Arthur Spooner

Arthur Eugene Spooner is a fictional character played by Jerry Stiller in the American sitcom "The King of Queens". He lives with his daughter Carrie and her husband, Doug Heffernan, in Rego Park, Queens, New York.
Biography.
Little is known about Arthur's early life. He was born in 1925 to an abusive father (played in one episode by Stiller's own son, Ben Stiller), but nothing is known about his mother. He lived on a farm from the ages of 7 to 10, then again at 43, was a gifted singer as a child, performed jigs for the workers at the Empire State Building, has an estranged half-brother named Skitch (played in one episode by Shelley Berman), was bald until the age of 12, and lost his virginity to someone named Peppermint Patty.
He possibly attended the State University of New York at Oneonta, having mentioned playing for the "Oneonta Red Dragons".
Arthur served in World War II in the Italian theater and in The Battle of the Bulge, and also mentions being in Paris, France. He variously claims to have been in the US Army 33rd Brigade and the 71st Infantry Division. At some point during his enlistment, he left a man named Jack Russell for dead.
Sometime after the war, Arthur took up a career as an actor, performing on Broadway and at other venues. It was during this time that he met his first wife, Sophia, a show dancer. After a night of passion, the couple found out that Sophia was pregnant, and decided to get married for the sake of the child, Simone (later Carrie). Arthur lost Carrie's birth name of Simone in a poker game and she had to switch names with her cousin Carrie. (Carrie has no recollection of this incident.)
He quit his acting career in an attempt to create a more stable life for his daughter. Ironically, his unstable marital life and always unsure job situation led to even less security than Carrie might have had if Arthur remained an actor. Doug and Carrie occasionally point out this fact, but Arthur always discounts it.
During Carrie's young life, Arthur held an innumerable number of jobs, including at a crab cannery in Maryland, jobs in sales, a brief stint working for PBS on "Sesame Street", and many others. He worked briefly in customer service, stating if a little person walked into his store it was all he could talk about for years. He also sold ribbons at the time Doug and Carrie were purchasing their home. He thought it was a good idea to cut out the middle man and offer little girls in the schoolyard ribbons to buy for their hair, which Carrie convinced him was a bad idea. He was unable to maintain any of these careers for more than a month at a time, resulting in a very volatile home life for his family. Though he was never able to hold down a job for very long, he did land 74 of them, one as a woman. However, in another episode, he claims to have had "nearly 200".
In 1985, Sophia died, leaving Arthur a widower and the single parent of 15-year-old Carrie. With Arthur unable to stay employed, Carrie was forced to work in addition to attending high school. Because of this, she never attended college.
During a Thanksgiving episode, it was mentioned that Arthur met his second wife Lily at a bus stop. Arthur said "Why don't you go back to the corner where I found you?!", and Lily replied "I was waiting for the bus!"
In the pilot episode, Arthur's third wife Tessie has died. Arthur subsequently burns his house down while cooking on his "lucky hot plate". This forces Arthur and his other daughter Sara (who was written out during the first season without explanation) to move in with Carrie and Doug. Arthur quickly shows himself to be obnoxious, boorish, and mentally unstable, frequently bursting into tirades at the slightest provocation. His grating personality angers Doug, but as the series progresses, they grow accustomed to each other.
Arthur always adamantly refused to be outdone or slighted in any conceivable manner. During the course of the show, he forced a woman to lose her job because she "hurt his feelings", caused countless false emergencies at his senior center, reduced many people to tears, investigated purported similarities between himself and fictional characters, engaged in arguments with tough younger individuals, often forcing Doug to protect him, loudly proclaimed most of his views on Doug and Carrie's wedding video, and relentlessly insulted Douglas' friends, particularly Spence.
A good example of Arthur's behavior is when he discovers an old episode airing of "The $10,000 Pyramid" on which he appeared in 1976, a fact that he has told Doug "several dozen times". When asked if he won, Arthur, in turn, asks if he would be "living in this dump if [he had]". He later asks for Carrie's help in "[suing] the boyish grin off of Dick Clark's face" because he never got the full year's supply of Rice-A-Roni that he had been promised after the appearance, a scandal he has named "Rice-A-Roni-gate". In an effort to placate Arthur, Clark's representative offers to give him a book instead of the boxed rice dish, the continued production of which the representative is unsure. After assuring the representative that Rice-A-Roni is "still made in a variety of mouth-watering flavors," Arthur refuses, screaming "I don't wanna read. I wanna eat!". Arthur ultimately receives a 30-year supply of Rice-A-Roni, in addition to the original supply he was promised on the game show, after (presumably) blackmailing Dick Clark with a photo of Clark "locked in a muddy embrace with Fannie Flagg", which was captured from his appearance on the "Battle of the Network Stars". (The vintage "Pyramid" clip used for the episode is from an actual appearance Stiller made on the game show that same year.) Additionally, in the season 6 episode "Trash Talker", Arthur mentions that he allegedly has a lifelong hatred for Larry King, stemming from when they were kids and Arthur stole one of King's prized baseball cards and was subsequently kicked out of school after King tattled on him.
Arthur marries his fourth wife Veronica Olchin (played by Stiller's real wife Anne Meara), mother of Doug's friend Spence Olchin, in the series finale "China Syndrome", and divorce one year later.
Perhaps Arthur's most notable trait is his tendency to speak in flowing, elegant sentences, typically employing long words.
He also frequently used outdated expressions, such as "cat's feet". Likewise, he calls cell phones "cellular telephones", referred to Istanbul as "Constantinople" and identifies catsup by its proper name rather than by the popular brand name that is universally called "Ketchup".
One of his most often used quotes is "How dare you!" He has also been known to say "Thank you very little!", and "That's a separate issue!". He often remarks to those who pry into his business, "That's none of your affair!". When he feels that he is being pushed around or told what to do (usually by his daughter, Carrie), Arthur often responds by implying that the person is a dictator (e.g. "yes, mein fuhrer!") or a smear tactic politician (e.g. "no thank you Senator McCarthy!").
He almost invariably addresses or refers to Doug by his full name "Douglas". Likewise, when he addresses Doug's cousin Danny, he calls him his full name "Daniel". He also addresses Spence by his full name "Spencer", Doug and Carrie's neighbor Lou Ferrigno as "Louis" and Deacon as "Mr. Palmer".
Role in the series.
Sarcastic, brash, and always scheming, Arthur lives in the basement of Doug and Carrie's house. He is walked by a dog walker named Holly Shumpert (Nicole Sullivan), and his best friend is Mickey (Ford Rainey).
Quick to take offense, he shouts frequently and often unnecessarily, and often comes up with absolutely absurd, irregular, or illogical money-making scams. He is basically a selfish, narcissistic individual who feels the world owes him, and that he needs to be treated a certain way for who he thinks he is. Arthur frequently makes bizarre claims (for example, that he invented the moist towelette, and claiming that Charles M. Schulz based Charlie Brown on Arthur's life).
Arthur is outspoken for left-leaning political views and in some episodes a supporter of the communist nations around the world. In the episode "Steve Moscow" he claims that the Soviet Union was a "workers' paradise", and in the episode "Strike Out", he says that he was once enrolled at a socialist summer camp. When Doug goes on strike, Arthur almost kisses him out of pride; these feelings of affection quickly turn into disgust when Doug takes a job at a school as a substitute teacher (with Arthur angrily remarking: "Whatever helps you sleep at night you douche"). However, in one episode, in a debate with Spence on whether the United States should lift the embargo on Cuba, Arthur was against the lifting of the embargo and Spence was for it (yet, in context, the debate was a scene where Arthur tried to prove he could withstand any argument, resulting in him deferring from the point, and vehemently insulting Spence).
Arthur's eccentricity extends to going so far as to explicitly forbid a variety of things from the Heffernan household, including but not limited to: Halloween, red pens, soft cheese, non-American VCRs (but not DVD players), any mention of Franklin D. Roosevelt's paralytic illness, and miniature Kit Kats.
At times he can offer fatherly advice, and cares about Doug and Carrie. In the episode "Deacon Blues" he tells Carrie, "You're not angry cookie, you're scared", as to show Carrie her true feelings. Other times, however, he may become a burden on Doug and Carrie, which Doug claims is unfair because he owns the house. Arthur's odd behavior is said to result from him being neglected as a child. He is often seen as a child because Doug and Carrie have to take care of him. However, around strangers, he often claims that he owns the home (in one episode, after discovering what the property is worth, he stages an 'open house', taking offers on the place), his daughter works at menial labor despite Arthur's invented wealth, and Doug is a complete deadbeat.
Arthur's handling of money is often a matter of contention. He regularly steals change from Doug and has, according to Carrie, "no retirement, no insurance, no Social Security". He once planned to save a large amount of money for a potential grandchild, but only remarks "the dog races are terribly fixed". He often claims to be very wealthy, especially when wooing women. He has almost no money at all, not even a few dollars, as a check he writes for a $1.42 coffee bounces. Insulted by the barista's distrust of his financial situation, he claims to have vast offshore accounts, and is in the process of moving money around.
Casting of the role.
According to the DVD commentary of the Pilot episode, the character of Arthur was conceived with Jerry Stiller in mind, but he initially turned down the role. Veteran comedian Jack Carter was then cast and a pilot was shot. Soon afterward, Stiller changed his mind and took the part, which required reshooting of scenes featuring Carter.


