Crisis Management: An Analysis of the 1947 Texas City Explosion Kevin K. Rice Columbia Southern University Abstract Texas City became the site of the worst industrial catastrophe in United States history when two merchant ships, the SS Grandcamp and SS High Flyer, carrying ammonium nitrate fertilizer exploded on the 16 and 17 April 1947. The Texas City disaster remains the worst industrial accident in US history. This disaster occurred prior to the realization that government entities needed to have emergency management plans. Since this major accident, major improvements have been made in emergency management ;however, the possibility of a disaster is always relative to the seriousness of the threat. This paper is a recounting of the events surrounding the accident, both before, during, and after.
Investigations started immediately. A US Naval Board of Inquiry attributed the sinking to an external explosion - a conclusion interpreted by many as referring to a mine placed beneath the ship. The finger of blame pointed to Spanish treachery. An anti-Spanish press
Navy members believed that the explosion was caused by mines that ignited the magazines located in the ship. Whether or not this was true, Americans were highly upset and favored the war with Spain. President McKinley declared war against Spain and to liberate Cuba from its colony. Meanwhile, specialized investigators, continued to find the real reason why the Main had been exploded. The studies’ results were that the ship was ignited and sunk by a coal bunker fire next to ammunition magazines and not caused by Spanish mines.
In his commentary of Xenophon’s ‘Hellenica’, George Carkwell argues that Sparta originally lost her power from 394 BC, after the naval victory of the Persian and Greek fleet. The combined Persian and Greek fleet was under the command of the Athenian Conon and Pharnabazus. They defeated the Spartan navy led by Pisander. Following this significant defeat, Spartan ‘harmosts’ were expelled through the Aegean and this led to the Lacedaemonian maritime empire being virtually
Professor Marinatos was the first to suggest in 1939 that the eruption of Thera, was the cause for the devastation. His theory argued that the earthquakes destroyed the palaces, tsunamis eradicated the Minoans, and the ash from Thera covered the whole island destroying crops and killing animals. Many geologists argue that the effects described by Marinatos were possible. Others disagree. New information from D, M, Pyle placed the majority of the ash of the volcano to the East, with little effect upon the island of Crete.
How did he influence history? 17. Examine the most important city-states shown in Map 10.1, Classical Greece, 800-350 B.C.E. How did geography influence the political structure of ancient Greece? Why didn’t the Greeks ever unify?
Also, on a timeline, it states that invasions began from 27 BCE and they ended during 476 CE, when Rome fell. Then means that Rome was continuously being invaded for about four hundred years. In addition, severe natural disasters were another step leading to the collapse of the empire. According to Document F, many earthquakes took place. They weren’t just ordinary earthquakes.
Cities of Vesuvius: Pompeii and Herculaneum Introduction * In AD 79 the long dormant volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted, completely burying the flourishing provincial Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum beneath metres of ash, stone and boiling mud. * The story of their chance discovery and excavation more than 1500 years later is a fascinating one. It reveals in astonishing detail life in the towns at the time of the eruption, as well as providing glimpses of other cultures that have occupied the site. * The discovery and excavation of Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as current issues relating to the conservation and reconstruction of buildings and the treatment of human remains, reflecting the developments and concerns of archaeology over at
In fact the building is also known as Sergius and Bacchus Church which was converted to a Mosque following the Ottoman conquest of the city. It remains the oldest surviving Byzantine monument in Istanbul. Due to numerous internal and external alterations as well as natural disasters that have occurred since its construction, severe cracks, especially in its dome and vaults have developed. The building has been subjected to a number of earthquakes of different level of intensities. The side walls, the vaults and the main dome of the building were damaged partly by cracks appeared at the periphery walls of the
Study Guide: Test on Greece and Rome Wednesday, December 21, 2011 Multiple Choice Exam Keywords: - Homer, The Odyssey - polis an ancient Greek city-state - acropolis means "high city" in Greek, literally city on the extremity and is usually translated into English as Citad - phalanx A compact or close-knit body of people - Socrates, Plato, Aristotle are philosopher and they disagreed with demo. - “The Republic”- form of government in rome before the empire - Idealism (art)- realism - Pericles- a great leader of Athens that ruled/ directed during the Peloponnesian war, died by plague - Delian League- alliance between greek city-states to fight Persia, Athens leader - Peloponnesian war- war between athens and Sparta - Alexander