Mikhail Gorbachev and the end of Communism

Glasnost is a policy that opened up the Soviet Union to discuss the economic and political problems of the country itself.

Perestroika is a Russian word that means restructuring, which refer es to the reforms in the Soviet Union. Perestroika itself was a policy so that the Soviet Union could change the economic and political system.

To open up the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, opened Churches and allow books to be published that were normally band. He also allowed the people of the country to talk openly about ways to improve there homeland. This allowed the people to complain publicly about problems. Also he let managers have more control over there won farmland and such. He also allowed the people to choose from a list of people for the legislative body. This was an improvement because before the Communist part use to chose everyone in the body.

Collapse of Communism

Communism collapsed in USSR ands East Europe because it just wasn't the greatest way to run a country. The method only sounded great on paper or word of mouth but when put into action it all crumbled and failed. People got tried of working more then someone else yet getting the same pay. Most figured it easy to just not do anything and they'll still get paid.

The Berlin wall in Germany was another major problem. The Berlin Wall separated East and West Germany. You see, East Germany was a communist country and didn't want anyone to enter there part of Germany. Another purpose of the Berlin Wall, was to stop people from coming in because East Germany wanted that. Those that tried to cross to the other side were shot. After 28 years of being blocked by one another they began to make certain holes within the wall for traveling. Luckily it didn't stop there. More and more holes were put for more traveling and even for walking though. On 1989, did the wall finally come down.

The USSR eventually collapsed. It soon broke into fifteen different Republics when the people revolted, which were Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Lativa, Lithuania, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Because of the collapse in USSR it affected the economy greatly, because now people had to do this for themselves. Seeing as they were under the government control for so long and the government gave then what they wanted, the people didn't have that anymore. They had to find jobs, the higher paying the better they also had to fend for themselves.

When the USSR the world became more relaxed but at the same time more rioty. Relax because people stopped worrying about getting hit by atomic weapons and didn't fear an atomic war anymore. But at the same time rioty because people turned against cummunism and anger mobs forms to destroy things that reminded them about communism.

Creation of Israel

Zionism was a national movement were people got together [mostly the Jewish] to fight for a Jewish homeland. As more and more Jews got together the closer they were to getting want they wanted, to getting there own country. The goals they had did come true, and soon enough they got Israel.

However. When the Jews did get there own homeland, they got it in a wrong place. Israel was surrounded by places they hated the Jews. The countries that boarded Israel didn't want the Jews to have there own country right there. There was so many other places were the Jews could have been put but they were sadly put there. Since the boarder countries didn't want to Jew there not even a week before the Jews got settled, were they attacked by there neighbor countries.


There are many reasons why got groups of people disliked each other. One, it was normal for humans to dislike one another. Others can be that different believes and way of living. But its much more deeper then that. A long, long time ago time ago when God promised land to Abraham land to his offspring. Well, Abraham had two children. The Israelis believed they were the descendants of one of the children and the Palestinians believed they were the descendant of the other child. Both groups thought that the land was rightfully theres becasue God promised the land to the offspring of Abraham. What does this mean? Both group of people want the land because it has religious meaning to them and both groups believe they are descendant of Abraham children.

Nelson Mandela and Apartheid

Apartheid is a segregation of people. Most of the time it was used to seperate non white [the colored] with white people. I believe it was a horrible thing because it was not only used to seperate people, but races, believes and way of life. It was mostly used in America at one point were the blacks where free but were still treated unequally because everything was seperate for them. Apartheid was also used before the African Independence, with one again the white [British people that stayed in Africa after most the British people left and the African people.

Nelson Mandela is a hero to the African people becasue of what he did. He freed the African people from Apartheid and got them out of British rule. He made it so that everyone in Africa had an equal opportunity, in a way of life and living. He pretty much abolished unfair workings in Africa once he got power. Authors of the site admire Nelson because of his life struggles [being put in jail for a large amount of time]. Also, because of his way of doing so, he didn't get this whole be war thing going, but did he somewhat like Gandhi did, the only difference is he did his politically. Anyway, he's an amazing man because he freed his country from unfair treating.

