Oral Tradition And Oral Traditions - 1272 Words

Imagine being able to tell stories for generations to come without ever having to write down a single word. Oral tradition is used to pass stories down from generation to generation through different forms of communication without any writing system. Oral tradition stories are told by word of mouth, riddles, storytelling, and songs. It cannot be changed although the narrator might embellish it. Oral tradition is how Africans perceived the past. The significance of oral Tradition is due to the stories holding so much information and knowledge. Oral tradition contributed to understanding pre-colonial history because the pre-colonial Africa was influenced by two major movements which are the expansion of islam and the dispersion of the bantu. Oral tradition gave us the perspective as to why the expansion and dispersion took place. Oral tradition has its strengths and weaknesses. A strength of oral tradition is that it is being told from word of mouth and more people will listen to a goo d storyteller than to go read a book about the history. However, a weakness of oral tradition is that many of the stories get forgotten, left out, or embellished. With each re-telling the story gets further and further away from the original. Oral tradition is a primary way of conveying culture and is a way of life in African history. Oral traditions are historical traditions passed down by word of mouth from one generation to another without written instruction. Oral tradition was used duringShow MoreRelatedSimilarities between Oral and Literary Traditions663 Words   |  3 PagesWhen thinking of oral traditions and literary traditions they both have their own similarities. Oral tradition is information that is passed down from generations by words that is not written down. On the hand literary tradition would be a language that is written and well spoken. It also makes whatever is written down permanent. Both are similar but slightly different from another. Before the literary tradition of written texts, oral tradition passed tales of gods, heroes, and other memorable mortalsRead MoreOral Traditions or Spoken Word in the Caribbean1557 Words   |  7 PagesORAL TRADITION OR SPOKEN WORD The oral tradition constitutes the main element of transmission and coverage of the oral literature and history, music and dancing. This tradition begins with the internal context of the group and the communication through interaction which brings fourth a folkloric process. The Afro-Caribbean folklore of the Archipelago is a mixture of the African, the British, and the Creole aspects distributed through a cultural continuum of variations. The members of the elite developRead MoreOral Indigenous Knowledge Systems Different From Written Western Science Traditions1438 Words   |  6 PagesHow are oral Indigenous knowledge systems different from written Western science traditions? Indigenous knowledge comprise of all knowledge pertaining to particular people and its region, with the nature of knowledge transmission being primarily oral via generations. Knowledge such as scientific, agricultural, technical as well as ecological knowledge is all part of the Indigenous knowledge. Indigenous knowledge has some distinct features that are not seen in Western science traditions. UnlikeRead MoreImportance of Oral Tradition963 Words   |  4 PagesQUESTION: Assess the significance of Oral tradition in Bantu Religion. In your view, does oral tradition have a future in the midst of modernity and social change? In African Traditional Religion, morals, values, beliefs and culture among other things play a critical role in society. The upholding of societal norms and values is a sacred affair especially that in African society religion is a way of life. In addition, the younger generation is also inquisitive about the history of theRead MoreThe Role Of The Transmission Of Knowledge Walter M. Miller s A Canticle For Leibowitz1307 Words   |  6 Pagesprior to the nuclear war. Our contemporary world understands the significance contained in past literacy and oral traditions to teach us our civilization’s past, however, their current forms are not cherished by this generation due to technological advances. Even though the situations and settings in the world of Canticle for Leibowitz and the contemporary world differ, the use of each tradition remains alike even if one is cherished more than the other. More so, the transmission of knowledge in theRead MoreThe Cheese and the Worms Book Re view Essay1686 Words   |  7 Pageshave come to the conclusion of his new religious belief. Ginzburg investigates the possible origins for Menocchio’s cosmology. From this we are presented with a series of possible books that may have influenced his thinking, as well as several oral traditions that may have been influential to him and other peasants. Ginzburg tries to draw connections to various movements that had taken place in Europe around this time in an attempt to figure out how he would think this way. The Anabaptist movementRead MoreThe Oral Tradition Of Storytelling1510 Words   |  7 Pagescentral theme and translates the oral tradition of storytelling into a written English essay. The narrator Ayah doesn’t tell her story to anyone in particular, but instead she reminiscences on a story that weaves her past memories and her present happenings through a series of associations, rather than in a set chronological order. In addition to the focus on the oral tra dition of storytelling, Silko is concerned with the ways