Monday, January 27, 2020
Swot Analysis On Foreign Direct Investments
Swot Analysis On Foreign Direct Investments The retail industry in India is predicted to increase at a phase of 14 by 2013. The initiative for allowing FDI was first taken in 2006. Since 2006 54 FDI permissions have been received by the government of India and a cash inflow of Rs 901.64 crore in the form of investments into the nation. Retailing includes all forms of business involving sale of products and services to the end users. Retailing includes a retailers commonly a store or a service establishment, dealing with consumers who are purchasing goods and services for their own use rather than for resale. Wal-Mart, Best Buy and other familiar organizations are retailers. Retailing is dependent more on how the trade deals straight with consumers. Retail banking, service based shops; coffee shops are also retailers. With the commencement of online retailing, retailers are no more worried about place of stores. E-retailing has emerged. Consumers are always hungry for modern ways of shopping. Indian retail sector is increasing fast and its employment potential is growing faster. The retail scene is changing really fast. Retailers are rethinking about the best prices they can get goods with. Retail sector in India is also catalyst for the pickup of stalling tactics of below the line marketing used by major retail players such as Spencer, big bazaar, reliance fresh etc. For increasing customers by creating point values of sales displays. So we can say that India is an emerging land of FDI and going to be one of the quickest growing regions of the future. Key terms: FDI, Retail markets, Gross Domestic Product, International, Policies, and infrastructure development. Introduction: As per the current regulatory policies, retail trading (except under single-brand product retailing, FDI up to 100 per cent, under the Government route) is allowed in India. To say it short, for a company to be able to get foreign investments, goods sold by it to the general public should only be of a unique-brand; this condition being in addition to a few other conditions to be stick to. That explains why we do not have a Harrods in Delhi. India being a trademark to World Trade Organizations General Agreement on Trade in Services, which include wholesale and retailing services, had to open up the retail trade sector to foreign funds. There were initial priorities towards opening up of retail sector arising from fear of job losses, procurement from international market, competition and loss of entrepreneurial opportunities. In the series of action, the government in a sequence of moves has opened up the retail sector slowly to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In 1997, F DI including in cash and carry (wholesale) with 100 percent ownership was permitted under the Government approval route. It was given a green signal in an automatic route in 2006. 100 percent investment in unique brand retail marketing was also allowed in 2006. FDI in Multi-Brand retailing is prohibited in India. Allowing FDI in multi brand retail can bring about Supply Chain Improvement, Investment in Technology, Manpower and Skill development, Tourism Development, Greater Sourcing from India, up gradation in Agriculture, Efficient Small and Medium Scale Industries, With around 13% contribution to GDP and 7% employment of the national workforce, retailing no doubt is a strong pillar of the Indian economy. What it requires is more corporate backed retail operations that have started to emerge over the past couple of years.(Arvind Singhal, chief executive, KSA Technopak) Determinants of FDI Policies In India Looking up into the literature survey the major requirements of the foreign investment are technologies, infrastructure and labor skills, If in the case these requirements are not identified it becomes difficult to elaborate different patterns in the geographical pattern of FDI at the world capita income, relative to outbound and inbound FDI (Hummels and Stern, 1994). There are large numbers of government incentives that can be taken into consideration as key factors, besides that there are other factors that determine the corporate plans of international market place. There are factors that influence major part of the investors; factors may be institutional, historical and cultural factors (Martin and Velazquez, 1997). Examiners examined that there are wide varieties of determinants of FDI in the past. There were several studies conducted on determinants of FDI towards the choosing of a group of descriptive attributes that are more useful and most important factors affecting FDI. Study by researchers elucidate that there are differences in factor costs and market size to the FDI spot (Markusen and Maskus, 1999). This shows us the prominence of market size and its wide spread for foreign organizations which are functioning as big industries. Companies score cannot be judged by the beforehand without achievements in the market. They are measured in terms of GDP, GDP per capita and growth of GDP. To put this in simple English the FDI of a company is defined by the investments made by the company in other country than that in a company is based in. Government of India (GOI) has announced the policy of FDI that governs the foreign investment in India as the provision of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999. Policies of FDI related to Retail market: It is advisable to check the Press Note 4 of 2006 issued by DIPP and compound FDI Policy issued in October 2010 (DIPP, 2010) which include the sector specific guidelines for FDI in relation to the conduct of trading activities. FDI allows export trading and wholesale marketing with 