Global Resistance to Established Power Structures: Detailed Notes

Global Resistance to Established Power Structures

   

  • Key Quote: "What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy?" - Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948)

Essential Question

  • What were differing reactions to existing power structures after 1900?

Overview of Conflicts in the 20th Century

  • Conflicts influenced both newly-independent states and long-established ones.
       - Nonviolent and violent movements presented varying challenges to the existing order.
         - Successful nonviolent movements, like Gandhi's, contrasted with violent efforts, such as the Shining Path in Peru.
         - Leaders like Francisco Franco utilized military force to suppress resistance.
         - The military-industrial complex warned by President Eisenhower expanded, marked by increased armament supplies and international weapons trading.

Nonviolent Resistance as a Path to Change

  • Despite wars and violent protests, many global movements successfully employed nonviolence for political change:
Mohandas Gandhi
  • Led nonviolent marches, boycotts, and fasts against British colonial rule in India.
       - Result: India achieved independence in 1947.
Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Prominent leader of African American civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s.
       - Key Tactics in Civil Rights Movement:
         - Court Decisions: Landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas banned forced racial segregation in U.S. schools.
         - Boycotts: Year-long boycott of Montgomery, Alabama public buses (1955-1956), ending segregation in public transport.
         - Massive Marches: The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1964 attracted 250,000 participants.
       - These efforts contributed to significant victories such as the Civil Rights Act of 1965.
Nelson Mandela
  • Key figure in fighting apartheid in South Africa.
       - Apartheid was a codified racial segregation system enforced by the white-minority government.
       - Mandela, a socialist lawyer, began with violent resistance but became known for his nonviolent protests.
       - Victory: Described in the context of the eventual end of apartheid (see Topic 9.5).

Challenges to Soviet Power in Eastern Europe

  • The 1950s and 1960s saw reform movements in Eastern European Soviet satellites, often crushed by Soviet response.
Poland (1956)
  • Polish workers protested Soviet dominance and demanded improved living conditions.
       - Resulted in Wladyslaw Gomulka's leadership, allowing some autonomy while maintaining loyalty to the Soviet Union.
       - End of forced collectivization.
Hungary (1956)
  • Protesters pressured political leader Imre Nagy to declare Hungary's freedom from Soviet control.
       - Nagy sought to facilitate free elections and announce neutrality in the Cold War, leading to Soviet invasion and execution of Nagy, resulting in mass emigration.
Czechoslovakia (Prague Spring, 1968)
  • Alexander Dubcek increased freedoms (speech, press, travel) in response to public demands.
       - Soviet leaders intervened quickly, resulting in a crackdown similar to Hungary's situation, justified by the Brezhnev Doctrine.
       - Brezhnev Doctrine: Stated that the Soviet Union would intervene if actions by one socialist country threatened others.

1968: The Year of Revolt

  • Protests swept various countries in 1968:
       - Yugoslavia: Students protested against authoritarianism.
       - Poland and Northern Ireland: Religious and ethnic tensions led to protests.
       - Brazil: Marchers sought improvements for education and workers' rights.
       - Japan: Protests against government policies and U.S. support in Vietnam.
       - Mexico: Military suppression met the student movement before the 1968 Olympics.
       - France: In Paris, student protests evolved into a massive general strike involving 10 million workers, prompted by violent police reactions. President de Gaulle called for elections after public unrest.

The United States and Vietnam War Protests

  • In the U.S., protests largely focused on anti-Vietnam War sentiments; significant events in demonstrations included the Kent State shooting on May 4, 1970, where four unarmed students were killed, triggering widespread strikes across colleges.

An Age of Terrorism

  • Post-Cold War, terrorism surged, typically involving non-state actors targeting civilians in various regions.
Northern Ireland Conflict
  • The Catholic-Protestant divide intensified after Ireland's independence in 1922, leading to the rise of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and violent responses from the Ulster Defence Association.
       - Death toll during the conflict: Approximately 3,500.
       - IRA engaged in terrorism in England through bombings. Cease-fire achieved in 1994; IRA later pursued political avenues for their goals.
Basque Homeland and Freedom (ETA)
  • Founded in 1959 to pursue independence for the Basque region.
       - ETA's actions resulted in over 800 deaths. The group announced multiple cease-fires and stated an end to violent actions in 2011 to pursue political means.
Shining Path in Peru
  • Founded by Abimael Guzman, Shining Path engaged in terrorism to instate communism.
       - Estimated casualties: 37,000 over two decades of violence. Guzman was arrested in 1992 but violence persisted until negotiations began in 2011.
Islamic Terrorism
  • Fundamentalist interpretations of Islam led to activities from groups like Boko Haram, al-Shabaab, ISIL, and the Taliban, which committed acts of terror primarily against civilians, including other Muslims.
       - The most notable was the September 11, 2001 attacks by al-Qaeda, which resulted in over 3,000 casualties.
       - International response marked a rallying of global support for the U.S., leading to significant actions against al-Qaeda, ultimately resulting in Osama bin Laden’s death.

Terrorism Within the United States

  • The deadliest domestic attack was the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, conducted by anti-government extremists, resulting in 168 deaths. Other attacks targeted minorities.

Response of Militarized States

  • Military dictatorships often exacerbated internal conflicts and societal issues, as seen in Spain under Franco and Uganda under Idi Amin.
Francisco Franco's Spain
  • Franco ruled from 1939 to 1975, aligning with U.S. anti-communism but suppressing dissent severely.
       - After Franco's death, Spain transitioned towards democracy.
Idi Amin's Uganda
  • Ruled from 1971-1979, responsible for extensive human rights abuses and ethnic tensions.
       - Forced expulsion of Indians and widespread killings estimated up to 500,000 deaths. Overthrown when combined forces of Ugandan nationalists and Tanzanian troops intervened.

The Military-Industrial Complex

  • Globally, feelings of insecurity and economic pressure led nations to build formidable militaries, requiring large defense industries.
       - Eisenhower warned that the merging of military and private sectors could endanger democracy.

Key Terms by Theme

   

Government: Europe
  • Wladyslaw Gomulka
  • Imre Nagy
  • Prague Spring
  • Alexander Dubcek
  • Brezhnev Doctrine
  • Irish Republican Army (IRA)
  • Ulster Defence Association
  • Basque Homeland and Freedom (ETA)
Government: South America
  • Abimael Guzman
  • Shining Path
Society: Protests
  • Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Nelson Mandela
  • Kent State University