Assignment 10

Berlin Wall, 10 November 1989; Author: Sue Ream; Source: Wikipedia.

Week of November 28; November 30 & December 1
1989: Collapse of Communism, 1968-1989

For Monday, 28 November: background reading

Below you will find pdfs of scanned background readings from Kagan, Judt (about the 1970's and 1980's in Eastern Europe).

1) kagan29may.pdf

2) judt29may.pdf


For Wednesday/Thursday, 30 November & 1 December 

1) Primary source readings: Here are scans of texts from Stokes (including something by Havel, about the Helsinki accords and about Solidarity):

stokes29may.pdf

2) Required film:  Aron will tell you where you can view this film (he has the disc):
The Witness (Hungarian: A tanú, also known as Without A Trace), (1969, Hungary, directed by Péter Bacsó)


It is also available here with English subtitles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ibO6HXU6qo

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Strongly recommended documentary films for this week:

I would strongly recommend that you watch the following episodes of the Cold War series:

19. Freeze (1977–1981): http://www.peteava.ro/id-480105-cold-war-freeze-1977-1981-19-24
23. The Wall Comes Down (1989):
 http://www.peteava.ro/id-480110-cold-war-the-wall-comes-down-1989-23-24

And additional recommendation for film fans among you -
Famous film about Poland's Solidarity movement in 1980, "Man of Iron", dir. Andrzej Wajda, 1981.

course outline: 21.11. - 16.12.2011

Week of November 21; 24 & 25

21 November: Decolonization; sections on 24 & 25: 1968 East & West

Week of November 28; November 30 & December 1

1989: Collapse of Communism, 1968-1989

Week of December 5; December 7 & 8

Oral history presentations: 20 minutes per person - present project (don't read written version of presentation), show artifacts, play excerpts from audio recording. 

During the week of 21 November, we will decide who will present their projects on which days.

Week of December 12; December 14 & 15

December 12 exam; December 14 & 15: oral history presentations

Friday, 16 December: Written component of oral history project due - turn in hard copy to Lucia at BISLA and send me a copy by email.

Assignments 8 & 9

Assignment 8 - for Monday, 21 November: 
DECOLONIZATION 


On Monday, come prepared to discuss the following:

1) FILM: Battle of Algiers (La Battaglia di Algeri) (dir. Gillo Pontecorvo) (1966)
complete film with English subtitles available here: http://youtu.be/hyi5MOtgxSQ

2) READING: Judt, pp. 278-302 text here: http://www.slavstuff.com/postwar/judtpdf1.pdf - please note: it is a large file that will take a minute or two to download.

PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU FALL ASLEEP 

WHILE WATCHING THE FILM, YOU MUST WAKE UP AND WATCH TO THE END! DO NOT COME TO CLASS IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THIS FILM.

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ASSIGNMENT 9 - for Wednesday/Thursday, November 23 and 24:
1968 in East and West 

1) Reading assignment: 
Judt, on the West in 1968: pp. 390-396, pp. 398-401, pp. 422-427
Judt, on Czechoslovakia in 1968: pp. 436-449

2) Documentary film, 
Cold War - Red Spring (The 60s)
Please watch only the part on 1968 in Czechoslovakia, minutes 25:40 - to the end (46:22) for your assignment - of course you can watch the whole thing if you want...
 http://www.peteava.ro/id-480100-cold-war-red-spring-the-60s-14-24

3) Document: Ludvík Vaculík, "2000 words":  http://www.totalita.cz/txt/txt_2000slovt.php

4) Optional article: Paulina Bren, "1968 East and West: Visions of Political Change and Student Protest from across the Iron Curtain", text available here

5) Optional film for the super-enthusiastic among you:
"LA CHINOISE": If it is possible to download it and you feel like it, I think it would be an interesting view of the radical student atmosphere in France during the period.

