Kyle Evans

HIST 111

Post World War II Europe

Europe was left completely destroyed at the end of World War II.  Cities were entirely demolished and left in ruin, communities were forced to rebuild themselves, and families were left to pick up the pieces of their now broken lives.  Almost all areas of Europe had been at one point under German rule throughout some point of the war (excluding the United Kingdom, Sweden, Portugal and Spain).  Here is a look at some of the aftermath of World War II in the major countries who were affected the most by the war:

England:

London was one of the cities which were impacted the most, as there was an extreme amount of bombs dropped on the city as well as an incredible amount of aerial combat.  Alone, About 30,000 Londoners died because of enemy action in the skies above the capital, and a further 50,000 were injured.  After the war was over, reconstruction of the city and the rest of England began immediately, regardless of the large lack of building materials.  However, some would say that the reconstruction began even before the war was over.  During the war, England constructed the “Greater London Plan” which was a blueprint for reconstruction and also projected and allocated for the relocation of many Londoners and their jobs in new towns around the capital and in other “assisted areas” in parts of the English provinces.  With the enormous adjustments and strong need for housing, England still discouraged new home building directly near London due to a lack of resources and the uncertainty of the state of Europe.  However, in 1946, England government gave rise to eight new settlements outside the metropolis.  Passage of town and country planning acts, notably in 1947 and 1968, gave municipal authorities unprecedented powers of land purchase and control over development in London.  England, and London in particular, really struggled the first few years after World War II, but it was only mainly because of lack of resources and the instability and uncertainty of the state of Europe.  Their planning ahead provided a great stepping stone towards quick resurrection.

Germany: 

Germany was without a doubt the country which lost the most after World War II.  Not only Europe, but the entire world made sure that Nazism was dispelled.  Germany surrendered unconditionally, which simply meant that the Allied nations could do as they pleased with country.  The size of Germany was tremendously shrunken, and the nation was then divided into four sections: an American, British, French, and Soviet region.  Germany faced another hyperinflation period, which increased the amount o f depression throughout the country.  The infrastructure of the country had been demolished to such a severe point from the bombing and ground combat that even a year after the war had ended, it took an estimated 72 hours to travel from Munich to Hamburg.  Germany was completely dispelled after the war, and it took it so long to return to its normal, functional state.

Russia:

Russia was one of the most important countries after the War as they held a lot of political power.  They came away as by far the largest country in the world, but they also were set up for success.  They immediately emerged as a world power and became the Soviet Union.  Russia liberated and took control of several former German countries, and took controlled them as if they were puppets who were answering to Moscow.  Their new “superpower” status did come with an extremely large price to pay, as Russia suffered by far the highest number of casualties during the war.  Russia became the indirect leader of the communist countries, and was by far the largest opponent against the United States during the Cold War.  They became one of the most economically, technologically, and politically advanced countries throughout the world.

Levon Petrosyan

History 111

Chinese Revolution

At the beginning of the 20^th century, China was one of the countries yet to be colonized

As foreign rulers established themselves in China, the Chinese government continued to lose power on its own land

Without a strong form of government, many rose up in corruption by drastically raising taxes on the poor and further weakening the country’s economy

The revolution of 1911 becomes a first step towards imposing China’s power on its nation.

Limited authority given to provincial assemblies cause constitutional reformers to emerge

Population growth and social poverty only added fuel to the fire

Cultivable land was limited and mostly ruled by landlords

People were forbidden to move outside of China

Because China wasn’t colonized, they were behind on industry, which delayed their efforts to improve living conditions

As the power weakened, the provinces declared independence in 1911

Provinces were no longer loyal to the dynasty

Military officers feared that the successful revolutionaries might pose a threat to power and the proletariat might capitalize by taking ownership of land.

