KC – Discovering the 1920s

What the 1920s means to me now

KC — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 11:10:19 +0000

After completing this class I now have a more well rounded idea of the 1920s that is not primarily focused on glamorous lifestyles. This course forced me to think outside of the United States during the 1920s. I learned about Russian revolutions and the country’s political and economic instability that led to the rise of people such as Stalin and Putin. Even events that took place in America had global impacts that I did not consider prior to taking this class. I learned how commercializing airlines reshaped the global economy. One of the first companies to utilize airplanes was Delta who created crop dusters, commercial, and passenger planes during the 1920s. I learned about Mussolini’s rise to power in 1922 when he and his supporters marched on Rome which would allow Mussolini to take control of the country. This event is significant to the modern day United States January 6th attempted coup where supporters of a politician were urged to upset a democratic process and install said politician. Throughout this class I also learned about the Greco-Turkish war which resulted in a genocide that remains disputed by the Greeks modern day. The war was also significant because it signaled instability with countries and the soon to be World War II. Aside from major global events I learned about numerous historical figures varying in significance. I learned about the famous actor Charlie Chaplin who pioneered the comedy film industry. While Chaplin was a positive influence on another figure, Albert Wiggin played a large role in the end of the century stock market crash because of his trading methods. Overall this course taught me a lot about the 1920s.

Four women line up along a wall and chug bottles of liquor in the 1920s. (Photo by Kirn Vintage Stock/Corbis via Getty Images)

Ramapo College senior majoring in history. My concentration is in the 1920s machine politics in major cities. In particular the unsustainability of the machine politic model.

Outlaw War by Constitutional Amendment

KC — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 14:54:18 +0000

Introduction

From 1914-1918 the world faced its first armed global conflict known as the great war, world war one. The war caused millions of people to die and left more people displaced and wounded. The war also devastated the European landscape causing trillions of dollars worth of damages.This globally traumatic event prompted activists to organize and in 1921 the women’s peace union was founded by women in the United States and Canada. The group advocated for peace and lobbied against militarization. This document “Outlaw War by Constitutional Amendment” is a 1925 proposition created by the women’s peace union to get the United States government to agree to pacifism and argue for it on the global stage. This document is important because while it was unsuccessful it shows how the trauma of war causes public outcry and reveals international efforts to bring peace.

Record of “Outlaw War by Constitutional Amendment”

Transcription

Outlaw War By

Constitutional Amendment

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), that the following article be and hereby is, proposed to the states as an amendment to the constitution, which shall be valid as a part of the constitution when ratified by conventions in three-fourths of the several states.

Article—.

War for any purpose shall be illegal, and neither the United States nor any state shall

prepare for, declare, engage in, carry on, or in any way sanction war or other armed conflict, expedition, invasion or undertaking within or without the United States or any state; and

Neither the United States nor any state or subdivision thereof,

Nor any territory, corporation, association or person within the jurisdiction of the United States shall organize, train, maintain, hire, manufacture, purchase, employ, use, or authorize the use of an army, militia, or other armed forces, or of armed ships, aero planes, machines or other armaments; nor shall the United States or any state or subdivision thereof, or any territory, corporation, association or person within the jurisdiction of the United States levy taxes or appropriate or expend funds for any such purpose.

After on year from the ratification of this amendment, the

manufacture, sale, transportation, possession, or use, of arms, munition, or other articles, implements or chemicals designed for the destruction of human life, within, or the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from, the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof, is hereby prohibited.

All provisions of the Constitution and of the Articles in

addition thereto and amendment thereof, which are in conflict with or inconsistent with this article are hereby rendered null and void and of no effect.

The congress and the several states shall have concurrent

power to enact appropriate legislation to give effect to this Article.

Amendment drafted and proposed by

WOMEN’S PEACE UNION

Membership Affirmation

I wish to join the Women’s Peace Union.

