Rise and Fall of Totalitarian Regimes: 1917-1945
The Russian Revolution and the Rise of the Soviet Union
In 1898, the Russian Social Democratic Party was founded. By 1912, it had split into Mensheviks and Bolsheviks. In February 1917, a revolution in St. Petersburg led to the fall of Tsarism. On October 25th, the Soviets, mandated by the Bolsheviks, overthrew the interim government and established a socialist state, forming a worker’s government.
The new Soviet government faced a civil war that lasted three years (1918-1921). In 1918, the party
Read MoreKey Figures of the 20th Century: Wałęsa, Allende, Gorbachev
Lech Wałęsa: A Polish Leader
Lech Wałęsa was born on 29 September 1943 in Popowo, Poland, the son of a carpenter. He attended primary and vocational training before entering the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk as an electrical technician in 1967. In 1969, he married Danuta Gołoś, and the couple had eight children.
He was a member of the committee during the illegal strike in the Gdańsk shipyard in 1970. After the bloody end to the strike, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 80 workers by
Read MoreEducational and Social Reforms in Spain
Educational and Social Reforms During the Second Spanish Republic
The proclamation of the Republic in 1931 led to the opportunity to realize educational renewal projects. The reform was centered on the idea of a unified, secular, compulsory, and free school system. The expulsion of the Jesuits and the exclusion of religious orders from instruction required the government to make a major effort in education. Primary education expenditures rose considerably, which permitted an increase in the number
Read MoreWorld War II: Causes, Consequences, and Totalitarian Regimes
Causes of World War II
- Nationalist Discontent: Significant nationalist tensions in Germany and Italy.
- Product Shortages: Widespread shortages of essential goods.
- Economic Protectionism: Increased economic protectionism following the Great Depression of the 1930s.
- Expansionist Policies: Aggressive expansionist policies pursued by Germany, Italy, and Japan.
- Appeasement: The policy of appeasement adopted by Great Britain towards Germany and Italy.
- Failure of the League of Nations: The League of Nations’
Almoravid Art and Architecture in Al-Andalus
Almoravid Art in Al-Andalus
As stepped battlements (in Umayyad Cordoba and the world), tumid intersecting arches decorated at the top, and so on. Inside, there is a kind of battery for ablutions. It would be reasonable to think that this construction was related to the Great Mosque, with the task of purifying the faithful before entering the sacred enclosure. Decoration in red and white with the same type of geometric patterns in Madinat al-Zahara.
The Collapse of Almoravid Power and the Second Taifa
Read More1936 Spanish Elections: Prelude to Civil War
The 1936 Spanish Elections and the Path to Civil War
In February 1936, elections were held again in Spain. The result was the victory of a leftist coalition called the Popular Front. It was a movement influenced by the Socialist International in Moscow, which had come to power in France and desired a similar outcome in Spain. However, Spanish socialist Largo Caballero’s aim was not a democratic and socialist revolution, but rather a regime akin to Soviet (Russian) socialism. The Republican Left
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