African Independence

Africa over the year did in fact change. At first it was all ruled by the African people. Then when the industrial revolution started in England they were taken over and ruled by the whites. Only very very few countries in Africa stayed independent everything else was ruled by the British. However, as the years passed African rebelled against the British rule and little by little they were getting back there land. In 1955 - 1960, the British just left most of the African colonies. Only very few stayed. But in a small amount of years Africa was overall freed from the British rule.

9th Grade Review - Neolithic Revolution

The Neolithic Revolution was the first agricultural revolution. It made hunters into farmers and hunting/gathering into farms and farmlands. Before the Neolithic Revolution people would go about hunting animals for food and would never stop going from place to place. When the animals were scares in a certain area the people would just move along never settling down. But because of the Neolithic Revolution people began to stop moving all around and began to build homes to stay in. Most of the time they settled near water because the soil was filled with water and such. Also the soil near the water was an ideal place to grow crops and take care of animals. Because people began to settle, civilizations grew and with it a social, political and economic system arose as well. The Revolution also made a surplus of foods because everyone farmed for themselves, in order to life not to make money. Not only that but since there was so much and there diets were much better, people lived a bit longer, thus the population grew as well. Lastly, there were technology advances among the people, there weren't like computer and such, but forks, spoon and knife made out of wood, or bones from animals they ate. On that note: the people also learned how to tame animals in farms, so they wouldn't have to hunt for them but they'll be right there at there disposal. Telling stories also became a part of it since people had free time. Well sort of.

The European Union

After many wars and blood shed most European leaders thought that the best was to keep peace in Europe was to unify nations so they'll have the same economy and political values. The European Union was shortly made, and it consisted of 25 different nations. The creation of the European Union was a good thing because all 25 European nations used the Euro, so there was no fighting for which currency was greater. It also made traveling a lot easier because before the union people had to stop at each boarder to enter the country but now they could simply pass thought because the nations trust each other. Also work was found a lot easier because now people from a different nation could work in another nation. Fighting rarely or better said, never occurred.

Film Lesson - "The Right Stuff"

In the movie "The Right Stuff" the United States and the Soviet Union were competing on who can put the first person on the moon and who can get most things done before the other. This completion between the two countries was called the Space Race.

In the Space Race, the Soviet Union was winning. They were able to get the first satellite in space. The Soviets were also able to get the first man in space as well. His name was Yurr Gagarin. But then the United States pulled ahead with getting the first man on the moon and getting the first monkey in space. The United States was also able to orbit the earth up to seven times. The sence in the film that will help me remember the Cold War was when the United States had all the rocket test and one by one they failed and blew up. But soon enough they got it to go up without blowing up.

Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis was when the Soviets secretly put missiles in Cuba, because they were behind in the race for arms by 1962. The Soviets believed that if they put missiles in Cuba they would have a better strategic arsenal. They also did it to protect the Island if it was going to get invaded. Soon after by American spies, was President Kennedy was informed about the missiles in Cuba. Then on October 22, President Kennedy told the public. [Which I think he shouldn't have done because the people began to get more scared of the things around them. I think it would be better to keep everyone calm and live there lives and normally as they can.] Kennedy then got a letter from Khrushchev stating that if the Soviet take the missiles out of Cuba then the United States must promise to not invade Cuba. A second letter came soon after. Telling Kennedy that not only must he promise not to invade Cuba but to take there missiles out of Turkey. The second letter was shot down so the US only agreed to the first. On October 28, Khrushchev entered the missiles in Cuba back to the Soviet Union.

The Cuban Missile Crisis was the hottest point in the Cold War because a nuclear war was so close. The missiles were so close and everyone knows if one place is getting bomb the nations that sent the bomb is going to get a bomb. And because of NATO, the nations were going to defend each other. So if one bomb went off , many were going to go off weather people liked it or not. Also, since Kennedy told the public about the missiles in Cuba the people, must have been so much more afraid at night and mother's for there children. To combat this crises Kennedy tried to take out the missiles out of Cuba in a peaceful way.

Above, you would see a U-2. This plane was used before and after the crisis. One was shot down over Cuba, which caused the second letter stating the removal of missiles from Turkey.

