Nuremberg Trials

5/23/10
I was very surprised watching the Nuremberg Trials and what took place. I wasn't exactly sure what they were going to be like, I just wasn't picturing them how it was portrayed in the movie. There were so many characters in the movie it was hard to keep track of all of them, but a lot were convicted. To me, it seemed like the set-up of what the court system is like today.
The most surprising line of the whole movie was when they were speaking of Hitler and how he thought killing animals was immoral. That is ironic and shocking to me obviously, for the simple fact that he could kill many humans and not care yet killing animals was not right.

Self-Reflection

Taking AP European history, I believe, has really been beneficial for me. Although I have not been in a college class yet, this class is not like any of my other high school classes, so I am assuming this is going to be how a college class will be. Also for the fact that it is AP. The pace of the class has really helped me with my note-taking skills. Before, I would pretty much write down everything and I tried doing that at the beginning of the year but found it to be impossible, and would actually miss some of the most important items. There was a lot of information covered in a short amount of time so it forced me to be more organized and to mange my time better because I knew I would have to be prepared for class.
Even though I did all the work and read all the material, I never did well on the tests. I was never a good test taker but, I thought that since I did have everything prepared and would study more then I would for another class that I would do better but, that wasn't the case.
What I found most beneficial in the class is all the presentations and learning on our own we had to do. The more presentations I did, the better I got. I never really liked given presentations but since we did so many by the end I did not mind them at all. Preparing the presentations, I think, helped me to better learn the material since I would have to research and read the information. When others gave the presentations, it also helped with my note-taking because I would learn to recognize the important items.
Although the class was a lot of work, in the end it was very beneficial and exciting!!

Israeli Palestinian Conflict

Studying the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and playing the part of an Israelite, made me realize that this conflict will be an on-going conflict. I am not sure of any plan that would satisfy both the Israelites and the Palestinians wants since neither of them are willing to give up much. Both sides believe that their religious cities are most meaningful to them and that they have the right to the religious sites either because they were originally there, or for the fact that they make up most of the population. Each side is going to the extreme to try to conquer the problem and are doing a lot of damage to each other in order to conquer the opposing side and win what they belive is their territory. It will probably take a miracle for someone to come up with a plan in order to settle this conflict.

Image #3

On pages 1056 and 1057 of the textbook, there are two images that capture acts of terrorism taking place around the world. In these images there is a car bomb that takes place on the streets of Spain and then in the other picture, there are Shi'ite's Insurgents leaving Najaf's Imam Ali Shrine. Just within these two pictures, it is shown of the terrorism that is happening around the world and how it is everywhere. Although America is trying to combat it in one spot, there are many other places that still suffer from it. In the caption of the Shi'ite's Insurgents leaving Najaf's Imam Ali Shrine it says how there was a ceasefire and the Americans were fighting against many Muslim groups, more then just one. This images just show the feeling of the people around the world and what terrorism is doing to them and how they feel about it. Even though America may be thinking they are able to conquer terrorism and stop it completely, it has been widespread and on going, but then again, America is the most powerful nation.

America Held Captive to Utopian Ideology

The article, "America held captive to Utopian ideology," by Patrick J. Buchanan, was very interesting to me. The title basically sums up the whole article. It is basically an article about how and why China is so far ahead of the United States in the production area. Since America is too busy being the worlds police, they are not devoting enough of their times and services to what would really help them to excel as a country, since that is the "Utopian" way for the Chinese and America just isn't catching on. "Before the financial collapse, the U.S saving rate stood at zero percent of family income, In China, it ranged between 35 percent and 50percent," that is just one fact used in showing how well China is doing opposed to the United States. Although America is represented as the best and most powerful, in some aspects it really isn't.

Image #2-Ch. 31

Although this is not the exact image seen in the text on page 1036, it resembles the same thing. It is a picture of the falling of the Berlin wall. In the text it actually has a person on top of the part falling, taking it down. I obviously knew that the fall of the Berlin Wall meant that the wall stopping refugees from East Germany to West Germany meant that there would no longer be the wall to divide it but, I never pictured that this is how they took it down. It was probably a very joyous day for the West Germans but I wasn't aware that a crowd would be surrounding it and that someone would physically have to take it down.

In the picture it also shows the graffiti on the wall. The graffiti probably said some very hateful things for those who were against the division of Germany. I guess, its just not how i had always pictured it, thats why it was such a surprise when I came across the image.