Sea Malta Building

The Sea Malta Building, formerly known as the NAAFI Building, is a former office building located in Marsa, Malta. It was originally built in 1948 as a warehouse and recreational facility for the British Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI). It was the head office of Sea Malta from 1981 to 2006, and it has been abandoned since then. Part of the building was demolished in November 2017 after it was found that its foundations were in a poor state.
History.
Background.
The NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) was present in Malta since 1919 and its introduction set a competitive impact to Maltese businessmen. A good number of Maltese workers benefitted as they were employed with the NAAFI. The NAAFI had initially occupied two stores at the Barriera Wharf (no. 13 and 14) outside the fortifications of Valletta (which stores were built by Grand Master Perellos for Maritime commerce) setting a business of an automobile garage. After almost three decades, the NAAFI moved out and the stores became occupied by a wine business set up by the A.M. & A. Cassar Brothers.
Purposely built building.
The Sea Malta Building was originally built in 1949 for the NAAFI, and was initially known as the Building. It was designed by the architecture firm Mortimer and de Giorgio Architects. The building served as a warehouse, but it also housed shops, restaurants and other recreational facilities. The building had a significant role in WWII when it served food to many people around the Grand Harbour area. The British Navy left Malta in March 1979 (Freedom) and hence the NAAFI vacated the building.
The building remained adequate for sea-related activity and thus was established to be used as a warehouse for ships. In April 1981, the building was converted into the head office of Sea Malta Company Limited, formerly the Sea Malta Groupage Bonds, who moved there from their previous offices in Floriana. It remained the company's headquarters until the company dissolved in 2006. Parts of the building were later used as a warehouse, while the rest of the block were abandoned and fell into a state of disrepair.
Partial demolition.
In 2017, it was found that part of the building's foundations were in a poor state as they were constructed on metal piles resting on the seabed, which were prone to erosion. The quay on which the building was constructed had already partially collapsed. A structural appraisal report stated that the building became an operational risk for the Grand Harbour. The Planning Authority approved the demolition of a large part of the building. The Chamber of Architects and the NGOs Din l-Art Ħelwa and Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar asked the Authority to nullify the permit awarded for the demolition, with the Chamber stating that the structural appraisal report did not identify the structure as in imminent danger of collapse.
The rear part of the building began to be demolished on 20 November 2017 by Enemalta contractors. The front end of the building, including the clock tower, is not in danger of collapse and will not be demolished.
Architecture.
The Sea Malta Building has been called "a fine modernist building". It includes a distinctive clock tower. The Planning Authority has mixed opinion about the building and hence sought for the conservation of the main features.


Fichte-Bunker

The Fichte-Bunker is a nineteenth-century gasometer in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin, Germany that was made into an air-raid shelter in World War II and subsequently was used as a shelter for the homeless and for refugees, in particular for those fleeing East Berlin for the West. It is the last remaining brick gasometer in Berlin.
The Fichte-Bunker is located between Fichtestraße and Körtestraße in an area of "Jugendstil" apartment houses, many of which are now under historic protection. The gasometer itself is protected, but in September 2006 the State of Berlin's Real Property Fund sold it to private investors and residences have now been constructed on the roof.
Construction and technical data.
The Fichte-Bunker was constructed in 1874 for the Municipal Gasholder Authority to the design of Johann Wilhelm Schwedler. It was the second of four gasometers he designed for Berlin's street lighting; the first was in Friedrichshain and has since been destroyed. Both were topped with the "Schwedler cupola", an engineering innovation of his that used an unsupported curved steel vault to span diameters of up to .
The gasometer is a cylinder in diameter, high exclusive of the cupola and high in total. Its form was based on an 1827 design by Karl Friedrich Schinkel for a circular church. The capacity of the telescoping gas container was 30,000 cubic metres.
History.
The Kreuzberg gasometer was one of four built to supply gas for street lighting during Berlin's explosive growth in the 1870s.
After the introduction of electric street lighting, the gasometer was taken out of service in 1922 and until 1940 stood empty. At the end of 1940, Fritz Todt, Inspector-General of Buildings for the capital, had it converted into a 6-level air-raid shelter, one of three intended primarily for the protection of women and children. (The other two were side by side in Wedding). These were the largest shelters built anywhere in the Reich in the crash programme of shelter construction. The roof, interior walls and floors were constructed of reinforced concrete up to thick. The contractors, Siemens-Bauunion, used predominantly prisoners-of-war and forced labourers. Originally the shelter was planned for 6,000 people, but during the air raid of 3 February 1945, some 30,000 people took shelter in the approximately 750 individual rooms, which are in many cases only 5 to 7 square meters. In 1944-45, it sheltered Germans expelled from the eastern territories as well as Berliners. Despite heavy bombardment, the bunker survived the war more or less undamaged.
After the war, the Fichte-Bunker was initially a much needed place of refuge for the displaced. It was used as a juvenile detention facility and as a home for the elderly. It was also typically the first place where refugees from East Germany stayed. Finally it became a homeless shelter, which rented rooms to the needy for 2.50 DM a night. Conditions were notoriously bad; it was called the "Bunker der Hoffnungslosen" ("Bunker of the Hopeless") and a reporter who went in incognito found it unbearable.
The facility was closed for health reasons in 1963 and from then until reunification, the city used the building as a storehouse for part of the Senate Reserve, goods and provisions which the Senate of West Berlin was legally required to maintain in case of a second Berlin Blockade.
After 1990, the Fichte-Bunker again stood empty; entrance was only possible on special tours.
Luxury housing.
In September 2006, the State of Berlin's Real Property Fund sold the building and approximately 8,000m2 of land to the newly formed development company SpeicherWerk Wohnbau GmbH. The investors planned to construct luxury 2-storey condominiums on top of the former gasometer and build townhouses and a five-storey apartment building on the land around the building. Despite objections from neighbours to the density of the development, planning permission was granted and work began in December 2007; the freestanding residences were completed in 2009. In spring 2008, there was concern about possible violation of the historic building code, and in summer 2009 the scaffolding around the gasometer was set on fire as part of Action Weeks by squatters and opponents of demolition of housing to build for the rich. In spring 2010, completion of the "Circlehouse" of 13 condominiums on top of the bunker was announced. Designed by architect Paul Ingenbleek and engineer Michael Ernst, they have rooftop gardens in front of the lower storey and front walls of steel and glass and are reached by means of a bridge from a tower which contains a lift and stairs.


