Mikhail Gorbachev and the collapse of Communism

Mikhail Gorbachev was a different type of man to the USSR and it's people. At the time, the USSR was tired of communism. People were tired of a corrupted government, with things hidden from them. They were tired of the fact, that they didn't have this fairytale economy that they were first told about. They needed someone to start reforms to make the USSR capitalist. Or at least show that capitalism was a good thing. Mikhail Gorbachev along with partners, started these huge reforms. They were called "Glasnost" and "Perestrokia".

"Glasnost"- Was a reform in the USSR during the Russian Revolution. Which stands for the once secretive Russia, now public.
"Perestrokia"- Was a reform in the USSR during the Russian Revolution. This represents the opening of the Russian economy.

collapse of communism

Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe and the USSR because there was no motive for communism. Everyone who lived in a communist nation understood that things would be fair. But those who made more money, started to dislike the fact you got paid as much as someone way lower than you. Leaders also turned communism into dictatorships. Abusing anyone who went against communism. No one thought that communism would turn into something bad. Especially when it started out with Lenin taking away from nobility and giving it to the poor.

Many countries were motivated to leave behind communism. After awhile it all spread around and reached Germany. Where the Berlin Wall was tored down, to represent there was no communism in Germany. West and East Germany were finally united.

With communism's bad side revealing, reforms were started. The person most know for his reforms was Mikhail Gorbachev. They were called glasnost and perestroika. He showed the Russian people elections on TV and starting giving the people more freedom. He had his constitution signed and that was the end of communism.

In the end, communism brought down the USSR, leaving the United States the superpower in the world.

Nelson Mandela and Apartheid

Apartheid was a racial-segregation policy. It divided the black, mixed and indian natives from the white.

Nelson Mandela was a man that fought for Africa to have unity and liberty. He wanted to bring down the white man's violence. He was tired of racism and apartheid.

Nelson Mandela, went to jail for 27 years. Throughout his time in prison, he thought about all the freedom he wanted for everyone. These thoughts led to journals of ideas. He allowed to hear different ideas to free any race. He used civil disobedience and and served as president, for the countries he freed. He risked his life for thousands.

He is so admired by the authors of these articles and sites because there is no one out there like him. This man has a powerful uniqueness. No one can be like him.

African Independence

Tradition became a huge thing for West Indians (that originated from Africa) and other Africans. They wanted to express their traditions, Europe was ready to let go of Africa after WWII. Many Africans became well educated. Creating a middle class and following the independence of many other nations. People were sparked by outsiders to make sure Europeans were wiped out of Africa.

Africa had many leaders because there were so many provinces. These leaders were inspired by African-American leaders.

They had Leopold Senghor, who leaded Sengal and later became president. Kwame Nkrumah became Ghana's first prime minister. Marcus Garvey was jamaican born, but his goal was to lead Europeans out of Africa and have Africa ruled by Africans. Jomo Kenyatta led Kenya through a harsh independence. And many others.

The Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis was nuclear weapons that the Soviet Union had installed in Cuba. Cuba was a communist country just like the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union only had missiles that could reach Europe, but Western Europe was not the only capitalist continent. The Soviet Union had to reach America some how. Luckily for the Soviet Union, Cuba was a communist country and only 90 miles away from the shores of Florida.

After seeing pictures of the plans that Cuba had on the U.S., Americans started to get worried. So John F. Kennedy took the time to explain the Soviet Union had to remove their weapons. He also explained that he had built a navy blockade around the country. After seeing no change, Kennedy was ready to order the navy soldiers to attack. Which led to the Soviet Union coming up with a deal. If the U.S. would leave Cuba alone, then Russia would take out all its missiles in Cuba. But when a shot was saw and heard over Cuba, war was about to being. However another proposal was made instead, (although the first one was the one used). Keeping this situation a clean Cold War.

This is why this point in the Cold War is called the hottest point. Through out the whole Cold War no one fought. It was just one situation after another. When this happened and war almost broke out, this was considered the closes physical contact. Which made it the hottest point in the Cold War.

In the end, trust was the only thing left. Russia removed its missiles because they trusted the U.S. would not invade Cuba.

NATO and The Warsaw Pact

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was made up of countries in Europe and North America. These countries together wanted to make a strong mutual defense alliance. If anything all the nations would have each other. The NATO led to the Marshall Plan, which led to the aide of all European nations in need. As the idea of communism increased, the NATO became more important and together by preventing Russia from increasing its communist ideas.

Since the North Atlantic Treaty Organization didn't involve Russia, Russia made its own organization. This Russian organization was made up of countries that could back up Russia. Baiscally, along the border of Russia. They were called the satellite countries. The Soviet Union was the leader of this alliance.

Film Lesson : "The Right Stuff"

"The Right Stuff" is a movie about the race to space, or the Space Race. Russia and America both wanted to have satellites up in Space. Both countries also wanted to have the first man up in Space, not only that but have the first man to land on the moon as well. This was all because of the tension on who had the better technology.

Russia had won the competition. Having the first man in space, but not the first man on the moon. We had the first man on the moon. But we were able to send the first monkey into space. Testing the experience on this innocent animal. Since our rockets kept blowing up.

The scene of trying and failing on so many rockets is something I would never forget. I keep that scene in memory because it helps me remember how hard it was to get into Space.