USSR Dictator Joseph Stalin: Contributor to the Cold War

http://www.pbs.org/redfiles/bios/all_bio_joseph_stalin.htm

Joseph Stalin was the dictator of the Soviet Union who transformed Russia into a world super power after World War II. He took the place of former dictator Vladimir Lenin after he passed away in 1924. From the very beginning Stalin was bent on changing the USSR's economy from agrarian to industrial. With his 1928 Five-Year Plans, Stalin launched a rapid start to Russia's industrialization. Stalin believed in the idea of a socialist nation. He formed a pack with Nazi Germany which Germany did not respect and invaded parts of Russia during World War II. As a result, Stalin decided to ally himself with the Allies and Russia took Berlin on May of 1945. Sequentially, by the end of the war the Soviet Union become the second most powerful country of the world.

In my opinion Joseph Stalin was not the best of leaders that history has encountered. He was too worried about making Russia a super power than the actual people in Russia at the time. A lot of Russians suffered and disappeared during the Five-Year Plan. Also, a lot of Russians were put into labor camps and forced to work for the government with little or no pay. Not to mention that millions died in the forming of the USSR's establishment as a super power. Several Red Army leaders that opposed Stalin's ideas and decisions were sent to jail, labor camps, or mysteriously disappeared. I don't think that a leader should be a dictator and definitely should take more care of the people he or she is governing.

Cesar Chavez: Mexican American Activist

A Documentary History of the Mexican Americans by Wayne Moquin. (Pgs 339-349).

This reading was about the civil rights leader for Mexican Americans named Cesar Chavez. Cesar Chavez was born on March 31 of 1927. He was born into a poor family and grew up as an american farm worker. Chavez formed the union of National Farm Workers Association which later came to be known as the United Farm Workers. Chavez was known for his charisma and excellent public speaking abilities to inspire Latino farm workers. His main goal was to unite and organize Latino farm workers in order to gain civil rights and justice towards Mexican Americans. Chavez used leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, and Zapata. As a result, he believed in aggressive, but nonviolent resistance. His dream was to achieve the riches of U.S land for Mexican Americans. Chavez is famous for his slogans and the inspiration he infused into Latinos. One of the most famous slogans he came up with was "Si se puede!" or "Yes we can!". He was a huge influential leader for the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement because of this today Cesar Chavez Day is celebrated in some states.

In my opinion Cesar Chavez was a very important and influential leader of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement. He was the one to unite Mexican American farm workers and tried to make a difference. He also organized a successful union like the United Farm Workers. In addition, he even resisted injustice in a manner like Martin Luther King Jr.'s, nonviolently. I think he was personally a great leader of the movement because of his gift of inspiring people through his speeches and slogans. For example, the "Si se puede!" slogan is still used today by Mexican American. Therefore, Cesar Chavez was a great leader.

 

Chicano Movement

A Documentary History of the Mexican Americans
by: Wayne Moquin
Pgs. 386-392

Chicano was a term used to describe Mexican-Americans.
It was a term used to desribe those that weren't completely
Mexican, but not entirely American either.



Types of food like pozole, menudo, and burritos began during
this time period due to the new Chicano recipes and way of
preparing the food. It was a way to express Chicano pride and
not accept normal American meals.



Chicanos movement strived for equality through education.
Chicanos wanted to educate other Chicanos about politics
and the economy. Also, they encouraged Chicanos to practice
their Mexican cultures and not let the predominant Anglo society
change them.



Chicanos believed strongly that they were not minorities.
They wanted equal education and respect of their culture.

Introduction

My name is Christian Ruiz. I am from Santa Ana, California. I enjoy playing soccer, rock climbing, and watching movies with friends. Currently I am attending Verde Valley School in Sedona, Arizona.
I am also currently taking a U.S History class. In class we have studied about several topics including: the Revolutionary War, Women's Rights, the Civil War, the Industrial Revolution, Slavery, Westward Expansion, the Mexican-American War, and more. We are now beginning to work on a research project. We were assigned to find one area of post-Civil War United States History that interested us and learn more about that certain topic. Our topic must be after 1865, but we are free to do almost anything that relates to United States History and/or culture. Instead of writing one large research paper we will construct an online blog to document our research this semester. We will also be doin other projects such as art projects, powerpoint presentations, etc. We hope to learn more about US History by reading each other's blogs and sharing special information with the class in presentations.
I have chosen the topics of the Chicano Student Movement and the Cold War. The Chicano Student Movement began in the 1940s with the goal of achieving empowerment for Mexican-Americans. The word Chicano was origianlly used to label sons and daughters of Mexican migrants in a deragoatory form. However, some Chicanos used this label to turn it into as a symobl of self-determination and ethnic pride. This new generation of Mexican Americans were singled out by both sides. They were not considered american nor mexican. For this reason Chicanos began to fight for their rights as American while also accepting their mexican culture.The Chicano Movement also addressed public discrimination and discrimination in private institutions. For example, schools. Due to this discrimination Mexican Americans formed the League of United Latin American Citizens (1929) in order to proctect themselves from discrimination. This organization is still active today.
I chose this topic because it is about my Mexican heritage and I dont know very much about this topic. I am interested in learning more about this topic and the integration of Mexican Americans in American Society.
The second topic I chose was the Cold War. The Cold War was the continuning state of political conflict, military tension, and economic competition after World War II. This war was between the communist super power of the Soviet Union and its allies against the Western World especially the US and its allies. Although, the Cold War is considered a war the two armies never clashed direclty. Instead it was expressed through proxy wars, espionage, propaganda, appeals to neutral nations, rivalry at sports events, and technological competitions.
I chose this topic because it sounds interesting due to the proxy warfare and nuclear fear. Also, I don't know much about the subject and it sounds interesting to learn/research about it.