in which Native American traditions can be adapted to the contemporaryRead MoreOral Traditions Of A Female828 Words   |  4 PagesIn Africa there are oral traditions of a Female, Mawu in some languages, who is related to the Creator, thought there are a variety of opinions on how that came about. (see vodun, under Occult Philosophies). Australopithecus Sediba In a 2010 article in â€Å"Science†, Dr. Berger and a team of experts described the fossils of a boy and a woman, who were discovered near Johannesburg. The bones were a surprise because they displayed a mixture of primitive and modern human attributes, therefore qualifyingRead MoreA Lexical Pragmatic Analysis of Proverbs in Femi Osofisan’s Midnight Hotel.1504 Words   |  7 PagesAfrican oral traditions in Osofisan’s Once upon Four Robbers. Sequel to this, he pontificates that â€Å"Modern African playwrights graft elements from their cultural backgrounds unto their plays so as to give such works a local flavor† (165). It will not be out of place to assume that proverbs fall under these African oral traditions, and this essay examines them in Osofisan’s Midnight Hotel to observe its contribution to the play. Kehinde further states that the integration of African oral traditions isRead MoreContemporary Management Of Traditional Forest1274 Words   |  6 Pagesnatural resources within each nation. The Tulalip tribe directly and indirectly place an emphasis on indigenous and traditional knowledge in policy and natural resource management. While a draft, the Tulalip Tribe intends to protect the cultural traditions of the tribe by enacting the Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Act. The direct implementation of decisions based on TEK are in demonstrated in restoration projects. There are a number of barriers to implementing TEK in policy, planning processes

Essay on Contrasting Biff and Bernard in Death of a Salesman

â€Å"As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.† (Proverbs 27:17) Friends are an important part of life. Friends are useful to help one get through the hardships of life. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, we see the small (but present) friendship of Biff and Bernard. Biff is a football superstar, with scholarships lined up and friends galore. Bernard, his neighbour and childhood friend, is very much a book worm who decides to focus his time on his academics and unfortunately, doesn’t have many friends. Bernard had always idolized Biff throughout high school for his undeniable talent and charisma. On many occasions Bernard would offer to help Biff through his weaknesses by holding him accountable for his academics and help him†¦show more content†¦With Biff ignoring Bernard’s advice, it puts an end to his dream of becoming a successful college football star. The main reason for the pair’s performance in high school is their upbringing. Biff comes from a household which has placed popularity and social status as top priority. Biff takes his father’s insight of being well liked to get far in life and lives his life accordingly. Willy never forces Biff to work on academics because he doesn’t want him ending up being a nerd like Bernard: There’s nothing the matter with him! You want him to be a worm like Bernard? He’s got spirit, personality †¦ (Miller 40) Bernard was brought up knowing that hard work and effort will lead to success. With taking his father’s advice, Bernard makes sure that he is prepared for graduation. All of the time invested in school pays off when Bernard gains status as an important Lawyer later in life. The different talents that Biff and Bernard have lead them in different paths during their high school lives. With Biff’s natural talent for sports, he is more actively involved in after school activities and social outings. Biff is told that his talents are superior to Bernard’s because his intelligence is wasted by his lacking social skill: Bernard can get the best marks in school, y’understand, but when he gets out in the business world, y’understand, you are going to be five times ahead of him! (Miller 33) Even thoughShow MoreRelated The Link between Sports and Success in Death of a Salesman and Fences1124 Words   |  5 Pages The Link between Sports and Success in Death of a Salesmannbsp; and Fences Sports have become one of the most dominant elements in society. Today sports are an integral part of lifestyle, entertainment and leisure. Sports have become an outlet for success and prestige. The recurring emphasis on sports appears in both Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman and August Wilson’s Fences. While Death of a Salesman portrays sports as a means to popularity and subsequent success, Fences portrays sportsRead MoreDeath of a Salesman; Willy vs. Charley Essay1267 Words   |  6 Pagesin life. In the book Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Biff, Happy and Bernard each grew up in different ways. Although Biff and Happy grew up in the same home, their father, Willy Loman, treated the boys differently, and therefore their views on life as adults turned out slightly dissimilar. Willy and Charley’s relationships with their sons contradict each other and therefore affected their son’s future successes in different ways. Willy Loman loved his son, Biff, more than anything inRead MoreEssay about Living or Dying with the American Dream1274 Words   |  6 PagesEveryone wants to be successful. We all dream of having a decent job, a house, a car or two, good social connections and the respect of our peers. We dream of opportunity