100% cash and carry. Subject to Press Note 3 (2006 Series) FDI can stretch up to 51% of the total with a single brand sales and marketing. The policies dont allow FDI to promote Multi Brand Marketing. According to `Wheel of Retailing theory, medians in one retail market give rise to a new one. But in India we find that several markets go in hand and hand. The following are some of the formats adopted by various players: Table 2. Retail formats Adapted from: Indian Retail: On the Fast Track, KPMG and FICCI, 2005 Entry Options for Foreign Players prior to FDI Policy Before Jan 24, 2006, FDI was not allowed by the government of India, but the investors had been operation in the country in other forms. Some of the opening steps used by the Foreign Investors are discussed below:- 1. Franchise Agreements: This is an easiest path to enter in to the Indian market. In franchising and commission agents services, FDI Foreign investors can invest in the product based companies with the approval from the Reserve Bank of India, until and unless prohibited by the FDI act. This is a most general mode for entrance of quick food bondage opposite a world. Apart from quick food bondage identical to Pizza Hut, players such as Lacoste, Mango, Nike as good as Marks as good as Spencer, have entered Indian marketplace by this route. 2. Cash And Carry Wholesale Trading: FDI was allowed at a full stretch in the wholesale trading which concentrates on a large scale distribution to the wholesale market to help the local manufactures. The wholesaler deals with the small retail businesses but not with the direct consumers. Metro AG of Germany was the first to enter India using this process. 3. Strategic Licensing Agreements: Some foreign companies give exclusive licenses and distribution rights to local companies. Using these rights, Indian companies can either sell it through their own stores, or enter into shop-in-shop arrangements or distribute the brands to franchisees. Mango, the Spanish apparel brand has entered India through this route with an agreement with Piramyd, Mumbai, SPAR entered into a similar agreement with Radhakrishna Foodlands Pvt. Ltd 4. Manufacturing and Wholly Owned Subsidiaries: The international brands such as Nike, Reebok, Adidas etc., have whole manufacturing unit using the subsidiaries and are treated as Indian companies and are allowed to retail. These manufacturers are authorized to sell products to Indian consumers by franchising, distributing to the existing retailers, self-outlets etc. For example Nike has entered into India in agreement with Sierra Enterprises but now Nike is wholly owned subsidized, Nike India Private Limited. FDI in Single Brand Retail The Government has not categorically defined the meaning of Single Brand anywhere neither in any of its circulars or any notifications. In single-brand retail, FDI up to 51 per cent is allowed, subject to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval and subject to the conditions mentioned in Press Note 3 that (1) Multi brand products would be sold (i.e., retail of goods of multi-brand even if produced by the same manufacturer would be allowed). (2) Products should be sold under the same brand internationally. (3) Single-brand product retail would only cover products which are branded during manufacturing. (4) Any addition to product categories to be sold under single-brand would require fresh approval from the government. While the phrase single brand has not been defined, it implies that foreign companies would be allowed to sell products sold internationally under a single brand, viz., Reebok, Nokia, and Adidas. Retailing of goods of multiple brands, even if such products were produced by the same manufacturer, would be allowed. Going a step further, we determine the concept of single brand and the associated conditions: FDI in Single brand retail implies that a retail store with foreign investment can only sell one brand. For example, if Adidas were to obtain permission to retail its flagship brand in India, those retail outlets could only sell products under the Adidas brand and not the Reebok brand, for which separate permission is required. If granted permission, Adidas could sell products under the Reebok brand in separate outlets. Concerns for the Government for only Partially Allowing FDI in Retail Sector A number of concerns were expressed with regard to partial opening of the retail sector for FDI. The Honble Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce, in its 90th Report, on Foreign and Domestic Investment in Retail Sector, laid in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on 8 June, 2009, had made an in-depth study on the subject and identified a number of issues related to FDI in the retail sector. These included: It would lead to unfair competition and ultimately result in large-scale exit of domestic retailers, especially the small family managed outlets, leading to large scale displacement of persons employed in the retail sector. Further, as the manufacturing sector has not been growing fast enough, the persons displaced from the retail sector would not be absorbed there. Another concern is that the Indian retail sector, particularly organized retail, is still under-developed and in a nascent stage and that, therefore, it is important that the domestic retail sector is allowed to grow and consolidate first, before opening this sector to foreign investors. Antagonists of FDI in retail sector oppose the same on various grounds, like, that the entry of large global retailers such as Wal-Mart would kill local shops and millions of jobs, since the unorganized retail sector employs an enormous percentage of Indian population after the agriculture sector; secondly that the