Liaodong Peninsula

The Liaodong Peninsula (also Liaotung Peninsula, ) is a peninsula in southern Liaoning province in Northeast China, and makes up the southwestern coastal half of the Liaodong region. It is located between the mouths of the Daliao River (the historical lower section of the Liao River) in the west and the Yalu River in the east, and encompasses the territories of the whole sub-provincial city of Dalian and parts of prefectural cities of Yingkou, Anshan and Dandong.
The word "Liaodong" literally means "Liao region's east", referring initially to the Warring States period Yan commandery of Liaodong, which encompassed an area from modern Liaoning-Jilin border in the north to the Chongchon River on the Korean Peninsula in the south, and from just east of the Qian Mountains to a now-disappeared large wetland between the western banks of middle Liao River and the base of Yiwulü Mountain, historically known as the "Liao Mire" (遼澤, "Liáo zé") roughly in between the modern Xinmin, Liaozhong, Tai'an, Panshan and Beizhen). The modern usage of "Liaodong" however simply refers to the half of Liaoning province to the left/east bank of the Liao/Daliao River.
Geography.
The Liaodong Peninsula lies on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, dividing the Liaodong Bay (the largest of the three bays of the Bohai Sea) to its west from the Korea Bay to its east. It forms the southern part of a mountain belt that continues northward in the Changbai Mountains. The part of the mountain range on the peninsula is known as the Qianshan Mountains, named after Qian Mountain in Anshan, which includes Dahei Mountain in Dalian.
History.
Pre-Han.
The Liaodong region was settled since prehistoric times by Neolithic people such as Xinle culture. It later came under the rule of the Gojoseon kingdom, which encompassed the northern Korean Peninsula and the region southeast of the Liao River. In the late 4th century BC, the expanding Chinese State of Yan conquered this region from Gojoseon, and established the Liaodong Commandery.
Han to Qing.
After the fall of the Yan state, the region was taken over by the short-lived Qin Dynasty, and then its prominent successor Han Dynasty. After the Han Dynasty fragmented at the turn of the 3rd century, the region changed hands between various warlord states such as the Gongsun Yuan, the nomadic Wuhuan, and Cao Wei, before eventually falling under the reunified Western Jin dynasty.
However, after the Western Jin fell from the Uprising of the Five Barbarians and during the subsequent chaotic Sixteen Kingdoms periods, the region was ruled by Former Yan, Former Qin, Later Yan and later Goguryeo, before being reconquered by the Tang Dynasty.
In 698 AD, Wu Zhou's defeat at the Battle of Tianmenling allowed the newly founded Balhae to rule the region for the next two centuries, before they were supplanted by the Khitan Liao Dynasty, and followed by the Jin dynasty, Yuan dynasty, Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty.
20th century.
The peninsula was an important area of conflict during the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895). Defeat precipitated decline in the Qing dynasty which was exploited by colonial powers who extracted numerous concessions. The peninsula was ceded to Japan, along with Taiwan and Penghu, by the Treaty of Shimonoseki of 17 April 1895. However the ceding of Liaodong peninsula was rescinded after the Triple Intervention of 23 April 1895 by Russia, France and Germany. In the aftermath of this intervention, the Russian government pressured the Qing dynasty to lease Liaodong and the strategically important Lüshunkou (Port Arthur) for use by the Russian Navy.
As in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Liaodong peninsula was the scene of major fighting in the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), including the bloody Siege of Port Arthur. As a consequence of the Treaty of Portsmouth (5 September 1905), which ended the Russo-Japanese War, both sides agreed to evacuate Manchuria and return it to China, with the exception of the Liaodong Peninsula leased territory which was transferred to Japan, which was to administer it as the Kwantung Leased Territory.
After Japan lost World War II, and the People's Republic of China was established in 1949, Liaodong was again under unified Chinese rule, where it has been to this day.


Ward Cleaver

Ward Cleaver, Jr. is a fictional character in the American television sitcom "Leave It to Beaver". Ward and his wife, June, are often invoked as archetypal suburban parents of the 1950s babyboomers. At the start of the show, the couple are the parents of Wally, a 13-year-old in the eighth grade, and seven-year-old ("almost eight") second-grader Theodore, nicknamed "The Beaver". A typical episode from "Leave It to Beaver" follows a misadventure committed by one or both of the boys, and ends with the culprits receiving a moral lecture from their father and a hot meal from their mother.
Hugh Beaumont portrays Ward in the series and directed several episodes in the later seasons of the show. Max Showalter (appearing as Casey Adams) plays Ward in the series' pilot, "It's a Small World", which aired in April 1957. Many of the "Leave It to Beaver" players were featured in their original roles in a reunion movie televised in 1983 ("Still the Beaver") and a sequel series called "The New Leave It to Beaver" that aired from 1985 to 1989. Hugh Beaumont had died in 1982, and in the 1983 reunion movie, the character of Ward Cleaver was portrayed as having died in 1977, at the age of 67. Christopher McDonald plays Ward in the 1997 spin-off film adaptation "Leave It to Beaver".
Ward's principal dramatic function in the series is to end each episode with moral instruction for one or both of his errant sons. Ward's relationships with his wife and his co-worker Fred Rutherford are asides that flesh out his character.
Background.
Ward is a farmer's son and hails from Shaker Heights, an actual location in Ohio, which also has a suburb called Mayfield. Ward attended a preparatory school, is a veteran of World War II (having served as a surveyor in the Seabees), a state college graduate (majoring in philosophy), and member of a fraternity, a responsible white collar professional, and an upstanding citizen. Ward met his future wife, June Evelyn Bronson, when they were teens. The two dated and went to state college together. They married and became the parents of two sons, Wally and Theodore (the Beaver).
Home life.
Ward has few interests at home, other than monitoring his sons and spending evenings after dinner sitting next to his wife on the couch in the living room reading Mayfield's daily newspaper, the "Mayfield Press" (although other titles have been seen), and enjoying coffee. Ward is occasionally seen suppressing his smirks by sipping from his cup.
On the odd occasion, the two step out to a wedding reception, a school play, or a restaurant together. In one episode, Ward and June have the Rutherfords in for an evening of cards. Occasionally, as shown in the episode titled "Wally's Dinner Date", they play on their own. In other episodes, Ward manages the grill on the patio for dining "al fresco" with guests. Among the cars Ward drives are a 1957 Ford Fairlane in the first season, and 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, and 1963 Plymouth Furys in subsequent seasons, all of them four-door hardtops. Although a 1962 model is used in the opening credits through the last season, a 1963 model can be seen in the driveway on at least one episode. Ward plays golf at a local country club, and attends church. Ward sometimes drives the family to nearby Crystal Falls or Friends Lake.
Ward played basketball in school and, in one episode, tries to give his sons and their friends a few tips on the game; however, he dominates the session with his nit-picking and the boys run off to play without his interference. He is handy with tools and does a few minor repairs around the house such as fixing squeaky doors and repairing or replacing electrical appliance cord plugs because June pulls them out of the electrical outlet by the wire instead of the plug. He occasionally dries the dishes for his wife, as well.
In early episodes, packs of cigarettes are detectable in his shirt pocket and he is shown refilling cigarette lighters in season three. He has a meerschaum pipe (the gift of Fred Rutherford), which Beaver and Larry fill with coffee grounds and smoke. He chews gum in one episode. Ward also has a bottle of brandy in the dining room credenza that Beaver gives to an alcoholic handyman and then to a tramp.
The man of the house has a home office/den in the Pine Street dwelling of the last four seasons. He uses the room to discipline the boys, make phone calls, and balance his checkbook. A large globe stands on the floor before a window, but is replaced in later episodes by a television set that is usually turned off. Though one wall is lined with books, rarely do the Cleavers read anything other than newspapers or magazines. Occasionally, a book is pulled from the shelves for Beaver's school assignments.
Work life.
Ward is an archetypical white-collar, briefcase-toting professional of the 1950s. He wears a business suit, works in an office with a view of a metropolitan area, has a secretary named Grace, and leaves home early in the morning and returns in the early evening. He works for a "big company" with main offices in New York City. He drives to work in his Plymouth unless June needs the car during the day for an errand. He is home on weekends for golfing at a local country club. Occasionally, Ward is required to do some office work at home. In one early episode, for example, he works at home on a women's marketing survey. His co-worker and friend is Fred Rutherford, a smug, pompous man who refers to the workplace as "the salt mine."
Relatives.
Ward has a bachelor uncle named Billy who was a world traveler, played in the series by Edgar Buchanan. June finds Billy somewhat untrustworthy, as he tends to fill the boys' heads with thoughts of irresponsible behavior and lifestyles. June sometimes places Ward in a position where he is forced to "explain" or apologize for his Uncle Billy. No other relatives of Ward's appear on the show. Ward mentions his parents (usually his father, a strict disciplinarian who believed in corporal punishment) when recalling incidents from his boyhood. Ward had a brother, Tom Cleaver, and as boys, they entered a hog in a 4-H competition. In one episode, Ward also mentioned having a sister. Ward's grandfather was a hero of the American Civil War.
External links.


