50 replies to this topic

[Dafydd Humphreys]

Whats CIA origin?

Central Intelligence Agency

[Seb Falk]

Dafydd,
Much as I'd like to discuss your somewhat unorthodox views on the behaviour of the Red Army and Stalin's government/personality, I think we have got a little far from the issue raised by the original poster.
Seb

[Lou Phillips]

He was a dictator who killed millions of his own people because he felt insecure

The idea that Stalin did all he did because he "felt insecure" does make me chuckle a little! Aw bless him, poor Joe. Perhaps he had a thing about his top lip, hence the moustache...

[Dafydd Humphreys]

Dafydd,
Much as I'd like to discuss your somewhat unorthodox views on the behaviour of the Red Army and Stalin's government/personality, I think we have got a little far from the issue raised by the original poster.
Seb

Heaven forfend anyone having 'unorthodox views'....

[Dafydd Humphreys]

He was a dictator who killed millions of his own people because he felt insecure

The idea that Stalin did all he did because he "felt insecure" does make me chuckle a little! Aw bless him, poor Joe. Perhaps he had a thing about his top lip, hence the moustache...

If only Facebook was around then, he could have just done some poking instead of barbecuing millions of people with his bare hands and eating them.

[claire_duffs]

The idea that Stalin did all he did because he "felt insecure" does make me chuckle a little! Aw bless him, poor Joe. Perhaps he had a thing about his top lip, hence the moustache...
[/quote]

When did I say Stalin did all he did because he Felt insecure? I was trying to give an example as to how he was a power seeker, as one of the reasons why he carried out these purges was because he felt insecure of the public's support.

[Lou Phillips]

To get back on topic, I just thought about lesson I did the other day comparing causes of Spanish and Chinese Civil Wars- for similarities we came up with political polarisation, inexperience of democracy, 'backward' largely agrarian economy and foreign influence as the main ones. Obviously civil wars are a bit different to world wars, but can be brought in to those sort of questions.

[claire_duffs]

To get back on topic, I just thought about lesson I did the other day comparing causes of Spanish and Chinese Civil Wars- for similarities we came up with political polarisation, inexperience of democracy, 'backward' largely agrarian economy and foreign influence as the main ones. Obviously civil wars are a bit different to world wars, but can be brought in to those sort of questions.

Thats what I have to do tomorrow with my year 12's.

[Seb Falk]

Dafydd,
Much as I'd like to discuss your somewhat unorthodox views on the behaviour of the Red Army and Stalin's government/personality, I think we have got a little far from the issue raised by the original poster.
Seb

Heaven forfend anyone having 'unorthodox views'....

I was trying to be polite. Rather more blunt things could be written about your intimation that the Purges and Terror were invented as CIA propaganda.

[rachelloughery]

Hahahahhahahhhhahahaa!!! There was me thinking no-one liked this topic!

I definitely think we should have a schoolhistory meeting in a pub or, obviously, you are all welcome in Costa Rica! Thanks to those who posted specific ideas, they are really useful. I tried to go through this today with my senior 7 but it was difficult to keep them on track! I find that I get confused trying to seperate themes into paragraphs as they are all so obviously interconnected. Doing this with second language kids adds a whole new dimension of confusion.

As for the debate about Stalin I agree that he can not be held responsible for starting a war especially as he tried to reach out to the Western Powers before signing the Nazi-Soviet Pact and again in Korea he was pretty much forced into it. However, whatever the opinion on the purges etc. famine under Stalin's rule and the people who died in construction work are surely his responsibilty??

So, what about WW1 then? Are we going with Ferguson in that Britain is actually responsible for escalating what could have been a limited continental war into a world war?

WW2? Again, British meddling on the continent?? If war was to be declared why not against Stalin??

Fond of question marks today. 7 days of school left and schools closing all over the city because of swine flu......................

Daffyd-Please keep posting!

[Dafydd Humphreys]

Dafydd,
Much as I'd like to discuss your somewhat unorthodox views on the behaviour of the Red Army and Stalin's government/personality, I think we have got a little far from the issue raised by the original poster.
Seb

Heaven forfend anyone having 'unorthodox views'....

I was trying to be polite. Rather more blunt things could be written about your intimation that the Purges and Terror were invented as CIA propaganda.

Hmmm. I find your capitalisation of certain words very revealing. Newspeak?

[Giles Falconer]

Power seekers- As you say - Individuals- Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin etc

Err....could you show me which war Stalin started please? And how he was a 'power-seeker'?

The Winter War (1939-40), aka 'The Russo-Finnish War' was started by Uncle Joe, when he took a minute or two off from murdering his own citizens...

[Dafydd Humphreys]

Power seekers- As you say - Individuals- Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin etc

Err....could you show me which war Stalin started please? And how he was a 'power-seeker'?

The Winter War (1939-40), aka 'The Russo-Finnish War' was started by Uncle Joe, when he took a minute or two off from murdering his own citizens...

I appreciate that he was so busy strangling millions of people with his bare hands (because he was the devil incarnate etc etc) - but surely as the Fascist hordes were looming, and encroaching on the USSR's borders, securing the safety of Leningrad was vital as Finland would be a bridgehead for the Germans.

England invaded and occupied Iceland for much the same reasons. (As well as maintaining her occupation of the north of Ireland of course....)

[Giles Falconer]

Power seekers- As you say - Individuals- Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin etc

Err....could you show me which war Stalin started please? And how he was a 'power-seeker'?

The Winter War (1939-40), aka 'The Russo-Finnish War' was started by Uncle Joe, when he took a minute or two off from murdering his own citizens...

I appreciate that he was so busy strangling millions of people with his bare hands (because he was the devil incarnate etc etc) - but surely as the Fascist hordes were looming, and encroaching on the USSR's borders, securing the safety of Leningrad was vital as Finland would be a bridgehead for the Germans.

England invaded and occupied Iceland for much the same reasons. (As well as maintaining her occupation of the north of Ireland of course....)

Those would be the 'Fascist hordes' he'd just signed a non-aggression pact with, would they?

[Dafydd Humphreys]

Power seekers- As you say - Individuals- Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin etc

Err....could you show me which war Stalin started please? And how he was a 'power-seeker'?

The Winter War (1939-40), aka 'The Russo-Finnish War' was started by Uncle Joe, when he took a minute or two off from murdering his own citizens...

I appreciate that he was so busy strangling millions of people with his bare hands (because he was the devil incarnate etc etc) - but surely as the Fascist hordes were looming, and encroaching on the USSR's borders, securing the safety of Leningrad was vital as Finland would be a bridgehead for the Germans.

England invaded and occupied Iceland for much the same reasons. (As well as maintaining her occupation of the north of Ireland of course....)

Those would be the 'Fascist hordes' he'd just signed a non-aggression pact with, would they?

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer...seeing as England and France had refused to sign an anti-Nazi pact with the USSR.