Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Comment on Group 3

I agree with Group 3's definition of a hero. A hero, is one who willing to sacrifice his life for others and he also helps others through his actions. And most importantly, that heros, even they can feel fear.
I will admit that Subhas Bose is a hero because he stood up for the people, becoming their representative, but more importantly, he fought for his country's independence. Although there were many protests from people like Gandhi and the British, Subhas still persisted with his intention to free his country from the British's oppressive ruling. All intentions of him, as in Group 3's post, can be viewed as a "hero's" thoughts.
Lastly, Group 3's post is quite detailed and we can see how Subhas Bose was commendable for his hero traits.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Group 3 - Subhash Chandra Bose

Subhash Chandra Bose
A hero is anyone who can show courage when faced with a problem. A hero is a person who is able to help another in various ways. A hero can be someone who gave up his or her life so another could live. A hero does not always have to show courage he can be afraid but still be a hero through his other actions. I do believe that heroes don’t have to be afraid.

Subhash Chandra Bose was a true hero.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was one of those who sacrificed their lives in the freedom movement of India. He was known for his dynamic personality and courage and was the role model of numerous young people of his time. Subhas Chandra Bose was born in Cuttack, Orissa, in 1897. His father was a famous lawyer. Subhas was highly disciplined from his childhood days and had a burning desire to see India free. In his school days, when he chose to observe the first anniversary of Khudiram Bose, a martyr who was hung in 1910, the British government listed him in their black book.
Subhas Bose was a born leader. People were always ready to risk their lives on his call. He was brilliant in studies but intolerant of prejudices against India. When his English teacher at Presidency College (Calcutta), Mr. Otton, made negative remarks about Indians in his classroom, he protested. He successfully organized a strike, demanding a public apology from the teacher. Consequently, Subhas was expelled but was happy that he stood up for a right cause.
After leaving the college, Subhas devoted time in social work. People advised him to go back to the college and complete his studies. With considerable effort he gained admission into the Scottish Church College of Calcutta. Here he joined the National Cadet Corps of the University in order to prepare himself for the battle against the British. Upon the completion of his college education, Subhas went to England and passed the civil service examination with merit. He then decided to dedicate his life for the fight of India’s freedom.
Subhas was in favor of armed revolution in order to drive out the British. Mahatma Gandhi was then the leader of Indian Politics, and a supporter of nonviolence. Though Gandhi disagreed with Subhas’ path to freedom, he suggested Subhas to join Chittaranjan Das, who was then the leading politician of Bengal. The British, at that time, extended self rule to the Indians and allowed them to democratically elect their leaders in such civilian administrations as municipality. Chittaranjan Das founded the Swaraj party and Subhas worked hard in its landslide victory for the election of municipal seats of Calcutta Corporation (1924). Subhas became the chief executive and Chittaranjan Das, the mayor of Calcutta.
Soon Subhas introduced khadi, a home-made cloth, as the official dress in place of British mill-made clothes. This was a direct protest of the British policy of making clothes in England for the Indian market. Use of khadi was banned. Subhas protested and sent volunteers to jail. At this time a European was killed and Subhas was blamed for that. He was arrested and sent to Mandalay jail in Burma, notorious for its unhealthy conditions.

Public revolted for keeping Subhas in jail without a trial. Looking into the worsening mood, British government released Subhas unconditionally. Unfortunately, he contracted tuberculosis while in jail. Subhas took some time to recover while planning out his future strategy. Chittaranjan Das had died and Subhas took over the Swaraj party. He began to organize volunteers, making the government uneasy. Finally Subhas was arrested once again. But the people of Calcutta made him the Mayor and the British had to release him.

Soon after, Subhas declared the observance of independence day with a public meeting on January 26, 1931. The government declared it illegal. Subhas defied the orders and was badly beaten by the police. He was then taken to jail, where his health deteriorated.The government got concerned and released him on the condition that he would stay outside India. Subhas traveled to different parts of Europe to promote the cause of India’s freedom through lectures.

Subhas entered India when he was elected the President of All India Congress in 1938. He, however, resigned in 1939, because of his strong differences with Gandhi and Nehru. The British were then deeply involved in war. Subhas suggested an armed revolution which did not receive any political support. He then formed the Forward Bloc party and declared to destroy the Holwell Monument of Calcutta, that stood as a symbol of British rule in India. He was arrested again. In jail, Subhas started to fast until death. He was finally released from the jail but he was restricted to his residence in Calcutta.

Subhas made a daring escape from his residence and went first to Germany by road, and then to Japan in a submarine. He was trying to negotiate an armed attack on the British-owned India. Keeping this in view, Subhas organized the Indian National Army with the soldiers of the prisoners of war (POW) and declared the formation of Azad Hind Government on October 21, 1943. Subhas’ army hoisted the national flag of India in Kohima, Assam, which was in the British territory, on March 18, 1944. When Japan surrendered on August 16, 1945, Subhas could not continue his struggle. He decided to go underground and left in a war plane for an undisclosed destination on August 17, 1945. It is now speculated that the plane crashed on the sea due to lack of fuel.