global retailers would conspire and exercise monopolistic power to raise prices and monopolistic (big buying) power to reduce the prices received by the suppliers; thirdly, it would lead to asymmetrical growth in cities, causing discontent and social tension elsewhere. Hence, both the consumers and the suppliers would lose, while the profit margins of such retail chains would go up. Rationale behind Allowing FDI in Retail Sector FDI can be a powerful catalyst to spur competition in the retail industry, due to the current scenario of low competition and poor productivity. The policy of single-brand retail was adopted to allow Indian consumers access to foreign brands. Since Indians spend a lot of money shopping abroad, this policy enables them to spend the same money on the same goods in India. FDI in single-brand retailing was permitted in 2006, up to 51 per cent of ownership. Between then and May 2010, a total of 94 proposals have been received. Of these, 57 proposals have been approved. An FDI inflow of US$196.46 million under the category of single brand retailing was received between April 2006 and September 2010, comprising 0.16 per cent of the total FDI inflows during the period. Retail stocks rose by as much as 5%. Shares of Pantaloons Retail (India) Ltd ended 4.84% up at Rs 441 on the Bombay Stock Exchange. Shares of Shoppers Stop Ltd rose 2.02% and Trent Ltd, 3.19%. The exchanges key index rose 173. 04 points, or 0.99%, to 17,614.48. But this is very less as compared to what it would have been had FDI up to 100% been allowed in India for single brand. (Nabael Mancheri, 2010) The policy of allowing 100% FDI in single brand retail can benefit both the foreign retailer and the Indian partner foreign players get local market knowledge, while Indian companies can access global best management practices, designs and technological knowhow. By partially opening this sector, the government was able to reduce the pressure from its trading partners in bilateral/ multilateral negotiations and could demonstrate Indias intentions in liberalising this sector in a phased manner. Permitting foreign investment in food-based retailing is likely to ensure adequate flow of capital into the country its productive use, in a manner likely to promote the welfare of all sections of society, particularly farmers and consumers. It would also help bring about improvements in farmer income agricultural g rowth and assist in lowering consumer prices inflation. (Discussion Paper on FDI, 2010) Apart from this, by allowing FDI in retail trade, India will significantly flourish in terms of quality standards and consumer expectations, since the inflow of FDI in retail sector is bound to pull up the quality standards and cost-competitiveness of Indian producers in all the segments. It is therefore obvious that we should not only permit but encourage FDI in retail trade. Industrial organizations such as CII, FICCI, US-India Business Council (USIBC), the American Chamber of Commerce in India, The Retail Association of India (RAI) and Shopping Centers Association of India (a 44 member association of Indian multi-brand retailers and shopping malls) favor a phased approach toward liberalizing FDI in multi-brand retailing, and most of them agree with considering a cap of 49-51 per cent to start with. The international retail players such as Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Metro, IKEA, and TESCO share the same view and insist on a clear path towards 100 per cent opening up in near future. Large multinational retailers such as US-based Wal-Mart, Germanys Metro AG and Woolworths Ltd, the largest Australian retailer that operates in wholesale cash-and-carry ventures in India, have been demanding liberalization of FDI rules on multi-brand retail for some time. (Nabael Mancheri,2010) the Indian Council of Research in International Economic Relations (ICRIER), a premier ec onomic think tank of the country, which was appointed to look into the impact of BIG capital in the retail sector, has projected the worth of Indian retail sector to reach $496 billion by 2011-12 and ICRIER has also come to conclusion that investment of big money (large corporates and FDI) in the retail sector would in the long run not harm interests of small, traditional, retailers.(Sarthak Sarin,2010) SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is instrumental for evaluating present day retail industry in India. SWOT analysis is a study prepared discussing about the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of retail industry. Strengths An enormous young employed people with average age of 24 years, nuclear families in urban areas, regarded as a basic social unit, with laterally growing working woman population and evolving as prospects in the service sector would be the vital progression carters of the structured retail sector in India. It has also funded to fat size reserves in the real estate sector with main national and worldwide players financing in federalizing the structure and construction of the retailing business. Customers will have right to use to superior range of transnational quality goods. Employment openings directly and indirectly have been improved. Farmers get enhanced rates for their goods though enrichment of price added food chain. Growth in price and consumer desires is vital aspects. Growth in spending for extravagant items is also vital. Huge domestic market with a growing middle class and customers with purchasing power. The governments of states like Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) are very positive about allowing the use of land for commercial development thus escalate the accessibility of land for retail space. The progression of sachet revolution