Abstract The Cold War is considered by historians to be one of the most prominent social and political developments of the later Twentieth Century and served to form the political and economic alliances which impacted almost every aspect of modern life. The development of the Cold War can be traced back nearly a century, but the event that triggered the outbreak of the Cold War itself is believed to be the Berlin Blockade. This paper investigates the causes of the Berlin Blockade and how this event came to pass, with reflection on how the Berlin Blockade helped chart the development of the Cold War itself.
Abstract The paper examines Brian S. Gunderson's article "Strategic Air Command's B-29's During the Berlin Airlift", which emphasizes the previously unacknowledged, but crucial role played by B-29s during the famous Berlin Blockade airlift. The paper asserts that although this is a valuable document in its detail and meticulous, step-by-step chronological unfolding of the events leading up to and after the airlift, Gunderson lacks engagement because of his failure to really make an argument about the significance of the airlift. The paper notes many aspects the author could have addressed that would have improved this work.
From the Paper "Author and B-29 navigator from the 1948 28th Bomb Wing Brigadier General Brian S. Gunderson's article "Strategic Air Command's b-29's During the Berlin Airlift" appears to be a fairly straightforward account of the Berlin Blockade with an emphasis on the previously unacknowledged, but crucial role played by B-29s during the famous airlift. Gunderson was personally involved in the airlift, although his article takes a cooler, more dispassionate tone than other attempts to provide the reader with a gripping, involved, and 'grounds-eye' narrative of the events that transpired. His thesis, vaguely defined, seems to underline the significance of the airlift and the essential fellowship and hospitality of the British that enabled the airlift to be so successful. However, although a valuable document in its detail and meticulous, step-by-step chronological unfolding of the events leading up to and after the airlift, he lacks engagement with a central, driving thesis because of his failure to really make an argument about the significance of the airlift."
Abstract Although the Berlin Wall was erected by the East German government in order to stop the mass exodus of refugees from East to West Germany, it acquired in the course of its twenty-eight-year life span symbolic meanings which transcended the pragmatic political intention behind its building. As a demarcation line between East and West, the Wall played a significant symbolic role in the "imaginative geography" of the Cold War, detente, and finally the collapse of the Communist regimes in Eastern Europe which brought to an end the dominance of a bipolar world system. This paper examines the significance of the Berlin wall from the eyes of author Roger Darton and his book, "Berlin Journal".
Abstract This book report reviews Christopher Isherwood's book 'The Berlin Stories'. The paper highlights examples of the wild, decadent and colorful lifestyle in Berlin before World War II, by tracing the characters portrayed in 3 short stories, 'The Nowarks', 'Sally Bowles' and 'On Reugen Island' contained in this book.
From the Paper "The story that best describes decadent or debauched behavior however is "Sally Bowles." The heroine encountered by Isherwood here is Sally Bowles, a 19-year-old English girl who works as a singer in The Lady Windermere, a cabaret. No doubt a colorful character, Sally exemplifies the wild and wicked lifestyle of her time. Sex for her was a mere trifle. She points out the men she sleeps with no hint of self-consciousness or shame. "That's the man I slept with last night. He makes love marvelously. He's an absolute genius at businesses and he's terribly rich." (Isherwood, 1963, p. 23). Seduction, fun and games, are all part of Sally's way of life as well as that of the people around her. "For heaven's sake, don't leave me alone with this man! Or he'll seduce me down the telephone. He's most terribly passionate" (Isherwood, 1963, p. 22)."
Abstract The paper relates that the book "The Fall of Berlin 1945" offers not only a detailed look at how and why Berlin fell in 1945, but also provides a historic look at warfare and the horrors of war. The paper looks at how Beevor's book includes scrupulous research, numerous maps and a clear understanding of the mechanics of war, giving the reader a comprehensive knowledge of the last days of the Third Reich. The paper is of the opinion that it is an excellent history book and should be considered in any study of World War II.
From the Paper "Beevor's book opens with the desperate situation in Berlin in the last month of 1944, when bombing raids were common and the people's motto was simply to "Survive!" (Beevor 2). He shows how, through fear and desperation, society began to disintegrate and the Nazi stranglehold on the country began to release. The opening chapters follow the many battles and tactical maneuvers that led to the final fall of Berlin, including assessments of the armaments used to win the war. For example, Beevor writes of the Soviet tanks used in the Vistula, "The rapid advances of Zhukov's tank armies were partly due to the simplicity and robust construction of the T-34 tank and its broad tracks, which could cope with snow, ice, and mud" (Beevor 20). He also follows some of the most important military leaders in the war and shows how their decisions affected many of the decisive battles leading to the fall of Berlin."
Abstract This paper looks at the Monika Maron stories "The Promise" and "Silent Close No.6". In the two stories, the author tells us that The Berlin Wall comes to represent much more than concrete blocks built together. Throughout both pieces, the Wall represents the struggles each character goes through with their fathers and their battles or embraces of Communist ideals.