One Life, One Nation, One Chance, Never to be Forgotten
Risking his life, running from place to place, helping his country, from 1897 to 1945, Subhash Chandra Bose was a freedom fighter, a true hero.

Subhashchandra Bose was the most visionary and fierce activist in the pre-independence era. Known as Netaji, he followed the path which no one even could have thought of. He was the man whom the Indians looked upon as their future leader. They never believed that he died in plane
crash. Some believe that he is still alive.




















We agree on Group 4 that Elizabeth Choy is also a true hero.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Comment on group 7

Comment on group 7:

I agree with your definition of a hero. Heroes do not necessarily have to be like those in comics that always jump out of nowhere to save the day; they do not even have to have special abilities or anything a hero just has to make the world a better place. Having a good definition is the first step to good persuasion, however your post is too long and most people would probably lose interest and give up after seeing its length. You could simplify the post by removing unnecessary information and rephrasing some long sentences. You could also remove all the long detailed information which is probably redundant and replace them with some interesting facts and figures. You could also add links to some videos as it would make it more interesting and also helps the reader visualize the hero better further enhancing the purpose of this blog post. In general, it is a very elaborate and detailed description of General Templar, except for some flaws. As they say, nothing is perfect, so work harder and strive to create better productions.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Group 8 WINSTON CHURCHILL

Group 8- Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was a true English gentleman and hero. He lead an inspiring and meaningful life. Winston Churchill had an unhappy childhood, on top of being an unpromising student. However, he overcame the odds and became a military hero, helping him to win the elections and rise to prominence as the First Lord of Admiralty. The following is a video about his biography…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2A_LebrsRU

Also, one of his qualities that make him a classic hero is his will to never quit. One of his quotes is: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” His words of encouragement helped many in despair, and reflects his strong-willed character. A hero never quits, enabling them to change the world for the better. One example in his life is when he realized the threat Hitler posed, but was repeatedly ignored when he warned people. He did not have that “I told you” attitude, but he tried his very best to help England overcome her troubles. This is what makes him a true genuine hero.

Done By:

Shao Wei (28)
Benedict (30)
Alex (33)
Keegen (38)

(I'm only helping them to post, cause they wasn't invited to this blog.)

Group 7 Members

Group 7 Members:

Shu Wen (3)
Elysia (4)
Jamie (7)
Yu Han (21)

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Group 7 General Templar

What makes a hero?

A hero is an everyday person that can change the world. Usually people think of heroes as people who fight crime in movies or comic books, but those people don’t exist in the real world. A hero is not someone that hurts another person or does bad things, but they help people. A hero doesn’t always fight crime or always have an opposition. They don’t even have to work with people; they could be designing a product that helps many people.

An example of a hero that doesn’t have an opposition would be helping someone else. Someone could be struggling with their schoolwork. Another person can notice that and help them understand the work. That person could be called a hero because another person is having an easier time with their work.

An example of a hero that doesn’t necessarily work with people could be people who invent things. The person that invented the wheelchair is a hero because he has helped millions of people in the world. Without the wheelchair people who cannot walk would not be able to move around as easily. This person is a hero to people all around the world.

A hero is an everyday person who can change the world for the better. It could be simple like helping one person out or by helping millions. A hero must always think of others first. Without this trait, a hero does not do any good because a hero is a person that affects the people around him.

Provenance: http://socyberty.com/people/what-makes-a-hero/
http://www.exampleessays.com/viewpaper/50734.html

Are heroes only those that they have achieved what they want to achieve or did they arise from some ‘special’ circumstances?

Heroes are people who in times of difficulty or crisis, are able to discover their inner potential and achieve their full potential to do good, whether for all of mankind, some of mankind or just even one person. Heroes are there all along, ordinary everyday people. However, it is through special circumstances such as war, powerless or corrupted government etc. that the person truly becomes a hero.

What challenges does a hero face and how does his/her qualities enable him/her to overcome challenges?

A hero has to be able to withstand the harsh conditions of the environment or the lack of acceptance or trust from the people he/she is helping. A hero also has to be able to overcome all obstacles in his/her path. However, a hero will be able to use ingenuity, resourcefulness and his/her determination and perseverance to gain the trust of people, and also to successfully achieve his/her goal.

What challenges did General Templar face?

Field Marshal Sir Gerald Walter Robert Templer KG, GCB, GCMG, KBE (11 September 1898–25 October 1979) was a British military commander. He is best known for his defeat of the guerrilla rebels in Malaya between 1952 and 1954.
General Sir Gerald Templer possessed the ideal leadership qualifies necessary to defeat an insurgency and thus was able to shift the balance of power in favor of the British during the Malaya Emergency.

