If any of you read this over the weekend, and are in E Period, I need your help. It will take you five minutes.
I think I successfully added all of you E period students as “authors” of this blog. That means you should be able to log in, click “site admin,” and write a post on this blog.
But remember, since I’ve never set up a blog this way–and since the whole “kisblogs” program is new to us all–I’m learning this just like you are.
So you can help me by trying to write a post for this blog. If you do, please email me at my gmail account and let me know what happened. (Or if I’m online, you can call me on Skype.)
Thanks, E Period.
Entries (RSS)
March 22nd, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Hi, this is a comment.
To delete a comment, just log in, and view the posts’ comments, there you will have the option to edit or delete them.
March 24th, 2007 at 10:51 am
Test.
April 15th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
OMG. Mr.Burell, if you ever read this, you just got to add me as the “authors” for this blog.sobsob. I can’t write anything…
April 15th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
I’m so sorry~~~ I couldn’t write on the blog, so I just decided to,,,,
well….. submit a “comment”. I’ll remove it asap (when I’m able to write on the blog,.)
The Opiate of the Masses: Religion
Ever since Russia became a communist country, “religion” lost its ground in many parts of Russia. While talking about Russia and Stalin in class, our class learned that for every communist country, there was a religious persecution. As we all know, Russia Orthodox was persecuted in Russia, and also the Jews were oppressed by pogroms, an organized violence against Jews. In our last class, Mr.Burell briefly explained the communist view of religion. Karl Marx, the father of communism, resented religion and thought that religion should be eliminated. He viewed religion as a comfort that interfered people to bring heaven on “earth”, by presenting the idea that there’s heaven after “death.” I found this very interesting than most of the historical facts that we learned in class, so I researched about what Karl Marx had really said about religion.
Religious distress is at the same time the expression of real distress and the protest against real distress. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people. The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions.
Karl Marx, Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right
Marx criticizes religion by calling it the “illusionary happiness” and the “opium of the people,” treating it as an illusionary fantasies for poor or an excuse for people to run away from facing the reality. This is why the historical events we’re learning now include the conflicts between communism and religion. In Russia alone, the Russian Orthodox churches were converted into other uses such as warehouses, monasteries were closed and often converted to prison camps, and many members of clergy were imprisoned for anti-government activities under the Bolshevik rule. During the 1920’s and 1930’s the celebration of Christmas was prohibited in Russia, and many anti-religious campaigns were carried out through out the history of Soviet Unions. (dates from the en.wikipedia.org) From both the Marx’s criticism and historical events that shows the religious persecution, we can tell that religious, mostly Christianity, do not get along with Communism. The Communists all over the world, including China, persecuted religion.
But the world is changing. Even though there are still many communist countries left, religion still exists in those countries. There are “Communist Christians.” Religion was one hard thing to stop, for here I am, another believer in God.
pictures will be added in later.-_-;;;;
April 22nd, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Mr.Burell I couldn’t write my essay on the blog, so I’ll just write it here SORRY.
A war that was supposed to promise peace. A war that was supposed end war. The world was at the war. As World War 1 goes on, it spread to several other continents.
World war began because of three main reasons. Nationalism, a concept that is associated with the belief that a particular nation is better than any other nation. Imperialism is a system in which a rich and powerful country controls other countries, or a desire for control over other countries. Lastly militarism. Militarism is a country’s desire to strengthen their armed forces in order to make them more powerful.
I thought how United States entered the war was very interesting. Unrestricted submarine warfare and the Zimmermann letter was the reason. In 1917, Germany announced that all ships would sink without warning if the ship is in the waters around Britain. Unfortunately, American ship was sunk, and President Woodrow Wilson protested against Germany. Moving on, to Zimmermann letter. This all happened when Germany send a letter to Mexico. In that letter Germany asked Mexico to “invade America”. However, Germany was unlucky that England intercepted the letter and asked USA to join England and be allies with them.
