Thursday, October 31, 2019
Cadbury plc UK division- Global Strategy analyses Case Study
Cadbury plc UK division- Global Strategy analyses - Case Study Example The present opportunities for Cadburry UK Division chocolate sector and its possible growth are considered and evaluated with the competitors'. This also examines the competitive and technological advancement threats the company receives from its rival competitors. SWOT Analysis Using the SWOT analysis and the SFAS matrix, the subsequent TOWS Matrix relating to the company's strategies in significant internal and external factors that poses effects to its performance and position in the chocolate market are as indicated below. This also includes the strategies the firm should adapt to leverage in order to achieve current and future growth and get a better position over its rivals. Internal Factors Strengths Weaknesses Strategies for Strength Opportunities Strategies for Weakness Opportunities Opportunities Maximize production to optimize on the benefits of the raising market. Integrate company brand for expansion and growth in emerging markets. Achieve growth through new acquisitions and mergers with other companies. Optimize the benefit of increasing market and increase sales by reducing prices of best selling products. Increase profits through new and up coming markets Target on research and development to reduce cost and increase profits Increase profit margin via Innovations and fresh products Threats Strategies for Strength Threats Leverage to differentiate Brand Venture into innovations to target higher profit margin Invest in research and innovations to produce new products attractive to customers. Optimize production in high selling products while reducing production of law market products. Strategies for... Looking at everything that has been stated above the company has a very strong portfolio of products. And each of the products and the product lines is in a different stage of the product life cycle, thus making it extremely necessary for the business to understand each of the different products, their markets and their potential thoroughly. This is necessary because the unique nature of the portfolio calls for different strategies to be adopted for the different products in the portfolio. As seen in the BCG matrix, the Ansoff and GE/McKinsey Matrix, the organization can undertake a host of different strategies to increase the profits that are reaped from the product lines and also to reinvest and in different activities such as research and development activities that will help the organisation to develop newer products to replace others that are now spent and in the decline stage and also to ensure that the present products that are bringing in the profits will increase their marke t share, or defend their market share in a manner that would only increase the future profits of the organisation. In summary the outlook for Cadburyââ¬â¢s internal and external environment is very good. The strengths of the organisation are very good when compared to the weaknesses and likewise the macro environmental conditions that are prevalent are very conducive to the company even in these difficult economic times.
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
The US as a Sole Superpower Essay Example for Free
The US as a Sole Superpower Essay During the Cold War that happened after World War II, there are distinctions that happened between and among countries all over the world. There is the First world countries which is composed of the United States and its allies, the Second world which is composed of the Soviet Union countries and the Third world countries which represents most Asian countries. This phenomenon has evolved to be the politics of development. Countries classified as first world or developed countries have managed to claim victorious their stance as superpower nation. History attests to the efforts of many developed countries, particularly the United States to impose their own generic formula of development to less developed countries. The Western influence of primarily the United States has embodied their character as the fast rising superpower of the universe. Yes, the West led by the United States is emerging as the country which will claim to be the sole superpower of the world in more years to come. The United States as a sole superpower will cause jealousy, corruption and anti-Americanism. The United States as a sole superpower will cause jealousy because being the sole superpower means that one has it all. And when one has it all, everybody will want to have a taste of what you are having. Jealousy transcends to insecurity and envy. When the U. S becomes the sole superpower, it is inevitable that the countries that once has pledge their loyalty and alliance will question their own capabilities to become a superpower country. In that realization, they too will aspire to share the seat of the U. S. When jealousy arises, more attempts to destroy the U. S as a leading superpower will come about. Different nations aspiring to become the superpower will devise their own tactics and plans to seat out the U. S in their hope to replace the U. S. Call it destabilization plots, military tactics to get into the head of U. S leaders and uncover the secrets in achieving such great success. Jealousy entails