Abstract
A look at the formation of the 'Mighty Five', five Russian composers, Korsakov, Balakirev, Borodin, Mussorgsky and Glinka who changed Russian music and stance impacting recognition from the Western world. A look at their contributions and impact on the world of music.

From the Paper
"The culmination of five ingenious, dedicated composers and one highly skilled evangelist led to the recognition of Russian music. This would be the recognition of a distinct, nationalist approach to music. Involving traditional melodies, and folk songs, and composed in a uniquely Russian manner. They would forever change Russian classical music, and made a large impact upon the rest of the Western world. It is important to recognize two key individuals; one Rimsky-Korsakov for his incredibly sophisticated works, and two the work of Stasov as propagandist. Finally the Mighty Five as a whole should be recognized for their achievements, contributions, and enduring impact on music.'

Tags:composer, russia, russian, Korsakov, Balakirev, Borodin, Mussorgsky, Glinka

Abstract
This paper will cover the book "Balkan Ghosts" by Robert Kaplan and will discuss the topic of Balkan history that it reveals in this story. The story is a travel guide of sorts to understanding the complex nature of Balkan politics in the region and to see how racial hatred has been accumulating over the years in this region.

Abstract
This paper highlights the portions of Ronald Reagan's foreign policy that confronted the Soviet Union in ways that forced the United States to spend large amounts of money. The foreign policy issues that are examined include Afghanistan, The Iran-Contra Affair, Reagan's support of Eastern-European Dissidents and Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative, (also known as "Star Wars"). Afghanistan is heavily analyzed, with a breakdown of significant historical points, such as the introduction of the US-made Stinger missile, which stripped the USSR of air superiority. The Iran-Contra affair is included as a way to demonstrate Reagan's willingness to confront communism everywhere. This was a marked policy shift from Jimmy Carter and caught the USSR off guard. The Strategic Defense Initiative is analyzed and is linked to an increased amount of money being spent by the USSR on research and development. The support of dissidents by Reagan is looked at as well, with the conclusion that with relatively little amounts of effort, Reagan's foreign policy fomented large amounts of political opposition to the Soviet Union in Eastern European satellite countries. This caused the Soviet Union to spend money combating this problem as well, with their spy apparatus. Definitive numbers are given that explain just how much the Soviet Union spending increased while Reagan was in office.

From the Paper
"In the 1980's, a swirling of events converged to form a perfect storm that met the conditions for bringing down what Ronald Reagan termed the "evil empire." The first incident was that Old School communists in the Politburo sought to make an impression in Central Asia, but found stalwart resistance in The Gipper. Second, Reagan's abrupt shift from Carter's lax foreign policy took the Soviets by surprise, with the new administration's desire to challenge communism on every front possible; out of this desire came the ill-fated support of the contras, along with the hugely successful backing of Eastern European dissidents, namely the Solidarity movement in Eastern Europe. The third event in Reagan's foreign policy shift that took the world by surprise was the administration's renunciation of the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction; Reagan took the steps of beginning a Ballistic Missile Defense program, which he coined the Strategic Defense Initiative. The Soviets, with few options of recourse, were forced to make concessions that led to the implosion of the "evil empire" shortly afterward. Thus, by applying a policy of confrontation of spreading Communism, bleeding the Soviets in Afghanistan by supporting the mujahideen, and abruptly announcing a paradigm shift in American foreign policy with the Strategic Defense Initiative, Ronald Reagan certainly hastened, if not caused the downfall of the USSR."

Tags:cold, war, CIA, Uzbekistan

Abstract
This paper discusses that the Cold War dominated international politics while it lasted as the two major world powers, United States and the Soviet Union, were locked in intense political and ideological rivalry. The author points out that although the Cold War started after the Second World War, it had its roots in the events that occurred towards the end of World War I. The author believes that the policies of Perestroika and Glasnost by the Mikhail accelerated the collapse of Communism and ended the Cold War.

From the Paper
"One of the most serious Cold War events was the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. It occurred in a dangerous standoff between the Soviets and the US when the latter discovered the secret deployment of Soviet nuclear missiles in Communist Cuba. Only sensible decision making by the US President (Kennedy) and the Soviet leader (Khrushchev) who ignored the advice of "hawks" prevented a nuclear holocaust. Events that led to the ultimate collapse of the Soviet Union were triggered by the policies of the Reagan administration which stepped up military spending that the ailing economy of the Soviet Union was unable to match. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 to prop up a communist regime resulted in a costly war for the Russians and proved to be the last straw."