Rehe Province

Rehe (), also romanized as Jehol, was a former Chinese special administrative region and province.
Administration.
Rehe was north of the Great Wall, west of Manchuria, and east of Mongolia. Its capital and largest city was Chengde. The second largest city was Chaoyang, followed by Chifeng. The province covered 114,000 square kilometers.
History.
Rehe was once at the core of the Khitan-led Liao Dynasty. Rehe was conquered by the Manchu banners before they took possession of Beijing in 1644. Between 1703 and 1820, the Qing emperors spent almost each summer in their summer Mountain Resort in Chengde. They governed the empire from Chengde, and received there foreign diplomats and representatives of vassal and tributary countries. The Kangxi emperor restricted the admission to the forests and prairies of Rehe to the court's hunting expeditions and to the maintenance of the imperial cavalry. Agricultural settlements were at first forbidden to Han Chinese. In the early 19th century, by which time Rehe had become part of the province of Zhili, migrants from Hebei and Liaoning settled in Rehe and displaced the Mongol communities.
The Republic of China created the Rehe Special Area (熱河特別區) in 1914, and the Province of Jehol in 1923. To form a buffer zone between China proper and Japanese-controlled Manchukuo, the Imperial Japanese Army invaded Jehol in Operation Nekka on 21 January 1933. It was subsequently annexed by the Empire of Manchukuo, as the "anto" (province) of Rehe. The seizure of Jehol poisoned relations between Japan and China, and was one of the incidents that led to the Second Sino-Japanese War.
At the end of World War II, when the Republic of China resumed control of Manchuria, the Kuomintang government continued to administer the area as a separate province, reverting its name to Jehol Province, with its capital in Hailar. In 1955, the administration of the People's Republic of China divided the area between Hebei province, Liaoning Province, Tianjin Municipality, and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.


California during World War II

California during World War II was a major contributor to the World War II effort. California's long Pacific Ocean coastline provided the support needed for the Pacific War. California also supported the war in Europe. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941 most of California's manufacturing was shifted to the war effort. California became a major ship builder and aircraft manufacturer. Existing military installations were enlarged and many new ones were built. California trained many of the troops before their oversea deployment. Over 800,000 Californians served in the United States Armed Forces. California agriculture, ranches and farms were used to feed the troops around the world. California's long coastline also put the state in fear, as an attack on California seemed likely. California was used for the temporary and permanent internment camps for Japanese Americans. The population of California grew significantly, largely due to servicemen who were stationed at the new military bases/training facilities and mass influx of workers from around the U.S. in the growing defense industries. With all the new economy activity, California was lifted out of the great depression. Over 500,000 people moved to California from other states to work in the growing economy. California expanded its oil and mineral production to keep up with the war demand.
History.
Economics and population growth.
A total of 12% of all U.S. Government war contracts were awarded to California companies. A total of 17% of the war materials were made in California. Mining, natural gas, and oil production were active industries in California before World War II, and these rapidly expanded to support the war effort. Like World War I, the mines and mining towns came to life again, due to an increase in demand for gold, copper, and silver. California oil production doubled, the synthetic rubber industry created in California and California agricultural output almost tripled. In 1941 California oil production was 230,263,000 barrels; by the end of the war in 1945 the output was 326,555,000 barrels. Raw material was also shipped to California from Lend lease US Allies. After the attack on Pearl Harbor and America entered the war, there was a quick build of new military bases, airfields, training camps, and other military installations. New military construction projects and the emerging war industries in California brought in tens of thousands of workers from across America. After the war, many stayed in California, with some others returning back to their home states. Towns and cities next to military and industrial facilities grew and had an increase in the economy. California's population in 1940 was 6,907,387 and by 1950 it had grown to 10,586,223, a 53.3% increase. California received one eighth of all war orders. With the manpower shortage many women entered the workforce in manufacturing and other jobs held by men in the past. As factories added more shifts, a variety of stores and services increase operating hours. To retain workers, some businesses increased their employee benefits. Many military personnel who were trained in California returned after the war to tour the state, so California's tourist industries began to grow. Federal Aid Highway Acts built the Interstate Highway System so motorists were able to travel to the state. Disneyland opened in 1955, Knott's Berry Farm which had opened in 1920 expanded, SeaWorld opened in 1964, and Universal Studios opened up its studio tour in 1964 which started the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park; these became some of the world's most visited tourist attractions.
Food production.
California's mild climate made it ideal for year-round food production. With many men overseas, there was labor shortage at haverst time. The need for extra workers at harvest brought in housewives, students and Scouts. Some businesses even loaned workers to help with haverst and food packing as needed. The Woman's Land Army of America was one of the organizations helping in food production. Even with the increase in food production there was mandatory food rationing. Civilians were encouraged to plant Victory gardens to help with the food shortage. The slogan "grow your own, can your own", was started at start of the war and referred to families growing and canning their own food in victory gardens. With its mild climate most victory gardens were grown almost year round. Tires and gasoline were also rationed.
Rationing of wool fabric was also required during the war. This is one of the causes of the June 1943 Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles.
Ammunition.
California was a major ammunition manufacturer for the war. Off the California coast, ships worked around the clock to harvest kelp of the vast California kelp forest. The kelp's nitrate, actin and potash was used in the making of gunpowder. The largest World War II accident in California was the Port Chicago disaster. The Liberty ship SS "E. A. Bryan" exploded on July 17, 1944 while being load with ammunition. About 4,600 tons (4,173 tonnes) of explosives had been loaded in the ship's holds at the time. The explosion killed 320 sailors and civilians and injured 390 others. , situated next to SS "E. A. Bryan", was destroyed and a United States Coast Guard fireboat sank. The trains at the port, the port's buildings and much of the surrounding town were severely damaged. Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant in Stanislaus County and Benicia Arsenal were two of the largest ammunition makers. In San Bernardino the Western Stove Company built incendiary bombs. Three California Victory ships loaded with 6,000 pounds (2,700 kg) of ammunition for troops in the Pacific sank after Kamikaze attacks. The three ammunition ships were the: , and .
Hollywood.
Hollywood's motion-picture industry continued to make movies during the war. In addition to entertainment films, Hollywood made training films and films to raise morale. The 1942 film "The Arm Behind the Army" showed how important home support of the war was.
Bob Hope volunteered with the United Service Organizations (USO) and entertained troops during World War II and for decades later (1941 to 1991). Hope brought many Hollywood stars with him on his USO tours. Overlapping with this was his movie career, spanning 1934 to 1972, and his USO tours, which he conducted from 1941 to 1991.
Desi Arnaz was stationed at Birmingham General Army Hospital in Van Nuys, California during the war to entertain the troops there. Arnaz had a bad knee and so was transferred to the US Army Medical Corps. Arnaz also coordinated with the stars that visited the hospital. Arnaz was discharged on November 16, 1945.
War Bond sales.
To help pay for the war the US sold war bonds. With its booming economy during World War II, Californians was one of the top of US War Bonds sold. Much of the advertising for war bonds was donated. The spirit of sacrifice was never stronger for the defense of democracy and a way of honoring the sacrifices of American troops. Named after the 1942 "Hollywood Victory Caravan", Paramount-produced film promoted bond sales in a 1945, post War. The short film included Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Alan Ladd, William Demarest, Franlin Pangborn, Barbara Stanwyck, Humphrey Bogart, and others. Other heroes like boxing Joe Louis and Joe DiMaggio sold war bonds. Albert Einstein donated the original copies of his manuscript on the theory of relativity for auction to raise money for war bonds.
California National Guard.
California National Guard was mobilized and called to active duty in August 1940. The US Army recruited the first group to deploy to the war in Europe. The others troops called up were sent to the Pacific war. Between 1940 and 1941 about 12,000 California National Guard troops were called up to service in federal duty. Some troops were used for the defense of California and Hawaii. California National Guard was used for coast patrols, security guards for the Army Air Force bases, railroad bridges, rail tunnels and major dams. Major training bases are Camp Roberts and Camp San Luis Obispo.
Civil defense.
Due to the attack on Pearl Harbor and on California civil defense systems were started in California. Office of Civilian Defense was founded on May 20, 1941 and the Office of Civil Defense in May 1941. The Civil Air Patrol was started on December 1, 1941, in which civilian planes and spotters were used in air reconnaissance, search-and-rescue, and transport. After the attacks on California the Coast Guard Auxiliary, became very active in the use of civilian boats and crews for reconnaissance and search-and-rescue. Towers were built along coastal California, staffed with spotters to look for enemy aircraft working with the Ground Observer Corps.
In February 1942 the Federal government started "War Time", ending in September 1945. With "War Time" California time was renamed to "Pacific War Time" with special Daylight Savings times. The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) started on August 5, 1943 used 1,074 civilian women pilots to fly new warplanes from the factories to Army airfields for training and deployment points. WASP pilots also towed targets for live anti-aircraft artillery practice, towed gliders for practice landings, simulated strafing missions, and transported cargo. WASP California headquarters was at Santa Ana Army Air Base, Merced Army Airfield, Minter Field, and Victorville Army Airfield Cal Aero Academy was a private flying academy hired by the Army Air Forces for pilot training.
Railroads.
American railroads moved 70% of all freight transported in the United States in 1940. During World War II the passenger and freight volume increased vastly. Railroads moved about 90% of the military's need cargo and transported 98% of military personnel. Railroads worked overtime keep up with demand. It was patriotic to avoid all unnecessary travel, to give space needed for troop movement. Railroad brought troop to California training centers and camps. Railroad brought workers to California's growing defense industry. During World War II rail-line moved to Diesel locomotives and away from the labor intensive steam locomotives. The Army had special hospital cars built to move wounded soldiers, one operated out of San Francisco. Many cities still had local tram services like Los Angeles vast Pacific Electric system.
Research.
The development of new systems was a key to winning the war. World War 2 brought about many new technologies. Some California colleges and universities joined in the V-12 Navy College Training Program training vollenteers for Navy commission. Some California universities also had classes for aeronautical engineering, resident inspectors of ordinance and naval material, and a liaison for the National Defense Research Committee.
Veterans.
After the war Operation Magic Carpet started to bring the troops home, some brought home war brides. On October 30, 1944 Governor Earl Warren started the California Veteran's Commission. The Commission worked to help veterans re-entry into civilian life. The Commission working with United States Department of Veterans Affairs, California Military Department, state agencies, local governments, and community groups like: American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled American Veterans. Many Veterans Health Administration facilities were opened in the state. Veteran's Bond Act of 1943 helped veterans to purchase a home or farm. Veterans started families, that is called the baby boom, birth rates increased in the US and California.
Manufacturing.
Ship building.
California became a major builder of ships for the war. Under the Emergency Shipbuilding program, cargo ships like Liberty ships and Victory ships were built in days, not the normal months. Ships that could be repaired overseas greatly deduced repair time, so California shipyards also built floating dry docks like the Large Auxiliary Floating Dry Docks and Medium Auxiliary Floating Dry Docks. As fear of an attack on California seemed likely, the War Department requested some ships be built at an inland ports, so many new ships were built at the Port of Stockton, seventy nautical miles from the ocean. Henry J. Kaiser built day care centers at his shipyards in Richmond. Kaiser Steel was headquartered in Fontana, California. Some of the ships were given to the Allies of World War II through the Lend-Lease act of March 11, 1941. At the end of the war there was a surplus of ships and most shipyards were closed. Surplus ships were either sold or put into the Navy Reserve Fleet, like the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet. California ship yards:
Aircraft manufacturers.
Built in California during World War 2 were: B-17 Flying Fortress, Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Douglas C-47 Skytrain, Douglas SBD Dauntless, Douglas A-26 Invader, Lockheed Ventura, Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar, Lockheed P-2 Neptune, Lockheed Constellation, Douglas P-70 Nighthawk, Douglas DC-5, Douglas C-54 Skymaster, Douglas BTD Destroyer, Douglas A-33, Douglas TBD Devastator, Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer, Northrop A-17, Northrop BT, Northrop N-3PB, Northrop P-61 Black Widow, McDonnell FH Phantom, Consolidated B-24 Liberator, Consolidated PB2Y Coronado, Consolidated TBY Sea Wolf, Consolidated B-32 Dominator, Consolidated P-30, North American B-25 Mitchell, North American P-51 Mustang, Vultee A-31 Vengeance, Vultee BT-13 Valiant, Vultee P-66 Vanguard, Vultee V-11, Interstate Cadet, North American T-6 Texan, Douglas A-20 Havoc, Lockheed C-69 Constellation, Consolidated PBY Catalina, Interstate TDR, Timm N2T Tutor, Ryan PT-22 Recruit, Ryan ST and the Waco CG-4 / Timm CG-4A . The Lockheed Hudson built in Burbank was deleived to Canada and then the United Kingdom starting in 1939. By the end of the war California had 70% of the aerospace manufacturing in the United States and had built over 200,000 planes. Hughes H-4 Hercules, Victory Trainer and Bartlett Zephyr were built in California, but not used. The California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California started a "School of Aeronautics" and other aeronautic research labs in the early 1920s, this helped California become a major aerospace manufacturing center.