that one country is determined to destroy what the U. S has and envision his country to replace the stance of the U. S. The United States as a sole superpower will cause corruption. To quote Lord Acton, a 19th century British politician and academician, the aphorism ââ¬Å"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutelyâ⬠exemplifies what will happen in the U. S when they become the superpower of the world. (Hofstede, 2002b) Judging from other countries, poor countries tend to have higher corruption rates because of poverty and the need to survive. But such in the case of the U. S when it experience such wealth and resources, will cause corruption in their own turf. And this is not caused by the need to survive alone, but rather greed. The U. S as a superpower will cause corruption in its own government because leaders would want to benefit for what they have contributed to the country. Everybody would want to reward themselves with what the U. S have because it is their deemed right to do so. And that speaks of corruption. The power of the U. S will cause corruption because judging from history, almost every nation who had experienced unopposed level of power has fallen because they have abused it. Different empires since the Greeks have exemplified this downfall and absolute power shall tend to corrupt the U. S too once they emerge to become the sole superpower. (Messerrli, 2006) The United States has begun to demonstrate this action when they try to impose their own developmental formula to other countries and imposing it as a humanitarian effort to help third world countries. This action is clear when they tried to impose democracy in the Iraqi regimes without any concern for the world treaties imposed by the International Criminal Court or the United nations. The abuse of power will certainly lead to more invasions, and reenact what old invasion of the Greeks and Persians demonstrated in the earlier centuries. It will then prove to become a vicious cycle wherein the most powerful nation in the world will come to pursue other territories and own every resource to maintain their position being a sole superpower. The U. S as a sole superpower will cause Anti-Americanism in almost all ways possible. From our logic, when jealousy and corruption persist, more countries will tend to hate the U. S for the wealth they are experiencing. More so, they will hate Americans for the great boost of morale they have being number 1. (Messerrli, 2006)They will hate the Americans for imposing in them the idea that they are the leading race of the world and they have the power to command other nations and race in their actions. They will hate the Americans for always characterizing success with their country. Being number one entails that you are placed under scrutiny all the time, and criticized for every action that you take. The United States will embody what every other nation aspires to be. Even if the U. S envisions helping other poor countries, people from those countries will see otherwise. (Hiro, 2007)They will imply other hidden motives other than pure and ideally trusting action of the U. S in helping them, rather they will think that the U. S is planning to conquer the world. Terrorism will be recorded at an all time high. (Messerrli, 2006) And the U. S will not only strengthen their own economy but along with that comes great regard for the protection and security of its military forces to keep the position of number 1 all over the world. U. S leaders will prioritize their military forces to ensure that the 9/11 attacks will remain to be a history and that the U. S will remain to be the sole superpower. Even if the U. S maintains to fight the dictators of most countries as they believe greatly in democracy of a country and its people, many natives and nationalist of those countries will side their leaders and refuse to adhere to the U. S intention to liberate them. In the end, the only thing that will be seen is a powerful nation ââ¬Å"bullyingâ⬠other smaller nations. Despite all these negativity seen if the U. S becomes a sole superpower, fact remains that the U. S has mass resources it can use to help other countries alleviate poverty and hunger. It can also urge other progressive countries to help in this effort by improving other civilizations than just strengthening their military defenses. The U. S can serve as a protector of those countries needing help and can influence other wealthy nations to help with its social programs for other nations to benefit. The U. S is the embodiment of democracy and liberty. No other nation can brag of more equal opportunities for women and minorities than the U. S. The country can serve as a great example to other striving nations to achieve a country that is diverse and which upholds the dignity of every individual. Human rights is very well protected in the U. S and when the U. S becomes a sole superpower, and every other nation will try to imitate its standard, then ideally the other countries are imitating a quality standard of success. Also, the rights entailed by the Constitution of the United States give power to the greater American public. Freedom of speech is practiced and people, through the First Amendment can openly criticize the government for violating any human rights or abusing the authority of the government. Transparency