In June 1948, the Malayan Communist Party initiated an insurgency against the British and Malayan government that produced the Malaya Emergency. The insurgents were primarily ethnic Chinese looking to conduct a Maoist revolution to bring about a Communist-run state. The situation in Malaya, however, was different from that in China when Mao revolted. The British had occupied Malaya since 1791, and the majority of Malayans had no appetite for Communism. Most of Malaya's income came from British-run rubber plantations and tin mines. Only Malaya's minority ethnic-Chinese population had a desire for Communism. However, through 1951, the British had little success in stemming the Communist insurgency.

In February 1952, Templer arrived in Malaya as the new high commissioner. The year 1951 had been the most violent year in the insurgency. In fact, the security was so poor that on 6 October 1951, former High Commissioner Sir Henry Gumey was killed in a Communist ambush. Templer faced an extremely difficult situation. There was a complete lack of cultural understanding within the Malayan security forces and the British Army.

How did General Templar’s qualities enable him to overcome challenges?

A former commander of the 56th and 6th Armored Divisions during World War II, Templer had had the traditional military assignments. However, he had also served as the military governor of the British zone in occupied Germany after the war, which equipped him with a working knowledge of military governance. Once on the ground in Malaya, Templer wasted little time getting to work. He took a three-week tour of the country to gauge the situation. Based on his findings, he reorganized his headquarters to better address the insurgency.

General Templer refocused his staff from warfighting to civil relief, social changes, economic stability, and small-unit operations. Templer concentrated on securing the police posts around the country and on capturing or turning, not killing, insurgents. Templer convinced the surrendered insurgents who worked for him to give statements to the media and distribute propaganda reports to encourage their former comrades to surrender. Psychological warfare sections, consisting of no more than 30 mostly Chinese ex-insurgents, known as psywar groups, broadcast surrender policies. Rather than kill insurgents, Templer chose a well-executed surrender policy that provided the best possible intelligence on the organization, morale, and weaknesses of the insurgency. Radio broadcasts, Chinese-language newspapers, government films, pamphlets, and personal appearances by surrendered enemy personnel in villages all aided the British counterinsurgency campaign.

Templer also made important changes to the military effort. Patrol reports became mandatory. An operational research team went through all the raw data gathered from the reports, analyzed it, and distributed lessons learned back to the troops in the field. Rather than continue the fruitless battalion-sized jungle sweeps conducted for the first three years of the insurgency, Templer emphasized deep jungle patrolling by small, well-trained units to gather vital intelligence on the insurgents. Jungle training schools taught army and police units small unit tactics and effective methods for fighting insurgents. Doctrine also developed rapidly. Based on lessons learned at the jungle training school, a small book known as The Conduct of Anti-Terrorist Operations in Malaya was printed. The book was small enough to fit in the pockets of a soldier's jungle uniform. Every six months, soldiers received an updated and revised edition containing the latest intelligence and lessons learned. The Malayan police forces also received this valuable document, and they attended the same army schools as British soldiers to develop proficiency in fighting an insurgent force. Templer knew that integrating his security forces was an important step toward a stable future for Malaya.

Templer wisely focused on winning over the insurgents' support base, Malaya's ethnic-Chinese civilians. Public works projects and civic training in the ethnic-Chinese areas prepared local leaders to eventually take over an independent Malayan government. These projects provided huge incentives to either turn away from or turn in the insurgents. Templer accelerated the relocation (first implemented under the Briggs Plan) of entire Chinese squatter villages. The British built brand new towns complete with schools and medical facilities and designated plots of land for the Chinese squatters. Villages located on the fringes of the jungles eventually relocated to these new camps under British protection and control. A city government run by the ethnic Chinese within the villages prepared the population for an eventual merger into mainstream Malayan society. In addition, each family received a land title for their farmland. This was the first time a majority of ethnic Chinese had hereditary titles passable from father to son guaranteeing family land ownership. The new villages took away the vital insurgent support base and started to integrate ethnic Chinese into mainstream Malayan society, breaking down cultural walls.

Templer understood the cultural problems that caused the insurgency in Malaya. Knowing the situation, he was able to institute effective methods to win back the population. Templer's ability to influence, improve, and lead others in an organization--the "do" aspect of leadership--is what sets him apart as a counterinsurgent leader. Despite his career of traditional military assignments, Templer quickly grasped that the key to defeating the Malayan insurgency was not military action, but winning over the Chinese population through social changes and improved security. Templer understood the problems facing his organization from the first day he took command. Every one of his efforts focused on improving his organization's ability to understand the insurgent problem, finding solutions to the problem, and working toward applying those solutions. Templer not only possessed a military officer's technical and tactical skills, he was a military government expert as well. His ability to take traditional military organizational skills and apply them toward defeating an insurgency demonstrated his organizational leadership abilities. Lessons from Templer's military governance clearly could have helped U.S. military commanders at the end of hostilities during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Again, military commanders shed their traditional roles as warriors and took on the work of governance. In our current counterinsurgent fight, U.S. senior leaders continue to use techniques similar to those General Templer used successfully. The actions of General Petraeus in Mosul are a classic example of a military leader focusing on social, economic, and cultural lines of operation as well as traditional military operations.

