‘Flying Gas Mains’: Rumour, Secrecy, and Morale during the V-2 Bombardment of Britain

Britain was the first country to suffer casualties as the result of a ballistic missile attack, when German V-2 rockets began landing in London and the South-East in September 1944. This new menace posed critical challenges, not only to the civilians whose lives were endangered once again, but also to the British government. Policymakers had to decide what, if any, information they released to the public, amid fears of creating panic, providing free propaganda to the Nazis, and helping the V-2 launching units improve their aim. Their commitment to secrecy in this period was both resolute and largely unnecessary, not to mention ineffective. In the absence of official information released from above, the public drew their own conclusions and myriad rumours emerged, many of which were remarkably accurate. This article will explore the ways in which government policy surrounding censorship and publicity changed during the V-2 bombardment and the extent to which this affected those in the firing line. It will also add considerable nuance to our understanding of public morale in this period, which was rather less steadfast than many accounts suggest, and which continued to be a major government preoccupation, despite the diminishing likelihood of a descent into mass panic or defeatism.

Ways to improve the provision of a rescue military formation with an educational and material base (on the example of the Don rescue center of the EMERCOM of Russia)

Оперативная работа подразделений Оперативно-спасательной службы гражданской защиты (далее – ОРС ГЗ) по ликвидации чрезвычайных ситуаций осуществляется в обстановке, которая постоянно меняется: в задымленном и токсическом среде, в условиях высоких температур, угрозы взрывов и обрушений, на высотах и в подвалах, при ликвидации стихийных бедствий и катастроф. Это обусловливает определенную специфику в деятельности пожарного-спасателя, совмещенную с систематической работой в непривычной среде и непрерывным нервно-психологическим напряжением. Поэтому одной из важнейших задач обучения и воспитания является формирование у пожарных-спасателей и руководителей подразделений ОРС ГЗ высоких волевых и профессионально-оперативных психологических качеств. Развитие этих качеств осуществляется на занятиях по пожарно-строевой и спасательной подготовке на пожарно-тактических занятиях и учениях, на тренировках в теплодымокамерах, но наиболее эффективными считаются занятия, которые проводятся на огневой полосе психологической подготовки. Данные занятия проводятся во время проведения первичной профессиональной подготовки и при проведении повышения квалификации, в структуре служебной подготовки. Порядок подготовки и повышение квалификации работников службы гражданской защиты, определяется центральным органом исполнительной власти, который обеспечивает формирование и реализует государственную политику в сфере гражданской защиты, по согласованию с федеральным органом исполнительной власти, который обеспечивает формирование и реализует государственную политику в сфере образования и науки. Но в настоящее время, в нашей стране отсутствует нормативно-правовая база, которая определяет порядок устройства огневых полос психологической подготовки и организации проведения занятий на них. The operational work of the units of the Operational Rescue Service of Civil Protection (hereinafter referred to as the ORS GZ) to eliminate emergency situations is carried out in an environment that is constantly changing: in a smoky and toxic environment, at high temperatures, the threat of explosions and collapses, at heights and in basements, during the elimination of natural disasters and catastrophes. This determines a certain specificity in the activity of a firefighter-rescuer, combined with systematic work in an unusual environment and continuous neuropsychological stress. Therefore, one of the most important tasks of training and education is the formation of high-willed and professional-operational psychological qualities in firefighters and rescuers and heads of departments of the ORS GZ. The development of these qualities is carried out in classes on fire-drill and rescue training, in fire-tactical classes and exercises, in training in heat-and-smoke chambers, but the most effective classes are those that are held on the firing line of psychological training. These classes are held during primary vocational training and during advanced training, in the structure of service training. The procedure for training and advanced training of employees of the civil protection service is determined by the central executive authority, which ensures the formation and implementation of state policy in the field of civil protection, in coordination with the federal executive authority, which ensures the formation and implementation of state policy in the field of education and science. But at present, there is no regulatory framework in our country that determines the procedure for setting up firing ranges for psychological training and organizing classes on them.

The formation of the algorithm of firearms usage and the role of a trainer in this process

The research subject is the sequence of a shooter’s actions at the firing line. It is believed that the repetitions of an action improve the speed of its performance and eventually - its preciseness.  Unnecessary movements stop being made, an action stereotype is being developed, as well as a certain algorithm. A shooter should follow this sequence of actions when shooting, and develop it in the process of training. The more experienced the shooter is, the shorter the sequence becomes, since its length depends on the experience. The development of the algorithm is promoted by the study of the elements of shooting and repeated practicing of dry and charged shots. The formation of an optimal algorithm will be more effective if guided by a supervisor. The process of formation of the sequence of actions with firearms is determined by the use of various techniques of organizing and giving firearms training lessons. The use of individual, group and mixed activities allows the teacher to optimize the process of formation of the algorithm of actions in accordance with individual characteristics of students. Motivation and self consciousness of students become significant for the formation of the algorithm. At the same time, the contents of the educational process should be aimed not only at the formation of technical actions with a gun, but at the formation of the tactics and appropriateness of its usage. Successful performance of training shooting will indicate the completeness of formation of the algorithm of actions with firearms.   