Yuan Shikai takes over Sun Yat-sen’s presidency and reorganized a political activist group called the Guomindang

His goal is to establish a personal dynasty

After Shikai’s death in 1916, Sun Yat-sen regains his presidency and continues efforts accomplish China’s goals

United Chinese communists as part of the Guomindang

After his death Chiang Kai-shek took over the party

Launches the Northern Expedition in order to reunify the Guomindang, but exiled the Chinese Communists as he believed they posed a threat

Establishes a new national government in Nanjing

New Life Movement raises efforts for Chinese nationalism as well as disciplines the masses

Based on Darwinism, Confucianism, and Fascism

Outlaws spitting, smoking, incorporates dress codes

White Wolf raised awareness of the Chinese nation and helped to restore order in the economy

A clan that consisted of millions of members

Their objective was to restore order after Shikai’s mistakes and injustices

Robbed the rich and gave the money to the poor

Natives joined the White Wolf when White Wolf was in presence in order to support the clan as fighters and activists, but after the nomadic clan migrated, these natives returned home

Though White Wolf did not have the vast success in restoring order, it raised awareness of what needed to be done in order to progress

The Chinese Communists returned with the realization that the rural population can be used as a political strategy in order to generate power.

Blake Reisfelt

History 111

America through the Cold War

Socially:

During the Cold War era The United States was in an economic uprising and gaining lots of wealth.

The people of the United States were beginning to spend again especially on consumer goods.

Luxury items such as televisions, microwaves, movies, and nice clothes were in high demand.

But lots of unrest and uncertainty was going through the minds of the American people.

What was known as the “Red Scare” was circulating throughout the country. Many people feared the worst, like nuclear war. Many people started building bomb shelters to help protect them incase of a nuclear blast.

The scare of Soviet spies and communism also played a huge role in the entertainment industry. Where many famous and notable actors and actresses were blacklisted from Hollywood due to possible communist ties.

While the Cold War was being waged other important historical moments happened.

Both The Korean and Vietnam Wars were fought. There was the first ever moon landing and also the fight for civil rights.

Politically & militarily:

During the entirety of the Cold War spanning from as early as the end of World War 2 through the beginning of the 1990’s. The world saw the elections and terms of office of many United States presidents.

President Truman was the first of many presidents to hold a term or more during the Cold War. He was the fist President to realize the Soviet Union and their communist ideals were a threat and advocated for policies to stop the spread. The first task was the portioning of Germany after the War and dealing with Stalin not allowing the United States into Berlin. The allies launched the Berlin Airlift. This gave supplies to the Western side of Berlin. This was going on for about a year until Stalin allowed the allies in. After though the building of the Berlin Wall divide the Western ideologies from the East and laid way for the Cold War. Truman created the Truman doctrine which promised American help and supplies wherever needed. Und Truman the Marshall plan was established which the United States gave 13 million dollars to build back Europe. Also the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as created between North America and Western Europe. During John F Kennedy’s term as president many important things happened. The Bay of Pigs battle happened, where the United States armed counter Cuban revolutionaries to help overthrow the communist uprising. This was a disaster for the American armed Cubans. Then photos take from an American jet located Soviet nuclear weapons in Cuba. This was called the Cuban Missile Crisis. Then Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Gerald Ford all had terms during this time.

Russia through the Cold War

Michael Mezhebovsky

History 111

            Following WW2, the two clear powers in the world were Russia, which called itself the U.S.S.R and the United States. After making an alliance to fight together in the war, the two countries had nothing left in common. For the second half of the 20th century, Russia and America waged a “Cold War” against each other. Whether it was an arms race, a nuclear arms race, propaganda stories, or technological superiority- Russia and the United States despised one another and wanted to attain the upper-hand.

            WW2 left Communist Russia with by far, the most casualties any country had suffered- a total of 7 million. Joseph Stalin, the Russian communist leader, believed they had sacrificed enough losses that Russia should be the dominant force in Eastern Europe. Winston Churchill was afraid of the “Iron Curtain” where the USSR’s established countries along Western Europe were under communist rule. It was clear that there were now spheres of influence being established around the world. The Cold War resulted in Russia becoming a nation of political and military might, even persuading third world countries to take up communist views. The Soviet Union saw that the U.S was trying to contain communism and help any country other than their own with the issuing of the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan and the formation of NATO in 1949. As a result, Russia issued the Warsaw Pact in 1955. The Warsaw Pact was a counter toward communism containment, implying it was Russia and Eastern Europe against Western Europe and the Western Hemisphere. Russia also started a proxy war in Korea in 1950, backing the communist North Korea in attempting to defeat South Korea. The Korean War consisted of Russia helping North Korea while the U.S assisted South Korea in an effort to stop the spread of communism.