Also, in the retreat to Dunkirk, he was operational commander of "Mac Force," the improvised formation covering the British right flank, and was mentioned in dispatches. Back in England he shot up to be the youngest lieutenant general in the British army. Believing he had risen too quickly, he asked for and got a combat command.

In Italy he soon won a reputation for restless energy, drive and impetuosity. When patrols went out, he sat up and waited for their return, so that he could interrogate the patrol commander himself. At a critical moment on the Anzio beachhead he ordered every man available—sappers, cooks, clerks—into the firing line. "He acted like a red-hot poker," says one of his officers. "He always impressed you as a man who was inevitably heading for a tremendous crackup," says another.

Summary
"If I make a mess of it I want to go back to the army. If I don't make a mess of it I -want to go back to the army."; ‘But Templer kept on being tough, regardless.’
-General Templar’s perseverance and determination not to give up was a key factor in solving any problems that he encountered.

“Templer took a hard look at Malaya, and said: ‘I could win this war in three months if I could get two-thirds of the people on my side.’ He had a directive read, promising that ‘Malaya should in due course become a fully self-governing nation . . . within the British Commonwealth.’ “
-General Templar’s foresight made him know what he needed to do in order to win the war.

‘Templer threw his whole weight into the drive for common citizenship.’; “It doesn't amuse me to punish innocent people, but many among you are not innocent. You have information which you are too cowardly to give. Have some guts and shoulder the responsibility of citizenship."

-General Templar was a man who did not mince his words and he was outright and spoke his mind about what he felt for.

‘His main occupation now, however, is the country's social services: getting more doctors and nurses into rural areas, organizing training schools for student teachers. There was one project he could turn to with all his soldier's heart: the creation of a 240,000-man Malay Federation army, of Malays, Chinese, Indians and Eurasians. He saw it as the prerequisite of self-government, and was disappointed when the Chinese held back. He is also deep in such unsoldierly problems as rural industrial development and low-interest loans for local cooperative societies. The sensational fall in the price of rubber, as a result of a falling-off in U.S. purchases, distressed him. More even than the guerrillas, that might spell disaster for all his plans.

-General Templar was genuinely concerned about the welfare of the people – He was kind and though a firm person, not harsh and he knew to take good care of the people in order for them to continue supporting him and not rebel instead.

It is a measure of Gerald Templer's success that in less than one year he has been able to turn from quick skirmishes against disaster to slow battles for Malaya's peaceful future. "We are beginning to get the shooting war under control," said Templer. "Deserves highest credit," said the Economist. "Staunch service," said the London Evening News. "An absolute ace," exulted Colonial Secretary Oliver Lyttelton.’

-General Templar was a true hero.

Provenance: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,820481-7,00.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Templer

*RESPONSE TO GROUP 8’S POST COULD NOT BE DONE BECAUSE AS OF POSTING TIME, GRUP 8’S POST WAS NOT UP YET.

Group ... General Templer

Pictures of him :D





























Thursday, July 15, 2010

Group 1 - Lim Bo Seng

Group 1 Members:
Xiaohui (25)
Miichiang (9)
Nuanlin (19)
Yueenn (14)
Mavis (18)


What makes a hero?
To provide an accurate definition of the word 'hero', our group have found three different types of definition for the word.
-Hero refers to a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.
-These are a definition from (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Hero).
In mythology and legend, a man, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and favored by the gods.
-A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.
-And these, from (http://www.yourdictionary.com/hero).
A hero is a man of great strength and courage, favored by the gods and in part descended from them, often regarded as a half-god and worshiped after his death
-A hero is a man, admired for courage, nobility, or exploits, especially in war
-A hero is the central figure in any important event or period, honored for outstanding qualities.



Are heroes only those who have achieved what they want to achieve or did they arise from some 'special' circumstances?
Some heroes are great people who achieved what they wanted to not only for themselves, also for the people. They dont arise from any 'special' circumstances. While other heroes arise from 'special' circumstances, these circumstances are merely just coincidence that occurred to aid the heroes to achieve what they want. Therefore, in different point of views, heroes can be people who achieved what they wanted to and people who arose from 'special' circumstances.



