History buffs/majors?

[cinreds21]

I am studying for a history final (the world since 1750) on Tuesday and we have these essay questions. He gave us the questions before hand to try and prepare and I thought I'd ask you guys for any help because you love me or feel bad for me or just bored on a Sunday night. Any help would be appreciated as history is not one of my strong suits. Thanks!

Group 1:
1. Compare and contrast Communist China’s “Great Leap Forward,” with Stalin’s 1930s Collectivization and industrialization as to the means employed and the results within the five years of their termination.

2. In the late 18th Century, the American colonists threw off colonial rule with the aid of a liberal democratic ideology just as, in the 20th Century, the Vietnamese threw off colonial rule with the aid of Marxism-Leninism. What are the pros and cons of this comparison? Cite at least two features of Vietnam’s revolution to illustrate or demonstrate your answer.

Group 2:
3. What were three key events in the ‘long decade’, 1979-1991, that transformed U.S. global commitments and power relations and how were they changed?

4. How would you explain the appeal of the anti-Israel issue in uniting Arabs and Muslims practically everywhere? What about their history explains their empathy for the plight of the Palestinians besides their common religious heritage?

Group 3:
5. Why were policy makers in the U.S., by far the most powerful country in the world in 1945, so wary and fearful of war torn Soviet Russia?

6. What were the key conditions, both internal and external, that allowed Britain to undergo an industrial revolution first of all other countries?

7. Why would it be inaccurate to call the U.S. Republican Party “fascist?” Respond by drawing on your knowledge of interwar European Fascism

[Redsfaithful]

On 7 just write "It wouldn't" and then doodle or something.

[*BaseClogger*]

[Rojo]

I may be wrong, but those questions seem slightly leading to me.

If you really want to dazzle, give an impassioned defense of Stalin.

[RichRed]

3. What were three key events in the ‘long decade’, 1979-1991...?

Not sure, but I think they involved Dick Wagner.

[cumberlandreds]

Group 2:
3. What were three key events in the ‘long decade’, 1979-1991,


The Big Red Machine officially died after the 1981 season,if not before.

In 1984 Pete Rose came back to Cincinnati and became player manager and then broke the all time hit record in 1986. I know that's really two points but they do kinda go together

In 1990 The Cincinnati Reds won their last World Series to date.

Hope that helps.

[Captain13]

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

Group 2:
3. What were three key events in the ‘long decade’, 1979-1991,


The Big Red Machine officially died after the 1981 season,if not before.

In 1984 Pete Rose came back to Cincinnati and became player manager and then broke the all time hit record in 1986. I know that's really two points but they do kinda go together

In 1990 The Cincinnati Reds won their last World Series to date.

Hope that helps.

The Bengals went to two Super Bowls. They were beaten in one and lost the other.

[Raisor]

My minor is in (Civil War) History.

Not sure I can help with any of these. I went to a division II school.

Sorry

[JaxRed]

When I read those I thought 'Thank goodness I'm out of school and don't have to deal with that nonsense anymore'.

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by JaxRed

When I read those I thought 'Thank goodness I'm out of school and don't have to deal with that nonsense anymore'.

I dunno. Sounds fun after twenty years of office work ("how was your weekend?; my weekend was great, how was yours?; looking forward to the weekend?" -- shoot me now).

[Yachtzee]

I'm a bit late to the party, so it probably doesn't help at all, but I had quite a bit of history in my college career as an International Relations, Poli Sci, and German major. Question 7 just seems absurd, as you could probably argue that, without getting political, the Democratic Party is closer to fascist ideals than the Republican party. Fascist parties of the early 20th century arose from the same workers' movements that gave rise to Socialist and Communist parties in Europe. Like those parties, they were "anti-bourgeois" and had an antagonistic view toward traditional capitalism. They pushed the welfare of workers through government intervention in the economy and large public works projects. Where they diverged is that fascists took a nationalist turn and blamed the economic and social ills of society on "foreign" elements of society. They distrusted the democratic form of government, which they felt was manipulated by the wealthy "foreign" interests and favored dictatorships in order to stamp out political strife and make it easier to implement their policies.

The analog for the US Republican Party in world politics has always been the Christian Democrat and conservative movements, which have tended to favor social conservative policies coupled with laissez-faire economic principles. If you took the nationalist and totalitarian elements out of the fascist movement, it would actually fall to the left of our Democratic Party. Many of FDR's economic and social welfare policies were similar to those implemented by fascist parties in Europe, which makes sense because the policies were implemented as a response to the global economic depression.

