Whether it is academic or something else entirely, everybody has valuable passions. Formed in 1922, the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. What should textbooks emphasize, or draw attention to, about the Soviet Union? The USSR put a lot of energy into valued activities, such as the military, the space race, and ballet. The Soviets invested quite a bit in their military. The soviets had 7836 nuclear weapons whereas the Americans had 3253, nearly a two and a half times difference, (Doc E). Boy, did the Soviets value their nuclear weapons. Although other statistics were not as drastic, the Soviets invested more in the military than the U.S. in every category listed. The USSR's value in their military was clearly displayed. In the space race with
Post World War II, both the United States and the Soviet Union were fearful of fighting each other directly from fear of nuclear weapons and mass destruction (D. Johnson, P. Murray). Instead, they fought each other by participating in wars on separate parts of the world. Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union constantly fluctuated due to both sides trying to influence political and economic developments around the world (D. Johnson, P. Murray).
What Should Textbooks Emphasize About The Soviet Union? When it comes to the Soviet Union, there’s a lot textbooks emphasize, but which factors are the most important? The Soviet Union was a powerful union in the 1900’s. There is a lot of information textbooks should emphasize to students regarding the USSR. Textbooks should focus on teaching students about the Soviets’ economy, military, and society in the USSR.
Years of tension between the U.S and The U.S.S.R led to billions of dollars on weaponry, A race to Space and the mistreatment of millions. This is the focus point of the USSR coming to be known has a world power. Now Questioned yourself what should the educational system should focus on Russia’s rise to supremacy? The Soviet Union was born out of the Russian Revolution that followed World War I. During the next 70 years, it grew to become a world Superpower leaving a number of marks on 20th century world history. Looking into several of those marks and ask which ones deserve special attention in a school textbook. The textbooks and educational systems should focus on its rise to military strengths, , it’s social and economic conditions,and the oppression of the Russian people.
The Soviet Union Almost everyone remembers or knows how the Soviet Union or USSR had many issues with the United States during the Cold War. Or their conflict with Germany and the AXIS powers of World War II (WWII). However, what happened before that? How did the Soviet Union originate? How and when did they thrive?
From document E, “the soviets had more submarines.” This was important because submarines guard the oceans, and the soviets can use these submarines to guard the oceans near their county, after all every county needs protection. Another accomplishment that comes from military strengths. Is also from document E, “the soviets had more nuclear arsenals.” Nuclear arsenals where massive weapons, and the soviets were obviously more dangerous.
In the time that the Soviet Union existed, having a strong military power was an obligation. As the United States was trying to build its military power, the Soviet Union was doing the same. Both the Soviet Union and the United States put money into their military so that It would be very strong. In the 1970s and 1980s the Soviet Union were thought to be one of the most solid political units in the world, but in all reality, the Soviet Union weren’t what they seemed to be. There were many economic problems for the Soviet Stalinist system, such as the lack of acknowledgement for working well and getting the job done.
Three great accomplishments done by the Soviets that should be remembered and out into Soviet textbooks are their space races, military strength, and the Great Terror. The Soviet Union was the first country to ever send space satellites. At the time not even the United States had made any discoveries involved with space. Next to the space race discoveries, the Soviets also had extremely well military strength. They did spend more than the U.S but the advancement in their military strength was greatly larger. Both accomplishments were amazing but another life changing event that should be placed into Soviet textbooks is the Great Terror. The great terror was a tragic time for the Soviets and for it to be remembered by their future generation
The military wasn’t the best for the Soviets or even the US, in fact they both spent
Soviet Union also called the USSR, emerged from World War I as one of the most powerful nations in the world. For 3 decades Joseph Stalin was in control and changed Soviet Union as a world superpower. After the 1920s they were becoming one of the most feared nations. There were many marks the Soviet Union did during the 20th century, but the textbooks should emphasize on economy/geography, militarism, and Joseph Stalin.
The Soviets, on the other hand, were exactly the opposite. They could not afford technology advancement or innovative weaponry. Instead, they relied on older weapons and upgraded them only as necessary. These weapons were also much easier to maintain (Stewart, 6).
The Space Race Started in 1959 when sputnik 1 was launched into space. This worried all of the American people because they then believed that Soviets could drop a nuclear warhead on America at any given time. The United States then joined the race in January of 1958. The Americans were just barely behind the Soviets. The Soviet Union then sent Luna 1, the first man made object to orbit the sun, into space. Luna 3 then orbits the moon and takes pictures of 70% of its surface before returning to Earth. In 1961 Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth becoming not only the first Soviet in space but more importantly he becomes the first man in space. Alan Shepard, a navy officer from New Hampshire, becomes the first American in space. Once again The Americans are behind the Russians. This all changes 20 days later when President Kennedy makes his famous proclamation to America and says that they will make it to the moon by the end of the decade. The Space race was
During the rule of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1989, many great and many terrible events occurred that are important and vital to our knowledge of history. The purpose of learning history is so that we as people are well-educated on different governments and ideologies and so that we, in this day and age, can do our very best to not repeat past mistakes. The USSR, while they developed culturally as a country, destroyed millions of lives all across Western Europe with their communist approach to rule and their blinded goal of total power. The history books today give a good insight into how terrible the Soviet Union really was, but these textbooks are written as objectively as possible. The future history textbooks should shed a negative light on all of the wrongdoings of the Soviet Union so that students understand that what happened this century was horrific and should never occur again.
The Soviet Union used to be enemies with the U.S in 1962 and they never became allies until the fall of the S.U. Soviet Union used to be a communist nation. Being a communist nation is when the state owns all. They are also known as the USSR. USSR and the U.S were the worldwide power. No one would ever be able to beat them in war.
In the period after World War II, from the late 1940’s up until the 1990’s, the United States and their allies were engaged in a “cold” war with the Soviet Union and its allies. Except for minor proxy wars between countries supported by the respective sides, no major wars were fought between the U.S. and the USSR. Nonetheless, tensions were extremely high for many years and the two superpowers constantly went back and forth trying to best the other. Likely the most well-known of these competitions was the Space Race. Battling for cosmic supremacy from the late 1950’s to 1969, the two countries traded many victories over the years and pushed each other to their technological apexes.
Almost all narratives of Allied victory in World War II account economic output as a decisive factor. Overy concedes to this point as well, citing Soviet evacuation of civilians and industry as salvation for the Eastern front. (Overy, 181) As the Germans flooded into the Soviet Union in 1941 entire populations and industries fled to the east, destined for the Urals, the Volga region, and Eastern Siberia. Along with saving Soviet industry by relocation, the Soviets also destroyed what they could not move including food and manufacturing plants. Destruction denied the invading Germans valuable resources that could’ve assisted the Axis war machine. The relocation of industry in the Soviet Union forced hard conditions on civilians who endured scarce rations and appalling working conditions. (Overy, 187) However, despite the odds, Soviet war production actually increased after the relocation of its industry. Overy attributes this economic success to central planning and control of the economy as well as simple models that allowed for easy mass production. The Soviet Union operated under a command economy that was completely controlled by the government and were more easily able to direct the economy for wartime production. Centralized organizations such as the Manpower Committee allocated valuable resources to labor, reserving skilled men for the war industry. Additionally, the Soviet Union simplified tank and aircraft models to allow quick production. For example, Overy writes