and accountability is practiced as all times. Democracy which entails power of the people to decide on matters of the states will somehow prevail than the greed and abuse of power of some politicians. The economy of the U. S can also influence other economy-driven countries to format theirs as well. The strength of the U. S lies with its influence on other currencies, how the U. S dollar becomes the standard currency that influences other economies all over the world. This power can be a factor to regulate and stabilize other economies as well. With its intention to have a healthy diplomatic relations among other countries, the U. S cannot and will not afford to destroy that knowing that abusing its own power can lead to the destruction of its own economy as well. If the provision of the future entails the United States as the sole superpower of the world, there will always be two sides of the coin. With its great resources and ideal view of democracy, and can bring a new sense of civilization, stability and prosperity among other nations. But this strength can also result to other country striving to become better than the U. S, other country aspiring to unseat the number 1 country, and people of those nations hating the U. S because of jealousy and envy. As a conclusion, it all depends on the future leaders and the morals they hold being the leader of the sole superpower of the world. There will come a time that abuse will be realized, corruption practiced, and jealousy prevailing. But with a leader who has all the right and moral intentions to do well, and use the success of the U. S as a catalyst for social change, the world will be better off with a superpower such as the United States. Let us all just hope that their intention to hold the ideal concept of democracy and respect to the human rights of the people will prevail, or else, the world will only see two distinctions: the United States and its conquests, or the United States and the developing countries. Reference: Hiro, D. (2007).The Sole Superpower in Decline: The Rise of a Multipolar World [Electronic Version]. TomDispatch. Retrieved December 9, from http://www. zmag. org/content/showarticle. cfm? ItemID=13586 Hofstede, G. (2002b). The economic and cultural dynamics of corruption 2001 data. The Universal and the Specific in 21st-Century Global Management, 28(1), 34-43. Messerrli, J. (2006). Is it good for the world to have the U. S. as the sole superpower? [Electronic Version]. Retrieved December 9 from http://www. balancedpolitics. org/sole_superpower. htm
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Reinforced Concrete Fibers Vs Continuous Steel Construction Essay
Reinforced Concrete Fibers Vs Continuous Steel Construction Essay Abstract In todays economic climate nothing is as important as saving money. With respect to the construction industry, it is vital that actions taken to save money will not hinder the structural and design integrity. Typically, the greatest savings are achieved through the development of new materials and processes. One development expected to save money in the future is fiber reinforced concrete (FRC). Although, the concept itself is dated; recent advances have allegedly created lighter concrete with an increased crack resistance. Aside from increased performance, FRC is also thought to decrease labor costs commonly associated with traditional steel reinforced concrete (SRC). The following report is a review and comparisons of each system characteristic. Introduction Concrete is arguably one of the most commonly used construction materials. The success of the material is due to its ability to resist upward and downward loads known as compressive strength. However, tensile strengths of plain concrete are relatively low. Tensile strength is considered a materials ability to resist pulling forces. To compensate for this, concrete is reinforced using various methods depending on the application. The most common method of reinforcing is steel reinforced concrete (SRC). Steel reinforced systems have been utilized since the early 1900s and have proven to be successful. Despite the success, the construction community is showing an increasing amount of interest in fiber reinforced concrete (FRC). The following sections dissect the characteristics of each system and reveal the inherent distinctions. Research Criteria For the purposes of investigation and clarity research was conducted on concrete slab construction only. The systems have been evaluated and compared with respect to mechanical and design characteristic. Cost and labor practices as well as other concrete building systems such as; beams, foundations, and bridge decks have not been considered for this study. This provides a uniform comparison of both systems. Description of Design Concepts Steel Reinforced Concrete A steel reinforced slab is a composite system consisting of steel and concrete. The steel is typically rods factory welded in a mesh pattern known as welded wire fabric. For larger slabs, and most other applications, the steel is manufactured rods commonly referred to as rebar. Unlike welded wire fabric, the rebar must be tied together. Depending on the application the steel can be unfinished, galvanized, or epoxy coated. Continuous steel primarily provides tensions resistant. The assessment of steel reinforced systems