What challenges does a hero face and how does his/her qualities enable him/her to overcome challenges? Describe at least one challenge and how the hero overcomes the challenge.
A hero will face difficulties on saving people. They will have to find the savest and the best way to save those who are in danger. Sometimes, they will have a lot of pressure, as people know that when they themselves' in danger, the hero will appear on time and save their lives, people count on them which made them feel stress.
Their own confidence lead them to the victories they made till today. Their high self-esteem enable them to overcome all the obstacles and twist and turn in life.

Lim was the 11th child but the first son of Lim Chee Gee. At the age of 16, he came to Singapore and studied at Raffles Institution. He discontinued his education at the University of Hong Kong in 1929 when, upon his father's death, he inherited senior Lim's businesses which included the Hock Ann Biscuits and factories for brick manufacturing. In 1930, he married Gan Choo Neo, a Straits-born Nonya with whom he had seven children. Their's was a love marriage, unusal in those days.

Lim Bo Seng is a national hero in Singapore for his resistance to Japanese forces during World War II. A native Chinese who moved to Singapore as a child, Lim led efforts to raise funds to help China fight Japanese invasion in the late 1930s. When the Japanese captured Singapore, Lim escaped to India and joined Force 136, a group of resistance fighters organized by the British. He was captured after infiltrating Japanese territory in 1944; despite punishment and torture, he refused to reveal the names of other resistance fighters. He died in captivity, becoming a martyr to the cause of Singapore.

During the Japanese Occupation, in the 1930s, Lim Bo Seng under the alias Tan Choon Lim participated in anti-Japanese activities in Singapore, particularly in supporting the China Relief Fund. Upon the request of Sir Shenton Thomas, the Governor, he also formed the Chinese Liason Committee to assist in civil defence. With the fall of Kota Bahru in Malaya in 1942, Lim, as head of the Labour Services of the Overseas Chinese Mobilization Council, and Tan Kah Kee organised more than 10,000 men for the British Government to man essential services and to construct defences around the island. As the Japanese troops decended upon Singapore, his men helped dynamite the Causeway.

He escaped to India before Singapore's fall where he was joined by the British resistance group, Force 136, and was trained by the British for intelligence work. In 1943, he went to China to recruit Kuomintang colleagues for Force 136 - a special operations force formed by the British and the Chinese governments in June 1942 to support resistance groups behind enemy lines and to coordinate guerilla operations in support of the eventual British invasion of Malaya. With a group of fellow Force 136 members, he landed in Japanese-occupied Malaya by submarine in 1943 and set up an intelligence network in the urban areas in Pangkor, Lumut, Tapah and Ipoh. The intelligence network - Operation Zipper - was targetted at recapturing Malaya with British support by 1945. While on a mission in Ipoh on 27 March 1944, Lim was betrayed by Lai Teck, the Malayan Communist Party leader, and was caught by the Japanese at a road checkpoint. He died in Batu Gajah Jail on 29 June 1944 under torture. Lim was posthumously awarded the rank of Major-General by the Chinese Nationalist Government and his remains reburied in Singapore at the MacRitchie Reservoir.

Well, Force 136 was the general cover name for a branch of the British World War II organization, the Special Operations Executive (SOE). The organisation was established to encourage and supply resistance movements in enemy-occupied territory, and occasionally mount clandestine sabotage operations. Force 136 operated in the regions of the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II which were occupied by Japan from 1941 to 1945.

During the Second Sino-Japanese war, he participated actively in activities organised by the Nanyang Federation to boycott Japanese goods and raise funds for the Chinese army. During that time, Singapore was in need of money. In order to keep the army going, he had to think of strategies to overcome this problem. He had to do all he means to raise funds. And also, at that time, the government is bias towards the English and Malays, instead of Chinese. So, there was very little money provided to the Chinese army and Lim Bo Seng had to raise funds to help continue and managing the army. Lim Bo Seng is a very thoughful person. He is willing to do everything to help the Chinese army, which could protect the people’s life.

He was captured by the Japanese soldiers, and he was forced to spit everything regarding Singapore. At this moment, he could only choose between him and his country. Being a very devoted citizen, Lim Bo Seng refused to reveal any information about Singapore and thus he was tortured. In this case, the challenge he was facing was the pain and torture he had. He overcome the fear in his heart and stood strong on his ground, protecting his country. Not everyone would be like Lim Bo Seng, who puts Singapore infront of himself. For the sake of his country’s welfare and safety, he sacrificed his life for it. This is something we should be proud of, and honour him.

