January
18
Hist 20: Jan 18
- Today was a great class, for me. I enjoyed the discussion about all the ‘proxy wars’ during the Cold War struggle between the Soviet Union and America. I made full use of the whiteboard today as we went through the answers to yesterday’s web search topics. I elaborated on some things to be clear everyone was understanding the major concepts, such as the relevance of NATO today still, or the irony of how Truman sent troops to Korea without notifying or asking Congress. He asked permission or authority from the U.N. (of which the U.S. is part of the Security Council with special Veto powers, like the Soviets). A student caught on and asked why the Soviets wouldn’t just say no to the vote and use their solitary veto power but I was able to explain that they were, at the time, actually Boycotting the U.N. and its authority since it would not recognize the Communist government of China within the U.N. With the Soviets not present to say ‘no’, Truman was able to get permission to head off to war, violating the conditions of his own countries Constitution of seeking approval from ‘the people’ prior to war acts. It was a fun and animated conversation, students got their information and facts straight, we made a clear chart of the Soviet and Russian leaders in their chronological order and have a better understanding of how old Russia turned from the Soviet Union under Stalin to a country that has taken efforts to reduce his legacy instead of praise it.
- P.S. I liked that they all joined in with me when I was making my ‘nuclear missile sounds’ when drawing on the board the Nuclear bomb firing over the Atlantic towards America. It’s not uncool at all to do sound effects!