is done with respect to cast-in-place one, and two way slabs reinforced with continuous steel only. Corrugated and waffle slabs have not been considered in this evaluation. Fiber Reinforced Concrete Fiber systems are the addition of natural or man maid fibers to the concrete. The most popular fibers today are; nylon, steel, glass, and natural. The fibers are typically added to the concrete mix either as a monofilament or fibrillated fibers. Monofilament fibers are individually added to the mix and are used where preservation of the finish is a priority. Fibrillated fibers are added as large bundles which break down in to smaller bundles of connected by perpendicular fibers. Fibrillated bundles typically yield a stronger bond than monofilament fibers. The major benefit derived from the use of FRC is improved concrete durability. (Committee, 2006). All FRC systems reviewed consist of only simple fiber reinforcing. Systems using a combination of continuous steel and fibers or any manufactured products containing fiber reinforcing have not been considered in the evaluation. Differences With respect to the mechanical behavior of concrete in slab construction FRC and SRC slabs are fundamentally different. As, SI Concrete Systems representative, Mel Galinat explains, The current methodology for reinforced concrete is based on the steel rebars continuous reinforcing function and tensile strength characteristics. (Marsh, 2001). The bar is laid continuously in each direction to accept and distribute tensile loads to balance the system. The grid pattern ensures that tension in either direction is resisted. Additionally, the pattern segregates the aggregates and prevents cracks from spreading. When using rebar the grid is tied at the intersections and overlapping lengths. The slab becomes a composite system of steel and concrete composite system. Depending on the slab size, control joints are strategically installed throughout the slab to further minimize cracking. In a fiber reinforced slab system the concrete itself is manipulated. The fibers vary in size depending on the application, however, when setting a related standard, ACI considers, Common lengths of discrete fibers range from 10 mm (3/8 in.) to a maximum of 75 mm (3 in.). (E-701Committee, 2006). The fibers are added directly to the concrete ingredients while mixing; resulting in a random distribution of reinforcing fibers. Consequently, the fibers do not align continuously throughout and prevents the system from working together. As proven with the steel system tension loads are successfully resisted with continuous reinforcement. The lack of synergy among the fibrous members provides minimal tensile strength. An experiment conducted by the ACI in 2006 looks at the characteristics of fiber reinforced concrete in order to establish uniform design criteria for the concept. The study reviewed eight concrete slabs, one with no reinforcement and the remaining slabs were reinforced with various types, sizes, and combinations of fibers. When compared to an unreinforced concrete slab on grade, the fiber reinforced concrete provided better resistance to concentrated loads. For this reason, even at relatively low volume fractions ( Although advantageous to concrete slabs, concentrated loads are only one of the many forces exerted on a slab. Other loads, common of concrete slabs, were not considered in the ACI experiment. These results demonstrate the fibers ability to increase the concretes flexural strength. Materials with high flexural strength resist deformation caused by loads. Flexural stress is caused by concentrated loads such as; heavy equipment or industrial machinery. Therefore, fibers are commonly added to concrete mixes for large industrial slabs and airport runways. In an elevated slab system, where loads are high and unsupported spans are common, current fiber reinforcing cannot efficiently replace continuous steel. Another characteristic which differentiates fiber and steel reinforcing is each systems approach to crack control. As detailed in the ACI Committee 302 documents; Polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, and other synthetic fibers can help reduce segregation of the concrete mixture and formation of shrinkage cracks while the concrete is in the plastic state and during the first few hours of curing. As the modulus of elasticity of concrete increase with hardening of concrete, however, most synthetic fibers at typical dosage rates recommended by the fiber manufacturers will not provide sufficient restraint to inhibit cracking. (ACI Committee 302, 2010). Moreover the fibers reduce the spread of cracks caused by shrinkage and temperature change rather than increasing the overall resistance. As expanded further in the ACI Materials Journal, It is usually assumed that fibers do not influence the tensile strength of the matrix, and that only after the matrix has cracked do the fibers contribute by bridging the cracks. (Shah, 1991). Therefore the fibers work reactively by responding to loads, whereas continuous steel works proactively by resisting loads. The continuous steel is strategically positioned in anticipation of certain loads, thus providing a resistance. Conclusion As explained by the Portland Cement Association (2010); Fibers should not be expected to replace wire mesh in a slab on ground. The