Videos




Monday, July 12, 2010

group 6

The challenge to the predominance of Gandhi and Gandhian tactics in Indian nationalism came from within the Congress. It came from a man named Subhas Chandra Bose, who, at the height of his political influence, was one of the two or three most powerful leaders in the Congress. Gandhi certainly saw Bose as a rival and a dangerous upstart, and did his best to destroy him politically. I want to focus on Bose today not because I think his battles with Gandhi are particularly fascinating, but because Bose held up an alternative vision, not only of political tactics, but also of political objectives.
Whereas Gandhi sought compromises with the British, Bose sought absolute victories. Gandhi was willing to wait a long time for independence, Bose wanted immediate action, if not immediate results. Gandhi was anti-materialistic and hostile to modern technology, Bose saw technology and mass production as essential to survival and dignity. Gandhi wanted a decentralized society and disliked the modern state; Bose wanted a strong central government and saw the modern state as the only solution to India's problems. And finally, Bose did not share Gandhi's dedication to non-violence.

Related video of group 4- elizabeth choy

Group 4 : elizabeth choy

Heroes rise from many different circumstances out of bravery, capabilities and an iron will. A common trait among all heroes is that all of them have the determination to strive towards a goal, and none of them give up knowing that their efforts were futile. Instead, they make progression against all odds and impossibilities they face, and carve a name for themselves. Heroes fight for the rights of the people and the world out of purity and good-will. Heroes fight for the interest of the public.

A hero arises under special circumstances, as they stand out from the crowd because they are daring and they take action against any decisions they make. Heroes do not just protest, but they make promises and take action and responsibility for all that they do. They can think in different perspectives, taking alternative solutions to solving problems. Heroes make use of their creativity, and act in the best interest of the public. Heroes stand out from the crowd in that they represent the public for their passion and determination for the greater good. Heroes are selfless.

An example of a hero known throughout the Marines who served in Iraq is Sgt. Rafael Peralta USMC Semper Fi. Peralta was a platoon scout who was selflessly volunteering to be on the frontline of clearing the streets and houses of terrorists, despite being not obliged to do so. Peralta got shot 3 times while raiding a room, and he blocked his juniors from a grenade despite his dying moments. Peralta took the full impact of the grenade by pulling the grenade that landed near him towards his body. As a result, 4 marines were saved and suffered minor injuries. Peralta’s selflessness and passion towards his job is truly heroic, and the fact that he wanted to be on the frontline means that he wanted to protect others by sacrificing himself.

Another example is Capt. Louis L. Millett. He dropped out of school at the age of 17 to server the army to fight for liberty. As America refused to take part in war, Millett deserted America and went to Canada to fight for liberation. Millett fought with bravery in war against the Chinese and Korean despite being wounded by a grenade attack, charging forth with bravery. Millett’s charge managed to subdue the Chinese and Korean and they fled.

Elizabeth Choy campaigned for the development of social services and family planning. She served as a second lieutenant in the women’s auxiliary arm of the Singapore Volunteer Corps. Elizabeth Choy continued with social work and school visits into her nineties, impressing young Singaporeans with the need to maintain strong national defence. She was also the first principal of the Singapore School for the Blind. She also smuggled medicine into the Changi Prison for the prisoners of war. This shows her selflessness for the people around her, as she risked her life to save the prisoners of war. She also educated people on the futileness of war and measures to protect Singapore in times of war. Elizabeth Choy’s selflessness towards the unfortunate people around her and her efforts towards the education of protection against war is a true act of heroism, as she has a greater interest in mind – protecting the innocent, standing for justice.

By weihock, wangbo, wangjie, sean chai, sean tay

Friday, July 2, 2010

Related videos ( Group 6)



Group 5: Mr Lim Chin Siong (Belicia, Gladys, Li-Jun, Linda)

The definition of a hero as provided by http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Hero is as follows: A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.”Selflessness is one of the key qualities of a hero.


Another definition is that a hero must be able to influence people, be a leader. He has to be a figure that people can look up to, a leading and shining example. Most of all, he has to be humble and not desire for power.


If he is in power, he must not come to power due to selfish motives, but be selected by the common people. Here is an excerpt of the obituary note on Mr Lim Chin Siong by Mr Lee Kuan Yew (The Straits Times, Feb 9, 1996), “I liked and respected him for his simple lifestyle and his selflessness… They were prepared to sacrifice everything for their cause, and many did.”


A major challenge faced by Mr Lim Chin Siong is that he faced many major setbacks by our esteemed Minister Mentor in politics. He was detained many times but after he came out, he still continued to fight for what he believed was right in politics. He was very determined to stand up for his beliefs and he led his group to fight against what he saw was wrong. This quality of his enabled him to persevere throughout his political career.


Though he was insulted and defamed throughout his career by his political rivals, Mr Lim Chin Siong has never stopped or hesitated in fighting for his cause, what he believed in. He was a charismatic person and was introduced by Mr Lee Kuan Yew as "future Prime Minister", though his reputation was later smeared by lies and accusations, next to none of them being true.



While this has led to many people thinking of Mr Lim Chin Siong as an anarchist or a Communist, he continued fighting for Singapore and its citizens, even though he was maligned. Most people would just give up, seeing that the people whom they fight for hates them, but Mr Lim perservered.
This has led to people who knew him to call him a hero.


