This link is to a biography of George Marshall, one of the creators of the Marshall plan. This adds to what we have learned in class because the Marshall Plan is a main part of the Cold War. The article mostly mentions Marshall's military and diplomacy achievements, but the most intriguing is the source of the biography;the biography is from the Nobel prize website, and the main heading is Marshall's award of the Nobel peace prize in 1953. This also provides a backdrop in terms of the Swedish view of the Marshall Plan. It is limited in the respect that a biography describing a man chosen for the Nobel prize would not be critical.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
SGQ11
IBSL2 SGQ11
Guiding questions:
Why did the Cold War spread from Europe to other parts of the world after 1950?
For what reasons, and with what results for East-West relations, did the superpowers become involved
in the affairs of one of the following: Korea; Vietnam; the Middle East?
What were the effects of the Korean War on international relations?
MWH p. 143-147
1. Background
a. Explain the evolution of control of Korea from 1910 to 1948
Japan had occupied Korea, so the US and Russia split up the country for the purpose of eradicating the Japanese. The US thought there would be free elections, but there was a disagreement and Korea became part of the Cold War conflict.
b. What was the leadership situation in Korea in 1949?
Russian and American troops withdrew themselves, and leaders from North and South Korea claimed themselves as leaders of the country.
2. Why did the North invade the South?
Possible answers:
a. Kim's idea - It was Kim's idea, inspired by the lack of a mention of Korea in the USA's list of countries to defend.
b. Chinese role - Kim was encouraged by the Chinese Communists.
c. Russian role - The Communists wanted to take over all of Korea
d. S. Korea's role - Syngman Rhee's troops crossed the 38th parallel.
3. What did the USA do?
Attacked.
a. Why did Truman decide to intervene?
i. Felt it was part of Stalin's Communist Revolution
ii. Remembered Hitler's policies, appeasement did not work
iii. Wanted to back the UN
iv. Was undergoing criticism from Republicans, had to dispel claims of Communist infenstation
b. What nations joined the US in support of S. Korea?
14 Countries of the UN, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
c. Briefly summarize the course of the war in 1950
When the UN went in, Korea was almost all Communist. They pushed it back to the border, then invaded North Korea.
d. How and why did China get involved?
Chinese felt Manchuria was threatened, summoned huge force to push UN troops back.
e. How did the war end?
Treaty with boundary lines around 38th parallel.
4. What were the results of the war?
a. Korea -
4 mil dead, 5 mil homeless, armed to the teeth
b. the US -
Truman felt containment was a success, Republicans felt they missed their chance for a North Korean invasion.
c. the UN -
Looked at by the Communists as a Capitalist tool.
d. China -
Huge military effort highlighted missing UN seat
e. the Cold War -
Asia now involved. Permanent conflict between USSR/China and US. SEATO created, fails.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
ToK/IRL
Can history provide a guide to understanding contemporary affairs? Can it provide a guide to the future? What might be “the lessons of history” for future generations?
History can provide a guide to understanding contemporary affairs, albeit a very rough one. Although historical events cannot be predicted exactly using past events, these past events do affect current ones. For example, censorship in China is discussed in a BBC article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8124735.stm . The specific way in which information would be censored (through the internet) was not a repeat of history, but the idea of censoring was existent in Communist China.
In some case the prediction is not very accurate at all, for example at http://worldatwar.net/timeline/other/league18-46.html it notes that Iraq and Iran joined a peace pact with other eastern nations, yet that fact alone cannot be used to predict today's middle eastern wars. Other knowledge is needed.
History can provide a guide to understanding contemporary affairs, albeit a very rough one. Although historical events cannot be predicted exactly using past events, these past events do affect current ones. For example, censorship in China is discussed in a BBC article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8124735.stm . The specific way in which information would be censored (through the internet) was not a repeat of history, but the idea of censoring was existent in Communist China.