Aircraft manufacturers of World War II in California:
Vehicles manufacturers.
During World War II all California civilian automobile manufacturing ended.
Military installations.
Like other states in the desert Southwest, many of the new military installations built were United States Army airbases. California's weather, wide open spaces, railroad connections, and access to ocean made it an ideal location for training pilots, also armored vehicles operators.
Desert Training Center.
The largest United States Army training installation in the history of the United States was the Desert Training Center. To prepare troops for the battles in the North African campaign, the army had General Patton build many desert training camps in Southern California and a few in Arizona. The camps were built in the Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert. The open space let the Army and Army Air Corps use live fire to train troops, test and develop equipment. Tactical doctrines, techniques, and training methods for combat were developed from this training. From 1 April 1942 to 1 July 1944, the complete training area covered 18,000 square miles. The camp reached from Pomona, California east to almost to Phoenix, Arizona and from Yuma, Arizona northward into the southern tip of Nevada.
California Army Divisional Camps
California Army Depots
California Army Airfields
Desert Training Center California Hospitals
US Army Bases.
For World War 2 existing California Army bases were enlarged and many new bases were built. Bases were used for induction, training, deployment, supply depots, hospitals and housing of POWs.
Air bases and airfield.
Existing United States Army Air Corps air bases were enlarged to house and train the many new crews needed. Almost all civilian airports and airstrips were converted to Army Air training centers. Almost all civilian air flights were cancelled. Many new airstrips and landing pads were built for pilot landing and take off training. Air bases had housing and meals for the troops. Some airstrips and landing pads had no support buildings, as they were used only for landing and take off training.
United States Army Air Corps World War II bases, airstrips and landing pads in California:
US Naval Bases.
United States Navy's main marine bases were located in the deepwater ports of: San Diego Bay, Port of Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay and the Stockton Deepwater Shipping Channel. The US Navy during WW2 Pacific Fleet operated: ports, supply depots and airfields for aircraft carrier training, also blimps used for patrol of the coast.

