History Paper Help

[JaeKayLMNOP]

Hey everyone. I'm writing a history paper, in which I must think of a Lesson by Analogy, Lesson by Continuity, Or Constructive Criticism relating to the 1905-WWII (not including WWII) period in Russia and write about it. I thought of a Lesson by Analogy, and I need to think of three examples in history where this lesson has played itself out. I've thought of two, and I'd like a third from before 1900. Here's the thesis:

Throughout history, world leaders have used propaganda to create their own alternative realities and treated it as truth among their people. This is a way of gaining support, by pretending that conditions are very good in one place compared to the rest of the world, when really, this may not be the case. This is a very 1984-esque concept, in that it talks about how the real truth does not matter, but who controls the present controls the past and who control the past controls the future. It may not be true, but if Big Brother says it's true, it's true. 2+2=5.

Examples:

Joseph Stalin: Talk about the Pravda, Purge Trials, altering production statistics, etc... Show how the truth did not matter, yet what the Communist Party said was the truth became the truth.

Saddam Hussein: I have to research this one more, but I know that he created a cult of personality, spreading tons of misinformation. I can talk about how he told his people for awhile that Iraq had won the first Gulf War, and various things like this.

So, please, poke holes, criticize, discuss, and add on

 

[Ukas]

Remember to criticize conditions which led to the communist revolution in Russia. Nicholas II is handled often too nicely these days.

 

[Kafka2]

You've got a cast-iron link to Hitler, and the fact that an awful lot of what was passed off as an economic miracle in the 1930's was actually artifice. It's the Big Lie technique- if you repeat something enough times, it becomes true.

 

[sealboy6]

You've got a cast-iron link to Hitler, and the fact that an awful lot of what was passed off as an economic miracle in the 1930's was actually artifice. It's the Big Lie technique- if you repeat something enough times, it becomes true.

Not really. The Russian economy rose the quickest of any nation during the depression era of the late 20s and early 30s. A mix of Lenin's NEP and Stalin's 5 year plans worked wonders on the economies there.

 

[Che Guava]

Maybe you could contrast the methods, message and effectiveness of the propaganda of Russia's three rulers of that era: Czar Nicholas II, V.I. Lenin and Joseph Stalin.

 

[Kafka2]

Not really. The Russian economy rose the quickest of any nation during the depression era of the late 20s and early 30s. A mix of Lenin's NEP and Stalin's 5 year plans worked wonders on the economies there.

I was writing about the German economy under Hitler.

 

[AxiomUk]

I suppose you could pick up on the theme of your example really being most relevant with regards to dictatorships. Although you could use the American Depression as being an example of kinds, it doesn't really apply too well with the examples you have.

 

[Atropos]

If you want a pre-1900 example, you might mention the Ems Telegram. This was a missive doctored by Bismarck to make it appear that the French ambassador had insulted the Prussian monarch.

 

[willemvanoranje]

Bismarck indeed is an excellent example.

 

[Adler17]

But indeed Bismarck only edited the telegram in that way by deleting some words. Indeed the telegram was written in the bureau official German of the foreign ministry. Bismarck deleted some words to let it sound harder. So he provoked, what he wanted: The French declaration of war. Nevertheless here is another point: If you have internal trouble (here in France) find an enemy. Nicholas did this, too.

Adler