Connection Across Time- Ch.31

In chapter 31, many of the images stuck out to me because many of the images still resemble what is going on today. For instance, "Terrorism in Spain" is a photo that was taken and currently terrorism is being fought. There is also a picture of two ladies helping an AIDS patient, and AIDS is still around today and many people are still working to help and find a cure for those diagnosed with it. Although there is not a whole lot seen today in our country with discrimination against Muslims, it still happens in other places around the world. Some Muslims are denied some rights especially Muslim women since they have to wear the scarf around their head. The image in the text shows Muslim women sticking up for what they believe in because some were trying to discriminate against their religion and take away some rights that mean a lot to them.

Celebrating Victory, Augsut 1991 Image #1-Ch. 31

In the text on page 1038, there is a picture of a Russian Soldier holding a Soviet flag. The Russian soldier is standing in front of the Russian Parliament, as he is celebrating the victory by Bors Yeltsin. This image stuck out to me for the fact that there is a hole in the soviet flag and the soldier is sticking two fingers through the hole with his fingers in the formation of a peace sign. To some people this action may occur to them as being cocky or disrespectful, but I think it is rather clever and unique way to show the soldiers happiness. One of the main reasons why I don't find this picture disrespectful is because it is a soldier who is making the sign of peace which means he helped in leading his country to victory.
****Could not find image on internet****

Bataan Death March- Reaction #1

After reading about the Bataan Death March, I think I can honestly say that no one in the time period had a heart. I know cruel actions take place around the world today but not like what happened during the time of World War II, well for the reasons. The reasons that people were treated cruelly was a bit absurd. During this time period it was msotly the Japanese soldiers that didnt have a heart and were mean to everyone. It's already scary enough to be a POW let alone having other soldiers starve to death, beat to death and worked to death. Just because they were losing, "...When the Japanese realized they were losing the war, their abuse became worse and they murdered or caused he deaths of thousands of POWs." Just because they were losing, they decided to take it out on the POWs instead of fighting harder in order to win!

Connection Across Time- Ch.29

In some aspects of their characteristics, I can see how Saddam Hussein is like Hitler. Hitler wanted to change everyone to become a German and all look the same. Then, Saddam Hussein's overall goal is to try to make everyone Muslim. Saddam Hussein tried to harm the U.S by hijacking planes because of the fact that the U.S is a powerhouse and dominate out of all the countries. As Hitler sent many to concentrations camps and did other harmful things to those living in Germany,unless you were blonde haired and blue eyed, and in Iraq it was basically the invasion of privacy where men play the dominate role. In some aspects, Hitler was more sever then Suddam Hussein is but they both have the same overall goal.

Rape of Nanking-Reaction #2

When hearing about the Rape of Nanking, it was very disturbing as to how the Chinese were treated. This picture is not an exaggeration of what happened during the Rape of Nanking. As seen in the picture, the mother is holding her baby close to her. Although the baby is really small, it did not mean anything to the Japanese. Children suffered bayonet stabbings, and by far i believe that women had it the worst. The Japanese would rape women, not matter what age, "Two of them were forced to satisfy 15 to 20 men and the prettiest one as many as 40 each night." It is hard to believe that the Japanese had such sick minds and just to think of all the diseases the women carried is probably the most disturbing. It made me cringe when I read that sticks and cans would be forced into a women's vaginal area, I can't even fathom how much these women suffered. It was also very disturbing to think that they would rape women anywhere from a child to a 80 year old women. To think that people were mutilated and buried alive is another thing that I can't believe the Japanese Soldiers did. Did they not have a heart? They had to have a sick mind because even if someone is ordered to do those duties no one in their right mind would not feel guilty. If they were ordered to do it, but didn't want to because they felt bad, they would have had "killing contests" to see how many people they could kill. In the end, all of this is very disturbing and I can't event image how much the Chinese suffered.

Guernica-Painting #3

This image found of page 935 of the text, Guernica, initially just looks like a bunch of odds and ends that Picasso put together to make this picture. Surprisingly, this image signifies a lot more then that. After looking at it for a while, it may become more noticable that it signifies the war. There are "people" who are dead on the ground. Then, the ones that are still alive have an expression of anger on their face as they are trying to defeat all of the others. What seems to be meaningless and just a jumble of ramble pictures, actually has a lot of significance as it is a picture of the war.

Hitler's Success with Agression-Painting #2

This political cartoon by David Low, proves what Hitler did very well. As it read beneath the people, "Spineless leaders of Democracy," shows that the people he is stepping on are leaders who did not stand up to him. Since his goal was to rule everyone and make everyone to be one person, and one nation, he has met his goal after all those leader backed down. He is holding his hand as if he was playing a trumpet, to show the victory in which he accomplished now that he has control over them. In addition, he is walking on top which means he is "above" all of the guys he is walking on and is better then them. Also, for the fact that it can show he can walk all over all the leaders of democracy because he is a dictator.

In the end, this cartoon is a good representation of what Hitler thought of himself.