Tags:perestroika, glasnost, cuba, wwi, reagan

Abstract
This paper compares and contrasts two mosaics depicting Mary and Jesus-one medieval, the other Byzantine. The author discusses their stylistic differences, the severity and stoicism versus warmness and emotion, and examines Christianity as seen through religious art in both societies.

From the Paper
"The Medieval era produced many important art pieces - many of which contained reference to religious figures. Because religion did, in fact, play such an important role in everyday life, religious art abounded throughout Europe . However, depending upon the area of the continent and which religion its inhabitants believed in, artists portrayed similar religious scenes in varying ways. In particular, Byzantine and Medieval pieces contained identical figures or scenes portrayed in very different ways due to the respective religion's influence on the artist. Comparison of two mosaics depicting Virgin and Child will show fundamental stylistic differences between Byzantine and Medieval art."

Tags:art, europe, history, mosaic, religion, Roman, Constantinople, empire, Mary, Jesus

From the Paper
"Author Sheila Fitzpatrick examines in her book, The Russian Revolution: 1917-1932, the most basic aspects of the revolution--causes, the aims, social support, the impact on the Russian society, the political outcome, and the time span of the revolution itself. Her essential theme is that the Russian Revolution differed from other revolutions in that it peculiarly has been described by various historians as ending at different times. Fitzpatrick treats the February and October Revolutions of 1917, the Civil War, the interlude of the New Economic Policy and Stalin's initial Five Year plan as successive stages in the overall revolution (p. 3).


Fitzpatrick compares her view to that of Crane Brinton in Anatomy of Revolution, suggesting that revolutions have a form of their own, passing through the stages of enthusiasm for radical..."

From the Paper
"When looking into the poem "Dover Beach," by Matthew Arnold, one can choose not to see the great, white cliffs standing eerily silent in the moonlight, the ancient, icy waves approaching and retreating on the pebbled shore, and even the two figures gazing out the window at the boundless beauty of the scene. However, it is difficult to ignore the human theme of being swept about in the undertow of social change."

Tags:arnold, beach, dover, matthew, poetry

Abstract
This paper reviews "Out of This Furnace" by Thomas Bell, which depicts the process by which a small group of Slovak immigrants are gradually transformed into active participants in a stable American society. The paper uses the social history technique to examine Slovak immigrants in a Pennsylvania mining town.

From the Paper
"In the dirty, dangerous cauldron of western Pennsylvania, the uneducated muscle of the eastern Slovak mountains would be transformed into the confident skill of an organizer of men. Through the trials and tribulations of work in and transition to American life overcome by these immigrants, one can observe the forging of a new and more powerful American nation that would be ready to save the entire world from the challenges shortly to come."

Tags:czech, labor, mines, union

Abstract
Eugenia Ginzburg experienced the heart of the Stalinist Terror as few have who lived to tell about it. A staunch Communist supporter, Ginzburg found herself wrongfully accused of being an enemy of the people and subsequently thrown into jail. This paper examines her account of her years and months in prison camps in her book, "Journey into the Whirlwind". It also looks at how her story impacts the study of the Stalinist Terror.

From the Paper
"Thrown into jail, Ginzburg found herself transferred from jail to labor camp across the country for years. What she found, to her surprise and intrigue, was that her supposed crime seemed to change with every facility to which she was transferred. She started out as an "enemy of the people", and by the time she was released, she found herself being referred to as an "international terrorist." This demonstrates just what a propaganda machine Stalin's regime was. It appears that Ginzburg's supposed crime was adjusted and changed whenever it suited the regime, probably depending upon whatever propaganda the regime was trying to propagate at the time."

Tags:Soviet, Bolshevik, Menshevik, solitary, confinement

From the Paper
"Karl Marx, born in Germany in 1818, had tremendous influence throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The communist and socialist ideologies, the communist revolution in Russia, and the spread of communism throughout the world were all a result of Marx's social and economic theories. These theories were developed as a result of the situation of the working class in Europe during Marx's lifetime. .."

Tags:19th, century, conditions, engels, european, history, labor, marxism, russia, soviet, union, unions, working