I affirm it is my intention never to aid in or sanction war, offensive or defensive

international or civil, in any way, whether by making or handling munitions, subscribing to war loans, using labor for the purpose of setting others free for war service, helping by money or work any relief organization which supports or condones war.

Please sign and return to

Women’s Peace union

180 Lexington Ave

New York City

———–

Signature

——–

P.O Address

(OVER)

[page 2]

Declaration of Independence from the Tyranny of War—-1925

To be Published and Proclaimed, Wherever Feasible on July 4

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary to choose between self-perseveration and surrender to destruction, common sense assumes that we peoples of the earth, if the alternatives are made clear to us, will choose self-perseveration. The time for such choice is now at hand. We have reached the point where war imperils the continued life of mankind.

We hold these truths to be self evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We hold it to be equally self-evident that War is subversive of all these rights; it checks men in the pursuit of happiness, it destroys liberty and life itself. Therefore, it behooves the human race to abolish war before War abolishes the human race.

Cooperation, Not Violence

Prudence indeed might seem to dictate that nations should not lightly throw aside the right of self-defense, and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses, usurpation and avoidable disasters have proved that this so-called self-defense does not defend, but exposes those who rely upon it to the very evils it would avert, then it is the right, it is the duty of mankind to abandon this false and evil defense founded upon violence and bloodshed and to provide new guards for our future security, such guards to be based upon moral in place of physical force, passive resistance rather than armed resistance, the voluntary co-operation of the peoples of the earth instead of the rule of autocratic and militaristic governments.

The history of War is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having as an inevitable result the establishment of an absolute tyranny over mankind. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

The Crimes of War

In order to promote the steady and dangerous growth of militaristic power, War has tampered unscrupulously with legal systems and fundamentally altered forms of government

War has quartered among all peoples large bodies of armed troops and has protected these from punishment for any murders they should commit

War has dissolved or rendered futile representative assemblies.

War has obstructed the administration of justice and made judges dependent on the purposes of War alone

War has made the military independent of, and superior to, the civil power

War has erected a multitude of new offices, with swarms of officers to harass nations and eat out their substance.

War has imposed taxes for military purposes to which our consciences will not consent.

War has cut off trade between certain parts of the world, leaving millions to die by famine and disease.

War has plundered seas and ravished coasts, it has ruined the finest fruits of culture and turned beautiful and flourishing territories into a desert.

War had murderously sacrificed untold numbers of human lives, the precious youth of the peoples being always the first to be destroyed

War has constrained mankind against their most solemn convictions and against the sacred teachings of religion to bear arms against their fellowmen; thus compelling them to act as butchers of their kind and degrading them below the level of beast.

War is even now preparing agents of chemical destruction, poison gases, disease germs and deadly liquid fire to be spread abroad by bombs and aeroplanes, destroying whole cities in a night; and whereas in the past War has on occasion made pretense of sparing non-combatants and the civil population, in future its known rule of warfare will be an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

Pledge to End War

We therefore declare that mankind is, and of right ought to be free and independent of and absolved from all allegiance to War; that the women of this country in particular, now that they are possessed of political power, wish and indeed are bound to use that power for the annihilation of War; that all connection between our own government and War should be totally dissolved, by making War illegal and impossible; and that we hereby contract an eternal alliance with Peace, and that we hereby contract an eternal alliance with Peace, and with all those everywhere who have pledged themselves to Repudiation of War, to last as long as this world shall endure. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

Analysis

Overall this post document is about wanting to end all war so the world no longer needs to face the traumas of war after recently disengaging in WWII.

References

Women’s Peace Union–Working Committee

New York, NY

Ramapo College senior majoring in history. My concentration is in the 1920s machine politics in major cities. In particular the unsustainability of the machine politic model.