develops for getting to the foot of the pyramid. The magnitude of Indian organized retail industry touched Rs.1,30,000 crore in 2006. The styles that are motivating the development of the retail sector in India are small share of organized retailing and dropping real estate rates. Ranked second in Global Retail Development Index of 30 developing nations drawn up by AT Kearney. The annual progress of departmental stores is estimated at 24%. The profits of bigger organized retail segments are numerous. The customers get a superior product at discounted price. So customers get worth for their cash. Typicality of consumers in terms of diverse tastes and demand for extensive collection of goods. Opportunities When the model picks up, due to demonstration effect, there will be a complete renovation of domestic retail trade. International retail titans take India as crucial market. It is ranked fifth most appealing retail market. The organized retail sector is estimated to raise stronger than GDP growth in the next five years catalyzed by shifting ways of life, proliferation in income and advantageous demographic shape. Food and clothing retailing are crucial factors of growth. Indian retail industry has been regarded as of the most dynamic and fast advancing business with several companies arriving in the market. Indian retail industry can be one of the biggest industries in terms of quantities of workforces and institutions. Countryside retailing is still untouched in Indian market. Threats One of the chief obstacles to the evolution of modern retail formats are the supply chain management concerns. No key modifications are required in the supply chain for FMCG goods; these are well established and effective. For perishables, the structure is too difficult. Government guidelines, absence of ample groundwork and insufficient venture are the potential blockages for retail corporations. The supply chain for agro goods is less complex than the net foodstuffs. But agro goods have an exclusive problem of non-standardization. Its challenging to focus on all segments of society. Hyper and super markets trying to offer purchaser with -worth, diversity and quantity. Large primary investment is essential to manage with other establishments and contest with them. Labor guidelines are also neglected in the organized retails. The absence of even tax system for organized retailing is also one of the hurdles. Poor infrastructure is prospective to be a hurdle in the evolution of organized retails. Concern of vehicle parking in urban regions is grave worry. Segment is unable to engage retail workforce on contract basis. The unorganized sector has supremacy above the organized sector in India due to low investment requirements. Retail nowadays has transformed from marketing a good or a service to marketing a hope, an aspiration and especially an practice that a consumer would like to repeat. Weakness Will primarily satisfy rich and middle class consumers located in metros and will not cater bulk consumption merchandises for consumers in rural regions and insignificant towns. Retail chains are so far, to be established with appropriate range of products mix for the mall outlets. Present day retailing is about investigating and graphing the marketplace, keeping options open, reasonable costs and retaining buyers too. Insignificant outlets are also one of the flaws in the Indian retailing. 96% of the outlets are smaller than 500 sq.ft. The retail chains are also minor than those in the developed nations. The quick expansion of retail sector is the severe upgrading in the accessibility of retail space. But the present scenario in prices, retail real estate hires have amplified extraordinarily, which may cause few retailing business houses to be unavailable. Retail corporations have to spend great rents which are obstacles in the chance of profits. The capacity of sales in Indian retailing is also very little. India has huge population in the globe and an expeditious growing economy. The impact of retail on Indian economy is: Employment Generation Retailing offers occupation to 8% labor in India, because it is highly effort demanding. It has also capable to create eight million more jobs, directly and indirectly. Development of small scale units Retailing also aids small scale units to freely access of the market. They provide a stage for small scale units goods. Retailing in India funds 4 lakh moderate handicraft industries. Growth of real estate The necessity of space is one of the main burdens, so the real estate has also risen over the previous years. In coming days the Indian economy and real estate sector would be shaping into organized retail estate sector. Conclusion Contemporary ways of shopping have been all the time attracting Indians. The retail sector in India is rapidly progressing and the employment potential is mounting day by day. The attitudes of the retailers towards suppliers have been changing so as to extract the best pricing from the suppliers. This secret for all the titans of retail market are planning to invest into the Indian retail sector. India is one the fastest growing economies of the world, by agreeing to FDI in the retail sector there would be a considerable pouring into Indias GDP and economic development. This would also aid the integrating of the Indian retail market with the global retail market. FDI would not only give Indians employment but help Indians to get better wages, incentives and lifestyle, which the present retail market has been unsuccessful in providing. Entry of FDI into Indian market would enhance Indian scenario for supply chain, technology, manpower and skill development. FDI would also catalyze the growth of small and medium scale industries.
