There are three main schools of thought that trace the origins of the Cold War. The Orthodox view is that "the intransigence of Leninist ideology, the sinister dynamics of a totalitarian society, and the madness of Stalin" (Doc 1) cause the Cold War. The Revisionists claim that "Ameri...

In 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed as a nation state. Although, in retrospect, this seemed the likely outcome after years of economic stagnation, political corruption, and most importantly, the collapse of all pro-Soviet communist regimes in Eastern Europe by 1989, no one expected it (Pa...

"War! Good God ya'll! What is it good for?! Absolutely nothing! Listen to me!" To whomever have heard the lyrics of Edwin Starr's War is likely to have had some opinion formulated about how war is a destructive force in itself. In a world where power is absolute and idolized like an omnipotent force...

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 was a pivotal political event of the 20th century that signaled the eclipse of a major political and economic ideology of the 20th century, i.e., Communism, and left the United States as the sole and unchallenged superpower in the world. Most political analys...

'How did collectivism and industrialisation affect the lives of the people in the Soviet Union during the 1930's?' Stalin's approach 'socialism in one country', created a great need for developing the industrial and military might of the Soviet Union. However h...

Sputnik and Its Effects on America When the Soviet Union launched the sputnik in 1957, the United States was changed in many ways such as Education, Daily life, the acceleration of the United States' plan for their program and the effects of the cold war. There were many precautions...

The Cold War was caused by many factors which each contributed to the uncertainty and instability of the situation between the America and the Soviet Union. While there were many important factors, only a few stand out as prominent causes of the conflict. First, the decision by America...

Modern European Economics German Reunification- On October 1989 the East German government was in crisis. President Honecker resigned, and his successor, Egon Krenz, promised to give Germany a reform. November 9, it was decided that the Berlin wall no longer served as a function, and east and we...

The Cuban revolutionaries, led by Fidel Castro, took over the Cuban government on December 2, 1959 and put a strict communist regime into effect. In the midst of the cold war, this Soviet ally so close to American soil is a major cause of fear. The revolution was the outcome of the oppressive rule...

By early 1918 in Russia, the Bolsheviks controlled only the north-western area of the Russian Empire (Petrograd and Moscow) together with the areas between and around them. Various opposition groups were formed against the Bolsheviks, under the new Provisional Government. The provisional governmen...

The historical impact of Operation Barbarosa cannot be denied. The Soviet victory over the Nazi German invaders set up the Soviets as a world superpower and set the stage for the Cold War. Had the Germans not attacked, the Russians may not have gained their dominance in Eastern Europe, and the Wars...

The Atomic Bomb Kaboom! In an instant two kilometers of a thriving downtown city are leveled. At the hypocenter the pressure exceeds thirty-five tons per square meter and the air is swirling at four hundred forty meters per second. The above is an accurate description of the destruction tha...

Terrorism and Politics What events led up to the disaster of September 11th? Being a member of the public I can only draw conclusions from what the media has told us and try to make sense of it all. I believe there were several aspects that led to the attacks on September 11th. The tendency o...

The government, whether we think about it or not, plays a very significant role in all of our lives regardless of our ethnic background. Though there are many differing forms of government, they affect our lives in the same way. Changes in how the government works slowly begin to effect how we car...

Meltdown On Saturday, April 26, 1986 at 1:23 am, the worst nuclear power plant disaster in history occurred at the Chernobyl Unit 4 reactor in the Ukraine, former Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR). The Chernobyl accident was the product of a severely flawed reactor design, one that could ne...

Communism and Socialism have had an invaluable and profound effect on the Twentieth Century. These two forms of government have challenged the beliefs of other governments. They have created conflict and sparked controversy. However, these two forms of governments are influential in the fact that th...

Imperialism,World War I and Revolution and Nationalism I) As some of us know what imperialism is, I would like to start you off with a definition for those who may not know what it is or what it means. Imperialism is a policy that one strong nation wants to take over or dominate other countr...

In the years following the end of the Cold War, many historians and social scientists have written accounts of what were some of the causes and effects of this period when the threat of war was almost always present. One such person was Melvyn Leffler and his work, The Specter of Communism, which ...

The Media and the Use of Propaganda in War In researching the existing literature pertaining to the issue of the media and propaganda, there must first be proper definitions for the terms 'propaganda' and 'media' in the context of politics and war. Next follows an analysis ...

Throughout Russian history there have been many leaders who have tried to implement reforms to help shape the future of their nation. In doing so, some of these leaders have left a legacy for history books and scholars to contemplate. Alexander II, Nikita Khrushchev, and Mikhail Gorbachev each sou...

Analysis of the "Four Idols": Insights on Truth- and Knowledge-Seeking from Novum Organum by Francis Bacon In the philosophical discourse entitled "Novum Organum," scientific philosopher Francis Bacon elucidated on the importance of experience as the primary and ultimate source ...

The breakup of the Former Soviet Union has forced those now independent states into a state of confusion. Republics that were once one nation now are separate governments. They now must compete for trade alliances, industrial resources, financial resources, and most importantly, agricultural resou...

Although the Cuban economy may be thought of as a complete failure, the command system structure can still be an effective way of creating a successful economy. From the 1960s revolution to the 1990\'s collapse of Russia, the Soviet Union managed to maintain the Cuban economy by trading them sugar ...

Political and economic reasons: During the period of the development of the atomic bomb, the Allied troops were planning to launch a combined offensive against the Empire of Japan. The Soviet Union sought control in the governance of Korea and Manchuria in exchange for entering the war against Japan...

Hist. 5240james martelH. W. Brands claims that, " the burden of responsibility for the cold war rested on the United States, the more powerful of the two countries, and the one with less to fear from the other." (The Devil We Knew: Americans and the Cold War, 1993) This statement stems from the ide...