and freedom. In Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, many characters are pursuing their own version of this dream, but they go about it in many different ways. Some see work and perseverance as necessities. Others think personal charm and popularity are essential in obtaining their dreams. We see the American Dream through theRead MoreMillers Dramatic Effects of Dishonesty in Death of a Salesman1028 Words   |  5 PagesMillers Dramatic Effects of Dishonesty in Death of a Salesman Introduction ============ Dishonesty is common throughout Death of a Salesman. Whether the lies are intentional or delusional, Willy, Biff, and Happy tell untruths all the time, Biff finally realizes that theyve been lying to each other and themselves so much, that they dont even know who they really are. Dishonesty is also highlighted by Willys relationship with the woman and his delusion inRead MoreWillys Tragic Flaw and the Effect it Has Upon his Sons in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller1510 Words   |  7 PagesWillys Tragic Flaw and the Effect it Has Upon his Sons in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Willys Tragic Flaw and the Effect it Has Upon his Sons Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller concerns itself with the fall of a simple man perpetually in a steadfast state regarding his own failure in a success-driven society. The protagonist of the play, Willy Loman, will follow a tragic trajectory that will eventually lead to his suicide. Arthur Millers tragic play is an accurate portrayal of theRead MoreEssay about Marxism and the Fall of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman2986 Words   |  12 Pages In post-Depression America, the United States endured internal battles in political ideologies between capitalists and Marxists, which is the focus of Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman. According to Helge Normann Nilsen, author of â€Å"From Honors At Dawn to Death of a Salesman: Marxism and the Early Plays of Arthur Miller,† the Great Depression had a profound impact in forming the political identity of Arthur Miller: â€Å"The Great Depression created in him a lasting and traumatic impressionRead MoreMasculinity And Capitalism In Arthur Millers Death Of A Salesman2063 Words   |  9 Pages This essay will explore the link between masculinity and capitalism and how it is represented and internalized by the character of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, and analyze how Willy views success in business as his only means of retaining his masculinity. In Contradictions of Capital and Care, Nancy Fraser says that social reproduction is the work of females while a man’s role is financial (Fraser, 55); if a man cannot be a provider- such is the case with Willy- then by definition of capitalismRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller1870 Words   |  8 PagesTewari2 In Arthur Miller s play, Death of a Salesman, the major theme as well as the main source of conflict is Willy s inability to distinguish between reality and illusion. Willy has created a fantasy world for himself and his family, a world in which he and his sons are great men who have what it takes to make it in the context of business and free enterprise. In reality, none of them can achieve greatness until they confront and deal with this illusion. An illusion is some event or objectRead More The Character of Uncle Ben in Death of a Salesman Essay2550 Words   |  11 PagesThe Character of Uncle Ben in Death of a Salesman The character of Ben in Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman serves a complex dramatic function.   He is Willy Lomans real brother, the idealized memory of that brother, and an aspect of Willys own personality, and these distinct functions are sometimes simultaneous.   Through his aggressive actions and vibrant speech, the audience is given a strong contrast to Willys self-doubt and self-contradiction.   In addition, the encounters between Ben

Business Research Report Proposal Technology and Innovation

Question: Discuss about the Business Research Report Proposal Technology and Innovation. Answer: Introduction Telecommunication entities offer services covering business and personal purposes. The host of services is inclusive of mobile internet, mobile phone and broadband services and solutions. Vodafone group is a prominent mobile company amongst telecommunication groups with significance performance in Asia, Middle East, Australia and so on (Beltrn 2013). In Australia, Vodafone is one of a smaller internet and mobile service provider consisting of two major shareholders namely, Hutchison Telecom and Vodafone Group. Identification of business research topic Customer satisfaction defines marketing term, which measures how the products and service of an organization meets the expectation of customers. Customer satisfaction is defined as a feeling that a product has met or may have succeeded the customer expectations. In a competitive business environment, client satisfaction is deemed like a key determinant factor, which contributes for the opportunity of profitability in the future course of time (Fine and Menictas 2012). The business research topic is in regards to Customer Satisfaction level of Vodafone Australia. The research topic of this research proposal is the impact of customer satisfaction on overall business performance. According to research by experts, Vodafone Australia experienced various connecting issues, which resulted in a poor state of data efficiency, call