The war’s impact on women as another surprising change in the society. Because of total war, almost all men were out on the battlefield fighting for their country. Therefore, government asked women for help. Thousands and thousands of women worked in factories. They also built tanks, weapons, and paved streets. It was a huge change because before, women were expected to do housework and look after their husband and children. But now, look at them, women is a part of society.
After the war, the allies tried to sign the peace treaty. Feelings were left by this settlement and caused World War 2. Why? Because country such as Japan and Russia was not included.
I liked Woodrow Wilson’s plan for peace. He mentioned self-determination. Self-determination meant giving people the opportunity to decide for themselves. There were some countries, which the people had to follow what the authority (government) says. Not only that he wanted to end secret treaties for example, tangled alliances, reduce armies, which means he was against militarism, and didn’t want imperialism and nationalism.
I was interested at the part when Germany was being punished. Most of the responsibility was on Germany. Poor Germany had to pay $33 Billion in reparation over 30 years to their allies.
However, all these peace treaty was not successful. Americans didn’t like Woodrow Wilson’s plan because they didn’t want US to interfere with European affairs. Also, Germany’s war-guilt left hatred in German people. Other country felt betrayed by the peace treaty. Africa and Asia was angry that their ally ignored their desire for independence.
One of the observer noted that it was “A peace built on quicksand”. I agree with it. Quicksand will make things disappear fast. The world wouldn’t have knew that this will whole peace treaty will lead them to another bloody war which will destroy them.
April 22nd, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Nobody can answer this question. Was Joseph Stalin a dictator or a great leader? He was cold, hard and impersonal leader who killed and tortured his people. However on the other hand, under his control Russia was able to grow.
Under five-year plan, he made a great improvement on economy. However since all the peasants were send to the factories and disappeared by KGBs, agricultural income declined. Therefore Stalin collected the peasants and made collective farms. They were producing food for the government. However angry peasants revolted by destroying livestock and crops. These revolts led them to Great Purge, which Stalin launched to eliminate people who threatened his power.
I was amazed at the fact that people in Russia had absolutely NO PRIVACY. I was shocked at the fact that children told the authority about all the disloyal remarks made by their family members. People in Russia were monitored by Stalin’s secret police. They monitored every single thing they do and reported it to Stalin. Stalin was watching you. He was watching everything you did.
Not only that I was so scared how KGB (secret police) god rid of people. When it’s dark outside, the car stops and you hear a footstep and a knock on the door. When you hear that knock somebody is getting on the Black Mariah, a black vehicle where they put people who went against Stalin. No questions were asked. That person is supposed to get in to the car and simply “disappear”. And nobody hears or sees that person again.
Guess where they’re going? They’re going to this empty place. There is absolutely nothing and the people who were in Black Mariah are supposed to build a city in a terrible environment.
KGB’s main goal was to stop the revolution and kill someone who went against Totalitarianism and the concept of communism.
Picture above is KGB’s symbol. Shield is to defend the revolution and the sword is to smite it’s foes and oppositions.
However, Joseph Stalin made impressive improvements. Even though women had to work in the labor force under Joseph’s five-year plan, they had an opportunity to learn and have a job. They studied engineering, science and medicine.
Another event that surprised me is that Joseph Stalin tried to replace religious teachings with concept of communism and totalitarianism. He destroyed churches and synagogues. Many religious people were killed and sent to labor camps.
Were these bloody process justifiable by it’s out come? Were all deaths made reasonable? Was it impossible for Russia to grow under peace? Joseph Stalin had made today’s Russia, however at the same time he is responsible for millions and millions of death.
April 29th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Mr.Burell I’m logged in, but it says I don’t have full access….
After the fall of the Qing dynasty, many Chinese believed that modernizing and nationalism is the only way that they can survive. They wanted strong army and navy. They also wanted factories. The main group that supported modernization and nationalization was the Kuomintang also known as KMT. They were the nationalist party.
Kuomintang’s first leader was Sun Yixian. He became the president of the “New”
April 29th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Mr.Burell I’m logged in, but it says I don’t have full access….