Web Review: History.com

KC — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 22:33:14 +0000

The website history.com is a database that provides entertainment/”history” on various topics. The information on the site is not unreliable but it should also be avoided for serious papers. The site should be used more for basic knowledge and entertainment rather than reliable information. One of the blog posts published by Erin Blakemore, who only has a BA in history, entitled “Frank Sinatra’s Mob Ties and Other Secrets From His FBI File” reads more like a buzz feed article than a historical blog post. The article makes claims that Sinatra avoided the draft by having the mafia pay off a doctor to write a false medical note and in return Sinatra introduced the mafia to the Kennedy campaign. The article uses phrases such as “allegedly” and “supposedly” voiding all credibility to the claims. The site makes use of a primary source photo of Sinatra signing documents unrelated to any claims made in the post. The information on the site is unreliable. Another blog post on the saint valentine’s murder which provides the basic facts mixed with unreliable conjecture affirms the site’s unreliability. While the site provides basic information with wild conjecture the site was easy to navigate and provided a number of blog posts per topic searched.

Ramapo College senior majoring in history. My concentration is in the 1920s machine politics in major cities. In particular the unsustainability of the machine politic model.

Book Review: Democracy Delayed

KC — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 11:30:00 +0000

Charles W. Eagles’ novel “Democracy Delayed” shows a distinct urban-rural tension within the United States by examining how states are represented and in particular the 1920s centennial election. Eagles starts off by examining the 3/5 th compromise noting that it gave slave states undue representation. As population increased and slavery ended the amount of representatives to each state was changed in an attempt for smaller states to seize more representatives. Eagles points to the 1920s centennial to clearly show an urban-rural conflict. The population boom in the 1920s allowed cities, urban states to have higher populations than rural areas. Eagles uses the example where Democrats blocked Republicans from adding new seats because Republicans in cities had a higher population than rural Democrats. Eagles also examines how racist attitudes in the North empowered Democrats to pass policies that favor rural communities and small states. Overall Eagles’ novel fits into the 1920s by examining the centennial election to show a political divide that still affects how Americans are represented today.

Ramapo College senior majoring in history. My concentration is in the 1920s machine politics in major cities. In particular the unsustainability of the machine politic model.

The Founding of Delta Air

KC — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 18:03:37 +0000

Introduction

Delta Airlines is one of the world’s largest airlines, with a rich history spanning over 90 years. Founded in 1924, Delta has grown from a crop-dusting operation to a global airline that serves more than 300 destinations in over 50 countries. This post will explore the history of Delta Airlines, from its early beginnings to its current status as a major player in the airline industry.

Early Years

Delta Airlines was founded in 1925 as Huff Daland Dusters, a crop-dusting company based in Macon, Georgia. The company’s founder, Collette E Woolman recognized the potential for commercial aviation and decided to expand the company’s operations to include delivery and passenger flights.

Huff Daland, Delta, played a significant role during the 1920s and continues to play a vital role in commerce. During the 1920s crop dusting was part of the reason for the decline in crop prices advancing the great depression. Crop dusters allowed farmers to tend to larger land plots leading to increased production. The overproduction of food drove down food prices and during an economic depression the demand for food went down and everyone suffered. Looking forward to after the great depression, the practice of crop dusting is still in practice in 2023, to plant crops over a large spread of land and mass produce crops. The importance of crop dusting is cited by different papers during the 1920s. In 1925 Alabama newspaper, The Montgomery Advertiser, printed a story about failing cotton crops due to weevils and offered Huff Dusters as a solution to the problem, “foretelling of the greatest weevil emergence in history…State department of agriculture arrangements have been completed with the Huff Daland Dusters, Inc., to give a demonstration of airplane crop dusting.” The demonstration in Alabama proved to be successful. A few months later a Pennsylvania based newspaper, The Bristol Courier, published a story about Huff Daland’s agriculture contracts and tract record, “Airplanes of Huff Daland Dusters Inc., will protect 65,000 acres of cotton this year from insect pests.” The paper also talked about how Huff Daland Dusters are holding contracts in the south not only because of their ability to protect crops but also for their ability to bring manufacturing jobs to rural areas. “At the new airplane factory of the Huff Daland Company which is to be located in a portion of the merchant shipyard here, airplanes will be built to be used in dusting the Southern cotton fields.”

