Mikhail Gorbachev and the collapse of Communism

Mikhail Gorbachev slowly opened up the Soviet government through Glasnost and other mild reforms. Glasnost allowed the people of the Soviet Union to speak freely and Churches to open. Another idea Gorbachev had was called Perestroika. Perestrokia was an economic reform which gave managers control over their Farms and Factorys. All of these reforms began to make other Eastern European nations change their way of thinking too. Eventually communism fell all across Europe leading to Germany's reunification.

Nelson Mandela and Apartheid

Apartheid was the segregation in South Africa. There were three terms used for non-whites in the system. Bantu which was Black, and colored or indian for people of mixed race. Until 1990 many places like banks or even bathrooms were made to be used by only one of the Apartheid Races. In 1994 the Apartheid system was finally completley abandoned after years of boycott and violence.

African Independence

Following the end of World War II many African nations felt they should no longer be ruled by the Europeans, Some nations like the British helped set up a power transfer from themselves to the people of their colonies. Other Nations like Portugal refused and eventually left their colonies in a state of disrepair. The first colony to achive its indepndence was The Gold Coast which became known as Ghana. Thanks to their leader Kwame Nkrumah and help from the British Ghanawas able to prosper for sometime until their economy collapsed.After that power switched hands often until the first elections in 2000. In Angola a colony of the Portugese it was much worse as Portugal was unwilling to give up their colonies. The Portugese left in 1975 without giving power to anyone. This led to a major civil war between the MPLA and UNITA. In 1995 talks began between the two parties but they broke down and the civil war still continues.

Film Lesson: "Schindler's List"

"Schindler's List" shows the Holocaust just how it occurred with Hollywood drama and some fiction thrown in. The most powerful scene had to be when the Nazi Army was killing and moving everyone out of the Krakow ghetto. Seeing people fight for hiding spots under the floor, in ovens, and even in the back of a piano it showed how much the Jewish people feared the Nazi's and what they threatened to do to them. I doubt I will forget the scene when the Nazi's separate the women and children because they are going to be killing them. It let the viewer see how ruthless the Nazi army was.

Film Lesson: "Night and Fog"

"Night and Fog" was pretty good for a documentary it blended the footage of Auschwitiz 10 years after the holocaust with the little amount there was of video of Auschwitiz during the Holocaust. "Schindler's List" had better scenes since they actually created footage and had the footage work for them instead of writing for the footage. "Night and Fog" depicts the Holocaust in a more realistic way since it is a documentary and "Schindler's List" had some drama and fiction worked into it.

Mustaf Kemal (Ataturk) and the Modernization of Turkey

Mustaf Kemal was the first Turkish president after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. He was able to modernize Turkey in the 15 years he served as president through 6 beliefs. Mustaf believed in Republicanism, Populism, Secularism, Reformism, Nationalism, and Statism. Mustaf Kemal deep belief in Secularism meant that State and Religion were divided. He also divided Religion from other affairs like the legal system and Education. One of Mustafs sayings was "Peace at Home, Peace in the World" Turkey was able to stay out of conflicts during Mustaf and his presidency.

Mustaf made many reforms including a Language reform. In five months Mustaf was able to change the old Arabic Script to the Latin alphabet. This is something that could have easily taken 5 years or more. Mustaf also launched reforms for Womens Rights. He gave them the same opportunities as Men had including political rights.

Mustaf not only led a political reform as president but a full Cultural Revolution in Turkey. He was able to modernize and make Turkey secular in only 15 years.

Film Lesson "Ghandi"

Mahatma Gandhi was a main figure in India's history as he helped shape the future of the country. Gandhi fought for the independence of India from British rule through a series of civil disobedience campaigns. Ghandi advocated a nonviolence which was called Ahimsa. In 1930 he led a march to the sea, where they evaporated the water to produce salt as a protest to the british salt tax. Ghandi had a vast amount of power in india. Many times he fasted as a form of protest as a revolution could easily break out if he died.

Ghandi had a philosophy of non-violence which he followed strictly. He used it very well and easily to his advantage. Ghandi hoped that Britain would also find violence useless and would leave India. He used fasting many times since the British could not let him die.

Even if Ghandi hadn't taken up this cause India would probably be free from british rule today it may have just taken longerand possibly more violent.

Ghandi was assasinated on January 30, 1948 in New Delhi by a Hindu fanatic who disliked Gandhi's idea that Muslims and Hindus were equal.