Archive for the 'World Civ-Cold War in West' Category
Friday, February 26th, 2010
Journalist David E. Hoffman’s new book The Dead Hand revisits the high stakes maneuvering that took place during the Cold War arms race and details the inner-workings of the Soviet nuclear program.
Hoffman had access to secret Kremlin documents while researching his book, which chronicles the Soviets’ internal deliberations, offers new insight into the roles of Mikhail Gorbachev and President Reagan, and describes the urgent search for nuclear and biological hazards left behind after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Hoffman, a Washington Post contributing editor, spent six years as the paper’s Moscow bureau chief. He is also the author of The Oligarchs: Wealth and Power in the New Russia.
Listen to his interview with Terry Gross (40 minutes)
Posted in USH: Cold War, World Civ-Cold War in West | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009
Laurie Taylor discusses what is being called the re-Stalinisation of Russia on today’s Thinking Allowed. According to exiled Russian academic Michail Ryklin, Putin’s Russia is turning the clock back and rehabilitating the most famous demon of the Soviet Union.
In a new book, he claims that although the Soviet Union proclaimed itself an aethist state, communism functioned as its religion, and when faith faded it was replaced by mass terror. But now memories of the terror and bloodshed have receded and Stalin is being reclaimed.
Listen to this 10 minute interview with Ryklin
Posted in AP Russia, World Civ-Cold War in West | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 16th, 2008
In the West, the 1968 generation is generally seen in a positive light. But the heroes of the 1968 uprising in Prague see themselves as historical failures.
The uprising known as the “Prague Spring” was crushed by the Soviets in August 1968.
Read More Here
Posted in World Civ-Cold War in West | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 16th, 2008
Here is my lecture. It begins with a conceptual analysis of propaganda and then focuses on Stalin’s propaganda campaigns.
Posted in USH: Cold War, USH: The 1950's, World Civ-Age of Anxiety and Totalitarianism, World Civ-Cold War in West | No Comments »
Sunday, June 29th, 2008
The Breakup of the USSR Makes the US the Leader of the World (Elliot Abrams)
The Breakup of the USSR Signals the End of US World Leadership (Zoltan Grossman)
Write a 1-2 page, single-spaced position paper which adheres to the following:
I. Short Intro with a Thesis (specific, complex and refutable)
II. Summarize the ideas of the author with whom you do NOT concur and explain why his ideas are disagreeable (clearly demonstrate that you have read and understood this author’s ideas). Do not feel compelled to disagree with this author entirely as there surely is some truth to his argument.
III. Summarize the ideas of the author with whom you DO concur and explain how his ideas are superior to the other author (clearly demonstrate that you have read and understood this author’s ideas).
IV. Conclude by restating your thesis and exploring the significance thereof.
Please bear in mind that your goal is to illustrate that you have read BOTH documents and that you have thought about them. Be prepared for a healthy debate in class.
Posted in USH: Cold War, USH: Reagan Years, World Civ-Cold War in West, World Civ-Modern Global Dilemmas | No Comments »
Sunday, June 29th, 2008
Reagan’s Presidency DID cause the collapse of the USSR (Edwin Meese III)
Reagan’s Presidency did NOT cause the collapse of the USSR (Daniel Deudney and G. John Ikenberry)
Write a 1-2 page, single-spaced position paper which adheres to the following:
I. Short Intro with a Thesis (specific, complex and refutable)
II. Summarize the ideas of the author with whom you do NOT concur and explain why his ideas are disagreeable (clearly demonstrate that you have read and understood this author’s ideas). Do not feel compelled to disagree with this author entirely as there surely is some truth to his argument.
III. Summarize the ideas of the author with whom you DO concur and explain how his ideas are superior to the other author (clearly demonstrate that you have read and understood this author’s ideas).
IV. Conclude by restating your thesis and exploring the significance thereof.
Please bear in mind that your goal is to illustrate that you have read BOTH documents and that you have thought about them. Be prepared for a healthy debate in class.
Posted in USH: Cold War, USH: Reagan Years, World Civ-Cold War in West | No Comments »
Sunday, June 29th, 2008
1. A Communist Perspective (Ponomaryov)
2. Patterns of Western European Integration (Puchala)
3. The Truman Doctrine
4. The Marshall Plan
5. The Marshall Plan: An Instrument of Peace? (Sweezy)
Read these five documents and respond to these 15 questions
Here is a lesson plan for the ensuing discussion
Posted in USH: Cold War, World Civ-Cold War in West | No Comments »