[RedsBaron]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

I'm a bit late to the party, so it probably doesn't help at all, but I had quite a bit of history in my college career as an International Relations, Poli Sci, and German major. Question 7 just seems absurd, as you could probably argue that, without getting political, the Democratic Party is closer to fascist ideals than the Republican party. Fascist parties of the early 20th century arose from the same workers' movements that gave rise to Socialist and Communist parties in Europe. Like those parties, they were "anti-bourgeois" and had an antagonistic view toward traditional capitalism. They pushed the welfare of workers through government intervention in the economy and large public works projects. Where they diverged is that fascists took a nationalist turn and blamed the economic and social ills of society on "foreign" elements of society. They distrusted the democratic form of government, which they felt was manipulated by the wealthy "foreign" interests and favored dictatorships in order to stamp out political strife and make it easier to implement their policies.

The analog for the US Republican Party in world politics has always been the Christian Democrat and conservative movements, which have tended to favor social conservative policies coupled with laissez-faire economic principles. If you took the nationalist and totalitarian elements out of the fascist movement, it would actually fall to the left of our Democratic Party. Many of FDR's economic and social welfare policies were similar to those implemented by fascist parties in Europe, which makes sense because the policies were implemented as a response to the global economic depression.

Good concise analysis.

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

Question 7 just seems absurd, as you could probably argue that, without getting political, the Democratic Party is closer to fascist ideals than the Republican party.

I think this is the exact answer the tester wants. That's why I said it's a leading question.

Let's not get overwhelmed by infrastructure projects. Hitler and Mussolini were as anticommunist as Joe McCarthy. The blackshirts ransacked labor union and social democratic party offices. Hitler sent communists, socialists and labor organizers to concentration camps.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by Rojo

I think this is the exact answer the tester wants. That's why I said it's a leading question.

Let's not get overwhelmed by infrastructure projects. Hitler and Mussolini were as anticommunist as Joe McCarthy. The blackshirts ransacked labor union and social democratic party offices. Hitler sent communists, socialists and labor organizers to concentration camps.

Lots of political factions were anti-communist in that era. Within the workers' movements of that era, communists, socialists and fascist workers parties all viewed each other as political rivals and fought with each other when they weren't fighting the conservative factions. Communism itself was divided between the Marxist-Leninists and the Trotskyites. Each of those groups had their own armed paramilitary wings as well. The fascist regimes in Germany and Italy, like Stalin in the Soviet Union, liquidated or imprisoned many of their own party members if those members dared express ideas or desires that ran counter to those of the party leader. But in general, the fascists we're pro-worker, as long as you were a worker who shared the same ethnic and political views of party leadership. The Nazis didn't name themselves the National Socialist German Workers Party as mere window dressing, and you need look no further than the party platforms of the NSDAP and the Italian Fascist party to see where they lean on social and economic issues.

I agree that the question is loaded, but without knowing the political leanings of the tester we don't know which way it's loaded. Its basically a question designed to have students make superficial comparisons between historical fascism and current politics.

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

Within the workers' movements of that era, communists, socialists and fascist workers parties all viewed each other as political rivals and fought with each other when they weren't fighting the conservative factions.

Yet the Nazi's came to power in a coalition with the conservative DNVP

Generally hostile towards the republican Weimar constitution, the DNVP spent most of the inter-war period in opposition. Largely supported by landowners and wealthy industrialists, it favoured a monarchist platform and was strongly opposed to the Treaty of Versailles.

Extremely nationalistic and reactionary and originally favouring restoration of German monarchy, it later supported creation of an authoritarian state. Its supporters came from dedicated nationalists, the aristocracy, parts of the middle class and big business. While it sought the ultimate demise of Weimar Republic, it participated in its politics and ruling government to keep Socialists out of power. Before its alliance with Nazis, the party sought support of the national liberal German People's Party.

There are important distinctions to be made between Tory-type Conservatism or libertarianism and radical rightism like Nazis and Fascists. But the idea that the Nazis and Fascists were just some sort of leftist splinter group is revisionism. They weren't in a mudsling match over an interpretion of Marx, they were rejecting Marx outright, rejecting Bolshevism outright. Yes, they employed some public works projects. But they broke up unions, preserved private property, poured money into the military and attacked other nations.