United States Navy World War II bases and stations in California:
US Marine Corps.
Camp Pendleton became the main training grounds for training Marines including landing craft school, amphibious tractor school, beach battalion school, amphibious communications school, and a medical field service school. Skills that would be used across the island hopping in the Pacific War and the war in Europe.
US Coast Guard.
In times of war, like during World War 2, the United States Coast Guard operated as a branch of the Department of the Navy. In California the Coast Guard operated out of the 12th Naval District. Coast Guard's World War 2 Navy support included use of Coast Guard cutters, patrol boats, bases, stations and lighthouses. Patrols and search and rescue missions being the main task.
United States Coast Guard World War II bases in California:
United States Merchant Marine.
The United States Merchant Marine operated merchant ships out of California US Navy and private ports to supply goods needed around the world. Most merchant ship operated with civilian merchants and US Navy armed guards to man the deck guns under the Merchant Marine Act of 1936. Merchant Marine operated many different types of ships, the most numerous type was the Liberty ships and Victory ships. Merchant Marine training was conducted by the Coast Guard.
The Maritime Service established several Merchant Marine training centers in California for World War 2:


The Forgotten Soldier

The Forgotten Soldier (1965), originally published in French as "Le soldat oublié", is an account by Guy Sajer (pseudonym of Guy Mouminoux) of his experiences as a German soldier on the Eastern Front during World War II. With reference to the author's ambiguous relationship to war, the book has been called "the account of a disastrous love affair with war and with the army that, of all modern armies, most loved war", being written with the "admiration of a semi-outsider". The English edition was translated by Lily Emmet.
Personal narrative.
Sajer wrote that "The Forgotten Soldier" was intended as a personal narrative, stressing the non-technical and anecdotal nature of his book. In a 1997 letter to US Army historian Douglas Nash, he stated that, "Apart from the emotions I brought out, I confess my numerous mistakes. That is why I would like that this book may not be used under [any] circumstances as a strategic or chronological reference."
After reading Sajer's latest letter, one of his staunchest critics—"Großdeutschland" Veteran's Association leader Helmuth Spaeter—recanted his original suspicions of Sajer, noting "I have underestimated Herr Sajer and my respect for him has greatly increased. I am myself more of a writer who deals with facts and specifics, much less like one who writes in a literary way. For this reason, I was very skeptical towards the content of his book."
The British writer Alan Clark, author of "Barbarossa: The Russian-German Conflict 1941–45", refers to Sajer's book in his "Diaries" as a book "to which AC [Alan Clark] often turned". The book was considered by the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College to be an accurate "roman à clef" and has remained on its recommended reading list for World War II, along with other historical novels. It is also on the recommended reading list of the Commandant of the United States Marines Corps.
Reviews and critical commentary.
The book was reviewed in "The New York Times" by J. Glenn Gray in 1971. He reports the "book is painful to get through. But it is also difficult to put down and is worth the cost in horror that reading it entails." Other reviews from 1971 include "The New Yorker", "Time" magazine, and "The New Republic" by James Walt. Walt says the book is not anti-war but an accounting of those soldiers caught up in events bigger than themselves.
Other more recent English reviewers include James Varner in "Military Review" in 2009. Jason S. Ridler in "War in the Precious Graveyard: Death through the Eyes of Guy Sajer", from the journal "War, Literature, and the Arts" suggests that Sajer idealized death in battle, and Sajer's reactions to corpses in the book reveals survivor guilt.
Criticism.
The accuracy and authenticity of the book have been disputed by some historians. Some of the details Sajer mentions appear to be incorrect, while other are impossible to verify due to the lack of surviving witnesses and documents.
The most frequently cited inaccuracy is Sajer's statement that, after being awarded the coveted Grossdeutschland Division cuff title, he and a friend were ordered to sew it on their left sleeves, when it was actually sewn on the right sleeve. Edwin Kennedy wrote that this error was "unimaginable" for a former member of such an elite German unit. Sajer also discusses campaign locations in vague terms and never with specific dates. For example, he asserts that during the summer of 1942 he was briefly assigned to a Luftwaffe training unit in Chemnitz commanded by famed Stuka ace Hans-Ulrich Rudel, but according to Rudel himself, his training unit was actually in Graz, Austria, during the whole of 1942. Sajer mentions seeing "the formidable Focke-Wulf [...] 195s, which could soar up quickly," taking off from an airfield outside Berlin, when no such aircraft ever existed (a Focke-Wulf projekt 195, a heavy transport, was in the pipeline, but never got off the drawing board). Finally, the names of most of Sajer's companions and leaders do not appear on official rolls in the Bundesarchiv, nor are they known to the "Grossdeutschland" Veterans Association, whose leader, Helmuth Spaeter, was one of the first to question whether Sajer actually served in the Grossdeutschland Division as he claimed.
However, some authors and other Großdeutschland veterans have testified to the book's historical plausibility, even if they cannot speak to the specific events in the book. Lieutenant Hans Joachim Schafmeister-Berckholtz, who served in the Grossdeutschland during the same period as Sajer, confirmed in a letter that he had read the book and considered it an accurate overall account of the Division's battles in the East, while also noting that he remembered a "Landser" named Sajer in his Panzergrenadier company (5th co), the same company number Sajer mentions being assigned to (though there was more than one "5th Company" in the Division).
Sajer himself struck back against implications of fraud or fiction by claiming that "The Forgotten Soldier" was intended as his own personal recollections of an intensely chaotic period in German military history, and not an attempt at a serious historical study of World War II: "You ask me questions of chronology, situations, dates, and unimportant details. Historians and archivists have harassed me for a long time with their rude questions. All of this is unimportant. Other authors and high-ranking officers could respond to your questions better than I. I never had the intention to write a historical reference book; rather, I wrote about my innermost emotional experiences as they relate to the events that happened to me in the context of the Second World War."
Film rights.
Dutch film director Paul Verhoeven has discussed with Sajer the possibility of turning "The Forgotten Soldier" into a film.