After the fall of the Qing dynasty, many Chinese believed that modernizing and nationalism is the only way that they can survive. They wanted strong army and navy. They also wanted factories. The main group that supported modernization and nationalization was the Kuomintang also known as KMT. They were the nationalist party.
Kuomintang’s first leader was Sun Yixian. He became the president of the “New” Republic of China. Sun promised his people nationalism, people’s rights, and their livelihood, like Russia’s Lenin promised his people Land, bread and peace. He was a great leader except he lacked at authority and the military support to make the country secure.
After Sun YiXian, Yuan Shikai became the president of China.Yuan Shirkai went against democratic idea. He was basically a dictator. Even his soldiers refused to fight.
I really liked the part when they worked together to get rid of their army and betrayed each other right after they defeated the enemy. They repeated twice of this.
Frist, was when they were trying to get rid of the warlords. They worked together and finally defeated the warlords. When the battle was over, communist soldiers were on the train to celebrate the defeat of warlords. However, when they came out of the train, KMT’s soldiers killed all of them and this event is called the SHANGHAI MASSACRE.
Next, was when they were invaded by Japan. Before, they were fighting against each other (Chinese Civil War). As soon as Japan invaded China, KMT (Kuomintang) and the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) worked together to get rid of Japan.
China have tried many changes. However, I think China’s greatness lay in it’s tradition.
May 6th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
I still can’t write on the blog Mr.Burell..
Personally, growing up as a half blood wasn’t exactly a nice thing. Especially when your parent’s ancestors were fighting against each other in the past. I have a Japanese father, and a Korean mother. Yes, I know it’s a weird mixture. Growing up, I always heard Koreans hating Japanese. I didn’t know why, but as I study history and starting to understand things. I was blown away. Blown away about what Japanese did to other countries like China.
After WW1, all the western countries were having a hard time dealing with their own economic problem. The great depression has struck in 1930’s. Japan, one of the most powerful countries in Asia couldn’t avoid the great depression. Since they were democratic, the Japanese blamed the government. Government lost people’s support and military leaders gained people’s support.
Many people liked Japanese military leaders because they weren’t forceful like Hitler and Mussolini. They kept their traditional values and kept Emperor Hirohito as the symbol of the country’s power.
Military leaders were great nationalists, they thought that only way to solve their economic problem was to expanding their land. They wanted “China”. China was a perfect place for Japanese because they had great raw materials and room for rising population.
They started carving up Manchuria. Even though the Japanese law disagreed with conquering Manchuria, they just ignored the parliament. Therefore, they set up a puppet government and made Cixi’s nephew to be the “puppet” for the Japanese government. It was Japan’s indirect control. It seemed like China’s ruling itself, however, like a puppet, China’s ruled by Japan.
Not only the Japanese parliament but members of League of nation also argued and protested. However, Japan ignored and withdrew from the League. This was important because this event influenced Italy and Germany to invade other countries.
Italy’s Mussolini attacked Ethiopia. One of the country that didn’t go under western countries’ control. Britain and France hoped to keep peace by giving Africa to Italy.
Next, Hitler wanted to conquer Rhineland. Later, Hitler said that if French and British had challenged him, he would have backed down. However French and British were having hard time economically, they were too busy taking care of their own country.
Moving on, Japan starts carving up the rest of China. Remember, that China was having a civil war that was led by Jiang Jieshir and Mao Zedong. Japan captured China’s capital Nanjing and did many terrible things to Chinese people and this was called “THE RAPE OF NANJING”
Here’s a video clip for you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SOdGlHUtRI
Japan was one of the most powerful, BUT cruel and brutal countries in Asia. They raped people, killed people, did experiment on people, burned people and laughed and entertained themselves. Japan should admit that they were wrong and apologize for all the terrible, and cruel things that they did to other countries like China and Korea. I wish that all countries would promise peace and live peacefully in the future.