NATO and The Warsaw Pact

The NATO, which is short for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was a group of countries that came together in order to protect one another. The NATO stated that when one of the countries were attacked the other countries would come to there rescue. In other words it gave the nations a defense if they were ever attacked by another country. The NATO was also used to rebuild the nations because at the end of world was two, everything was a mess, not only that but it was used to make everyone happy and not hate each anymore. The nations involved in the NATO were most European nations and the United States as well as Canada. Another pact made was the Warsaw Pact which included Russia and other satellite countries. The Warsaw Pact was made because of the NATO and it was used for mostly the same reasons. But unlike the NATO the Warsaw Pact was a bit horrid. Seeing as Russia attacked countries from the Warsaw Pact. It fell apart of course an in 1991 it just disappeared.

The United States formed the NATO and soon after many Europeans countries joined. The Warsaw Pact was made by Russia six years after the NATO was made.

Film Lesson: "Night and Fog"

Most of the time I was disturbed by the images of the movie. It wasn't the fact that it was before me but because it was real. It wasactual footage of the Holocaust and things like that you don't see everyday. Okay you never, see things like that on the street since the mass killing of Jewish people, which is down right wrong -despite what living Nazi's might say. I was shocked most of the time, because in Schindler's List he didn't show how when the USA, British, and French won, what they did. How they found hundreds of Jewish people, just dead and they had to make huge graves for hundreds and just throw them in there. It was so sad, really.

The documentary does a better job in my opinion. Yes, the Hollywood version is much more depressing because you being to feel for the 'people' and you sort of get to know them. I bet, when everyone saw the little girl dead they felt seriously bad
and wished the mass killing of the Jews never happened. But as much as it was great and as much realistic the director tried to make it, something can never compared to the real thing. The documentary had real footage, such it didn't have a plot or a story line like the Hollywood one with a man named Schindler - he was real nonetheless. But the documentary mainly focused on the murder of the Jews and what happened to them and for me that's more history then a plot or story line. Just getting the information like the documentary gave you, is a great way to learn.

Film Lesson: "Schindler's List"

To me Schindler's List, illustrated the Holocaust just like someone would have picture it after read a textbook about it. Too me, the first time I read about Hitler and his goal to have the Jewish race genocide I was dumbstruck. And while I read about what the Nazi party did to accomplished such a goal, vivid images of what it was like back then disturbed my mind. People being burned and such wasn't a pretty thing to imagine at any age. But what really pissed me off when reading about it, was the fact that the Nazi killed them, but then reused the Jewish body for soap and carpet production. Anyway, the way the Holocaust was illustrated for me was much, much worst from what I pictured when reading about it. The history and the process the Germans when the Jews through was there, right in front of my face. For most of the video I was horrified of the images before my very eyes. I was happy for my safety but at the same time sadden because of what the Jews were put through. Even though it was a long time ago, I felt sympathy for those millions of Jews that died for nothing.

I love little kids. I believe they are the cutest little things that walk the earth, the meanest but still cute nonetheless. Because of my admiration of children the most powerful scene in the movie was with this little girl in a pinkish dress. I first saw her around the beginning, or mid-way to the middle of the movie. I don't really know. But she was walking on the streets completely alone in the ghettos. The Jewish people were just leaving, well being taken out by force, and the little girl hid under a bed. She was the cutest little girl, ever. A part of me wanted her to live throughout the whole movie. Those hopes were crushed later on. The girl was dead when reaching the around the end of the movie, when they were burning the bodies. The little girl was on a carriage with a bunch of other dead people. I was struck. A wave of sadness rushed through me. The scene was so depressing because a little girl like that died, for nothing. I know I will forever remember that. Some other would have to be when they women were sent to cut there hair. They were all sat down, and a women behind them would just being cutting away there hair. It was a sad scene. Lastly, there was one part where this women was trying to build this building correctly. She went to the commander and told him that the foundation was incorrect and that the building would fall if they kept building it like that. She was simply shot in the head in front of her fellow Jews. It was sad and so wrong.

What you are seeing on the right is the little girl.
She is walking alone about the streets.
Unprepared for the fate of death that awaits her.