The Great Dictator-Painting #1

"The Great Dictator" on page 936 is an image of Adolf Hitler. It was created by Charlie Chaplin as he is the film director and used it to satirize the "great dictator." The image shows Adolf Hitler looking at a globe. Hitler is dressed in an suit that shows his power. While he is looking at the globe, he is looking at the places he wishes to rule and takeover, as well as the ones he has already destroyed. The expression on his face is a surprised look. I interpreted the surprise look on his face as him seeing a new spot which he could take over. Also, since it is Hitler, the whole globe in front of him shows that he wants to be the dictator of the whole world.

Leni Riefenstahl-Reaction #1

During my research for Leni Riefenstahl, I found some interesting things. When I first began to find information on her,I did not know anything about the Age of Anxiety, and I began to wonder what it had to do with European History. By the end of my research I saw exactly how it tied in.
Riefenstahl had so many great things going for her. She was a dancer, an author, a photographer, as well as an underwater photographer. She was also an actress, a film director and producer. Most of the things she created and produced were highly recognized and received many awards. Even the film that destroyed her career was given many awards.
With all these great things going for Riefenstahl, Hitler stepped in and commisioned her to produce a film for him, Triumph des Willens or Triumph of the Will. This film was Hitlers way of showing the Nazi Party Rally in Nuremberg in 1934. The basic theme of it was to show the rebirth of Germany as an overriding power. It became a National Socialist Propaganda.
Surprisingly, although this film destroyed her career, it was still know as one of the greatest films in history. Riefenstahl did a very good job in making the movie as she incorporated moving cameras. telephoto lenses, aeriel photography, music and cinematography. The film was successful in both how it was filmed as well as destroying Riefenstahls career.
Also, while I was researching, it came to a surprise to me that she lived to be 101 years old. She had a very eventful life and did many things that could have made her life a lot shorter.

Sinking of the Lusitania

In the text, there is a picture of the Lusitania sinking. The picture does not show a lot of significance, but the event is very important. The sinking of the Lusitania was one of the main reasons for the US to officially start the war. German U-boats had sunk the Lusitania killing about 150 Americans. The Lusitania was a huge ship at the time and America had no choice but to join once the Germans had done this.

Storm Troopers Under Gas Attack

*I dont know how to put a picture on here :(
The picture Storm Troopers Under Gas Attack is a picture that is good depiction of WWI. WWI is when poison gas was first used. The Germans introduced it and used things such as mustard in order to poison the soldiers. Since the Germans used it against the others, the picture probably shows the other soldiers, the Germans enemies, in which they have the gas masks on yet are still fighting because of the things they are holding in their hands. I believe the picture is probably making fun of the Germans for the fact they received nothing at the end of the War, and although they did bring the poison gas, it did not help them.

Assassination of Ferdinand & Lexington and Concord

In reading the articles about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the "Shots heard around the world" at Lexington and Concord, I found them very interesting. It was interesting to me that the events were so similar and could lead to such similar events. Each of these shootings led to a major war that changed things of today. They were each the beginning of wars. The assassination was the beginning of WWI and the shots heard at Lexington and Concord was the beginning of the Revolutionary War. I never realized what the similarities were.

Germany and the Treaty of Versailles

It was shocking to me to see how unfairly Germany was treated when the treaty of Versailles was created. It is understandable to me why Germany was so upset, it caused Germany to go down hill. They were given a 33billion dollar reparation to pay for damages caused by the war. Although Germany's armed forces were restricted, the country was still forced to pay as well as being blamed for the reason as to why the war had started. The reparation probably had the greatest affect as the country's economy would suffer. Above all, Germany had lost most of its land as well. I felt bad for Germany as she seemed like she did not have a say as to what was going on with the country. In the end, Germany probably suffered the most from WWI.

Connection Across Time

In class we read about how the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand led to WWI, which was a major war, as well as how the shots fired at Lexington and Concord led to a major war between Britain and America. This situation reminded me of today's War on Terror. The terrorists had bombed America's World Trade Centers and the Pentagon leading America to fight back in a war that is still being fought nine years later.

Germany after WWI

On pg. 896 of the text, there is a picture of Trench Warfare titled, "The tragic Absurdity of Trench Warfare." The definition of trench Warfare is, combat in which each side occupies a system of protective trenches. Basically, it involved soldiers digging ditches so they were able to hide in there with just their head sticking out so they were able to shoot. The picture in the text really depicts what it was like during WWI. There are multiple soldiers in the picture, some of which who are dead, some who are being shot and others who are charging the enemy. It also shows what the ground was like where the soldiers would fight and what they would wear. In addition, it shows the guns in which they used to protect themselves. Overall, it is a good way of showing what it was like on the battleground.