Mikhail Gorbachev and the Collapse of Communism.

Mikhail Gorbachev was able to clear up a path to the end of communism. He was praised for his youth and his strong political experience. After a while, he was voted as the the political secretary. At age 54 he became voted as one of the youngest Soviet leaders. He lived during the time of Stalins harsh rule. When he became voted as the newest leader, he had no intention of continuing Stalin's "useless" way of rule. He decided to pursue new ideas. He wanted to encourage the citizens to give him new ways of improving their society. Because of this, many new changes were made. Churches were able to open. The government was very unfair to its people.

Glasnost was a policy created by Mikhail. It was another word for "openness". It was a way to get the citizens of the Soviet Union to tell them any ways they could try to improve their society. This is what brought a lot of change to society. Some good, some of it bad.

Peristrokia was the idea of economic reconstructing. Mikhail wanted to find new ways to revive the Soviet economy. They were also able to open up their own small business .

The Collapse of Communism

Communism was a major political party and belief that swept throughout Europe. Other countries, such as the United States, were worried that communism would spread and take over the world.

Communism in Eastern Europe collapsed because there was no support, economical issues and political downfall. The USSR collapsed because Stalin put all his money into defensive arms. The Soviet Union collapsed because they had no money, and they had a lot of competition, and socialism failed for them. It did change the world in some ways. Almost every country that was under communism turned into capitalism instead. Communism originally tried to help solve the corruption of the system, but it was just a waste of time and it ended badly.

Nelson Mandela and Apartheid

Apartheid was a racial-segregation policy of the government in South Africa. Under the apartheid system, nonwhites (black), colored (mixed), or Indian-did not share full rights of citizenship with the white minority. The establishment of Black National States was another manifestation of apartheid. It was coined by the South Africa Bureau for Racial Affairs, or SABRA for short. Under the system, colored people did not share the same rights and privileges as the whites. One privilege that was taken away was, for example, a black cannot marry a white, or vice versa. Plus, any blacks over the age of 16 had to carry identity documents with them. Nelson Mandela fought for the independence of South Africa. Nelson Mandela was put into jail because of this. (Mandela was in the ANC's fight to promote non-violence methods to gain freedom and justice). He also tried to stop the Apartheid. He was considered a hero for these things. Mandela was in jail for 26 years, but later on, he got out and wrote a book called "Long Walk To Freedom". The book was about his struggle to overcome segregation and gain freedom. He still continued to fight for his country and his people admired him for that.

African Independence

Africa has changed in only 20 years. In 1955, Africa was practically overthrown by the European nations. Libya, Egypt, Ethiopia, as well as South Africa were the only countries not taken over by the European nations. By the time of 1975, almost all the countries that were once ruled over, were free from European rule. Before all these countries gained their independence, Europeans marched in to take all the natural resources that Africa was naturally known for. Many of the Africans were angry that their own homeland was taken over. A few of the Africans didn't really mind the Europeans taking over because the Europeans gave them many new things and resources. They built hospitals, schools and other helpful places for the Africans. Eventually, the Africans grew tired and worked really hard to gain their independence. They succeeded very well too.

One of the most memorable leaders was Jomo Kenyatta. When the Europeans invaded his homeland, he realized how unfair they were treating his people. He also realized that they were trying to change their government into that of communism. He went to Europe to try to persuade them to give his people their well deserved freedom, and later on, became president of Kenya.

Film Lesson:"The Right Stuff"

This film about a space race to space and the moon. The United States and Russia were the two countries competing to get into space first.The race was to get the first man into space. We succeeded with sending a monkey into space but Russia got the first man into space. America lost this first race. The second race was to get someone on the moon. America got the first man on the moon! America can claim victory! The scene that will help me remember this Cold War event is were when both the United States and Russia tried to send different rockets into space. America failed at sending those rockets up to space. Once Russia sent up their rocket, America tried so hard to send rockets up to space until they finally succeeded. Eventually they caught up and won the space race.

NATO and The Warsaw Pact.

NATO was an organization created by Europe and North America. (NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty). The major reason for the formation of NATO was that the countries involved would get a mutual defense alliance so that if one of them were attacked all of the other countries in NATO would come to help, as part of the alliance. The Warsaw Pact was a treaty between all of the countries that bordered the Soviet Union. The NATO saw the Warsaw Pact as a threat, although it was supposed to be another defensive group. The Warsaw pact deals mostly with satellites and it controls the alliances better by keeping the military organize in other countries of the alliance. The Soviet Union gain power quickly and became very powerful, they were also able to keep the socialist government secure.

Film Lesson: "Schindler's List"

"Schindler's List", I must admit, has to be one of the most powerful movies I have ever watched. This movie shows the details of the Holocaust. Seeing the Nazis round up all Jews and taking them away to concentration camps. All of those Jews didn't have any idea if that same night or day that they were rounded up, would be the last time of their living. Jews who were not needed or disobeyed the Nazi orders were shot right on the spot they were. Others, such as little kids, old people and the disabled that couldn't work were sent to be either shot, gased, and burned. That is totally unfair. As for me, the powerful scene that got to me, I must say, was the part were the families were separeted from eachother and when the Nazis filled the vans of the useless people and the little kids, and were to be taken away. It really hurt me because those kids didn't have a future. They didn't know that that was the last time they will see their parents and older siblings. I can't image me being separeted from my family. They mean the world to me. Mostly all the images of pain and killing will stay with me. Why? because once I saw those poor, innocent people being killed and living hell, it's hard to forget those images and plus, I can imagine what it will be like if I lived it. The movie most powerful to me, I must say, was this movie. "Schindler's List". This film showed more details and actually got to me. It's not easy watching a movie of the history when you know you should be lucky that you are living in the present, or the future for them. They never knew that the day the were in the concentration camps, could've been the last day living.