Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Battle Of Gettysburg And The American Civil War

Introduction Most modern historians, regardless of political biases, tend to agree that the Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the American Civil War. Some even go as far to as to call it the â€Å"high water mark† of the Confederate States. What is known is that it represented the last time a coherent Confederate Army threatened northern soil. In fact, from Gettysburg forward, the Confederation of Southern States would be fighting a defensive/fighting retreat. Gettysburg was one of the bloodiest battles of the war, but there were many bloody battles during the American Civil War. What enamors the public and historians alike is that Gettysburg was a rare battle that held consequences for the winner and loser that went far beyond a sole battle during a military campaign. History By the summer of 1863, the Army of the Potomac had not fared well against Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. In fact, the â€Å"draw† at Chancellorsville during Lee’s first incursion into the north was propped up to be a northern victory, despite terrible losses of human life. Losses had been heavy on both sides, but northern forces were taking the brunt of the casualties and public support for Abraham Lincoln was waning. As democracies usually go, a long, drawn out conflict is unpopular with voters and this war was no different. A decisive victory was needed, and needed badly. The situation was not all roses for the Confederacy, however. The state of VirginiaShow MoreRelatedBattle Of Gettysburg : Gettysburg Of The American Civil War1465 Words   |  6 PagesShaJuan Ervin Dr.Seamen MIS 303-01 2/24/16 Battle of Gettysburg Day 3 The Battle of Gettysburg is widely known as the largest battle of the American Civil War. This crucial battle occurred over three days, July 1st to July 3, 1863 surrounding the town of Gettysburg. In this battle, General Robert E. Lee tactfully awaited the forces of General Meade’s Union. On July 1st the Confederates were exploited by the Union resulting in a loss. The following day, the Confederates gained ground by conductingRead MoreThe Battle Of Gettysburg And American Civil War924 Words   |  4 PagesThe Battle of Gettysburg was fought over the first three days in July 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee led the Army of Northern Virginia, while Union Major General George Gordon Meade commanded the Army of the Potomac. The Battle of Gettysburg involved the largest number of casualties of the entire war and is often described as the war s turning point. With his army in highRead MoreThe American Civil War: The Battle of Gettysburg985 Words   |  4 PagesGettysburg was fought during the Civil War between the Union Army of the Potomac led by General Meade, and the Confederate Army commanded by General R.E. Lee. The battle only was waged over the course of three days, but it would prove to be the most costly of the entire Civil War. In this paper, we will show how the Confederacy failed to identify certain principles of war, which lead them to incorrectly conduct a center of gravity and critical vulnerability analysis on the Union. Because of thisRead MoreThe Battle Of Gettysburg Was The Turning Point Of The American Civil War837 Words   |  4 PagesThe Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the American Civil war. General Robert E. Lee was the commanding officer of the Confederate army. During the battle of Gettysburg Lee’s military strategy was to fight offensive. Lee’s goal during the battle was to seize the high ground and out last the union army. The Union army had outnumbered the Confederate soldiers. General Lee’s first hand man was General James Longstreet. Longstreet believes the new technology in warfare would make attackingRead MoreEssay about The American Civil War: America’s Bloodiest War716 Words   |  3 PagesThe American Civil War, known as the War Between the States’ by some, was America’s bloodiest war. The Civil War consisted of over 10,000 battles between The Union Army of the North and the South’s Confederate Army, which lasted almost 4 years. The War was fought in 23 states and of the more than 10,000 battles only about 50 were major battles. (Weider, The Civil War, 1) In this paper the reader will learn about important dates of the war also about 4 of the bloodiest battles in the war; the BattleRead MoreThe Battle Of Gettysburg And A Website Article From The New World Encyclopedia1320 Words   |  6 PagesThe battle of Gettys burg is seen today as the turning point of the war, and after the analysis of these historical documents its clear why the bloodshed at Gettysburg was as significant as it was being able to turn the tides of the war. Two sources that are going to be used in this are a website article from History.com: â€Å"Battle of Gettysburg† and a website article from the NeW World Encyclopedia: â€Å"Battle of gettysburg†. These sources will be analyzed by their origin, purpose, content, value andRead MoreThe Battle Of Gettysburg And Civil War1375 Words   |  6 PagesThe Battle of Gettysburg occurred July 1-3, 1863 in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and was one of the most significant battles of the American Civil War. Union forces of the North, commanded by Major General George G. Meade met and fought the Confederate forces of the South, commanded by General Robert E. Lee. Many historians believe the battle was a large turning point in the Civil War in favor of the Union (Woodworth, 2008). However, this is disputable. The battle was also significantRead MoreThe Battle Of Gettysburg : Why Was It A Turning Point?1361 Words   |  6 PagesThe Battle of Gettysburg: Why Was It a Turning Point? â€Å"Death created the modern American union, not just by ensuring national survival, but by shaping enduring national structures and commitments. The work of death was Civil War America s most fundamental and most demanding undertaking†Ã¢â‚¬â€ Drew Gilpin Faust. Death in the Civil War was indeed a principle in creating the America we know and love today. This was the bloodiest war in United States military history. Within the war was the Battle of GettysburgRead MoreSlavery And The Civil War1706 Words   |  7 PagesAbraham Lincoln once said, â€Å"A house divided against itself cannot stand.