Joseph Stalin died in 1953 after leading Russia and making it such a powerful industrial country. Nikita Khrushchev is elected and soon began to put the USSR into de-Stalinization mode, wanting to move away from all of Stalin’s mistakes and specific policies. During Khrushchev’s time as leader, he had put down the Hungarian uprising in 1956 and began to threaten the world with nuclear warfare. Here began the competition for nuclear weapon superiority and military technology advancement. With Russia also having the ability to launch nuclear bombs since 1949, it was quite apparent that both the U.S and Russia could go to war having the ability to annihilate each other. The US and the USSR pursued nuclear rearmament and developed long-range weapons with which they could strike the territory of the other. Toward the end of the Cold War, Russian military spending amassed to 33 million dollars in 1988.

August of 1957 marked the ability for the Soviets to strike another’s territory with the development of the intercontinental ballistic missile. This was a huge advancement for Russia and forced the US to mirror Russia’s actions and then out due them. That same year, Russia launched its first Earth satellite, Sputnik. In 1961, the Soviet Union decided to build the infamous Berlin Wall. Khrushchev ordered the Berlin Wall to be built in order to kick out the allied forces out of Western Berlin and to discontinue the emigration of Germans from East to Western Germany. Finally, the year 1961 also marked the first treaty made between the Soviet Union and the US. The Antarctic Treaty was signed to disarm nuclear weapons on both sides and to improve relations.

Communist Allies

Nick Muller

History 111

Communist allies:

Background:

After WWII, all empires of the world were unsettled. Colonized people in many countries of the world began to think about how they wanted to build their future. Especially since the former superpower Europe had suffered some substantial losses, many countries saw their first chance at being able to rule themselves. To some countries communism seemed like the best answer.

China:

Communism started gaining momentum in China during WWII, with their being 40,000 communists in China in 1937. However, due to the Japanese invasion, communism began to spread throughout China as it was used to organize peasants into guerilla fighters to help repel the Japanese. Because the Communist group didn’t discriminate, it quickly exploded in numbers, increasing from 40,000 in 1937 to over 100 million in 1945. Led by Mao Zedong, the communists not only defeated the Japanese but defeated the nationalist government in China, who quickly fled to Taiwan and surrendered control of China. This was a huge revolution that became known the world over, and proved as a model for many other countries in distress, especially Vietnam and Cuba.

- Communism begins gaining momentum after the war begins

- appeals to men as well as women/ wins wide support

- Is used to teach peasants how to fight Japanese

- succeeds and brings china out of their troubles

- becomes the official form of government

- quickly spreads to other struggling countries

- appeals especially to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam and Fidel Castro in Cuba

Vietnam:

Vietnam had been ruled by the French since the 1880’s, and by the 1920’s, 40,000 French ruled over 19 million Vietnamese. In order to increase exporting the French gave much Vietnamese land to French companies, while leaving the much of the Vietnamese landless. This was a issue the Vietnamese could do nothing about until revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh began to rise to power. He had been educated in Paris and London and became educated in the writings of Marx, Lenin, and Engels. He discovered an ideology in which the Vietnamese could oppose the French injustices against them and turn the common man into a political machine. He brought these ideas back with him and established a powerful communist led organization called the Viet Minh. This group was a powerful nationalist organization which united the peasants of Vietnam. Ho chi Minh appealed the U.S. government for independence from the ruling French, but was ignored by the U.S. The Viet Minh declared independence anyways which led to war with France. The North Vietnamese(controlled by Ho Chi Minh) were largely successful in their was with the French, and at the Geneva Peace Conference in April 1954, Vietnam was divied into 2 zones, with Minh given control of his northern region. However, North Vietnam was committed to overthrowing South Vietnam and uniting an entirely communist Vietnam. This frightened the U.S. who was terrified of the spread of communism, and who quickly sent assistance to South Vietnam, in hopes of stopping the spread of communism. However, even after 500,000 American troops were sent to Vietnam, we still could not defeat North Vietnam and we eventually cut our losses and exited the war, leaving all responsibility on the South Vietnamese who crumbled soon afterwards.