In some case the prediction is not very accurate at all, for example at http://worldatwar.net/timeline/other/league18-46.html it notes that Iraq and Iran joined a peace pact with other eastern nations, yet that fact alone cannot be used to predict today's middle eastern wars. Other knowledge is needed.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
IRL11
http://worldatwar.net/timeline/other/league18-46.html
The Source above is a timeline of the League of Nations, including the countries that joined and exited, as well as events. It relates to our classwork because the actions of the League of Nations were a major cause of WWII. It adds a better sense of perspective to our knowledge. It is from a .net address, which means that it is not commercial. It also provides books as sources, and compiles data from the United Nations offices in Geneva. However it ends its history where the League of Nations becomes the United Nations.
The Source above is a timeline of the League of Nations, including the countries that joined and exited, as well as events. It relates to our classwork because the actions of the League of Nations were a major cause of WWII. It adds a better sense of perspective to our knowledge. It is from a .net address, which means that it is not commercial. It also provides books as sources, and compiles data from the United Nations offices in Geneva. However it ends its history where the League of Nations becomes the United Nations.
SGQ9
MWH p.69-84
1. Relations between Japan and China
a. Japanese invasion of Manchuria
i. why? Japan wanted to control the province
ii. who supported them? who was opposed? China against, British League of Nations rep. for
iii. what was done? Japan was given Port Arthur and part of Southern Manchuria
b. Japanese advance from Manchuria
i. explain - Japan started moving into Chinese territory, controlled a large area politically and economically by 1935.
c. Further invasions
i. explain - Japan starting invading other parts of China, Prime Minister could do nothing
ii. what did the League of Nations do? Condemned Japanese aggression but could not act.
2. Mussolini's foreign policy
a. 1923-1934 (summarize)
i. Attended the Locarno Conference
ii. Friendly towards Greece, Hungary, Albania
iii. Cultivated good relations with Britain
iv. Recognized the USSR as a country
v. Supported anti-Nazis
b. after 1934 - how had Mussolini's attitude changed? examples:
i. Britain and France's refusal to mention the Abyssinian crisis showed how self-centered they were
ii. The Italians invaded Abyssinia
1. what did the League of Nations do? They condemned Italy and banned supplies, but not coal and oil, so the Italians were still able to defeat the Abyssinians.
iii. Mussolini sent help to Franco during the Spanish Civil War
iv. Italy joined Japan and Germany against the other European countries.
v. He participated in the Munich agreement
vi. Italian troops occupied Albania
vii. Mussolini signed a full contract with Germany which promised Italy full military support.
3. Hitler's foreign policy
a. aims
i. Destroying the Versailles treaty
ii. Building up military
iii. Recovering lost territory
iv. Bringing all German speakers into the Reich.
b. successes
i. Hitler carefully moved himself out of the League and the World Diarmament Conference.
ii. Hitler signed a 10 year non-aggression pact with the Poles.
iii. The Autrian Nazis killed off their chancellor.
iv. The Saar was returned to Germany.
v. Hitler re-introduced conscription.
vi. Hitler signed a pact with Britain allowing a navy that was 35% of Britain's size.
vii. Hitler sent troops into the Rhineland and was met with only protests.
viii. Hitler signed a pact with Japan and later Mussolini.
ix. The Chancellor tried to make free elections in Austria after Nazi demonstrations, and Hitler had the Nazis invade. Austria became part of the Third Reich.
4. Appeasement
a. what is appeasement? summarize the two phases:
i. A vague feeling that war should be avoided, not very strict
ii. The making of claims through negotiation rather than force.
b. how was it justified?
i. It was "essential" to avoid war.
ii. Many felt Germany and Italy had genuine sorrows.
iii. Chamberlain thought disputes should be settled by personal contact between leaders.
iv. Economic co-op between Britain and Germany was beneficial to both countries.
v. Fear of communism was great, it was believed Nazi Germany could be a buffer against its spread.
vi. Britain was totally unprepared for a full-scale war.
c. what was the role of appeasement leading up to WWII?
i. No action was taken to check German rearmament
ii. The Anglo-German Naval agreement was signed
iii. Action against the Abyssinian invasion was half-hearted
iv. The French did not mobilize their troops
v. Neither Britain nor France intervened in the Spanish Civil War.
vi. Many Britians saw the Anschluss as the natural union of two German groups.