current experimental results show no evidence of a fibrous additives providing equal, or superior, strength when compared to traditional steel reinforcement. The effects of fiber reinforcing on a concrete slab are inherently different than traditional steel. Continuous steel resists particular stresses while fiber reinforcing responds to different stress. The traditional methodology of designing and constructing concrete slabs using continuous steel reinforcement has slowly developed overtime and has become a highly proven and widely accepted system. Fiber reinforcing is still a young concept, however, design criterion are slowly being developed and studied. The system does show potential for crack control and increased flexural strength. Combining the flexural strength of fibers and tensile strength of continuous steel one can see that such systems woul d be helpful for slabs enduring high concentrated loads. The fibers help maintain the flat surface by resisting flexural stress while the continuous rebar resists tension stress
Friday, October 25, 2019
Loss of Faith in Elie Wiesels Night Essay -- Elie Wiesel Night Essays
Loss of Faith in Elie Wiesel's "Night" Night is a dramatic book that tells the horror and evil of the concentration camps that many were imprisoned in during World War II. Throughout the book the author Elie Wiesel, as well as many prisoners, lost their faith in God. There are many examples in the beginning of Night where people are trying to keep and strengthen their faith but there are many more examples of people rebelling against God and forgetting their religion. The first example of Elie loosing his faith is when he arrived at Auschwitz. Elie and his father are directed to go to the left. A prisoner then informs them that they are on their way to the crematory. Elie's father recites the Kaddish or prayer for the dead. Revolt rises up inside of Elie and he questions God. Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for? (Wiesel 31) Another example of prisoners in the concentration camp loosing their faith in Night is when the pipel, a young child, was hung in front of the whole camp. The pipel was the Oberkapo?s servant. The Oberkapo was the leader of the fifty-second unit. He never struck or insulted the prisoners who worked under him ,that is why the prisoners loved him . Even though most pipels were cruel and hated, this one had the face of a sad angel and was loved by all. The Oberkapo was suspected in the intentional explosion of Buna?s electric power station. He...
Thursday, October 24, 2019
An Enlightening Experience
How often do we appreciate our parents for the advice they gave us? Hardly ever! How often do we turn a deaf ear to their advice? Very often! I believe that is a unanimous answer given by most of us and very often, we will get ourselves into serious trouble or land ourselves in a situation where we greatly regret our act of not having listened to the advice of the wise. I can vividly recall such an unforgettable experience that I had when I was a young child of 12 years old and since that experience, I will never go against the wishes of my mother. When I was a child, I had lived in Georgetown with my mother. Our house was right next to the woods which had always stirred up great curiosity in me in wanting to find out what dwelt within. My father had deceased by the time I was 12 and I had lived alone with my mother. I supposed it was because I was the only child; she had loved me greatly and was very protective over me. She did not like the idea of me wandering off on my own and always ensured that I was in the safety region of her sight. Even if she allowed me to explore the vicinity on my own, it was only to be somewhere within the circumference of the house. Being as curious as the cat, I had always desired to explore the interior of the woods next door. It was as if my mother had understood my desire, she had warned me on numerous occasions never to enter the woods. ââ¬Å"Mum, can I go out and play in the garden? â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"Donnie,â⬠she would reply each time. ââ¬Å"You can play in the garden but you must promise me never to go into the woods next door where the loggers are cutting and clearing the land. It is too dangerous for a little girl like you. â⬠ââ¬Å"Sure, youââ¬â¢ve said that many times! â⬠I answered in amazement at her repeated reminders. ââ¬Å"You know Iââ¬â¢ve always stayed away from there! However, curiosity got the better of me one day. I was playing near the woods as usual when I heard laughter and people talking loudly. I listened intently and discovered that it was coming from within the woods. I wondered who that could be. Ignoring my motherââ¬â¢s constant reminders, I decide d to enter the forbidden world. For once, I had disobeyed my mother but I was filled with great excitement. Very cautiously, I crept towards the sound. I came to an area where there were around six brawny men having their tea break under a tall tree and next to them were many felled trees. Not far from them, there were also many colourful flowers with beautiful butterflies flittering around them. At that moment, I still had no inclination of the trouble that would soon befall on me. I was filled with awe at the beauty of the miniature garden before me. I skipped over to the flowers and started