The success of Huff Daland Crop Dusting allowed the company to transition to commercial flights in addition to crop dusting. In 1928 The New York Times published an article titled, “Flying School Started Here”. The article is about Huff Daland hiring and training commercial pilots to operate the crop dusters while reassuring readers about the safety of aircrafts, “The Huff Daland Dusters, Inc., …have conducted dusting operations all over the south, in Mexico, and in Peru. Not a single fatality has occurred in any of their dusting operations, although this is considered one of the most hazardous types of flying.” The positive news coverage of Huff Daland Dusters gives the brand credibility as safe, professional, and efficient. Huff Daland soon changed its name to Delta airline and began doing passenger and cargo flights in addition to crop dusting.

In 1928 Huff Daland expanded into passenger flights from just crop dusting and changed its name to Delta air service. Delta was the first airline to allow passenger flights and they started with airports from Dallas Texas to Jackson Mississippi. The next year Delta expanded across the south to include services to Georgia and Delta air service changed its name to Delta Air Corporation. Starting in 1934 Delta began contracting work for the US Post office delivering mail via air from various post offices. Bringing mail via airplane significantly reduced the time it takes for people to receive mail and the cost to transport it long distance. In 1935 Delta began running night flights setting the current standard of nocturnal flights.

World War II (During and Post)

During World War II, Delta Air Lines was contracted by the U.S. military to provide air transport services. After the war, Delta resumed its commercial operations and continued to expand its route network. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the airline began flying to destinations in Europe and South America, cementing its status as a major international carrier.

Expansion and Innovation

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Delta Air Lines continued to expand its route network and modernize its fleet. In 1955, the airline introduced the first commercial jet service with the Douglas DC-8, which was faster and more efficient than the propeller-driven planes that had dominated the industry up to that point. Delta also introduced stewardesses in the Delta DC-8 and DC-9 jets. During the 1970s, Delta faced increasing competition from other airlines, including low-cost carriers such as Southwest Airlines. To remain competitive, the airline began to focus on providing high-quality service and amenities to its passengers, including upgraded seats and in-flight meals.

Mergers and Acquisitions

In the 1980s and 1990s, Delta Air Lines underwent a series of mergers and acquisitions that helped to cement its status as one of the world’s largest airlines. In 1984, the airline merged with Western Airlines, adding routes to the western United States and Hawaii.

In 2000, Delta merged with Korean Air, creating a strategic alliance that allowed the two airlines to share routes and resources. Continuing throughout the 200s, Delta Air Lines continued to expand its operations and modernize its fleet. The airline added new routes to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and began to focus on providing more personalized service to its passengers. Looking forward to 2012, Delta acquired a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic Airways, giving the airline access to new routes and expanding its presence in Europe. Six years later in 2018 when climate change became a primary concern for businesses, Delta announced plans to purchase a total of 20 new Airbus A350 aircraft, which are more fuel-efficient, and have a lower carbon footprint than previous models and methods of air transportation.

Looking forward Delta airlines created a demand for more pilots which worked in both peace and war time. During World War 1 America started to build its air force then in a time of peace from 1919–1939 the United States invested in aviation and during World War 2 the USAAF peaked with approximately one million airplanes. The grand size of the United States Army Air Force can be attributed to companies such as Delta that managed to mass produce planes and pilots.

Sources Used

Downs, Eldon W., and George F. Lemmer. “Origins of Aerial Crop Dusting.” Agricultural History 39, no. 3 (1965): 123–35. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3740251.