Comment on Group 6 (General Aung San):

Group 6's post on General Aung San is well done as they have stated out points like how or what makes a hero and show how General Aung San fits the requisites of a hero. An example is that Group 6 says that a hero must always think of others first. Group 6 then shows that General Aung San thought for his people first as he became the prime minister and was willing to sacrifice himself for his country as evidenced by his assasination.

However, there is a problem in their statement, "Aung San displayed perseverance, courage and wisdom while he fights for the independency of his country.", as while they demonstrated his wisdom in foreseeing possible consequences his choices might cause, they did not show how General Aung San had perserverance and courage.

Overall, their post is well written and expresses their reasons as to why General Aung San deserves to be called a hero clearly and with little misunderstanding.

General Aung San (group 6)

Group 6: Pearlyn, Yen Ting, Fung Tein, Zhi Yun, Hue Kyee

General Aung San

What makes a hero?

From the dictionary, a hero is someone of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. To us, a hero is a leader. A hero must always think of others first. A true hero is always searching for a way to help others. A hero is a person that has applies the ability to change the world and contribute a lot to the society. Contribution can be helping out the needy people in the society. A simple gesture or a simple act of kindness can make a difference. There is also a Chinese saying, ‘The time produces their heroes’. It means that heroes are produced in times of trouble, and in our opinion, they do arise from special circumstances. Most importantly, a hero is a person that everyone can look up to. General Aung San is definitely one of them.

So what makes General Aung San a hero? Here is little information about him, General Aung San was the Myanmar nationalist leader and assassinated hero who was involved in securing Myanmar’s independence from Great Britain. Aung San had joined forces with the Japanese previously as they had promised to help him in gaining Myanmar’s independence. However, after being skeptical of Japanese promises of Myanmar independence, he switched allies and joined the Allied cause. After World War 2, Aung san was given a post in the military, but he declined it and became a civilian official instead. After some time, he became the prime minister in Myanmar even though he knew of the possible threats that are present. However, he pursued on, not for his sake, but for his country. He wanted independence for his country so much that he is willing to sacrifice himself for it, and had worked very hard for it.

Through his acts, we could say that General Aung San is a hero. He exhibits the values of courage and gallantry, thus we conclude that he is a true hero.

Challenges a hero face

A hero usually faces challenges that are nerve wrecking and dangerous, to test for their abilities and see if they are fit to be called a hero and earn people’s respect. Heroes have to be able to overcome their fear and obstacles with wisdom and courage. Without able to overcome their fears, they won’t be able to face the difficulties ahead, and might just cower and surrender to enemies. A true hero would face whatever challenges they are having and never give up. Without the right character, a person will not be called a hero, as they are no better than cowards.

Aung San is a good example of such a hero. He endured all the sufferings to help Myanmar gain independence. Aung San had difficult decisions to make when he allied himself with Japan, as he cannot ensure that joining the Japanese truly help in gaining the freedom of his country. From this, we can see that for one to make tough decisions, one need to have the wisdom and must be able to foresee the possible risks in the decision he makes. Although time proves to Aung San that joining the Japanese is a failure, he did not give up, but switched his allies instead. He did this for the freedom and happiness of his people, thus we can say that he is truly heroic.

Aung San displayed perseverance, courage and wisdom while he fights for the independency of his country. However, Aung San was assassinated by his political rival, U Saw, together with his colleagues, including his brother, putting a tragic end to the legacy of this hero. Although Aung San had died long ago, his selfless, gallantry, perseverance and courage had thrive on, and people of Myanmar will never forget him, and by the others.

Sources: www.dictionary.com
: http://www.myanmars.net/myanmar-history/general- aungsan.htm


Comments on Group 5 (Lim Chin Siong) post.

About Group 5's post, we learn who Lim Chin Siong was, and all his notable deeds to Singapore. Lim Chin Siong is a determined person with a strong mind. Group 5 did quite a good job in explaining how some people were objecting to his reign of authority, and how some others looked him as a hero.

From some personal research, it was known to us that Lim Chin Siong was accused being a Communist, and had led the Chinese Middle School riots. Though he was insulted by many, he fought for what he believed and that was courageous of him, even though it meant defying the wishes of many higher ranking officials which was stated quite clearly by Group 5 why others looked up to him as a hero.

Though Group 5 did not answer the question on ' Do heroes arise from special circumstances?', it was overall quite well done, and we are convinced that Mr. Lim Chin Siong was a hero with many values that we must learn from.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Saturday, June 26, 2010

MD Group 2- Adnan Bin Saidi

Group 2 members:
Lee Jiamin (6)
Ng Hui Lian (11)
Ng Kailing (12)
Soh Ginn Ling (16)




Q1: What makes a hero?
A hero has courage to protect his country and overcomes all obstacles that prevent him from achieving his goal.