Implications of COVID-19 Lockdown on South African Business Sector

The COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa spelt untold adversity on many businesses in the country. This is attributable to the precautionary measures implemented by the South African government to contain the ferocious disease spread across various levels in the society. This article examined the many implications of the pandemic on the business sector in South Africa through the period just before June 2020. The article adopted a qualitative approach to critically examine the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business sector in South Africa. It utilised Statistics South Africa’s reports and contemporary literature on the effects of COVID-19 on the business sector which was used as a source of reference. The statistical evidence is based on experimental data for May 2020, as derived from over a thousand registered businesses operating within the formal sector from various industrial groupings in South Africa. The period under review is remarkable because the business's effect of the pandemic became visibly alarming while the lockdown phases were reduced from Level 5 to Level 4 within the period. The private sector of the economy, known for its huge economic sustenance of most of the country’s labour force, was already at the firing line as all ‘nonessential’ businesses succumb to government’s strict regulations on socioeconomic activities during the phased lockdowns. The hitherto struggling economy, barely sustained by this sector, eventually caved in with over half of its gross domestic product, shrinking attributable to the unparalleled adverse effects that attended the dreaded pandemic. Although government is still battling with the nation’s economic recovery process, many businesses counted their losses from the first few months of the lockdown, as portrayed by plentiful evidence from the national statistical body.

Por que a escolha da Quinta Sinfonia de Beethoven como símbolo dos aliados na Segunda Guerra Mundial?

During World War II, the early sound of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and the rhythmic association between its opening notes and the Morse code representation of the letter V were propagated by London BBC radio and other media instruments as a symbol of the desire to victory that affected and led the allies to the heroic effort against the expansion of German Nazism. The cinema played an important role in spreading this fighting sentiment among viewers, and the presence of the Fifth’s theme in the music tracks, often in opposition to themes by composer Richard Wagner, can be seen in the American animations Education for Death (1943), Scrap Happy Daffy (1943), Out the Frying Pan into the Firing Line (1942). Hitler’s stated predilection for Wagner may justify their association in these soundtracks, but why did we choose Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony as a symbol of the allies? Considering the justification of the diagrammatic similarity of the beginning of music with the letter V in Morse as insufficient, this study sought new elements that could have motivated this choice. Through literature review and score analysis, aspects of the musician’s life and work, especially the Fifth, were important justifications for its connection with feelings of overcoming and victory. The arguments presented aim to increase the reflections on the alliances between art and politics that actually occurred in the period of World War II.

Modern technologies for formation of effectiveness in biathlon shooting

The analysis of researches of domestic and foreign experts allowed to define system of effective means of formation of efficiency in shooting from lying and standing positions, namely: special shooting exercises for training and improvement by biathletes of preparation of the rifle for shooting in lying and standing position, special shooting exercises for training and techniques for working with a rifle trigger. As a result of the study, it was found that the improvement of shooting results should be by increasing the stability of the weapon in the process of aiming, and reducing the time to prepare for shooting, firing, reloading weapons and exit from the firing line with significant coordination of actions when aiming, holding weapons and shooting. This requires multiple integral actions in both relatively constant and changing conditions to fire with information about the oscillations of the barrel of the weapon during aiming and when firing. To improve the performance of shooting in biathlon, an important factor is to determine the best rhythm of the athlete's shooting and heart rate parameters at the time of shooting. The shooting training program in combination with autogenic and ideomotor training significantly improves the result of shooting by increasing postural control (regulation of body position in space) and stability of biathletes.

Cambodia’s Policy towards the Cambodia-Chinese since wwii

Although anti-Chinese riots are rare in Cambodia, the ethnic Chinese in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge era experienced some of the most severe repression in the world. The situation had improved by the 1990s, following the Hun Sen government’s abolishment of discriminatory policies towards them. The positive opinion of the Cambodian-Chinese was given another boost when Chinese capital flooded into the country. Keeping a low profile in politics and contributing to the national economy through their businesses have been the ways in which the ethnic Chinese survived in Cambodia. This does not mean that they have had no interest in politics; rather, they have preferred to engage with it through patron-client relationships with ruling politicians through their businesses. However, as the main stakeholders of the Cambodian political economy and the main pipeline through which Chinese capital flows, the Cambodian-Chinese would be in the firing line should Chinese investment not work out in the long-term.