From the Paper "Throughout The Promise and Silent Close No.6, there are references made to the Berlin Wall. Though the same physical object looms over the characters in each piece, the wall comes to represent two entirely different things within the context of each work. Within The Promise, the wall separates two lovers, Sophie and Conrad. However it is much more than a barrier, the Wall represents the teachings of Conrad's father, the loyalty to his country, and the importance he shows for his family. The only way Conrad can live out his love story with Sophie is to escape the shackles that keep him tied to the East side of the Wall. These restraints come off only after the Wall has fallen, but by that time it is too late to rekindle the romance he shared with Sophie. In Silent Close No.6, the wall is used as a tool of unification rather than separation. Beerenbaum perceived it as a tool in unifying and solidifying the socialist nation. The wall was representative of the pinnacle of the East German socialist regime, a legacy for Beerenbaum to leave behind. Rosa, on the other hand, views the wall as a physically looming presence upon which she projects her resentment and bitterness onto her father and communism. For all these character the Wall becomes much more than concrete and watchtowers. It divides them all further than spatial limitations allow, creating a mental wall that prevents all Germans from coexisting."
Tags: compare, contrast, german, germany, literature, berlin
Abstract This paper examines the alternatives available to President Truman and his advisers in 1948 regarding responses to the blockade of Berlin by the USSR. The author assesses the value of each alternative and explores the potential Soviet responses to each of them, then concludes that an airlift is the best alternative.
Abstract This paper briefly discusses the period of history known as the 'scramble for Africa' when European countries tried to colonize as much of Africa as possible in the late 1800s until the start of WWI. It looks at the political, social, and nationalistic reasons for this hype and, in turn, discusses the resulting need for the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885. It explains how this conference was necessary to make international 'rules' about colonization.
From the Paper "The competition among the European nations to colonize Africa led to the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885. This was necessary because of the intense amount of treaty-making and colony-building by the competing European nations, and it became a three-month bargaining session among the 14 attending nations regarding who would gain control over what parts of Africa, without regard for the cultural boundaries already in place. The nations attending were Germany, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Norway, Turkey and the United States. (Wikipedia) The main purposes of the conference became assuring nations access to major trade routes, suppressing the internal slave trade in Africa, banning the importation of firearms into Africa, and discussion of the occupation of territories. ?The result of this conference was a treaty called the Treaty of Berlin. By 1900, almost 90% of Africa was under European control.? (Bergstrom)
Abstract This paper explains that Ira Berlin's book "Many Thousands Gone" demonstrates that the meaning of slavery and of race itself was constantly changing as the nation moved toward independence: (1) Beginning in the early seventeenth century, the Charter Generation of slavery was a society with "black" slaves, indentured servants and Atlantic creoles whose position was determined by social and economic status and not by color; (2) The Plantation Generation, whose wearing labor was the sole meaning of black society and, (3) finally, the Revolutionary Generation who represent a freed black society. The author points out that, even in the worst of circumstances, slaves always held a strong card, the threat of rebellion; and, through negotiation, slaves not only carved out an independent social sphere but also they created their own world. The paper relates that, in each generation, slaves' and masters' correlation and co-dependence as well as the political and economical influence of slavery were important influences in the history-making of America.
From the Paper "Ira Berlin described the political impact in all three generations. The primary reason for slaves, indentured servants and Atlantic Creoles to be imported into America was to work the hard fields and other tasks white colonials could not do. Although in the Charter Generation slaves could become masters and own slaves, whites did not allowed too long for this inferior society to compete with them. For example, Anthony Johnson, an Atlantic Creole who gained his freedom after many years of labor, struggled to negotiate and deal with white colonials. "Vulnerable black people paid premium prices for goods and services that white men and women bought cheaply," Berlin described."
Abstract On May 13, 1931, the International Olympic Committee, headed by Count Henri Baillet-Latour of Belgium, awarded the 1936 Summer Olympics to Berlin. This paper examines the political and social situation of Germany at the time, under the leadership of Adolph Hitler. It shows how he used the two weeks that the whole world would be watching, to turn Germany into a showcase and soften his anti-semitic policies.
The paper also discusses the games themselves and the controversies surrounding Hitler's apparent snubbing at the victories of black American athletes.
From the Paper "Of course, the Games were not without controversy in the several years prior to 1936. As Hitler assumed power and the Nazis formed a one-party dictatorship, there were efforts to remove the Games from Berlin for political reasons. The United States was especially vehement about moving the games. But, the International Olympic Committee, in trying to prove their rationale for awarding the games to Berlin, claimed that the Games would be under the auspices of the German government, and not the Nazi party,. Perhaps some people forgot that in Germany now these two were one and the same thing. Still, the Games were in the hands of the German Olympic Organizing Committee, headed by a Dr. Lewald, its president, and Dr. Diem, its secretary-general. Both were pre-Nazi Germans, and were not in good standing with the Nazi party, but somehow they managed to retain control."