5. Munich to the outbreak of war
a. Czechoslovakia - what were the three steps to the conquest of Czechoslovakia?
i. The Propaganda Campaign in the Sutenland
ii. The Munich Conference
iii. The Destruction of Czechoslovakia
b. Poland - what were the two steps to the conquest of Poland?
i. Hitler demanded the return of Danzig
ii. Hitler invaded Poland
1. Relations between Japan and China
a. Japanese invasion of Manchuria
i. why? Japan wanted to control the province
ii. who supported them? who was opposed? China against, British League of Nations rep. for
iii. what was done? Japan was given Port Arthur and part of Southern Manchuria
b. Japanese advance from Manchuria
i. explain - Japan started moving into Chinese territory, controlled a large area politically and economically by 1935.
c. Further invasions
i. explain - Japan starting invading other parts of China, Prime Minister could do nothing
ii. what did the League of Nations do? Condemned Japanese aggression but could not act.
2. Mussolini's foreign policy
a. 1923-1934 (summarize)
i. Attended the Locarno Conference
ii. Friendly towards Greece, Hungary, Albania
iii. Cultivated good relations with Britain
iv. Recognized the USSR as a country
v. Supported anti-Nazis
b. after 1934 - how had Mussolini's attitude changed? examples:
i. Britain and France's refusal to mention the Abyssinian crisis showed how self-centered they were
ii. The Italians invaded Abyssinia
1. what did the League of Nations do? They condemned Italy and banned supplies, but not coal and oil, so the Italians were still able to defeat the Abyssinians.
iii. Mussolini sent help to Franco during the Spanish Civil War
iv. Italy joined Japan and Germany against the other European countries.
v. He participated in the Munich agreement
vi. Italian troops occupied Albania
vii. Mussolini signed a full contract with Germany which promised Italy full military support.
3. Hitler's foreign policy
a. aims
i. Destroying the Versailles treaty
ii. Building up military
iii. Recovering lost territory
iv. Bringing all German speakers into the Reich.
b. successes
i. Hitler carefully moved himself out of the League and the World Diarmament Conference.
ii. Hitler signed a 10 year non-aggression pact with the Poles.
iii. The Autrian Nazis killed off their chancellor.
iv. The Saar was returned to Germany.
v. Hitler re-introduced conscription.
vi. Hitler signed a pact with Britain allowing a navy that was 35% of Britain's size.
vii. Hitler sent troops into the Rhineland and was met with only protests.
viii. Hitler signed a pact with Japan and later Mussolini.
ix. The Chancellor tried to make free elections in Austria after Nazi demonstrations, and Hitler had the Nazis invade. Austria became part of the Third Reich.
4. Appeasement
a. what is appeasement? summarize the two phases:
i. A vague feeling that war should be avoided, not very strict
ii. The making of claims through negotiation rather than force.
b. how was it justified?
i. It was "essential" to avoid war.
ii. Many felt Germany and Italy had genuine sorrows.
iii. Chamberlain thought disputes should be settled by personal contact between leaders.
iv. Economic co-op between Britain and Germany was beneficial to both countries.
v. Fear of communism was great, it was believed Nazi Germany could be a buffer against its spread.
vi. Britain was totally unprepared for a full-scale war.
c. what was the role of appeasement leading up to WWII?
i. No action was taken to check German rearmament
ii. The Anglo-German Naval agreement was signed
iii. Action against the Abyssinian invasion was half-hearted
iv. The French did not mobilize their troops
v. Neither Britain nor France intervened in the Spanish Civil War.
vi. Many Britians saw the Anschluss as the natural union of two German groups.
5. Munich to the outbreak of war
a. Czechoslovakia - what were the three steps to the conquest of Czechoslovakia?
i. The Propaganda Campaign in the Sutenland
ii. The Munich Conference
iii. The Destruction of Czechoslovakia
b. Poland - what were the two steps to the conquest of Poland?
i. Hitler demanded the return of Danzig
ii. Hitler invaded Poland
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Key Questions, Chapter 4
Page 96
“How did the experience of the young people in the countryside affect their attitude towards Mao and the Cultural Revolution?”
1. Their experience in poor living conditions made them begin to question the wisdom of Mao. They saw the connection between language and reality, and saw that Mao was using them through propaganda.
“”
2.
Page 97
“How much blame attaches to Mao for the horrors of the Cultural Revolution?”