- Vietnam is ruled by the French

- They want their independence but are ignored by United States

- Ho Chi Minh brings communist ideology and establishes the Viet Minh

- The Viet Minh declare independence and are soon at war with France

- Vietnamese deliver the French heavy losses and at the Geneva Convention, Vietnam is divided into communist North and non-communist south.

- North Vietnam wants to unite all of Vietnam

- United States are scared and back up South Vietnam with 500,000 troops

- North Vietnam is uncontrollable and U.S. cuts our losses and withdraw

Cuba:

Since the Spanish-American war in 1898, Cuba had been ran by governments that were found acceptable by the U.S. rather than by governments that were good for Cuba. Sergeant Fulgencio Batista emerged (in 1933 after the great depression) as a front-man for Cuba. However, his dictatorship was one of corruption as upper class Cubans prospered, while the middle and lower suffered. The latter of these groups began to discuss revolution, and in 1953 a group of Cubans launched a failed assault on a military surplus. One of the men in this group was Fidel Castro, and though he was arrested, he gave a speech for Cuba which made him a national hero. Once out of prison, he fled to Mexico to organize a small armed group to carry out guerilla raids. At this same time, the dictator Batista lost support from the United States and was forced to flee from Cuba, leaving the country to be taken by Castro and his guerilla fighters. Castro took control of the economy from the elite and redistributed land, which outraged the U.S. and caused us to cut off all aid to Cuba. In 1961, the CIA attempted an invasion into Cuba which turned into a catastrophe, known as the “Bay of Pigs.” This made Castro ever increasingly radical and caused his to declare himself a Socialist and ally himself with the Soviet Union; in direct defiance to the United States. This led to the Cuban missile Crisis which was caused by the importing of Nuclear weapons into Cuba from the Soviet Union. We eventually convinced the Soviets to remove their missiles from Cuba, yet Cuba was still a tense country on the brink of revolution. In response, the U.S. began a counter-insurgency program in which we trained Latin American militaries to spot and stop radicalism. The United States eventually learned the key to success was with pleasing the Cuban civilians, which led to the destruction of guerilla fighting, and by 1975 almost all rebel forces in Latin America had been destroyed.

- Cuba was unhappy with American influence

- Cuba is run by corrupt dictator named Batista

- Castro gains fame and respect and organizes guerilla raids

- Batista flees Cuba, and Castro takes control

- Castro angers U.S. and we have conflict with them resulting in the Bay of Pigs, and then the Cuban Missile Crisis

- U.S. begins counter-insurgency program which wipes out Castro’s influence

African and Indian Independence in the 20^th Century

Tim Kaufler

History 111

African Independence

European colonization in Africa ended in the mid 1970s.

African nationalist demands for freedom led to the Portuguese withdrawal from Guiena-Bissau, Angola, and Mozambique.

South Africa, the last remaining outpost of white rule, underwent years of pressure for liberation and change.

Nelson Mandela, leader of the African National Congress (ANC), was freed and won the presidency in 1994 – it was Africa's first free election.

Independent Africa suffered many civil wars after decolonization.

Turning colonial subjects into citizens of nation-states was not easy, which led to violent struggles for political power.

Ethnic and religious differences that were kept suppressed during the colonial period became abundant after independence.

By the 1990s, the continent was alive with civil strife.

Indian Independence

The early 1900s brought about a more radical approach for political independence

Mohandas Gandhi in the 1920s led protests and advocated policies of nonviolence.

Indian National Congress (INC) provided a stage for debates by political leaders.

Movements of radical freedom were at their peak during WWII.

In 1947, the territories of India and Pakistan were defined – which led to both countries gaining independence.