Assignment 8 : DECOLONIZATION

Source: Wikipedia

ASSIGNMENT FOR MONDAY: some loose ends will be wrapped up --

1) FOR IN-CLASS ESSAY (1/2 hour - arrive promptly at 10.30) ON MONDAY: 

- film "Przesłuchanie" from your last assignment - compare and contrast to the film "Das Leben der Anderen"

2) Be prepared to comment Monday on the chapter "Důkaz lásky" (pp. 65-85) in Szczygiel, Gottland (this was also part of your last assignment)

WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY CLASSES - DECOLONIZATION:

At Wednesday and Thursday classes, come prepared to discuss the following:

1) FILM: Battle of Algiers (La Battaglia di Algeri) (dir. Gillo Pontecorvo) (1966)

complete film with English subtitles available here: http://youtu.be/hyi5MOtgxSQ

PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU FALL ASLEEP WHILE WATCHING THE FILM, YOU MUST WAKE UP AND WATCH TO THE END! DO NOT COME TO CLASS IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THIS FILM.

2) READING: Judt, pp. 278-302 (on Moodle)

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AND last but not least -- recommended (but not required) additional background viewing from the Cold War series which would be useful:

8. Sputnik (1949–1961)
http://www.peteava.ro/id-480090-cold-war-sputnik-1949-1961-8-24
As a consequence of the atomic spies, the Soviet Union joined the nuclear club, and the two superpowers compete to develop their nuclear arsenels. Russia's launching of Sputnik further hightened a sense of vulnerability in the United States, and results in the rapid development of nuclear-armed missiles, and defence-related education. Blamed for a perceived missile gap, Eisenhower is replaced by John F. Kennedy as US President. The Soviet Union is seen to have taken a solid lead in the space race after Yuri Gagarin's successful return to Earth. Interviewees include Joseph Rotblat, Boris Chertok, Andrew Goodpaster, Herbert York and Gherman Titov. The pre-credits scene features the first Soviet nuclear test in 1949.

12. MAD (1960–1972)
http://www.peteava.ro/id-480096-cold-war-m-a-d-1960-1972-12-24
The United States nuclear strategy of counterforce, intended to counter a Soviet conventional attack by targeting military facilities, is discredited following the Cuban Missile Crisis. Instead Defence Secretary McNamara adopts the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), with the belief that the targeting by the superpowers of each others' cities would deter a nuclear war. Both sides step up nuclear testing and acquire more nuclear weapons, in particular submarines capable of unleashing retaliation should the opponent strike first. The Soviets choose to follow a more defensive doctrine and introduce anti-ballistic missiles, which the United States seek to counter with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles. The arms race remains expensive, controversial and, as demonstrated in the Palomares incident, not without risk. However some small promise of arms control comes from the SALT Treaty. Interviewees include Russell E. Dougherty, William Kaufmann and Harold Brown. The pre-credits scene has McNamara explaining how MAD was the foundation for deterrence.

SME: Komunistov vyšetrí polícia

Zločiny komunizmu zostávajú nevyšetrené, ich popieranie je trestné.
http://www.sme.sk/c/6129121/komunistov-vysetri-policia.html

Bratislava concert: Hommage à Paul Robeson

Robeson at Rutgers University. Source: Wikipedia.

Streda 30.11.

17.00   Zrkadlová sieň Primaciálneho paláca

Americká pieseň – Hommage à Paul Robeson

            Tomáš Šelc, basbarytón              Dana Hajóssy, klavír

Paul Robeson patril nielen k najvýznamnejším pódiovým umelcom (spevákom či hercom) 1. polovice 20. storočia, ale bol aj popredným neúnavným bojovníkom za ľudské práva afroamerických občanov USA, či za všeobecnú rovnosť ľudí. Jeho neopakovateľný bas si našiel svoje publikum nielen v rodnej Amerike, ale aj v Európe. Vokálny recitál Tomáša Šelca, veľkého prísľubu slovenského vokálneho umenia, vychádza z repertoáru Paula Robesona. Na koncerte odznejú piesne i operné árie amerických a anglických autorov a nebude chýbať ani povestná Ol´Man River Jerome Kerna

Assignment 7

ASSIGNMENT FOR 7, 9 and 10 November: 


COLD WAR:

Text: Judt book, pp. 241-256 (on Moodle)
Film: Dr. Strangelove (dir. Kubrick, 1964) (93 min.) (find on internet, ask Juraj)


STALINIST ERA:

Text: IN CZECH - Chapter "Důkaz lásky" (pp. 65-85) in Mariusz Szczygiel, Gottland - on sculptor of Stalin monument in Prague (on Moodle)

Film: "Przesłuchanie" ("The Interrogation"), by R. Bugajski, Poland, 1983/1989. With Krystyna Janda. (118 minutes) (See video - with English subtitles - available below.)