quality. Apart from that, the organization not even bothers about giving appropriate after sell service to the customers. Wide gap has been found between the servic e provider and the customers. All these factors are minimizing the customer satisfaction level of this organization. This also has resulted in the decline of the firm's performance, and the management was compelled to suspend mobile customer contracts owing to media outburst about the business. This research proposal will highlight on the customer satisfaction factor of Vodafone Australia and its impact on organizational performance. Background of the study There have been various issues and concerns related to Vodafone customer centricity. Experts on the similar issue do analysis and surveys. The experts came up with an investigation and study to comprehend the diverse aspects of customer satisfaction and how Vodafone is striving to make the customer experience more convenient thereby negating the shortcomings in operation (Zhang 2014). Problem Statement Customer satisfaction for an organization determines the factors, which effectively meet the expectation of the customers. The issue that has been identified in this research proposal is that Vodafone Australia is able enough to satisfy its customers. The customer satisfaction level of the organization is gradually declining (Fine and Menictas 2012). Client satisfaction and working on consumers feedback has to be the primary focus for an organization to fight the competitive nature of market. In order to survive in the increasing competition and age of globalization, customer satisfaction is an important component (Garca-Ochoa Mayor and Bajo Dav 2016). The research focuses on the importance of increasing customer satisfaction to improve the business of the organization. Research Objective To evaluate the impact of customer satisfaction on organizational performance To assess the customer satisfaction factors of Vodafone Australia To examine the issues related to customer satisfaction in Vodafone Australia To provide suggestions for Vodafone Australia for enhancing its customer satisfaction level Research Question What is the impact of customer satisfaction on organizational performance? What are the factors of customer satisfaction in Vodafone Australia? What are issues in customer satisfaction of Vodafone Australia? How Vodafone Australia can improve its customer satisfaction level? Theory, Assumptions and Background Literature Hypothesis (Assumption) H0: Customer satisfaction has no impact on overall organizational performance H1: Customer satisfaction has impact on overall organizational performance Theory and Background Literature Dependent Variable: Business Performance Independent Variable: Customer Satisfaction According to Fine and Menictas (2012), organizational performance is highly dependent on business profitability of the organization in regards to finance and other organizational assets. On the other hand, Widdowson and Li (2013) opined that customer satisfaction has direct relation with customer retention, repurchase and higher sales volume. As long as customers are satisfied with the products and service provided by the organization, it can hold the purchase intension of the customers. Therefore, it can be inferred that business performance is highly dependent on customer satisfaction of an organization. According to Zhang (2014), high level of customer satisfaction leads to repeated purchase intension of the customers and therefore, brings increasing sales profit for the organization. On the other hand, Widdowson and Li (2013) opined that reducing customer turnover by five percentages through customer satisfaction may increase the business profitability up to 25-80%. Research Methodology and Techniques Dwivedi (2014) stated that, there are mainly two types of research philosophies used to conduct a research work. They are like interpretivism philosophy and philosophy. Zhang (2014) mentioned that positivism philosophy is mainly related with truths and real facts. On the other hand, interpretivism helps to develop a research work depending upon human perception only. After analyzing both types of research philosophies, positivism philosophy is selected. It will help to create logical and critical investigation about the research topic the impact of customer satisfaction on overall business performance. There are mainly two types of research approaches are available for a research work. There like deductive approach and inductive approach (Dwivedi 2014). With help of deductive approach, hypothesis related with a research topic can be developed depending on exiting theories and literatures. On the other hand, inductive research approach is used in order to develop new theories related with the research topic. This particular research work has to be developed in a short period of time. Hence, there is not much time to synthesis a new theory related with relationship between customer satisfaction and business operation. Hence, inductive research approach seems to be inappropriate for this research work. Deductive research approach will be used as it will help to conduct this research work depending on the existing research theories related with customer satisfaction and business operations. Both primary and secondary data will be gathered for this research proposal. It will assist in collecting relevant information from the respondents. The respondents will be selected in a crucial way for gathering authentic information regarding the research topic. As, this