US Atomic Bombing of Japan in 1945

After I read the article given to read, I still thought the bombing of two Japan cities in world war one was the news of the century of that time, and it still probably is due to the fact there was no other time when atomic bombs were dropped. [Thank God for that]. I believe it is still the biggest new of the century for many reasons, but I'll only state a few because it's my opinion and some could think different about the bombings. First off, it was the first and the only time thus far that a bomb that destructive was dropped on people. The bomb had such destructive powers, it made American seem like a bunch of barbarians. On top of that, many innocents lives were ended. Women and little children were killed and they had nothing to do with the war in the first hand. Lastly, the after math of the war was scary. Many peopled that survived from the bomb soon died of diseases and the radiation. And you know what the kicker is? This happened twice, not once but twice on the same group of people. Thus far I can not think of bigger news then this, seeing as an atomic bomb has not been dropped again. This is a good thing because the bombs have become a lot stronger then World War two and the damages done must be greater now.

I would put the bombing of the World Trade Center because it killed many people. Also, it was a surprise attacked that destroyed the hopes of many American's and ruined many lives. To add with that, many people went 'missing' because there bodies weren't found - probably they were burned to ashes. Many fireman and such also died from the smoke during and after the towers feel. WTC is a big deal because it was an amazing building, and probably the highlight of New York City and now it is gone. [Plus, the time it took to build was now for nothing.]

This picture [left] is the aftermath
of the bombing. It was taken
September 24, 1945.








This picture [right] is the
World Trade Center bombing.
September 11

Germany at War - WW II

Propaganda :: It is information of some sort, intentionally spread about. Propaganda, is usually in advertisements and newpapers. Cartoon and such are used as well. These information spread are normally rumors to either help or harm a group of people, movements happening and even a nation.

The poster says Eucopas Sieq dein Wohlstand. But thats in German, but in English it means Europe's Victory is Your Prosperity. It was made in 1941 by the Nazi party, probably to encourage its troops at war and at home. The poster is saying how Germany is taking over and what Hitler wants as his own land. Germany is illustrated as this dominate nation while the border nations are weaker. The cross with the name of England's leader, shows how Germany 'defeated' the British. The man being punched is probably Stalin and the poster is showing, how Germany is fighting them.

The Treaty of Versailles (ended WW I)

World War One was a a bloody war, many lost there lives and for what? To not lose and being took over. Okay maybe that doesn't sounds so bad of a cause but still you can't not disagree that the thing that started the war was rather pointless. There were two teams, The Triple Entente, which were the British, French and the Russians as well as the Triple Alliance which consisted of Germany, the Ottomen Emprise and Autria-Hungary. The war lasted for servel year, Russia dropped out and in one point Itlay came into the war but dropped out as well. When the USA entered was when the killing finally stopped. They defeated Germany and there allies thus the Treaty of Versailles was 'born'. The Treaty took place in France in the Castle of Louis the fourteen. The Treaty of Versailles said that Germany must take all blame for the twar. Personally I think that's ridicolus becasue they weren't the only ones doing the killing, firing gun shots. They also had to pay for all the damages caused in the war, which in a result had made Germany go into debt because after losing all its resoures. Also because of the Treaty, Germany began to hold a hatered for the countries that put all these restrictions and such. The feelings Germany had because of it, World War 2 was on the hirizon.

The treaty effected Germany a lot. It had to pay billions in damages and at the same time keep it's nation from going bankrupted. Which was hard to do because the cost for repairing were really high. At the time as well, the Great Depression came along, and it became a lot harder for Germany to stay stable. On top of that because of the limit of there army that was put on them, they could have been easily over-powered. Germany also lost all of it's gained land and colonies. The colonies was a very big blow because that's were Germany got a lot of there resources. Now that it was taken away from them, they had to reply on the resources around them. Some historians say it because Germany wanted revenge and because it was in a desperate need of a good leader that will help the nation. They basically followed any guy that would be good to the nation. Hitler it just so happened was that guy. Hitler became a "great" leader for Germany because the Germans believed him and all his promises. Hitler on the other hand had different plans wanting to take over the world and all. He was able to get it going because he had the hearts of the people.

Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) and the Modernization of Turkey

Mutafa was a hero of the first World War, even though he lost. After losing the war, the Ottoman Empire fell apart Turkey was one of the countires that arose. Mutafa lead his country and was considered the first President of Turkey. Mutafa Kemal or as his people called frim Ataturk, did odd things to make his country more modernized then what they had before. For example he didn't want his people to wear these odd looking type of hats, or as they called it - the fez. He wanted his people to wear more civilized hats, the ones the English people wore. He also wanted them to wear, shirts and ties, much like the British - in all he wanted them to be the dupicate of the British people. He wanted to openned minded about the British costumes and the type of clothes they wore. He wanted to be more secular unlike other countries. He didn't want his people to stick driectly to there believes, but have there distance from it - hence the type of clothes [hats] he wanted to wear. He wanted to hats to have a rim, unlike the ones they were first wearing. Secular, means not as religious as other places.

To the right is a picture of Mutafa Kemal, or as he was called by his people - Ataturk.

Film Lesson: "Gandhi"

When Gandhi was alive he was a great man with amazing ambitions and fantastic ways of achieving these goals he set for himself. We all know Gandhi for his heroic success in getting his country to independence. The amazing thing was unlike most places that got their independence Gandhi and his followers didn’t use violence but civil disobedience to gain a goal many places under British rule wanted. Civil disobedience was a benevolent way of doing something it is also the process of getting something without breaking laws that will end you up in jail. These civil disobedience were always ideas of Gandhi on how to destroy the British empire without force or violence on his side of the field - the field being the need for independence and the way of getting it. There were many ways in which Gandhi used civil disobedience in order to spark the flame, which will light the Indian’s gathering and need for independence. His first act I believe was when he got together a few people – more or so a public gathering but I chose not to think of it like that because then it would be breaking a law – and burned these papers they had to carry around that marked them. These papers told these people were they belonged in the food chain and such.

Gandhi didn’t like that, so he decided to burn them. It wasn’t against the law or anything of that sort, nor was he hurting anyone. So in his attempt of getting India free it was civil disobedience not only that but it was somewhat successful in its own way despite the fact not many burned there papers. It was successful because it alarmed people that a revolution was on the crisp of beginning. Another thing Gandhi and his followers did was a salt march. The salt march was this few hundred-mile walk Gandhi and those that followed him did because the British Empire taxed the salt. You see, salt was an important part of the Indians diet, because if they didn’t have salt they’ll be dehydrated. Anyway, they went to the ocean, got the water and waited so the water evaporated and what was left was salt. The Indians gathered it all and gave it to there fellow country-mates. Lastly he tired to tell his followers to not buy anything from the British, like clothes and such things. Instead to weave your own clothes. Gandhi himself devoted two hours a day to weave his clothes. That’s why you always see him wearing this white diaper looking thing.

Gandhi believed that non-violence was the answer. In one of his quote he even says 'an eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind'. This guy told Gandhi to use violence because the British were using it. But he didn't want to because it wasn't the answer. He didn't believe that you have to use violence to get what you want. Instead, he took all the hits and such, and so did his followers. Of course that is how it started and then they got tried of it and fought back. But Gandhi in order to stop it went on an extreme diet and because this man was so important the fighting in the Indians side stopped. Gandhi said that they have to endure the hits and though that the British would see they are wrong. It worked pretty well because as much as the British tried to break them for example they killed them and harmed them the Indians didn't fight back at all.

I think it was all about this man, because no one after him tried this path to gain independence. At least they weren't as successful as he was. Without him, the spark to start the "fight" wouldn't have been put if he wasn't for him. The rest of the Indians although detesting the British feared what they would do. So if it wasn't for Gandhi rising to the occasion India still would have been were it was years ago. However, it might have happened anyway, if he just went to the back of the train and not kicked off. But it would have taken maybe a few more years so a person would beginning to stand up to the British Empire. But I think that it was better that it happened early not a few year later like it would have happen if Gandhi didn't begin to define the British and there rule over India. I believe that world war two was taking place.