My Knowledge Of Ukraine And The Soviet Rule

The December of 1991 marked the end of the Soviet Union—and with it, an entire era. Like the February Revolution of 1917 that ended tsardom, the events leading up to August 1991 took place in rapid succession, with both spontaneity and, to some degree, retrospective inevitability. To understand the demise of Soviet Union is to understand the communist party-state system itself. Although the particular happenings of the Gorbachev years undoubtedly accelerated its ruin, there existed fundamental flaws within the Soviet system that would be had been proven ultimately fatal. The USSR became a past chapter of history because it was impossible to significantly reform the administrative

In the beginning of 1932, the Soviet government had sharply increased the Ukraine's production quotas in the collectivized farms. This ensured that the people would not be able to meet them. This resulted in an even larger widespread of starvation. In the summer of 1932, Stalin ordered a decree that called for the arrest or execution of any person that was caught taking any amount of grain or food item from their place of work. This led to military blockades stationed around many Ukrainian villages, preventing food from coming in and the starving people from going out in search of food. Soviet guards were brought into the villages to confiscate any hidden grain. Eventually all food from any farmer’s home was taken. When news of the Famine reached the outside world, food supplies were sent from the United States and Britain, however through Stalin, the shipments were denied and new policies from the Soviet Union that denied their part in the famine refused all outside aid were instilled. Stalin refused entry even to journalists, as he feared the media would reveal the Soviet Unions’ crimes against the Ukraine.

For much of its history, Ukraine had been under the control of larger powers. Before and during WWI, parts of modern Ukraine were under the control of the Russian Empire and other parts were under the control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. There were multiple attempts at independence during the

Ukraine is granted a market economy status by the EU and USA. The sharp economic decline in the 90s resulted in deteriorating living standards for most citizens and widespread poverty. However, during the 21st century, there has been some positive economic growth in Ukraine, as well as Eastern Europe as a whole. Ukraine’s currency, the Hryvnia, was introduced in September 1996 and has remained relatively stable. The unstable political situation in Ukraine hardly influences its economic development. GDP has been growing steadily since 2005 at an average growth rate of 7% and industrial production has been expanding by 12%. The Ukrainian economy was hit by the harsh effects of the global financial crisis but managed to attain a 4.2%

Barbara Evans Clements, a retired professor of History from the University of Akron, and author of Bolshevik Feminist: The Life of Aleksandra Kollontai (1979), Daughters of Revolution: A History of Women in the USSR (1994), and Bolshevik Women (1997), wrote the article “Working-Class and Peasant Women in the Russian Revolution, 1917-1923” in 1982 to address a topic she believed other scholars of Russian’s history were overlooking. Clements argues that through further investigation into the experiences of peasant and working-class women of the time, scholars can better address the “paradox, in which lavish promises” presented by the emergent Bolshevik party, and the “enormous deprivation and frightening social disintegration” affected Russian history, and her people (215). From 1917-1923, the chaotic period of Russian history was fraught with turmoil due to the revolution and the civil war taking place, creating a great deal of difficulty for scholars, like Clements, who were attempting to synthesize the narrative of Russian history. As an address for further study in this area of history, Clements extends her argument to promote the value of women’s experiences in order to urge on the new revelations such study might generate as further scholarly discourse continues to progress.

In WWII the US fought alongside Russia. Russia, however, was communist ever since the Russian Revolution in 1917. The Russian Revolution also brought to the surface USSR (United Soviet Socialist Republics). The USSR was the only real controlling party of Russia from 1917-99. Because of the anti-communist tension of the US, the US did not recognize the legitimacy of the USSR until 1934. So even though the US fought alongside USSR in WWII, there was always a sort of mistrust.

As a child growing up in the Soviet Union, I adored paganism. It had tradition; it had perspective. Above all, it had expedient rootedness. Stalin was my top god. He was the man. He knew what the news was before it happened.

Although things seem to be changing after the Soviet Union fell apart, they stay the same when it comes to anti-Semitism. In an open letter, Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov claimed there is a Zionist conspiracy to seize power in Russia and asserted that "Zionist capital" has wrecked Russia's economy. The letter appeared to be aimed at the Russian business tycoons known as the "oligarchs," who were instrumental in reelecting President Boris Yeltsin over Zyuganov in 1996. Most of these business people are Jewish, including Boris Berezovsky, who has called for outlawing the Communist Party in Russia. Zyuganov wrote the letter in the aftermath of criticism of the member of his party, who has made numerous anti-Semitic statements. The lower

In analyzing the challenges posed to Ukraine in their continuing transition to a liberal democracy, it is important to start in 1990, when Ukraine officially declared independence. This declaration included principles of self-determination, democracy, and the priority of Ukrainian law over Soviet law.

After the Russian Revolution, there was a lot of confusion on how to establish institutions strong enough to rebuild and hold the state and society together. An issue with Marxism is that it is is not a theory of governance, rather a theory of how to bring a socialist regime into power—hence explaining the lack of guidance. At this time, Lenin took control. But after his death, the Russians were once again faced with appointing a leader to direct them. The domestic and international conditions in which the Soviet Union found itself, the legacy of Leninist ideology and organization, and Stalin’s overall character were all factors that helped determine the policies Stalin adopted.

After taking a look at the maps, charts and tables I decided to compare and contrast Ukraine and the United states(U.S.). I chose these two countries because I was originally born in Ukraine and would like to know more about that country and also the U.S. because it is my home. I will discuss similarities and differences between these countries and challenges for the future, challenges facing youth, and the advantages and disadvantages of using maps, charts and tables.

The sound of a well-trained children's choir in Yerevan, Armenia, paraded out to show us the excellence of Soviet education whether they wanted to or not. They were forbidden to speak their native Armenian -- down with bourgeois nationalism! -- but were drilled in Russian.

When Trotsky was nine, his father sent him to school in Odessa. He was enrolled in a historically German school, which became increasingly Russified during his years in Odessa due to the government's policy of russification. While a good student, even in his youth Trotsky was rebellious, organizing a protest against an unpopular teacher in the second grade.

The conflict between the Ukraine and Russia is the Ukraine's most long-standing and deadly crisis; since its post-Soviet independence began as a protest against the government dropping plans to forge closer trade ties with the European Union. The conflict between Russia and the Ukraine stems from more than twenty years of weak governance, the government’s inability to promote a coherent executive branch policy, an economy dominated by oligarchs and rife with corruption, heavy reliance on Russia, and distinct differences between Ukraine's population from both Eastern and Western regions in terms of linguistics, religion and ethnicity (Lucas 2009).

The educational challenges endured by the Ukrainian government and its citizens is a suitable option for the final comparison paper. Ukraine shares a longstanding history with Russia having only attained independence in 1991, and the government aimed to cultivate a relationship with Western Europe, particularly the European Union (EU). Discouragingly, twenty six years after independence Ukraine wrestles with a depleted economy inherited from former and first President Leonid Kravchuk. Leonid Kuchma, the country’s second president, only fared slightly better than his predecessor, but he soon faltered. Kuchma was accused by the opposition of immoderately conceding to Russian economic interests (BBC News 2016).