Sunday, January 19, 2020
George Orwell Stories Review
In the story ââ¬Å"On the Rainy Riverâ⬠a 20-year old named Tim Oââ¬â¢Brien is about to be given the freedom to go anywhere in life until he receives a draft notice requiring him to join the army in the Vietnam War. Tim Oââ¬â¢Brien is tested both physically and mentally. He has the option to flee to Canada or go to the war. Each option would result in abandoning family, friends, and fond memories. In his essay ââ¬Å"Shooting an Elephant,â⬠reminisces about a bad decision he made earlier in life, just like Tim. Reflecting on his experience, Orwell has also identified the reasons why he did it: ââ¬Å"I could get nothing into perspective.I was young and ill-educated and I had to think out my problems in utter silence,â⬠Tim Oââ¬â¢Brien also dealt with his problems alone, ââ¬Å" I felt isolated; I spent a lot of time alone. â⬠Both Tim and George are struggling to deal with their problems and itââ¬â¢s eating away at them. In ââ¬Å"On the Rainy River,à ¢â¬ having a good education doesnââ¬â¢t have much on an impact on Timââ¬â¢s life, because if your nation calls on you to defend your country, youââ¬â¢re going to have to make a difficult decision on whether youââ¬â¢re going to flee or going to war.Being educated makes Tim more open-minded, and prevents him from indulging in the nationalism that was sweeping the nation during that time. Although Tim may have good reasons we shouldnââ¬â¢t be in the war, the nation was depending on men like him. In ââ¬Å"Shooting an Elephant,â⬠George Orwell says ââ¬Å" â⬠¦I could get nothing into perspective. I was young and ill-educated and I had to think out my problems in the utter silence that is imposed on every Englishman in the East.â⬠George Orwell is trying to say that when youââ¬â¢re young and inexperienced youââ¬â¢re bound to make a lot of mistakes. When youââ¬â¢re young your family, peers, and own country have influenced your opinions. Many indivi duals are afraid and unwilling to deviate from the norm. George is an anti-imperialist at heart, but puts on an officer uniform and represents imperialism because that is how the European nation is viewed to the rest of the world. Based off of Orwellââ¬â¢s ideas, you should think individually so you wonââ¬â¢t regretthings later on in life as George and Tim do. Your conscious would show you wrong from right. George Orwellââ¬â¢s ideas can also be applied to ââ¬Å"On the Rainy Riverâ⬠. Although Tim is educated on the war in Vietnam, he does have to deal with his problems in utter silence because heââ¬â¢s afraid that the people he can talk to will tell him to go to the war and he doesnââ¬â¢t want to be called a coward, which takes a toll on his body. ââ¬Å"How at work one morningâ⬠¦I felt something break open in my chestâ⬠¦it was a physique rupture.â⬠So not only is Tim losing sleep and becoming paranoid, but now the stress is affecting Timââ¬â¢s ph ysical health as well. If Tim had talked to Elroy Berdahl he would have been much better off. The guilt and stress has been eating away at Tim all summer, and will continue to get at him until he can speak to someone about what heââ¬â¢s going through. If Tim had vented to Elroy, his physical and mental health might have returned to normal, which would have helped him to make his decision. George faces being ill educated along with dealing with his problems.George is an outcast in the native village. He is supposed to be striking fear into these people, however he is against the brutality and injustice that imperialism instills on its subjects. If only George had had the courage to tell the natives who he really was, he might have had an easier time being accepted by them. If George had been better educated, he might have known how to think straight when surrounded by two thousand people; he might have also known where to shoot the elephant so it wouldnââ¬â¢t have to suffer the way it did.To conclude, both Tim and George tried to run away from the inevitable. You canââ¬â¢t escape who you are, and that is what Tim and George tried to do. Tim was an American citizen who was caught up in the draft for the Vietnam War, and George was a citizen of an imperial nation. Tim couldnââ¬â¢t face leaving his friends and family behind so he ended up damaging himself both physically and mentally without even trying to talk this out with his family and friends.While George an anti-imperialist at hear must enforce it upon this Asian country. Both decisions were forced by others whether it is Tim deciding to go to the war due to the devastating fact that if he were to go to Canada, he would never see his family again and if George didnââ¬â¢t shoot that elephant, the tribal people would be more disrespectful than ever. George Orwell wants us to be individuals and think for ourselves. We shouldnââ¬â¢t be influenced by others to make decisions we wouldnââ¬â¢t n ormally do.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Is It Fair to Criticise General Haig as a Donkey Who Led Lions