† In the 1800s, the American nation was slowly becoming a house divided against itself. The United States were no longer united, mainly over the issue of slavery. In fact, many historians believe that, â€Å"From the nation’s founding, the issue of slavery threatened to tear the United States apart.† (â€Å"The Civil War† 1). The issue of slavery was always kept at bay through the utilization of various compromises; however a permanentRead MoreThe Battle Of Gettysburg And The Civil War Essay1448 Words   |  6 PagesOn July 1, 1863, the bloodiest, most gruesome war in American History began. The Battle of Gettysburg was fought in the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Union Army under the command of General George G. Meade faced the Confederate Army led by General Robert E. Lee. They clashed for a long, tragic, three days, but at a costly expense of human life. The American Civil War was one of the most significant battles that the United States has ever been engaged in. On the lines, there were brothers

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Predicting Job Performance - 1203 Words

Predicting job performance – personality tests Another often debated, yet empirically well evaluated test-based method of predicting job performance is that of personality tests. The method is based on the theory of personality, which states that there are relatively consistent patterns in human cognitions, emotions and behavior. Many models for how to define, categorize, explain and measure personality has been presented over the last century, and the Five Factor Model, FFM (also known as the Big-5) is undoubtedly the most popular one (Barrick Mount, 2012). The FFM originates from a lexical approach where adjectives were extracted from a dictionary into questionnaires with quantifiable response alternatives (Allport Oddbert, 1936). Factor-analytic evidence has concluded that the responses mainly fall into five different categories, laying the foundation for the Big-5. The five factors are conscientiousness, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and neuroticism. Conscientiousness is correlated with self-discipline, being struct ured and organized, and aiming for achievement as a person. Extraversion is a tendency to have positive emotions, seek stimulation and enjoy the company of others. Openness (or â€Å"openness to experience†) is a factor connected to being open for new ideas, being curious and appreciating different forms of art and culture. Agreeableness is correlated with being compassionate towards others, cooperation and being trustful. Neuroticism is a factorShow MoreRelatedEssay on Annotated Bibliography Employee Engagement4499 Words   |  18 Pages 1-20. In this A-rated paper Arrowsmith and Parker first review the literature on EE, HRM and EE as well as HRM values and roles and further use a case study approach of an initiative at New Zealand Post designed to improve the engagement and performance of supervisory staff to understand the meaning of EE for the values and roles of the HRM function. The authors investigate these issues through a case study method based on primary and secondary data and 12 in-depth interviews with HR and line managersRead MoreWhat Does Personality Predicts Employee Performance?1219 Words   |  5 Pagespersonality predicts employee performance. The purpose of this essay is to inform individuals of the extent to which an individual’s personality can affect their performance as an employee. Research on personality has recently shown the versatility of using personality traits for predicting job performance. Proof from Barrick Mount(1991); Hough(1992); Salgado (1997); Tett, Jackson Rothstein (1991) all confirm that personality traits are definitely linked with work performance, with some traits suchRead MorePersonality As Predictor, Personality, And General Knowledge1305 Words   |  6 Pagesperson’s past performance to predict the person’s future performance. This essay provides a definition of a measure and discusses how leaders measure the personality trait of employees to explain their job performance. Also, how managers use organizational past performance to predict future performance. Also, the paper describes how leaders use employees personality trait to predict future job performance. Next, the paper explains how using G and personality for predicting performances. Last, the essayRead MorePersonality And Employee Job Performance1277 Words   |  6 Pages Topic: Personality and Employee Job Performance Introduction MARS Model indicates that motivation, ability, role perceptions and situational factors generally determine an individual’s performance. With the personality testing, such as Myer Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), being used widely by organisations in pre-employment, the relationship between personality and job performance seems stronger, comparing to the MARS Model era. In accordance with Penny et al.’s research (2011), however, the relationshipRead MoreTo what extend personality predicts employee performance?1696 Words   |  7 Pagespredicts employee performance. This essay will explore both negative and positive ways in which personality can predict the performance, as well as explaining what personality is. Past research has â€Å"demonstrated that personality constructs are associated with work performance, with some traits like conscientiousness predicting success around jobs. Other linked with specific occupations e.g. extraversion correlates with success in sa les and management as well as training performance supporting†, (BarrickRead MoreJudgetment