Campaign to suppress bandits in southwestern China

The campaign to suppress bandits in southwestern China was a counterinsurgency campaign waged by the forces of the Communist Party of China against the Chinese Nationalist guerrillas, mostly consisting of bandits and regular nationalist forces not withdrawn from mainland China during the transfer of the nationalist government to Taiwan. The campaign occurred after the conclusion of World War II during the Chinese Civil War in Southwest China. The Communist counterinsurgency campaign was ultimately successful.
Strategies.
The Nationalists forces found themselves in a precarious dilemma while conducting this campaign against the Communist forces stemming from complex politico-military situation in the region. Consequently, several actions proved to be grave miscalculations, contributing to their eventual defeat.
Nationalist miscalculations.
Like other Nationalist futile attempts to wage guerrilla and insurgency warfare against the Communist forces after evacuation of the Nationalist government to Taipei, the first Nationalist strategic miscalculation made was at least an equal if not larger factor than the enemy's political and military pressure in the Nationalist defeat in this campaign. Immediately after World War II, the Nationalists had neither sufficient forces nor adequate logistical capabilities to secure the Japanese-occupied regions of China; the Nationalist government, unwilling allow these regions to fall into Communist control, ordered the Japanese and their Chinese puppet government not to surrender to the Communists and allowed them to retain their fighting capabilities to 'maintain order' in occupied regions which entailed resisting Communist forces. This decision incurred resentment from the populace in Japanese occupied territory, further eroding local support of the Nationalist government which was already blamed for the allowing the successful Japanese invasion in the first place. Half a decade later as the National Revolutionary Army was driven from mainland China, the Nationalists made another miscalculation in their desperation by enlisting the support of local bandits in the fight the Communists and ordered those Nationalist forces remaining in mainland China to join the bandits in combat against the communism. This decision proved unwise as the bandits were deeply feared and hated by the local populace which they preyed upon, and the sight of Nationalist forces joining the bandits further diminished the support for the Nationalist forces and solidified support for the People's Republic of China.
Another strategic miscalculation made by the Nationalists was similar to the one the nationalist government had made immediately after World War II, when it attempted to simultaneously address the warlord problem that had plagued China alongside its efforts to combat the growing Communist threat together. The warlords who were allied with Chiang Kai-shek's nationalist government were only interested in retaining their power and defected to the Japanese side when Japanese invaders offered to let them keep their power in exchange for their collaborations. After the World War II, the forces of the Japanese puppet government realigned with the Nationalist faction, once more with the intention of retain their power as they had when collaborating with the Japanese. It was difficult for Chiang to effectively dispose of these warlords immediately upon their surrender to the Nationalists as such an action would have caused discontent among other Nationalist factions. Furthermore, the former Japanese–aligned warlords could aid the Nationalist cause by retaining control of their territory and combating Communist insurgents. This would have the added benefit of weakening both the Communists and the collaborators. Half a decade later, these bandits the Nationalist government had failed to exterminate were deemed undesirable candidates for evacuation to Taiwan, consequently their use as a force to combat the Communists appeared to be a logical alternative. If the bandits were able to undermine the Communist governance of mainland China, the Nationalist forces would have an advantage in their anticipated counterattack to retake China. On the other hand, if the bandits were subdued by the Communists then the Nationalists would have been spared the task of eradicating the bandit forces after retaking China. However the bandit forces were more interested in keeping their own power than suppressing the communist revolution in China, and thus did not devote any substantial effort to fighting the Communists. Furthermore, the eventual eradication of bandits by the Communist government only served to strengthen its popular support as the Communists had succeeded where previous governments as far back from Qing Dynasty had failed.
Yet another strategic error by the Nationalist government involved the Nationalist forces left behind in mainland China. The Nationalist government required high quality and disciplined forces to defend Taiwan, the last Nationalist sanctuary. The forces which mainly comprised the forces of the Nationalist warlord allies were not the most suited to effect the last stand defense the Nationalist were preparing, and as such these forces were not given a high priority for evacuation. Instead, these forces were to remain on the mainland and continue to fight the Communists with guerrilla tactics. However this decision angered many of the troops left behind, and it was unlikely that they would fight the Communists with the same vigor as Nationalist forces with political motivation. Compounding this problem, due to the need of bandits' knowledge of the local area, leaders among the bandits were often granted higher ranks than the Nationalist troops left behind. As a result, the Nationalist regulars–turned–guerrillas often were unwilling to work in conjunction to the bandits they were once tasked to exterminate, especially as many of these forces had earlier engaged each other in combat during pacification campaigns. Similarly, the bandits were similarly willing to cooperate and attempted to expend those Nationalist troops when possible in order to spare their comrades.
The retreating Nationalist government made another significant error which was financial in nature. Due to the lack of money, those bandits turned guerrillas were mostly provided with arms, but not sufficient supplies and money. The bandits turned guerrilla had no problem of looting the local population to get what they need, as they had done for decades, which inevitably drove the general popular support further into the communist side. The little financial support provided by the nationalist government was simply not enough to support such guerrilla and insurgency warfare on such a large scale. Another unexpected but disastrous result of the insufficient financial support was that it had greatly eroded the support of the nationalist government within its own ranks. The wealthy landowners and businessmen were the strong supporters of nationalist government and as their properties were confiscated by the communists and redistributed to the poor, their hatred toward the communist government was enough to cause many of them to stay behind voluntarily to fight behind the enemy line. However, the landowners and businessmen were also longtime victims of bandits due to their wealth, and many of them had suffered even more than the general populace who had far less wealth. As these former landowners and businessmen turned guerrilla fighters were ordered to join their former bandits who once threatened, looted, kidnapped and even killed them and their relatives, it was obvious that such cooperation was mostly in name only and could not produce any actual benefits, and the alienation and discontent toward the nationalist government harbored by these once ardent nationalists would only grow greater.
Another problem for the nationalists was the strong disagreement among themselves over how to fight the war against their communist enemy. Military professionals preferred to fight a total war, incapacitate the enemy's ability to fight, but this inevitably conflicted with the interest of another faction of strong supporters of the nationalist government: the landowners and businessmen, who joined bandits to oppose such tactic. The reason was that landowners and businessmen supporting and joining the nationalist guerrilla firmly believed that the nationalists would be able to retake mainland China within several years and they would be able to regain their lost lands, businesses, and other properties that were confiscated and redistributed to the poor by the communists. As the nationalist military professionals in the guerrilla suggested and destroyed the production facilities and businesses as part of the total war, the landowners and businessmen would not be able to regain any valuable properties after the return of the nationalist government because those properties had been destroyed. The bandits agreed with the businessmen and landowners to oppose the idea of total war for a different reason: when the properties were destroyed and productivity dropped, they would not be able to loot enough supply to survive. As a result, despite the animosities between the bandits and landowners and businessmen, they were united together in the opposition to the military professional faction of the nationalists.
Communist strategies.
In contrast to the nationalists, the Communists had much simpler and more effective strategy aided by their lack of the same order of problems as the Nationalists: the Communist forces simply needed to eradicate bandits. The Communist forces exploited Nationalist error to their advantage. As with all other bandit eradication campaigns, the Communist strategy sought to mobilize the victim populations to against the bandits. Furthermore, the Communists were in position to custom tailor specific strategies to combat bandits in specific localities.
Campaign.
Southwestern China had been long plagued by bandits that had continuously existed for centuries. By the time the Nationalist government had lost control in the region in the face of the advancing Communist army, there were over half a million bandits active in the region. In Sichuan alone, there were over three hundred bands of bandits. In Yunnan, there were a hundred forty–eight bands of bandits. In Guizhou, there were five hundred forty–one bands of bandits. In addition large numbers of bandits were also active in Xikang. The number of bandits soon would more than double to more than a million, encouraged by the Nationalist government, which previously had attempted to eradicate them. After the Chengdu campaign concluded in December 1949, many retreating Nationalist military units joined forces with local bandits to continue their struggle against the Communists, but the alliance was a fragile one, and still allowed the Communists to defeat them separately.
In February 1950, the Communists made it a top priority to eradicate the bandits. The Communists decided to first eradicate bandits in wealthy areas and regions adjacent to the communication/transportation lines, gradually expanding their efforts into more remote regions. The Communist III Corps, IV Corps, V Corps, XVIII Corps and the 7th Army of the I Corps, totaling to seventeen armies, were deployed for the bandit suppression campaign. From March 1953 onward, the Communists first targeted large bands of bandits with each military formation responsible of pacification of its designated area. Due to the heavy bandit activity in Sichuan, the planned deployment of Communist troops in Tibet was postponed to eradicate bandits first. The 11th Army and the 12th Army, totaling six divisions of the Communist III Corps, were responsible for eradicating bandits in eastern Sichuan. Eight divisions from the 10th Army, 18th Army and 15th Army of the Communist southern Sichuan Military Region were tasked to eradicating bandits in southern Sichuan. Seven divisions of the 60th Army, 62nd Army, and 7th Army of the Western Sichuan Military Region were tasked to eradicate bandits in western Sichuan. The 61st Army was tasked to eradicate bandits in northern Sichuan, and the 62nd Army was tasked to eradicate bandits in Xikang. The 13th Army, 14th Army and units of the 15th Army of the Communist IV Corps were tasked to eradicate bandits in Yunnan. The 16th Army of III Corps was tasked to eradicate bandits in Guizhou. After ten months of fighting, large organized bands of bandits were wiped out by the end of 1950, with over nine hundred thousand bandits annihilated.
From 1951 onward, the People's Liberation Army switched their focus to bandits who went into hiding in the remote regions while they continued strengthening the security of warehouses, transportation infrastructure, and communication lines. Large numbers of Communist cadres were sent to strengthen the local garrison and security forces. The main targeted area included the border regions of provinces and border region of counties, remote mountain ranges, and the area near Yunnan – Burmese border. From February 1951 to March 1951, the Western Sichuan Military Region successfully eradicated bandits active in Maogong (懋功), and secured the region by stepping up political pressure and mobilizing the local population. The success was approved by Mao Zedong and became an example for the rest to follow. Additionally to better coordinate bandit suppression efforts between different provinces and counties, bandit suppression operations headquarters for joint command were established at the border regions between provinces and counties. In 1951, over two hundred seven thousand bandits were annihilated in Sichuan, Xikang, Yunnan and Guizhou. Towns that had been occupied by bandits for more than a year were successfully taken back, including Ceheng (册亨), Wango (望谟), Libo (荔波) and Luodian County. Meanwhile, fourteen Communist regiments were deployed to annihilate bandits fled from southwestern China to northwestern China.
By the end of 1953, all bandits in southwestern China has been successfully eradicated, with a total of more than one million and a hundred sixty thousands bandits annihilated, over seven hundred artillery pieces and over six hundred thousands rifles captured. The internal conflicts between the bandits and the former Nationalist regulars contributed greatly to the Communist victory, and some female nationalists totaling over thirty thousands had suffered grave personal tragedies in the campaign: refusing to surrender to the Communists after that nationalist governments collapsed in the unstoppable Communist advance, many Nationalists opted to continue their fight by joining bandits in the hope of forming a united front to wage the guerrilla war against the war, as the retreating Nationalist government had directed. However many bandits took the opportunity to settle old scores with the Nationalist government they once fought. Over thirty thousand female Nationalists who attempted to join bandits were treated as enemies. These female nationalists were brutally raped and tortured by the bandits, afterward, they were sold to minorities in the remote regions as sex slaves. It was not until 1956 that the last of these unfortunate women were finally rescued from slavery and finally returned home.
Outcome.
Although they shared a common anticommunist goal, the Nationalist guerrilla warfare campaign was largely handicapped by the enlistment of bandits, many of whom had fought Nationalist troops in the earlier pacification campaigns, and looted, kidnapped and even killed landlords and business owners, an important faction that supported the Nationalist government. But their union against their common enemy was half-hearted at the best. Compounding the problem further were additional differences within the ranks of the Nationalist guerrillas themselves. The futile Nationalist guerrilla campaign failed in the face of the expanding Communist state.