research is based on primary research methods, so interview and survey technique will be applied for collecting accurate information about the research topic. On the other hand, with the help of updated journals and books, in-depth knowledge about customer satisfaction and business operation is gathered. Research process Zhang (2014) mentioned that, there are two types of data sources are used to conduct a research work. They are like primary data source and secondary data source. Dwivedi (2014) mentioned that primary data can be gathered directly from people. Survey and face-to-face interview are mainly used to gather primary data from people. On the other hand, secondary data can be collected from various theoretical underpinnings. Dwivedi (2014) stated that, with the help of updated books and journals secondary data can be collected about a particular research topic. The topic of this research proposal is the impact of customer satisfaction on overall business performance. Both primary and secondary research process will be applied for conducting this research study. In order to collect secondary research process, various authentic journals, books and websites will be searched related with customer satisfaction and business performance. On the other hand, in case of primary research process, information will be collected from relevant respondents. A survey will be conducted with customers of Vodafone Australia to find out the aspects that affect their satisfaction level. One the other hand, face-to-face interview will be conducted to find out the business operations that affect the level of customer satisfaction. Data collection method In order gather primary data related with this research topic, qualitative and quantitative data collection technique will be applied (Dwivedi 2014). In case of quantitative data collection, survey form will be distributed to the customers of Vodafone Australia. The customers will give their feedback as per the questions of feedback form. On the other hand, in face-to-face interview will be arranged with the managers of Vodafone Australia in order gather qualitative data about the research topic. On the contrary, secondary data will be gathered with the help of updated journals, articles and books related with business operation. Sampling In order conduct the survey, 50 customers of Vodafone Australia will be chosen as the sample size for the research study. All close-ended questions will be included in the survey questionnaires so that information related with various aspects of customer satisfaction can be gathered. Apart from that, 3 managers of Vodafone will be selected to conduct face-to-face interview. All open ended questions related with business operations will be asked to them. This interview will help to understand, how the company is trying to modify its business operation so that customer satisfaction can be improved. Operational Definitions and Measurement The responses collected from the respondent may be manipulated in nature. During the data collection process, various respondents may try to hide the exact information regarding the business research topic (Marbach et al. 2016). However, the data analysis process will convert the general information of the data collection process into specific information. The research variables will be measured as per the responses collected from the relevant respondents. 3% errors in finding results will be tolerated for the research study. Data analysis process Statistical data collection process will be chosen for the data analysis process. In data analysis process, mean, median and mode value will be calculated for drawing the inference from the collected data. It will enhance the quality of the research outcome through extracting relevant information. Ethical aspects The research would ensure that all the appropriate parties would be regarded with proper respect along with confidentiality being maintained by the competent authorities. Every participant is subject to his or her consent and no influence being used in this regard (Mostafa et al. 2014). Research outcome This research work will help to analyze how the level customer satisfaction can affect the business performance for company Vodafone Australia. Not only Vodafone, but also other companies can be benefited from this study, as it will help analyze the significance of customer satisfaction in business operation in general. Time frame The research aims to comply with the timeline mentioned below. This may be stated as the outcome of the entire research. Time and Task Week One (2nd-4th) week (5th-7th)Week (8th-10th) week (11th -16th) week (17th -20th) week Introduction and Search for Data Research Methodology Design of Data Collection and Methods Data Collection Data Analysis/ Presentation Conclusion and Recommendations Conclusion Customer satisfaction always leads to repurchase intension of the customers and therefore, increases the business profitability. Therefore, it is expected that increasing level of customer satisfaction will enhance the business performance of Vodafone Australia. It interprets that Vodafone Australia should effectively deal with the customers for making them satisfied. Reference List Beltrn, F., 2013. The National Broadband Network in Australia and the Ultra-Fast Broadband Network in New Zealand. Management of Broadband Technology and Innovation: Policy, Deployment, and Use, 31, p.182. Dwivedi, A., 2014. Self-Brand Connection With Service Brands: Examining Relationships With Performance Satisfaction, Perceived