouted to take advantage of the labor market, which greatly boosted the German economy.
         
The government discovered that the labor force had very low skills and education. According to Blackbourne (2010), the government came up with incentives to encourage the low skilled workforce to improve their skills so as to professionalize the labor market. Introduction of pay scales where the low skilled workers would be paid less opened another chapter in Germany education where many people retrained to get higher wages. (Blackbourne, 2010), The German skilled labor was thus introduced into the market through this policy. Therefore, from the jet industry labor market requirements and skills were developed prompting the government to encourage training of skilled workers who ended up being very instrumental in the German economy and the industries.

Conclusion
The jet engines invention marked a revolutionary period in the German economic development. Although much of the intended invention in jet industry was focused on rearming the military, the production of the jets was used to stimulate almost all sectors of the economy. Coming at a time when the German economy was plagued in recession, the inflation was spiraling out of control the robust development of the engines gave a boost to the country and instilled a positive momentum to development. The whole period between 1930 and 1939 saw the establishment of many industries related or derived from the jet industries. The establishment of these industries was very instrumental to the drastic reconstruction and improvement of the German economy. It would be therefore appropriate to consider the development of the jet engines as the key element which propelled the German economy.

What is the history of women  Has man never been civilized enough to know that a woman is equal to him  I find it disturbing to think that women may have been exploited and abused throughout the history of mankind.  I do not think it makes any difference whatsoever that the second revolution brought certain changes in European womens lives.  While it is true that urbanization and technological changes brought positive societal change in Europe during that time, the fact remains that women continue to deal with problems such as sexual harassment, gender discrimination in the workplace, lower salaries, and physical abuse in Europe today.  In fact, the problem seems never to have entirely vanished.  It does not matter that women dwelt on the question of housewifization at the time.  The fact is that human societies are being run by obnoxious patriarchs who do not wish to change the status quo, even if it appears to change for a while.  Has man never been enlightened enough to reach closure on the subject of women  
   
There have been plenty of great civilizations in the past.  Did any of them leave records indicating that man has finally reached closure on the subject of women, that is, man has come to the ultimate conclusion that women are equal to men  If certain civilizations left such records, why is it that Europe did not learn from lessons of the past  Of course, women did not have to be dehumanized as they were in European coal mines.  Why did this happen in the first place  If something stopped this from happening, could we apply the European procedure to stop dehumanization of women everywhere in the world at the same time  Could we apply this procedure in India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tanzania or Egypt at this time
   
Indeed, it is strange that poor conditions of European women of the past have to be studied in depth today as though we are finally going to reach closure on the subject of women, around the world.  As Europe pretends to be a model civilization at present, I would assume that its lessons could be applied in other parts of the world as well.  However, even Europe cannot apply its lessons today, as statistics on abuse of women from around the world  including Europe, of course  continue to shock and enrage us.

Do we learn to unlearn
I am reminded of a shocking story about a Chinese woman I recently read Maxine Hong Kingstons short story, No Name Woman.  China was the greatest civilization at one point, similar to Europe today.  I believe China must have gone through periods of immense change such as the second industrial revolution in Europe.  But, I do not believe in the significance of such changes if they do not result in ultimate enlightenment of man.  In fact, considering the problems that Chinese women have to confront in the present, I find it hard to believe that China was the greatest civilization at one point.  Moreover, it is scary to suppose that Europe may eventually lose all its present knowledge about equality of the sexes  following the example of China if, in fact, China actually believed in such equality at the time it was somewhat similar to Europe today.
   
Kingstons No Name Woman begins with the narrators mother informing her about her aunts suicide and asking her to keep it as a secret.  The narrators family refuses to acknowledge the aunt as a part of their past lives.  The narrators mother nevertheless tells the story of the no name woman, namely the aunt who committed suicide.
   
The no name woman was married in 1924 in China, as part of a ceremony that celebrated many marriages at the same time.  When her husband left for work, as other husbands married during the same celebrations also left, she was expected to wait on money from him.  But, she ended up getting pregnant many years after her husbands departure.  When the baby was about to arrive, her family house was raided by angry protesting villagers.  The no name woman gave birth to her first child in a pigsty.  The following morning she was found dead with her child in the family well.  Apparently, it was suicide.
   
The narrators mother would like to warn her daughter about getting pregnant outside of marriage.  After describing such warnings, the narrator explains certain aspects of her life as a Chinese American.  She goes deeper into discussion about her aunt, too.  According to the narrator, the no name woman must have been forced into adultery.  The narrator also makes conjectures about why the no name woman was sent out of her in-laws home and whether the adulteror was one of the village raiders.
   
Some of the problems related to Chinese culture that the narrator raises include the loudness of their speech.  Yet, the narrator must wonder about the silence that her aunt must have been forced to keep.  The no name woman apparently committed suicide out of a sense of shame.  Her people could not have tolerated an adulteress among them, which is why her family house was subjected to a raid.  The fact that her family refuses to acknowledge her now that she is dead is another problem about Chinese culture that the narrator has set out to complain about.  After all, the no name woman had been subjected to oppression, according to the narrators conjecture.  Punishing the woman for the crime of another is the main complaint about Chinese culture that Kingstons story raises.

What does it mean to be the worlds greatest civilization
Is the story of the no name woman over yet  More importantly, is this story going to take place in Europe of the future, given that we never really appear to come to a conclusion on the subject of women  Of course, America is considered another great civilization like Europe, and China of the past.  The subject of women continues to echo through its workplaces and homes today.  Although everybody who speaks on gender equality makes sense, Americans do not entirely give up their belief in superiority of males.
   
Real Women Have Curves was an American movie released in the year 2002, showing how women in America continue to be socially pressured to do as others please, instead of developing and using their own minds.  What does it matter that European women were compelled to dwell on the question of housewifization through the second industrial revolution  Even the greatest civilization today has to address issues such as abuse of women, gender discrimination in the workplace, lower salaries for women, sexual harassment, etc.
   
In the film, Real Women Have Curves, Ana would like to develop her mind while her mother would like her to lose weight and get married.  Undoubtedly, it is ignorant to suppose that women must marry and raise their families if they desire to do something else instead.  But, the question remains why did Anas mother think this way during the twenty first century  It is not enough to say that traditions of patriarchy must have brainwashed her.  We have to ask why dysfunctional traditions have never been reversed.
   
Of a certainty, it may be easy for a woman to get married and be relieved of the anxieties of breadwinning.  Nevertheless, there are women in the world who have achieved great wealth for themselves without marital partners.  The fact that Ana would like to develop her mind shows that she instinctively believes in her success with or without a marital partner.  To stop Ana or another woman from achieving her goals is to violate the rights of the woman.

Conclusion
Discrimination against women in developed as well as developing countries reveals that our world cannot truly be considered civilized.  Even in the Information Age, our world as a whole is backward thinking.  It is time, therefore, to end discrimination altogether.  Women have the right to live however they choose.
   
Of course, there were people who thought this way during the second revolution in Europe, too.  But, it did not seem to matter much.  On a positive note, what if I or my classmates, friends or cousins manage to end gender discrimination around the world once and for all  What kind of a revolution would it take