Is it fair to criticize General Haig as a donkey who led lions? Douglas Haig was a General during World War One. There is much controversy over General Haigââ¬â¢s reputation due to the high level of losses during his battles in command. Many people agree with David Lloyd Georgeââ¬â¢s attitude of Haig and many other British Generals of World War One. They are said to be ââ¬Å"donkeysâ⬠, incompetents who sent the ââ¬Å"lionsâ⬠(the soldier) into futile bloody battles. Many popular books, films and television programs also agree with David Lloyd George.The sad truth, however, was between two evenly matched opponents, that there was no other way of solving the conflict. There is sufficient evidence to indicate that that Douglas Haig was a poor General, or a donkey. The evidence is that General Haig, along with many other Generals, were used to handling small-scale forces in colonial warfare. They had a lot to learn about this type of warfare, for which they were very un prepared. Furthermore, communications were poor, and armies were too big and dispersed to be commanded by a General himself.Haig should have, however, made sure that all his soldiers knew what the plan was before they set off, and Haig should have planned how he was going to communicate with them. Moreover, if the infantry and artillery did manage to hit the enemy Haig lacked a fast moving force to use the situation effectively. Additionally, General Haigââ¬â¢s 1914 tactics had yet to catch up with the range and effectiveness of modern artillery and the latest machine guns. Likewise, Haig learnt the wrong lesson from previous attacks, instead of persisting with short times of extreme amounts of fire.Haig used heavier guns and longer bombardments that just churned up the ground and eliminated the element of surprise. Haig was not able to accept information passed on to him, a great example of this was when it was suggested that much of the barbed wire on the Somme was not cut, he admitted that himself, but he still continued with the attack. Another example of this was during Aube Ridge, when he also knew the wire was not cut in 1915, but he insisted the attack should continue and 1,000 men lost their lives for no gain.Not to mention, Haigââ¬â¢s ordering of successive attacks on the Somme during October and November 1916, with the ground reduced to a boggy area that gave way underfoot, achieved nothing but a degradation of morale and manpower. In 1917 other Generals were telling Haig that it was pointless to continue. No matter, Haig continued to hammer away for a further three months. Haig consistently told his soldiers that German morale and manpower were on the verge of collapse and that just one more push could break the enemy.To Haigââ¬â¢s defense it can be said that his army played a main part in defeating the German forces in the crucial battles of 1918. Furthermore, the Somme and Passchendaele, which are battles that have been known as unnecess ary murder of British troops, had sensible strategy, not least in the amount of damage they inflicted on the Germans. Moreover, Haig was not given a professional force; he was given a citizen army, which had less training and preparation for the battles. Additionally, the French tended to decide what to do during the battles, even though Haig was an independent commander.Besides, Germany had been working on placing high tech weapons onto the battlefield (quick-firing artillery and machine guns) and also low-tech defenses (trenches and barbed wire), which made Haigââ¬â¢s job considerably harder. At the battle of Loos, Sir John French wanted personal control of reserves. He therefore didnââ¬â¢t allow Haig (commander on the spot) to have them until it was too late, and the attack consequently failed causing thousands of casualties. Not to mention, at the battle of Neuve Chappelle, poor communications hampered the ability of Haig and the British Commander Sir John