Case 2-1862 Words   |  4 PagesExplain the difference between a cash basis and accrual basis measure of performance. Why, in most cases, does accrual basis net income provide a better measure of performance than net operating cash flow? Explain the purpose of adjusting entries as they relate to the difference between cash and accrual accounting. Requirement 1 From the Liberty University on-line library I was able to obtain an article called â€Å"Cash vs. Accrual Accounting† (Cantu, October 2012). This articles gives examplesRead MorePersonality Traits as Sufficient Measurements of Leadership980 Words   |  4 Pageshave focused their efforts towards the link between effectiveness of leaders and personality traits. They tend to reach a consensus indicating that the effectiveness of a leader is established by her/his personality traits. In this context, the performance and success of leaders is measured by personality traits. Organizations use different models to assess an individuals personality traits. Some strategies employed to determine included the use of trait approach in establishing whether a leaderRead More Motivation Essay1377 Words   |  6 Pagesgeneral, employees tend to focus on lower-level needs, particularly security, in their first jobs. After those are satisfied, however, they try to achieve higher-level needs, such as initiative, creativity, and responsibility. It is by reacting to those needs that we can see real improvement in efficiency, productivity, and creativity. Also, Herzberg suggested that focusing on factors that deal with the job such as promotional opportunities, opportunities for personal growth, recognition, responsibilityRead MoreMotivation, Self Determination Theory, And Expectancy Theory863 Words   |  4 Pagesin my career using my strengths. Also, I will talk about how I can employ goal-setting to increase motivation, and how my engagements at the workplace influence my job performance. I completely agree with my results from the PsyCap self-assessment. Efficacy was the highest on my self-assessment. Efficiency can be defined as predicting results before any situation occurs. I apply myself to the greatest ability to produce the best possible outcome. Learning from my experiences over time helps withRead MoreThe Effects Of Personality Assessments On The Workplace1270 Words   |  6 Pagesworkplace has tremendously increased in recent years for the purposes of selection, placement, and development of employees. The rationale for the use of these tests is that personality assessments are useful for explaining and predicting work attitudes, behaviors, and job performance because â€Å"personality includes a wide range of characteristics that people possess; many of them have an impact upon the ways people behave in the workplace† (Boutelle, 2015). However, an increased use of this type of assessments

Monday, December 9, 2019

Art Vincent Van Gogh Essay Example For Students

Art Vincent Van Gogh Essay When she rejected him, van Gogh suffered a breakdown. He threw away all his books except for the Bible, and devoted his life to God. He became angry with people at work, telling customers not to buy the worthless art. He was eventually fired. Between the time of the heartbreak/ breakdown and the fall of 1880, van Gogh taught at a Methodist boys school. He aspired to become a minister and after a year of diligently studying, he refused to take the exams in what he called Latin, the dead language of poor people. He was denied entrance. In the winter of 1878, the same thing happened again. Van Gogh volunteered to preach and minister to the sick in south of Belgium. The evangelical committees disagreed with van Sagos lifestyle, which begun to take a tone of martyrdom. They refused to renew van Sagos contract and he was forced to find another occupation (Vincent Van Gogh). In the fall of 1880, van Gogh decided to move to Brussels and become an artist. Although he had no formal training, his younger brother Thee offered to support van Gogh financially. At the academy, he met Nathan van Rapped, who was to be his most important artist friend during his Dutch period. The Climax of his life In April 1881, van Gogh moved in with his parents where he set himself the task of earning how to draw. He experimented endlessly with all sorts of drawing materials and concentrated on mastering the technical aspects of his craft like perspective, anatomy and physiognomy. Most of his subjects were taken from peasant life. After a couple encounters with different women, he moved in again with his parents, who were now living in Ennui. The Potato Eaters The paining consisted of 5 figures sitting around a square table eating potatoes. Four of them are females and one male. Although the piece is laced in darkness, the mixed emotions residing in the faces of the occupants shine out brightly. These fugues are so intense that one can nearly hear the conversation being spoken. Subtle aspects create the illusion that the building is an actual residence for the five figures. The portrayal of ordinary peasant life did not come in a burst of creativity. Van Gogh had this painting planned out in advance. Van Gogh had a sense of confidence that took him to advertising the painting before he even had it. Nevertheless, the Potato Eaters failed to become the painting he set his mind to. Today, however, the painting has reached great heights in the artistic community and is considered as one of his retreat masterpieces, as he had intended it to be (The van Gogh Gallery). In Ennui, van Gogh first began painting regularly, modeling himself chiefly on the French painter Jean-Franà §ois Millet, who was famous throughout Europe for his scenes of the harsh life of peasants. Van Gogh set to work with an iron will, depicting the lives of villagers and humble workers. In the end of 1884, he began painting and drawing a major series of heads and work-roughened peasant hands in preparation for a large and complex figure piece that he was planning. By April of 1885, this period of his life came to fruition in the masterpiece of his Dutch Period. In the summer of 1885, he made a large number of drawings of the peasants working in the fields. The supply of models dried up; however, when the local priest forbade his parishioners to pose for van Gogh. He thus turned to painting landscape, inspired in part by a visit to Risks museum in Amsterdam. .