India remained under “The Crown” until 1950 when its Constitution was adopted.

Hindu Nationalism offered communal identity in this new global era.

During the 1980s, deregulations in the economy led to greater disparity between the rich and the poor

Lower citizens formed political parties to challenge the elite.

Right-wing Hindu nationalists won political power by the mid-1990s.

They wanted to India to be a Hindu state.

Migration and Communication in the late 20th century

Nikita Johnson

History 111

In the period following the Second World War, the nature of global population movements changed yet again. Human migrations became increasingly important in the world economy and more and more problematic to many nations. The movement of skilled and unskilled labour grew in scale and significance, while at the same time war, civil unrest, economic hardship, and violent regimes caused vast movements of refugees and displaced persons. As receiving nations struggled to find ways of coping with the ever-increasing clamour for entry, policy was dictated more and more by a complex combination of internal forces, such as public opinion and national economy, and external forces, such as political tensions and international organizations.

-Migration
This ultimately resulted in an intricate pattern of long-range migration streams, many of which illustrate the disparity between developed western nations and developing third-world nations. In the early years following World War Two, Europeans fleeing the War's aftermath or Soviet expansion comprised the majority of immigrants to North America. Since then, however, Europe has served primarily as an immigrant destination rather than departure point, and migrations from the southern hemisphere, which is dominated by developing countries, to the northern hemisphere, mainly stable first-world nations, have emerged as a global trend of increasing proportion and complexity. On the whole, the period from World War Two to the present has been characterised by large-scale migrations acting in response to perceived economic opportunity.

-Migration Pattern

These migration streams move rapidly, and commonly flow from developing to developed nations. At the same time, developments in policy have moved towards regulated motion of temporary labourers, and permanent entry only for the highly skilled and those reuniting with family. It encompasses virtually all aspects of the social sciences, providing a gateway to history, sociology, economics, and anthropology. Virtually every aspect of human culture, society, and history is interwoven with movement and migration; it is an inescapable facet of who we are and where we have come from; a topic of rich and engaging depth. This tutorial has provided a chronological history of migration concerning the Americas, covering thematic topics such as forced and free migration, return migration, push and pull factors, and migration streams, as well as geographical and historical themes throughout the western hemisphere.

-History of migrating Europeans

 On the eve of "discovery" by the Europeans, North America was an intricate mosaic of distinctive peoples. Most densely populated was the Atlantic Seaboard from the boundaries of present-day Southern Maine to North Carolina, where Algonquian-speaking peoples lived in settled farming communities. They combined intensive and sophisticated horticulture with efficient small and big game hunting and fishing. In the Great Lakes region and the Saint Lawrence River area, First Nations harvested wild rice, hunted big game, and fished. They also made use of intensive agricultural methods, and travelled by birch-bark canoes, interacting with other nations through a system of peaceful trading networks and more hostile rivalries.

 The Mississippian  and Hopewell  societies to the south were also densely populated, with mutually antagonistic communities and hierarchical social organisations. To the west, on the sparsely populated Great Plains, lived the Amerindian big-game hunters. On the West Coast, from modern southern Alaska to the Columbia River, mobile trading nations travelled along the coast and inland along the rivers, even extending as far south as the Acoma pueblo  towns of present-day California on occasion. They made use of sea-going canoes to trade iron, pelts, copper, dried fish, fish oil, dentalium shells, and human slaves with other coastal nations. The Pacific coast was one of the most highly developed areas of Pre-Contact North America, home to the greatest variety of languages on the continent as well as to many complex and sophisticated cultures. Other First Nations in North America included the Inuit, the Aleut, and the Athapaskan speaking groups.

 European migration across the Atlantic, beginning in the late fifteenth century, was not an anomaly within the European framework. For centuries prior to their arrival in the New World, Europeans had participated in extensive migrations throughout their continent and Asia. They were a mobile people, accustomed to the concepts of movement and migration. In many ways, the initial arrival in the New World by the Europeans and the advent of trans-Atlantic migration served to extend the migratory patterns that were already present in European society.