Mikhail Gorbachev and the Collapse of Communism

Mikhail Gorbachev- born in march 2 1931, and became a part of the communist party at 1952. During the 1990s because of economic collapse, communist parties had to end control over the government. During the time Gorbachev had been elected president. He served as the last head of state of the USSR. His reforming lead to the end of the cold war but also led to the end of communist authority in the soviet union. After wards during Christmas day 1991 he resigned his role as president of USSR and won a noble peace prize for breaking down the iron curtain. Europe's political mad took a drastic change. The Berlin wall was torn down and Germany was a whole again.

"We Only Have a Common Future,"~Mikhail Gorbachev

Gorbachev went on to create the Gorbachev Foundation and the Green Cross organization.He was one of the most influential statesmen in the 20th century.

Nelson Mandela and Apartheid

-South Africa under apartheid laws-

Apartheid laws segregated and separated South Africa by racial discrimination from European conquerors. After Colonization of Africa, every one wanted their hands on Africa's resources. Eventually almost all of Africa's land was lost and over taken.

Apartheid laws first occurred under British during the 19th century. Blacks would move into tribal regions which would be controlled by white men. As well as the Africans would be bounded to the area. They would also be forced to have tags at all time. All financial and educational needs were limited to many. Later on voting became a myth to Africans and along with it the rights of the people were gone in an instant. Many other races were also treated with the same actions. Half a million people had been forced to resettle.

Women unfortunately had to face sexist and racial discrimination. The combined affect lead to women having no jobs. Dieing of malnutrition, weak babies being born, and sanitary issues which lead to sickness among them. This and the addition of a law in 1923 separated families. Men were forced to work in urban areas while women in rural areas and African birth rates decreased.

-Mandela-

After primary growth of Apartheid, Mandela had joined politics to suppress the series of Apartheid laws and its followers. Mandela studied methods of non violence from New Delhi during the 100th anniversary of Gandhi's satyagraha teachings. After wards he became committed to his purpose in anti-apartheid by using nonviolent methods. In 1956 Mandela and 150 other commuted brothers were captured and put behind bars. After many trails called the treason trials of 1956-1961. Afterwords Mandela was soon made a leader of ANC (African national congress) and starts many guerrilla war-fares around South Africa. Since Mandela followed Gandhi he would make sure even as a last resort to fighting, there would be no deaths. He later admitted that non-violent actions led him no where and did not advance his progress. Mandela was later caught and sentenced to 5 years in prison. Later on he was imprisoned for about 18 more years in Robben Island. On feb, 2, 1990 he was released by the State president. Right after release Mandela took a position in ANC once again. Finally he had decided to run for presidency and won by multi cultural decision.

African Independence

In 1847 only Libya was independent from British control. then later on Egypt earned its independence. The people of Africa started to take back their lands. Soon during the 1960s many countries were independent from all over central and north area of Africa. some parts of western Africa was had earned independence and lost it. Later slavery grew around the area as well as lessened in other areas. As Africa started to decolonize its countries, the second largest Continent started to gain its freedom back. In 1961 Rwanda and sierra got its independence. Tanzania grew and Algeria became simultaneously independent too. By 1963 almost half of Africa was independent countries with only a portion of colonies. The only major country left a colonies was Rhodesia.

Egypt being a great ancient area and filled with glorious water from the streaming Nile and its legends of scorpions and kings, was finally independent in 1922. After the ancient society fell, the ottoman empire took over in 1517. After well along 200 years later napoleon takes control of the historical country. Then in 1882, the British takes over France's control over Egypt. The British were attacked by Italian forces but the attacks failed. As Italy tried to seize control over canals and trade routs, their plans were high but they lacked the firepower and control.Thus Egypt had been over run and unable to take full control of itself until 1922, which was such a tremendous victory for Africa's strengthening.

One of the most memorable acts during this rebirth Africa used English and African tactics. As individual countries continued to gain independence more of the colonists and controlling countries went back or became more stationed towards the cold war and advancement. Africa also had one of their greatest leaders freed. Nelson Mandela becomes president of South Africa. After wards apartheid rule decreased massively. Rules started to change and the country was hit by SWAPO guerrilla raids from neighboring countries.