.zw

.zw (zimbabwe) is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Zimbabwe.
Although no registry Web site is shown in the IANA whois listing, at least .co.zw registrations are presently being taken by the Zimbabwe Internet Service Providers Association, whose charter claims that one of the purposes of the organization's founding was to oversee the .zw domain.
.ac.zw registrations are being taken by the University of Zimbabwe. Applications are handled by this institution's Computer Centre. As with the general norm, .ac.zw registrations are for academic institutions.
.org.zw registrations are taken by the country's fixed telecommunications provider, TelOne. These are intended for use by NGOs, individuals and such like organisations but any restrictions are not clear.
Currently, Zimbabwean individuals and business entities are now banned by the Certification Authority Browser Forum from receiving Extended Validation SSL, Organization Validation (OV), and Domain Validation (DV) certificates. They can generate one through Let's Encrypt as Let's Encrypt supports TLDs in the Public Suffix List and only restricts government websites in certain countries.


Taal-Net Group of Schools

Taal-Net Group of Schools is consortium of co-educational, selective day and boarding schools which encompasses pre-schools, primary schools, secondary schools, and Further Education and Training Colleges. The schools are situated in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The schools are registered with Department of Education in South Africa, UMALUSI, Department of High Education in South Africa and Ministry of Education and Child Welfare in Zimbabwe.
Schools in South Africa were established in 2009 at 51 Maxwell Street, Kempton Park as a computer training institute and it grew into school which are spread in the Gauteng and Mpumalanga Provinces in South Africa. Schools in Zimbabwe is based in Greendale (Mazowe Area) in Mashonaland Central.
Taal-Net Group of School has many branches which include
Taalnet East view School is the first Taalnet School in Harare but the second in Zimbabwe after Glendale school. Taalnet Eastview primary school is found in Eastlea and the school was established after a lot of enquiries from the parents in Harare who could not afford to send their children to Glendale every day.
Taal-Net Against Drug Abuse.
Taal-Net School is equivocally condemn drug abuse as they have gone on a street march to demonstrate against use of drugs by the youth.
Taal-Net Group of School Celebrations.
Taal-Net joined to the South Africa in celebration their Heritage Day in Kempton Park South Africa.


Zhongshan suit


Lawrence Spitzig

Brother Datuk Tiberius Lawrence Spitzig, was a LaSallian brother, who was more famous for being Brother Director of St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur. He served two terms as head of the institution, in 1954–1960 and 1978–1983.
Early life.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Spitzig left his home country in 1937 as he always wanted to be a missionary and was influence by the La Salle Brothers’ commitment to education. He also admits to always dreaming of teaching in a foreign country. He was a student brother when he grabbed the opportunity when there was a call for volunteers to work in South-East Asia.
As an Educator.
His first assignment was at Saint Joseph's Institution, Singapore in 1938 at the age of 19, before he was transferred to St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur (SJI) in 1941. Spitzig was teaching in SJI when the Japanese landed in Malaya during World War II. He was 20 years old then. He was arrested by the Japanese and was sent to Pudu Prison. Later he was transferred as a prisoner of war (PoW) to Changi Prison, Singapore from 1941 to 1943. According to Spitzig,
Once World War II was over and SJI reopened, Spitzig immediately resumed teaching. In 1954, he was made principal of SJI. During this time, he went all out to champion education matters. In 1956, he renovated the school and added 14 classrooms at a cost of M$90,000. Spitzig also wrote the school's famous School Rally. It was also during his time that construction of the St John’s Primary School began on the site of the Old Boys’ Club. The building could accommodate 24 classes and would cost M$220,000. The school was officially opened by Brother Fintan Blake on 16 September 1960. During the same year, the new chapel on the middle floor of SJI was officially opened and used on 19 October. At the end of 1960, he was transferred to St. Xavier's Institution, Penang, as principal.
La Salle School, Petaling Jaya.
Spitzig founded La Salle School, Petaling Jaya and also eventually served as the principal of the secondary school from 1967 to 1975. On 2 April 1956, Spitzig, who was then Director of St. John’s took a historic step by applying for a piece of land in Petaling Jaya on which to erect a school run by Christian brothers. The vision at that time was to acquire a ten-acre site on which to erect a primary school, with a secondary school to follow later. As the population grew so did the pressure for places in existing schools, so on 15 July 1959, Spitzig made yet another request for permission to commence work on the construction of six classrooms (now known to all PJ Lasallians as the ‘Old Block’) to house primary classes which had launched La Salle PJ on the educational scene in January 1959. A new building completed in 2003 was to replace the Old Block.
Second stint as Brother Director.
In 1978, Spitzig was transferred back to SJI as director and principal. During this time, he presided over the school's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. He also re-introduced the annual English and Bahasa Malaysia public speaking competition to the school. Public speaking became part of the English and Bahasa Malaysia curriculum and was compulsory for all students. Spitzig retired as Brother Director in 1983.
Post-retirement.
Even after retiring as Brother Director of SJI, Spitzg continued his contributions in the education field. He has always said that his best time as an educator was in 1983, after retirement, when he became interested in schools in rural areas in Sabah. He had defied advice to visit the children who live deep inside the forest and was often driven there by volunteers in a special vehicle. According to Spitzig:
Death.
Prior to his death, Spitzig was a wheelchair user and spent his retirement in the Little Sisters of the Poor Home in Cheras. Spitzig died on 18 August 2009 at 4.44pm in Assunta Hospital. His wake was held in St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur on 19 August while his funeral mass was held in St. John's Cathedral, Kuala Lumpur the next day.


A Wave, a WAC and a Marine

A WAVE, a WAC and a Marine is an American 1944 musical comedy film directed by Phil Karlson (in his directorial debut) for low-budget Monogram Pictures.
Plot.
Less the wartime comedy promised by the title than an inside-Hollywood story interrupted by musical numbers, Sally Eilers runs a talent agency and sets out to put a couple of Broadway stars under contract. Her bumbling employee (Henny Youngman) signs their understudies instead.
The film's executive producer was comedian Lou Costello. As a gesture to his father – a diehard movie fan, who used the family's actual last name – Costello was credited as Sebastian Cristillo (his father's name), so the latter could see his own name onscreen. The other listed producer, Edward Sherman, was Costello's manager.
Production.
Phil Karlson got to know Lou Costello when worked on Abbott and Costello films at Universal as an assistant. Costello tracked down Karlson and told him he wanted to produce a film with Karlson directing. According to Karlson, Costello asked him what did he want to make, and "I said I don't know. By this time I'm so flabbergasted that I had no idea what I wanted to do. But he put up the money and we decided on the crazy story "A Wave, a WAC and a Marine"."
Reception.
Karlson called the film "probably the worst picture ever made... It was a nothing picture, but I was lucky because it was for Monogram and they didn't understand how bad it was because they had never made anything that was any good." However it did launch Karlson's directing career.