Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Mikhail Gorbachev and the end of Communism

The Nobel Peace Prize 1990

At 54 Mikhail Gorbachev was the youngest soviet leader since Stalin. Unlike Stalin and other soviets larders, Gorbachev did not follow totalitarian policies. He had his own ideas and believes. In 1984, he announced a policy know as glasnost or openness and began the democratization of the Soviet Union. He encouraged soviet citizens to discuss ways to improve their society. This policy brought remarkable changes. In 1985, Gorbachev introduced the idea of perestroika or economic restructuring, he made changes to revive the soviet economy.

Collapse of Communism

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The communism collapse in the USSR because countries were demanding their freedom.
For example Lithuania, it was and independent state between world war one and two, but the soviets annexed them in 1940. In 1990, fifty years later Lithuania declares its independence. The soviets try to force it back, and in January of 1991 attacked unarmed civilians in Lithuania capital, they ended up killing 14 people and wounded more than 100. After this and many more events the USSR lost popularity.
The Berlin wall separated East and West Germany. East Germany was communist. The Berlin Wall first went up in August of 1961.
It was up for 28 years. The Communists were trying to stop the flow of refugees into West Germany. In November, 1989, demolition work began, first they open two roads to let people pass, but then they decided to make several road, at the end people were making their own roads.

Monday, May 7, 2007

Creation of Israel

Zionism was A Jewish movement that arose in the late 19th century in response to growing anti-Semitism and sought to reestablish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Modern Zionism is concerned with the support and development of the state of Israel.
The dispute was between the Jewish Israelis and Arab Palestianas, both claim the right to the land of Israel/Palestine. there had been much violence between both sides. Both group claim the land based on historical,ethnicity, religion and culture. Israelis have sovereignty over most of the land, by defeating surrounding Arab armies in two major wars: the 1948 Arab-Israel was and the 1967 Six Day War.

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Nelson Mandela and Apartheid

Nelson Mandela was a fighter. He was a warrior in the battle to free South Africa. He played a very important role in the ANC (African National Congress). In 1964 his career in the ANC was cut short when he was sentence to life in prison. 27 years later he came out with anger to free South Africa. In less than five years after his release, Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and elected president of South Africa. During Mandela's 27 years in prison, he became the symbolic body and blood of the anti-apartheid campaign.