In 1900 south Africa had a growth rate that close to japans. After cold war parts of Africa had help from different superpowers. Northern Africa had much help from soviet military. Southern and central Africa gained the support from both or either France and united states. Since Africa had been under various control, the continent adapted many religions and was a multi- cultural continent. After much change Africa to this day has failed to rise the economic ladder and has become one of the poorest and most undeveloped country.

Film Lesson: "The Right Stuff"

The Right Stuff~A film about the Cold war


THE COLD WAR
The cold war is a war where countries faced off one and other by technological, economical, nuclear and space advances. Serious countries started to shape foundations for research. Countries were creating more opportunities for its citizens in a new way and all in good idea of advancing as well. The countries would use these researches to later on send the first satilite in space, thus starting the space wars! The US started their facilities as well after the news about a satellite in space. Ready to compete the US gathered the toughest men and gave them the opportunity to become the first astronauts. After many cumulative rocket tests, we finally took the idea of it being currently risky to send humans into space so we sent a monkey. We reached space before Russians could but they had later reached it with a man aboard. Angered America had started to strive to climb a higher peak. The peaks of the moon!!!

NATO and The Warsaw Pact

NATO is group of mutual defense needs made by countries in Europe and north America. Created after WW2 to help rebuild countries and helping to keep order intact. NATO started by 12 countries coming together to sign the North Atlantic Treaty. When Germany was unable to be rebuilt, air plains dropped supplies to some of communist Germany's areas and other parts. US made the idea stand that they didn't want another war. So NATO was created for the communist expansion to seize in a way. The western free un-communists had made their stand so now the communist countries had to face them. The eastern communist had now created the Warsaw Pact. Thus the beginning of a non aggressive fight started. The cold war had started!

The soviet union communist party- one of the biggest communist organizations, started in October 1917 by Joseph Stalin and ended in a 1991 coup d'etat. Thought one of the toughest systems is a communist system, as it says that its a workers union type "balanced society" when in reality almost every thing is under state control. The system of the Russian communism worked very tricky. Every 1-5 years a new congress would be set. Once set into motion the central figures would elect a Politburo. A Politburo is technically like the head rule maker in a sort of way and has a lot of power(president-like).

Film Lesson: "Schindler's List"

A movie which describes the holocaust in a different view. Less then a documentary this movie was a Hollywood version, so more viewers would be entertained while watching it. It described the genocide of the Jewish by the hands of Germany is a subtle way by showing the sign of hope as a man name Schindler. As Schindler runs a major factory he tries and saves as many Jews as possible. Knowing the risk he has taken after the war is over and the remaining Jews are sent to exile, Schindler frees his workers and leaves the scene. The movie is very powerful and as gruesome as "Night and Fog". It does have a sort of noticeable symbolism as the movie shows a Jewish girl who is wearing a reddish jacket. The girl dies at the end of the movie but I still fail to fully understand her symbolism in the movie. Perhaps she was meant to show how even the children were tortured and the strong willed and spirited were destroyed and burned. Overall i felt it as a disturbing tragedy and hatred towards what happens. Words as I have spoken are only half of the things of what to say about the events of what a madman(Hitler) had done to innocents.

Film Lesson: "Night and Fog"

 A documentary that shows the viewer how the Nazi killed the Jewish. The movie also described Hitler's ideologies. The movie starts off with showing Jews being stuffed into trains and taken to camps. Viewers would be taken through the holocaust's events. 
The movie shows how as the final means of genocide. At first Hitler plans to force the Jewish to work. Since Germany was in war they needed workers, lither used Jews to work in the ghetto and in factories. The second step was to send the Jews to concentration camps. Most of the jews had died of starvation and others were torched by the German and killed. The extermination ended with many thrown in to gas chambers. The movie describes the certain persecutions the Jewish had to go through and how the Jewish were forced into trains that would take them to their demise. The full outcome of the trauma would be a immense decrease of the Jewish populace and the creation of a new country where the Jews could reside in new prosperous land.