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae , .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae .postImageUrl , .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae , .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae:hover , .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae:visited , .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae:active { border:0!important; } .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae:active , .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u71bdf1c086a23e39061cba4c929eafae:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Egyptian Art and Architecture EssayThis same year he enrolled at the academy in Antwerp. He found the lessons rather tedious but was impressed by the city and its museums. He fell under the spell of Rueben palette and brushwork and also discovered Japanese prints. In early 1886, van Gogh went to live with his brother in Paris. There he was finally confronted with the full impact of modern art, especially with the recent work of the impressionists and vivisectionists. He discovered that the dark palette he had developed in Holland was out of date. In order to brighten up he began painting still lives of flowers. The search of his own idiom led him to experiment with impressionist and postmodernists techniques. He also studied the prints of Japanese master. During this time, he made friends with fellow artists such as Paul Gauguin, Emilee Bernard, Paul Signal, and Georges Serrate. Within two years van Gogh name to terms with his latest development and had forged his own highly personal style. In the early 1888, van Gogh was now a mature artist, who went south to Arles, in Provence. There was where he at last began to feel confident about his choice of career. He set out to make a personal contribution to modern art with his daring color combinations. He was swept away by the landscape around Arles. In the spring he painted numerous scenes of fruit trees in full blossom. In the summer he painted the yellow wheat fields. Although he had difficulty finding models, he did make portraits, among which were those in the Rolling family. It was typical of van Sagos faith in his own abilities that he decided not to try to sell any work yet but to wait until he had thirty top-class pictures with which he could announce himself to the world. He enjoyed the thought that a number of other artists would come and Join him in Arles, where they could all live and work together. The idea seemed to get off to a promising star when Gauguin arrived in October of 1888 (Vincent Van Gogh ). The End Although towards the end of 1888, his optimism was rudely shattered by the first signs of his illness, a type of epilepsy that took the form of delusions and psychotic attacks. It was during one of those seizures that he cut off his left earlobe. Gauguin made hasty departure and van Sagos dreams of an artists colony disappeared. In April of 1889 he entered himself in the Saint-Paul-De-Mausoleum asylum as a voluntary patient. Van Gogh was unable to work when he suffered episodes of his illness, if he felt well enough, he went out to draw and paint in the garden or surroundings of the asylum. His use of color, which was once intense, became mute. He tried to make his brushwork more graphic. By the closing months of the year, he successfully had two f his paintings shown at the fifth exhibition of Society des artistes independents. Van Gogh made a large number of transitions in color of prints by some of his favorite artists, like Millet and Eugene Delicacies. He found them consoling. They helped him keep in practice (Van Gogh: His Life and Art). Starry Night One of van Sagos most well-known paintings is Starry Night. The features within the painting are responsible for its growing popularity. There are actually several main aspects that intrigue those that view the image. The sky is filled with swirling clouds, stars ablaze with their own luminescence and a bright crescent moon. Although the features are exaggerated, it is view most individuals are comfortable with. This painting was painted while in an Asylum at Saint-Remy in 1889 (The van Gogh Gallery). .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41 , .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41 .postImageUrl , .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41 , .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41:hover , .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41:visited , .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41:active { border:0!important; } .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41:active , .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41 .