Page 30 - Global Project Management Handbook

1-12 STATE OF THE ART OF GLOBAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT

at 250 to 300 yards. The French made 14 to 16 charges against the English lines from
the start of the battle at 4:00 P.M. until the end of the battle at midnight. Casualties were
estimated to be 5000 for the French knights and Genoese crossbowmen and about 100
for the English.
The Battle of Grecy had political consequences in Europe. From a military hardware
perspective, the use of the longbow by the English forces proved superior to the traditional
crossbow and mounted-knight strategy of the French. Tactically, the Battle of Grecy
established the supremacy of the longbow on the battlefield and gave England standing as
a great military power. The longbow was responsible for vast changes in the nature of
medieval warfare. It made England the foremost power in Europe during the fourteenth
and fifteenth centuries. England won almost every battle fought through a skillful and
tactical use of massed archers and men-at-arms. On many occasions, the English troops
were outnumbered but still were able to win the battle. It was during King Edward’s vic-
tory at Caen, on the way to Grecy, that a “mooning” incident occurred. Several hundred
Norman soldiers “mooned” the English archers; many of these soldiers paid a painful
price for their display!

Some Significant Projects of the World

A few other projects that have changed the world include
● The Great Wall of China, built in segments over 2000 years, from 221 B.C. to A.D.
1644. It was constructed to keep out foreign invaders.
● The first Trans-Atlantic cable, constructed in three attempts from Valencia Harbor,
Ireland, to Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, starting in June 1857 and completed on July 27,
1866.
● Ancient Roman roads, a planned system of public roads around Rome constructed and
maintained by the state. The roads were constructed from different materials layered to
provide for durability. The roads ranged in width from 8 to 40 feet with ditches for good
drainage.
● The first steam engine (1704), built to pump water from mines. This engine used
atmospheric pressure to power the thrust of the piston (by cooling the steam to create

a vacuum). Later versions used steam to power the thrust of the piston.
● The Coliseum of Rome, constructed in the first century. The Coliseum was constructed
to a height of 160 feet and could seat about 50,000 spectators. Its purpose was for games
of entertainment.
● The catacombs of Alexandria, Egypt (second century A.D.), are the graves of a single
family. These catacombs, opposite of the Great Pyramids of Egypt, are more than
100 feet below ground at their lowest point.
● The dikes of Holland, started in the thirteenth century. The dikes of Holland are a form
of water management system that recovers land. The levees and dams retain the water
while windmills pump excess water out. This represents recovery and use of more than
160,000 hectares of land.
● The Siberian Transcontinental Railroad (1891–1905). This railroad was built to link
Moscow with Vladivostok in the east—a distance of some 6000 miles. This commercial
link aided in transporting materials in both directions.
● The railroad from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso, (1910–1982). This 156-mile railroad
rose to a height of 10,500 feet in the Andes Mountain Range to transport passengers