3. The blame for the horrors is completely attached to Mao. Although he did not command the atrocities, he allowed them to continue. Furthermore, he started the Cultural Revolution in the first place.
Page 98
“In what sense was the Lin Bao affair a turning point in the Cultural Revolution?”
4. It was a turning point in the sense that after the affair, people lost faith in the governmental system. If a man was a leader and a hero one day and a traitor the next, who could they trust?
“What form did the plot take?”
5. When Lin realized he was going to be removed, he reluctantly agreed to join an assassination attempt lead by his brother. However, his sister let the news slip and Mao was rushed away. Desperate, Lin attempted to fly away to the USSR. The plane crashed on the way. After this event, Mao seemed disheartened because he realized he needed people for protection.
Page 100
“What consequences followed from Lin Bao's disgrace?”
6. People realized that the government couldn't always be right if things like this happened. Everything they knew seemed to come crashing down when an important figure such as this one was discredited.
Page 101
“Why did the intensity of the Cultural Revolution lessen after 1972?”
7. First of all, the party was unsure of Mao's intentions. The Lin Bao affair also affect the party members' thinking. They recognized the points of critics about the horrors of the Cultural Revolution, and wished to impress the president of the US, Richard Nixon, during his visit.
“How did Lin Bao's fall benefit Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping??”
8. Lin's fall opened up higher positions for Zhou. Deng had earlier been dismissed for being a “capitalist roader,” but because of Lin's fall this worked to his advantage.
“How did the experience of the young people in the countryside affect their attitude towards Mao and the Cultural Revolution?”
1. Their experience in poor living conditions made them begin to question the wisdom of Mao. They saw the connection between language and reality, and saw that Mao was using them through propaganda.
“”
2.
Page 97
“How much blame attaches to Mao for the horrors of the Cultural Revolution?”
3. The blame for the horrors is completely attached to Mao. Although he did not command the atrocities, he allowed them to continue. Furthermore, he started the Cultural Revolution in the first place.
Page 98
“In what sense was the Lin Bao affair a turning point in the Cultural Revolution?”
4. It was a turning point in the sense that after the affair, people lost faith in the governmental system. If a man was a leader and a hero one day and a traitor the next, who could they trust?
“What form did the plot take?”
5. When Lin realized he was going to be removed, he reluctantly agreed to join an assassination attempt lead by his brother. However, his sister let the news slip and Mao was rushed away. Desperate, Lin attempted to fly away to the USSR. The plane crashed on the way. After this event, Mao seemed disheartened because he realized he needed people for protection.
Page 100
“What consequences followed from Lin Bao's disgrace?”
6. People realized that the government couldn't always be right if things like this happened. Everything they knew seemed to come crashing down when an important figure such as this one was discredited.
Page 101
“Why did the intensity of the Cultural Revolution lessen after 1972?”
7. First of all, the party was unsure of Mao's intentions. The Lin Bao affair also affect the party members' thinking. They recognized the points of critics about the horrors of the Cultural Revolution, and wished to impress the president of the US, Richard Nixon, during his visit.
“How did Lin Bao's fall benefit Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping??”
8. Lin's fall opened up higher positions for Zhou. Deng had earlier been dismissed for being a “capitalist roader,” but because of Lin's fall this worked to his advantage.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
IRL 9
http://www.pbs.org/redfiles/bios/all_bio_joseph_stalin.htm
This source is a biography of Joseph Stalin. It relates to our work in class on Stalin. It adds to our background knowledge of him so that we can better understand why he did the things he did. It discusses his childhood and his deformed arm, which led to his desire for respect. It then transitions this into the life of Stalin that we have already studied, and is consist with what we have learned. PBS is a reputable source and the extension is .org, which means it is not for profit. However, as a television station funded by the government its views may be more biased than most American views on the subject.
This source is a biography of Joseph Stalin. It relates to our work in class on Stalin. It adds to our background knowledge of him so that we can better understand why he did the things he did. It discusses his childhood and his deformed arm, which led to his desire for respect. It then transitions this into the life of Stalin that we have already studied, and is consist with what we have learned. PBS is a reputable source and the extension is .org, which means it is not for profit. However, as a television station funded by the government its views may be more biased than most American views on the subject.
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