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc83f413a7a2b2c18cce6135d9304fd41:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Coleman Art Museum Case EssayIn January of 1890, although he now had a small but growing group of admirers, van Gogh had lost his original passion. He wrote to his brother: l feel a failure. Thats it as far as I am concerned- I feel that this is the destiny that I accept, that will never change. He nevertheless continued working hard during his two months in Avers-sure-Jose, producing dozens of paintings and drawings. Life had become an intolerable burden. At Eternitys Gate At Eternitys Gate also known as Sorrowing Old Man is an oil painting that he made in 1890 in Saint-Remy. The painting was completed in early May at a time when he was convalescing from a severe relapse in health and two or so months before his death. The work depicts an aged man seated with his head held in his hands, experiencing extreme sorrow and regret at the moment of his passing. Although this was Just once a drawing from 1882, it was until he was at Saint- Remy that he painted this work. It reflects the emotions van Gogh must have been feeling as his mental state deteriorated (The van Gogh Gallery). On July 27, 1890, he hot himself in the chest. He died two days later. Thee, who had stored the bulk of Vincent work in Paris, died six months later. Theses widow, Johanna van Gogh- Bonged returned to Holland with the collection and dedicated herself to getting her brother in law the recognition he deserved. In 1914, with his fame assured, she published the correspondence between the two brothers. Today, van Gogh is considered the greatest Dutch painter after Rembrandt. Unfortunately, van Gogh was not around to witness the greatness his works became. He contributed so much to the artistic community with his use of nature and painting figures the way he arrayed them.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Political Institutions Essays - Politics Of Asia, Politics

Political Institutions Japan 1. The 1947 Japanese constitution was imposed by the United States and its Occupation Authority after its victory in WWII. The constitution seeks to construct a system of representative democracy, with the emperor remains the head of state, but merely as a ceremonial figure. The constitution guarantees the fundamental rights of citizens and also pledges that "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained," but this provision has not prevented the government from building "self-defense forces," which was actually allowed to expand during the Cold-War U.S. and Soviet confrontation. 2. The legislature: Japan is a parliamentary system in contrast to the US presidential system. The Japanese parliament is the Diet, which consists of two Houses--the House of Representative and the House of Councillors. The primary power in the Diet rests with the lower house. Although the Diet is bicameral (a bill becomes law only when it is passed by both chambers), the lower house has the power to override, by a two-thirds vote for a second time, any attempt by the upper house to negate actions of the lower house. Moreover, the lower house chooses the prime minister and has virtual control of the budgeting process. In general, when the upper house makes a decision different from the lower house and when no agreement can be reached or when the upper house fails to take final action within a certain time, the decision of the lower house becomes that of the Diet. These are all general features of parliamentary forms of government similar to those found in all parliamentary systems. 3. Executive, parliamentary, and judicial relationships: US political system is based upon separation of powers which have checks and balances on each other, whereas Japan's political system, which is similar to the British tradition, is based on the fusion of powers, stressing more cohesion between the executive and legislative functions. The tradition of consensus seeking is deeply rooted in Japan's political culture which is collectivistically based. The head of executive power (the Prime Minister) is indirectly elected by the parliament and he is the leader of the majority party in the parliament who names a cabinet that runs the various state ministries and carries out the policy of the majority party. The cabinet is recruited from the Diet and is largely made up of senior members of the majority party or members of coalition parties in the absence of a one-party majority. Both the prime minister and the cabinet members are responsible to the Diet, and all ministers must resign en masse if the House passes a no-confidence resolution or rejects a confidence motion. All supreme court justices, except the Chief Justice who is designated by the cabinet and nominally appointed by the Emperor (a symbolic figurehead), are appointed by the cabinet without the disguise of a bow to the Emperor. The Supreme Court, however, like the U.S. counterpart, enjoys the power of judicial review and can declare the legislation unconstitutional. 4. Power structure: Japan is traditionally a centralized bureaucratic state modeled on the Chinese Confucian tradition and such a structure remains in today's Japan. US is federal system, the state power protected by the constitution, and the states are more autonomous, whereas Japan is unitary system, local governments (47 prefectures or counties) and their policies are largely controlled by the central government and can be modified by the central government on the nationwide base. For example, local police and school issues are overseen by centralized administrative boards. Borrowing by local governments must be approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is the national agency that oversees local governments. 5. Electoral system: after 1994, the House of Representative has 500 members. 200 are elected by the proportional representation system and 300 are elected from single-seat constituencies or single-member-district plurality system. The House of Councillors has 252 members who serve six- year terms, but half of the total number is elected every three years. That is to say, the Japanese electoral system is similar to that of Germany, which is a combination of plurality and proportional representative systems. In both houses, voters have two votes in elections, one for a party and the other for an individual. 6. Party system: The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) used to dominate Japanese politics from 1955 to 1993, although many other parties did exist, such as New Frontier Party, Democratic Party of Japan, Japan Communist Party, Social Democratic Party, and other smaller parties. However, Japan's one-party domination was shattered by the 1993 election, which produced no clear majority