chasing after the butterflies. I was filled with elation and started to become braver as I frolicked gaily in the woods. The men did not bother about me as they thought I was not in their way and they continued with their tea and conversation. The beautiful and gigantic butterfly that I was chasing after started to fly over to the felled trees. Not wanting to lose sight of it, I decided to follow suit. I had even climbed up and walked along a downed log in an attempt to catch the butterfly when suddenly I lost my footing and fell off the log. I screamed in agony when I landed because I was not on the hard forest floor as I had expected to. Instead, I had fallen on an axe that was facing up. Apparently, the loggers had left their axes on the floor when they went for their break. When they saw me playing earlier, they had not expected me to go so near to the downed logs. My cries of pain and fear had undoubtedly attracted their attention and concern as they rushed over to my side. By then, blood was flowing profusely from my left leg where a three inch cut had appeared. The pain was unbearable and I almost fainted from the sight of the fresh blood. However, what was more horrifying was the thought of how I should tell my mother about the incident! I had disobeyed her and landed myself in harmââ¬â¢s way. I should have listened to her sound advice and stayed far away from the woods. I was afraid to face my mother but I know the blood had to be stopped and the wound need to be treated. As I thought of the situation I had landed myself into, I started to howl loud which terrified the men who thought I must have been in tremendous pain and shock. The men tried to sooth my loud crying and to stop the blood flow at the same time. Instantly, there was panic among them as each of them tried to help but in vain. Finally, one of them tied my handkerchief around the wound and the blood was temporarily stopped but it was obvious that I needed some stitching for my deep cut. He carried me out of the woods and took me back to my house. Along the way, I was sobbing quietly, petrified with the thought of facing my mother and what she would say to my mischief. Fortunately for me, my mother was too concern with my injury to reprimand me. After thanking the logger for his help, my mother rushed me to the nearest hospital where I received eight stitches on my left leg. I also received a punishment of not being allowed out of the house for an entire month but I know I had deserved it. I could not believe that an innocent walk in the woods could have landed me in such a plight where I could even have been killed by the axe had it pierced right through my heart! The mere thought of the close shave still sends shudders down my spine. The scar on my left leg is not only a permanent reminder of the incident but also a deterrence for me from any further desire to turn a deaf ear to my motherââ¬â¢s advice. Needless to say, she never had to remind me again of the need to stay away from the woods for I never step foot into it ever again. Nor does she ever have to repeat her advice for me as I know that Mum will always know what is best for me because she is the more experience one.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
The Story of the Jonestown Massacre
The Story of the Jonestown Massacre On November 18, 1978, Peoples Temple leader Jim Jones instructed all members living in the Jonestown, Guyana compound to commit an act of revolutionary suicide, by drinking poisoned punch. In all, 918 people died that day, nearly a third of whom were children. The Jonestown Massacre was the most deadly single non-natural disaster in U.S. history until September 11, 2001. The Jonestown Massacre also remains the only time in history in which a U.S. congressman (Leo Ryan) was killed in the line of duty. Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple Jim Jones, his wife, and their adopted children. Don Hogan Charles / Getty Images Founded in 1956 by Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple was a racially integrated church that focused on helping people in need. Jones originally established the Peoples Temple in Indianapolis, Indiana, but then moved it to Redwood Valley, California in 1966. Jones had a vision of a communist community, one in which everyone lived together in harmony and worked for the common good. He was able to establish this in a small way while in California but he dreamed of establishing a compound outside of the United States. This compound would be fully under his control, allow Peoples Temple members to help others in the area, and be far away from any influence of the United States government. The Settlement in Guyana The Jonestown Pavilion, now abandoned. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images Jones found a remote location in the South American country of Guyana that fit his needs. In 1973, he leased some land from the Guyanese government and had workers begin clearing it of jungle. Since all building supplies needed to be shipped in to the Jonestown Agricultural Settlement, construction of the site was slow. In early 1977, there were only about 50 people living in the compound and Jones was still in the U.S. However, that all changed when Jones received word that an exposà © was about to be printed about him. The article included interviews with ex-members. The night before the article was to be printed, Jim Jones and several hundred Peoples Temple members flew to Guyana and moved into the Jonestown compound. Things Go Wrong in Jonestown Jonestown was meant to be a utopia. However, when members arrived at Jonestown, things were not as they expected. Since there werent enough cabins built to house people, each cabin was filled with bunk beds and overcrowded. The cabins were also segregated by gender, so married couples were forced to live apart. The heat and humidity in Jonestown was stifling and caused a number of members to get sick. Members were also required to work long work days in the heat, often up to eleven hours a day. Throughout the compound, members could hear Joness voice broadcast through a loudspeaker. Unfortunately, Jones often would talk endlessly on the loudspeaker, even through the night. Exhausted from a long days work, members did their best to sleep through it. Although some members did love living in Jonestown, others wanted out. Since the compound was surrounded by miles and miles of jungle and encircled by armed guards, members needed Jones permission to leave. And Jones didnt want anyone to leave. Congressman Ryan Visits Jonestown Congressman Leo Ryan. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images U.S. Representative Leo Ryan from San Mateo, California heard reports of bad things happening in Jonestown; thus, he decided to go to Jonestown and find out for himself what was going on. He took along his adviser, an NBC film crew, and a group of concerned relatives of Peoples Temple members. At first, everything looked fine to Ryan and his group. However, that evening, during a big dinner and dance in the pavilion, someone secretly handed one of the NBC crewmembers a note with the names of a few people who wanted to leave. It then became clear that some people were being held against their will in Jonestown. The following day, November 18, 1978, Ryan announced that he was willing to take anyone who wished to leave back to the United States. Worried about Jones reaction, only a few people accepted Ryans offer. The Attack at the Airport When it was time to leave, the Peoples Temple members who had stated they wanted out of Jonestown scrambled on board a truck with Ryans entourage. Before the truck got far, Ryan, who had decided to stay behind to ensure that there was no one else who wanted to leave, was attacked by a Peoples Temple member. The assailant failed to cut Ryans throat, but the incident made it obvious that Ryan and the others were in danger. Ryan then joined the truck and left the compound. The truck made it safely to the airport, but the planes werent ready to leave when the group arrived. As they waited, a tractor and trailer pulled up near them. From the trailer, Peoples Temple members popped up and started shooting at Ryans group. On the tarmac, five people were killed, including Congressman Ryan. Many others were severely wounded. Mass Suicide at Jonestown: Drinking Poisoned Punch Back in Jonestown, Jones ordered everyone to assemble at the pavilion. Once everyone was assembled, Jones spoke to his congregation. He was in a panic and seemed agitated. He was upset that some of his members had left. He acted like things had to happen in a hurry. He told the congregation that there was to be an attack on Ryans group. He also told them that because of the attack, Jonestown wasnt safe. Jones was sure that the U.S. government would react strongly to the attack on Ryans group. [W]hen they start parachuting out of the air, theyll shoot some of our innocent babies, Jones told them. Jones told his congregation that the only way out was to commit the revolutionary act of suicide. One woman spoke up against the idea, but after Jones offered reasons why there was no hope in other options, the crowd spoke out against her. When it was announced that Ryan was dead, Jones became more urgent and more heated. Jones urged the congregation to commit suicide by saying, If these people land out here, theyll torture some of our children here. Theyll torture our people, theyll torture our seniors. We cannot have this. Jones told everyone to hurry. Large kettles filled with grape flavored Flavor-Aid (not Kool-Aid), cyanide, and Valium were placed in the open-sided pavilion. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images Babies and children were brought up first. Syringes were used to pour the poisoned juice into their mouths. Mothers then drank some of the poisoned punch. Next went other members. Some members were already dead before others got their drinks. If anyone wasnt cooperative, there were guards with guns and crossbows to encourage them. It took approximately five minutes for each person to die. The Death Toll Bettmann Archive / Getty Images On that day, November 18, 1978, 912 people died from drinking the poison, 276 of whom were children. Jones died from a single gunshot wound to the head, but it is unclear whether or not he did this himself. Portraits of the Jonestown victims. à Symphony999 / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons Only a handful or so people survived, either by escaping into the jungle or hiding somewhere in the compound. In total 918 people died, either at the airport or at the Jonestown compound.
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