French, to send in reserves where they were needed.Also, when General Haig wanted to attack in Flanders, around Ypres, where the British army was closer to supplies and also to strategic targets just behind the Germanââ¬â¢s lines (coastal ports and coal mines). However, for the sake of unity in the alliance with France, the politicians at the time decided that the attack must come on the River Somme simply because this was where the British and French armies met in the trench line. The blame for the slaughter cannot, therefore, be placed entirely on Douglas Haig himself, simply because it was not his plan to attack on the River Somme.In addition, the German commanders would be fighting on ground they knew well, they also had the advantage of telephone cable which was deeply buried and therefore harder to cut. The German generals would therefore be able receive information far more quickly than their British counterparts. In conclusion, I think it is fair to criticize General Haig as a donkey who led lions. This is justifiable because Haig was often unprepared for the battle where he was responsible for thousands of men.Communication was a big problem for Haig; he did not insure that his soldiers were able to communicate messages during battle, which meant that soldiers were left confused, not understanding what there next plan of action was. Furthermore, General Haigââ¬â¢s had not been able to catch up with modern artillery and machine guns, which meant his battle tactics were often old fashioned and ineffective. Moreover, Haig was not able to accept intelligence that was passed on to him which meant he made drastic decisions, which would lead unsuspecting men to their deaths.
Thursday, January 2, 2020
World War I Flying Ace Rene Fonck
Colonel Rene Fonck was the top-scoring Allied fighter ace of World War I. Scoring his first victory in August 1916, he went on to down 75 German aircraft during the course of the conflict. After World War I, Fonck later returned to the military and served until 1939. Dates:à March 27, 1894 ââ¬âà June 18, 1953à Early Life Born on March 27, 1894, Renà © Fonck was raised in the village of Saulcy-sur-Meurthe in the mountainous Vosges region of France. Educated locally, he had an interest in aviation as a youngster. With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Fonck received conscription papers on August 22. Despite his earlier fascination with aircraft, he elected not to take an assignment in the air service and, instead, joined the combat engineers. Operating along the Western Front, Fonck constructed fortifications and repaired infrastructure. Though a skilled engineer, he reconsidered in early 1915 and volunteered for flight training. Learning to Fly Ordered to Saint-Cyr, Fonck commenced basic flight instruction before moving to more advanced training at Le Crotoy. Progressing through the program, he earned his wings in May 1915 and was assigned to Escadrille C 47 at Corcieux. Serving as an observation pilot, Fonck initially flew the ungainly Caudron G III. In this role, he performed well and was mentioned in dispatches twice. Flying in July 1916, Fonck downed his first German aircraft. Despite this triumph, he did not receive credit as the kill went unconfirmed. The following month, on August 6, Fonck achieved his first credited kill when he used a series of maneuvers to force a German Rumpler C.III to land behind French lines. Becoming a Fighter Pilot For Foncks actions on August 6, he received the Medaille Militaire the following year. Continuing observation duties, Fonck scored another kill on March 17, 1917. A highly veteran pilot, Fonck was asked to join the elite Escadrille les Cigognes (The Storks) on April 15. Accepting, he commenced fighter training and learned to fly the SPAD S.VII. Flying with les Cigognes Escadrille S.103, Fonck soon proved to be a lethal pilot and achieved ace status in May. As the summer progressed, his score continued to increase despite taking leave in July. Having learned from his earlier experiences, Fonck was always concerned about proving his kill claims. On September 14, he went to the extreme of retrieving the barograph of an observation aircraft he downed to prove his version of events. A ruthless hunter in the air, Fonck preferred to avoid dogfighting and stalked his prey for prolonged periods before striking quickly. A gifted marksman, he often downed German aircraft with extremely short bursts of machine gun