11/20/2014
HIS 112
Assignment Five
Assignment # 5 Chapter 25: East and West in the Grip of the Cold War
Compare and contrast the cultural and societal changes that occurred during the Cold War Era in Russia and China. Make sure to discuss repressive agendas that was portrayed the Communist governments in China and Russia; any restrictions in the media and literature; and any societal changes that includes higher education, the role of men and women in Russia and China. Was equality even possible in Russia and China during the Cold War Era? Explain. BE VERY THOROUGH IN THIS ESSAY. Please post your synopsis on Discussion Board so I can grade accordingly. This assignment should be at least one and a half (1 ½) pages long …show more content…
From 1965-1968 China undertook a transformative process known as the cultural revolution. Mao Zedong established the cultural revolution to consolidate China but more importantly to affirm his position as the leader. Initially the revolution was rooted in education and the youth of China. Young minds were pushed towards accepting the more basic revolutionary virtues and dismissing Russian communism. Schools were frowned upon because they harbored a selective mentality that contradicted communist values. Mao Zedong believed that his vision of communism was being contaminated by elitist greed. Specifically he believed that certain occupations in China were creating a rift between people in China. As a believer in absolute communism he wanted to reaffirm that no class has more power or significance than any other class. Communism in China meant total occupational equality, meaning that no one class should dictate important issues. Mao put a considerable amount of effort into ending class elitism but in that effort he made enemies. Some of the Chinese population did not agree with Mao 's oppressive tactics consequently numerous groups began to civilly protest Mao Zedong. A group of youths called the red guards is one such example. It became their personal mission to oppose every action Mao Zedong ordered. Ironically Mao Zedong 's obsession for class equality led to a class war. No matter what occupation …show more content…
In so many ways the two nations were nothing alike but yet many people still consider the two to be the same. Lenin proposed to not oppress mediums of entertainment or sources of literature but instead use them for socialistic gain. Through regulation he could ensure that only party interests were at heart. Later when the Soviet Union took control this regulation or for short propaganda was the most devastating of all soviet weapons. Soviet leaders were able to influence all of the world by connecting with people on a personal level. Mao Zedong opposed all of this in extreme ways that only added fuel to help a class schism develop. Prior to world war two Russia was already a very large nation but after the war it became even larger. The newly gained western territories were very influential when opposing developed western capitalistic societies. But keeping all that land would prove to be extremely difficult, communism conflicted with the status quo of everyday business in some of these absorbed nations. Other nations felt that they were oppressed or even being forced to renounce who they once were under threat of violence. The economy in China and Russia nearly collapsed under communism and with starvation running rampant in Russia Lenin recognized the need for some capitalistic practices. Russia 's later leader Joseph Stalin was dedicated to undermine everything the