Value, and Brand Relationship Quality. Services Marketing Quarterly, 35(1), pp.37-53. Fine, B. and Menictas, C., 2012. The who, when, where and how of Smartphone research. Australasian Journal of Market Social Research, 20(2). Garca-Ochoa Mayor, M. and Bajo Dav, N., 2016. Competitive advantages of the mobile phone operators in the Asia Pacific region: analysis from the strategic groups approach. Technology Analysis Strategic Management, 28(5), pp.541-554. Marbach, J., Lages, C.R. and Nunan, D., 2016. Who are you and what do you value? Investigating the role of personality traits and customer-perceived value in online customer engagement. Journal of Marketing Management, 32(5-6), pp.502-525. Mostafa, R., R. Lages, C. and Sksjrvi, M., 2014. The CURE scale: a multidimensional measure of service recovery strategy. Journal of Services Marketing, 28(4), pp.300-310. Widdowson, L. and Li, G., 2013. Telecommunications industry self-regulation: assessing the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Scheme in Australia. International Journal of Private Law, 6(3), pp.315-328. Zhang, Y.A., 2014. A Case Study on Collaboration in the Australian Mobile Telecommunication Market. In Collaboration in the Australian and Chinese Mobile Telecommunication Markets (pp. 167-196). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

Russian WWII Offensive Of 1941 Essays - Soviet Union,

Russian WWII Offensive of 1941 It was devastatingly cold in the Russian winter of 1941, during the peak of the German offensive against Moscow. Just as it had Napoleon's armies in the century before, the Russian winter conditions had stopped the advance on Moscow. Hitler had not planned on a winter war, and thus had not properly equipped his troop frostbite, and thousands of them died of exposure. Indeed, it was this biting winter which had provided the Russians with an opportunity to gather themselves, and prepare for one of the most heroic counter-offensives of World War II - known to the Russian people as "The Great Patriotic War." It would be wrong to attribute the German failure at this time solely to the harsh winter; the main failure was that of misjudgment and mistiming. The offensive had been launched too late in the year, at a season where the weather was due to break up. The Germans had underestimated the effects of the harsh weather and terrain on their motorized units, and had poorly rationed their resources - too much had been asked of the German troops, and strengths had been allowed to drop too low. Despite a few more victories by German forces in November and December, they would never again subeztially advance into the areas surrounding Moscow. On October 28th, the German 3 Panzer group, under the command of Field-Marshal Von Kluge, had again tried to penetrate into the northern area of Kalinin, and failed. Hitler called in 9 Army to join the 3 Panzer, and moved them towards the northeast area above Moscow. Russian resiezce had been uneven, but in the front of Tula and on the Nara, where new formations were arriving, it had been the most determined and tough. The Red Army had fallen back to within forty miles of Moscow, but was sustained by massive Muscovite power, a continuing flow of troops to the front line. During the months of October and November, nine new Russian armies had been trained, and were being deployed throughout the fronts. Two complete armies and parts of another three were to reach the Moscow area towards the end of November. Many of the divisions in these armies were raised from newly inducted recruits, but some were well trained and equipped and had been withdrawn from the military districts in Central Russia, and Siberia. In October and early November, a few German battalions still fighting had brought all Red Army motor vehicles (except tanks) to a stop, and the Russian Quarter-master-General Khrulev, was forced to switch his troops to horses and carts. He was criticized by both his own troops and Stalin, but was granted permission to form 76 horse transport battalions. The problems caused by the transport shortage and weather were recognized by the Soviet High Command, and fuel refills were sent to the front lines. Defenses were restored and thickened up, and Moscow awaited the second stage of the German offensive, which is described in detail in the German Offensive section of this report. By November however, German casualties had reached 145,000 troops. The German position in the South, between Tula and Voronezh was both confusing and disquieting, as on October 26, German 2 Panzer leader Guderian had suddenly been attacked by the renewed Russian forces on the east flank, and was fighting to hold his ground. The 2 Panzer had been meant to surround Moscow, but was so weak in armor, and with the addition of several infantry corps, its mobile strength was greatly decreased. As the German drive against Moscow slackened, the Soviet commander on the Moscow front, General Georgy Koneztinovich Zhukov, on December 6 inaugurated the first great counteroffensive with strokes against Bock's right in the Elets (Yelets) and Tula sectors south of Moscow and against his center in the Klin and Kalinin sectors to the northwest. Levies of Siberian troops, who were extremely effective fighters in cold weather, were used for these offensives. There followed a blow at the German left, in the Velikie Luki sector; and the counteroffensive, which was sustained throughout the winter of 1941-42, soon took the form of a triple convergence toward Smolensk. Before the end of the year