fire. Understanding the value of enemy observation aircraft and their role as artillery spotters, Fonck focused his attention on hunting and eliminating them from the skies. Allied Ace of Aces During this period, Fonck, like Frances leading ace, Captain Georges Guynemer, began flying the limited production SPAD S.XII. Largely similar to the SPAD S.VII, this aircraft featured a hand-loaded 37mm Puteaux cannon firing through the propeller boss. Though an unwieldy weapon, Fonck claimed 11 kills with the cannon. He continued with this aircraft until transitioning to the more powerful SPAD S.XIII. Following Guynemers death on September 11, 1917, the Germans claimed that the French ace had been shot down by Lieutenant Kurt Wisseman. On the 30th, Fonck downed a German aircraft which was found to have been flown by a Kurt Wisseman. Learning this, he boasted that he had become the tool of retribution. Subsequent research has shown the aircraft downed by Fonck was most likely flown by a different Wisseman. Despite poor weather in October, Fonck claimed 10 kills (4 confirmed) in only 13 hours of flying time. Taking leave in December to be married, his total stood at 19 and he received the Là ©gion dhonneur. Resuming flying on January 19, Fonck scored two confirmed kills. Adding another 15 to his tally through April, he then embarked on a remarkable May. Goaded by a bet with squadron mates Frank Baylies and Edwin C. Parsons, Fonck downed six German aircraft in a three-hour span on May 9. The next several weeks saw the Frenchmen rapidly build his total and, by July 18, he had tied Guynemers record of 53. Passing his fallen comrade the next day, Fonck reached 60 by the end of August. Continuing to have success in September, he repeated his feat of downing six in one day, including two Fokker D.VII fighters, on the 26th. The final weeks of the conflict saw Fonck overtake leading Allied ace Major William Bishop. Scoring his final victory on November 1, his total finished at 75 confirmed kills (he submitted claims for 142) making him the Allied Ace of Aces. Despite his stunning success in the air, Fonck was never embraced by the public in the same way as Guynemer. Possessing a withdrawn personality, he seldom socialized with other pilots and instead preferred to focus on improving his aircraft and planning tactics. When Fonck did socialize, he proved to be an arrogant egotist. His friend Lieutenant Marcel Haegelen stated that though a slashing rapier in the sky, on the ground Fonck was a tiresome braggart, and even a bore. Postwar Leaving the service after the war, Fonck took time to write his memoirs. Published in 1920, they were prefaced by Marshal Ferdinand Foch. He also was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1919. He remained in this position until 1924 as a representative for Vosges. Continuing to fly, he performed as a racing and demonstration pilot. During the 1920s, Fonck worked with Igor Sikorsky in an attempt to win the Orteig Prize for the first nonstop flight between New York and Paris. On September 21, 1926, he attempted the flight in a modified Sikorsky S-35 but crashed on takeoff after one of the landing gears collapsed. The prize was won the following year by Charles Lindbergh. As the interwar years passed, Foncks popularity fell as his abrasive personality soured his relationship with the media. Returning to the military in 1936, Fonck received the rank of lieutenant colonel and later served as Inspector of Pursuit Aviation. Retiring in 1939, he was later drawn into the Vichy government by Marshal Philippe Petain during World War II. This was largely due to Petains desire to utilize Foncks aviation connections to Luftwaffe leaders Hermann Gà ¶ring and Ernst Udet. The aces reputation was damaged in August 1940, when a spurious report was issued stating that he had recruited 200 French pilots for the Luftwaffe. Eventually escaping Vichy service, Fonck returned to Paris where he was arrested by the Gestapo and held at the Drancy internment camp. With the end of World War II, an inquiry cleared Fonck of any charges pertaining to collaboration with the Nazis and he was later awarded the Certificate of Resistance. Remaining in Paris, Fonck died suddenly on June 18, 1953. His remains were buried in his native village of Saulcy-sur-Meurthe. Selected Sources First World War: Rene FonckAce Pilots: Rene FonckThe Aerodrome: Rene Fonck
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