Abstract This paper discusses how the causes that brought about the fall of the Berlin Wall and the monolithic Communist empire run deep. It cites the beginning of the fall as 1985 with new Soviet leaders such as Gorbachev followed by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
From the Paper "The political polemics and economic theories and the geopolitical analyses of the fall of Communism and the break-up of the Soviet Union fill shelves with cruel crimes committed for the party ..."
Tags: Communist International relationships. History Economics Politics, Berlin Wall, Soviet, Gorbachev
Abstract This paper is about the fall of the Berlin Wall and the effects it has had on society and still has on society today. The paper contains a discussion of different theories, information on war and about people in the East and West Berlin as well as an account of the symbolic meaning the fall of the Berlin Wall holds.
From the Paper "On November 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall collapsed. This marked the disappearance of the Iron Curtain, and more importantly, signified the end of the Cold War. For years, East and West Berlin had been divided. This division separated families, caused thousands of escape attempts, and was to many, symbolic of Winston Churchill's famous Iron Curtain Speech. It is only now, over a decade after the wall was opened, that one can appreciate the suffering, struggles, devastation, and victories that surrounded this twelve-foot high monument of the unwillingness to succumb to communism."
Tags: German, Europe, division, war, separate, society
An analysis of the evolution of the African-American culture according to Ira Berlin's article, "Time, Space, and the Evolution of African-American Society".
Abstract The essay demonstrates how Ira Berlin's article presents the evolution of African-American culture in a new light. Before WWII, most texts about American slavery portray the African-American as the happy and contented slave at ease in his plantation surroundings. While studies done in the past three decades realize this as a misconception, many studies cite the institution of slavery itself as the common developmental denominator shared by members of African-American society. The essay explains that, unlike other studies which group all members of African-American society together, Ira Berlin divides the black society of colonial America into three separate and distinct cultures, and presents the theory that the class distinction that evolved within the black society stemmed as much from the factors of economy, cultural diversity and geography as they did from the confinements of slavery.
From the Paper "Given the wild winds of economic, political and societal change that swept across the nation during the last half of the twentieth century, the year 1977 appears to have passed through the annals of American history somewhat uneventfully. The roar of the sixties' riots and the violence of the Vietnam Era had taken their toll, and with the Watergate Scandal barely three years past, a still shell-shocked America of '77 quietly mourned the passing of Presley and placed their political faith in a farmer from Georgia. In retrospect, 1977 appears to have been quite an unmemorable year in American society and culture, an unremarkable moment in time that passed passively into the past along with Pong, PacMan and platform shoes. In reality, however, the year 1977 marked a milestone in the nation's culture, for it was during this year that both modern American and modern African-American society turned on its collective television set and found itself face to face with its collective past. For six consecutive nights in 1977, an enamored nation watched as Africa gave birth to Kunta Kinte, America gave birth to slavery, and Alex Haley's Roots exposed the harsh beginnings of the African-American culture. It touched nerves, but it also touched hearts, opened eyes and widened perspectives."
Abstract This paper examines "Many Thousand Gone", a book written by Ira Berlin that traces the history of slavery in America. It analyzes how Berlin provides insight into the many different areas of life for African-Americans, including an overview of 200 years of history and details of culture within the enslaved communities. It looks at how the book traces the progress towards freedom and the obstacles and setbacks America, as a whole, had to overcome.
From the Paper "Freed blacks were not truely free, but more free than slaves on the plantation, and had very little rights. They lacked many fundamental rights such as voting rights, serving on trail juries, testifying in court, and in some places not even being able to travel without having the proper papers on them at all times. Some southern laws denied blacks access from using public areas, some populated areas provided segregated areas of low quality. Since they where limited on owning property and could not work alongside whites even in factories, or mills, it was hard to provide any standard of living. If you were a fortunate free man of color living in the north it was possible to obtain a very small patch of land."
Abstract The paper focuses on David C. Berliner's and Bruce J. Biddle's counterattack on the widespread criticism launched at American public schools. The paper describes how Berliner and Biddle systematically address issues of concern to public school critics, including standardized test scores, violence in schools and literacy and how they react to some of the propositions for public school reform, most notably the voucher system. The paper quotes the authors' opinion that the real problems with American public schools mirror the problems endemic in the United States such as poverty, prejudice, inequality and wrongly allocated funds.
From the Paper "David C. Berliner and Bruce J. Biddle counterattack the widespread criticism launched at American public schools in "The Manufactured Crisis: Myths, Fraud, and the Attack on America's Public Schools." The book is well-researched and scholastic in scope even if the authors' tone is sometimes scathing. Their resentment and frustration is directed at a range of targets including special interest groups, political parties, individual politicians, and the media. Berliner and Biddle systematically address issues of concern to public school critics, including standardized test scores, violence in schools, literacy, and the job market. Moreover, the authors react to some of the propositions for public school reform, most notably the voucher system. Berliner and Biddle's critique is thorough, well-documented and well-composed and therefore The Manufactured Crisis emerges as one of the most important books of its kind."