Q2: What are the conditions to be a hero?
An Honourable Hero is one that is honest, courageous and loyal to his country.

Heroes are people who are sincerely helpful to his country and her people, with a pure heart and mindset, with no scheming motive, even if they are being forced under circumstances to fulfil his duty for his country.

Heroes don’t emerge under special circumstances. They are there all along but they are just waiting for the right conditions and right timing (for example, when the country with weak governing system is in need) to discover their potential and emerge into the world. Much like a butterfly emerging from the chrysalis.

Q3: What challenges does a hero face?
True heroes suffer from humiliations from the under-estimations of his abilities.
Heroes are often sacrificed, but they do not bow down and surrender to the enemies, in order to keep his life.

True heroes are ready to sacrifice themselves to protect what he holds dear and shoulders the burden of the responsibility to protect his surrounding people.

His decision to help, affects everyone, more or less. People doubted his abilities, his pure motive and protest against whatever he proposes to save the country and her people.

External threats from other countries, that do not want to see these heroes succeeding, will do their best and carry out their scheming motive to undermine his heroine effort. Sometimes, even assassinate the heroes to eliminate them once and for all from this world.

Also, there might be a time limit on this hero’s actions. He also needs to consider the best ideas to carry out his motives within the limited time so that it will not harm the country in any way such as politically, economically and socially.

Q4: What are the challenges faced by these heroes such as Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi?
-The Battle of Pasir Panjang

He suffered from the humiliation of the Japanese soldiers, though, he’s struggling to defend and, his will is determined, to protect his country and never bow down to the vicious enemy.

The challenges he faced was: there was a shortage of gunpowder and bullets in comparison to the Japanese soldiers. Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi own meagre supplies and army of soldiers are incomparable to the Japanese army who has thousands and millions of well-prepared and fully-armed soldiers. Not to mention, his army was heavily outnumbered by the Japanese army too.

The threats that he encountered was his men fighting with him was rapidly gun shot one by one and his manpower was forced to eventually decreased to a handful. Since he had run out of gunpowder and bullets, fighting against Japanese guns and canons with bare hands are obviously said to be futile.

Japanese was known to have the newest inventions and technologies ahead of Malays, thus in utmost advantage, the Japanese army has abundant supplies and countless guns and canons to blast their way through. Without a doubt, the Malay Regiment, with their limited resources, will not stand a chance against them.

Q5: How does Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi’s quality help him to overcome the challenges he faced?
In the Battle of Bukit Chandu, he treat his men as buddies who vowed protect the country as one, going through thick and thin together; instead of being treated as slaves who are just merely given orders on how to defend the country and forced to join the Malay Regiment.

In the Battle of Pasir Panjang, he positioned his troops in an advantageous position and gave clear and determined instructions to his men.

His men were greatly influenced by his strong will of protecting what he holds dear to--- his COUNTRY. Thus they stayed bonded as one with Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi and respect his decisions in what ever commands he gave to them. Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi trusted his men; he had never doubted them or their abilities. This is the one of the qualities that helps him overcome the challenges ahead. As a team, you’ll have to trust one another in order to succeed. Moreover, the Malay Regiment was made up of men being FORCED to defend their country, to contribute labour OUT OF THEIR FREE WILL, thus cooperation was really the key to victory here.

They are united and stand as one, they will never abandon Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi, even when he said they’ll fight the armed Japanese with bare hands. In their hearts, although, they’d knew all along that they would end up dead or tortured alive, and that the percentage of them winning the battle is very little, they refused to give up that bit of flickering hope, because their leader, Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi, did not and would never surrender to the likes of the Japanese army (determination to strive on). Although, he was shot, he still carried on fighting with his bare hands. Perhaps the soldiers from the Malay Regiment was afraid to die, because, since they’re being forced to join the army, they’ve left their families, left their wives and children behind, so they can’t bear to die; we’ll never know, but one thing’s for sure, they fought fearlessly with Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi till the very end.

He gave them the final order when all their hopes were lost that they would fight till the very last man. His motto was to be courageous and truthful to his country. Even under the threats encountered by them, Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi proclaimed: “Our Malay Regiment Army, fight in their uniforms; and die in their uniforms; we will NOT BE HUMILIATED!” and “to prove our loyalty to our country, we will now shed blood on this battlefield.” Lieutenant Adnan Bin Saidi’s determination and his ever persistent will to fight on gave him courage and the strength to face the enemies, and even though he was ‘defeated’ physically, but mentally victory was on his side. This can be proved by his refusal to surrender to the bloody hands of the Japanese enemies and thus had to suffer the crude torture, by being hanged on a tree till their body rot and turn to ash, they gave him as the consequences. His true bravery is remembered by all.