Federico, Giovanni. “Not Guilty? Agriculture in the 1920s and the Great Depression.” The Journal of Economic History 65, no. 4 (2005): 949–76. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3874910

https://www.newspapers.com/image/413687705/?terms=Huff%20Daland&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/82051137/?terms=Huff%20Daland&match=1

https://news.delta.com/deltas-history-dusting-crops-connecting-world

Ramapo College senior majoring in history. My concentration is in the 1920s machine politics in major cities. In particular the unsustainability of the machine politic model.

Albert Henry Wiggin

KC — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 18:02:19 +0000

Introduction

The end of the 1920’s is infamously marked by The Wall Street Crash of 1929. The crash occurred for a number of reasons including but not limited to unregulated markets, individual debt, and faulty bank loans. The Crash caused hundreds of thousands of Americans to lose their life savings, but a few people benefited from the Crash. Albert Henry Wiggin, former president of Chase National Bank made millions using inside knowledge to buy and sell stocks in Chase National. While Wiggin cheated the market to make a fortune he was never held liable for his actions and led a fairly mundane life post crash.

Early Life and Career

Albert Henry Wiggin was a Financier and majority shareholder of Chase national bank. Albert Henry Wiggin was born February 21, 1868 in Medfield Massachusetts. He graduated highschool in 1885 and immediately began a career in finance. His career started as a Boston bank clerk where he became involved with foreign affairs as he rose through the financial ranks. In 1904 Albert Henry Wiggin became the vice president of Chase bank and oversaw the bank’s expansion. Near the end of the 1910’s Albert Henry Wiggin oversaw the founding of Chase securities subsidiary. Albert Henry Wiggin also oversaw the merger of Chase with numerous financial institutions owned by Rockafeller.

The Great Crash of 1929

Albert Henry Wiggin and his management of Chase bank played a significant role in the stock market crash of 1929. Chase like other banks would participate in speculative loans that either made a significant amount of money or lost a significant amount of money. Chase participated in these loans and Wiggin, having private access to the bank’s financials, was able to determine that all the risky investments are not paying off and it can assume people will rush to withdraw money. Having no restrictions on the types of loans banks can be involved with encourages bank owners to act recklessly because they can only profit while the economy suffers. Because of Albert Henry Wiggin and his board of directors taking risks and losing the bank’s money the FDIC was created to insure personal accounts up to 250k in case a bank fails.

Wiggin’s most infamous moment came in the aftermath of the Great Crash of 1929. As the stock market began to collapse, Wiggin sold a significant portion of his own holdings, including shares in Chase National Bank, for a profit of around $4 million. This move sparked outrage among the public and led to calls for reform of the financial system. Some accused Wiggin of insider trading and profiting from the collapse of the market, while others defended him, arguing that he had simply been making smart business decisions. The fallout from the Great Crash eventually led to the establishment of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which was tasked with regulating the securities markets and preventing fraud and insider trading.

SEC Hearing

Albert Henry Wiggin had to provide a statement to the Senate Committee on Banking and Currency about his sell off of Chase bank stocks using insider knowledge. Albert Henry Wiggin provided his statement in November of 1933 where essentially admits to insider trading before it was a crime. The interview was short and established that Wiggin was aware of his power as a majority shareholder. The interviewer went on to use Wiggin’s decision to sell and accused Wiggin of notifying the board of directors to also sell based on private information.

“Is it fair to assume that the reasons that prompted you and Mr. Dahl to sell these holdings of your B.M.T common stock is the knowledge that you had of the financial condition of the company, which knowledge you acquired as the chairman of the finance committee and the chairman of the Board, respectively?”

Wiggn responds by indirectly admitting to insider trading “Yes, I had no inside information, except the knowledge that influenced my judgment was the maturity of notes, and everybody knew about it”. Albert Henry Wiggin tactic of short swing trading, selling company stock then rebuying it in a six month period because of exclusive knowledge, was legal but soon became illegal and coined as the “Wiggin loophole”.

Later Life and Legacy

After the Great Crash, Wiggin remained at the helm of Chase National Bank until his retirement in 1933. He continued to be involved in a number of business ventures and philanthropic activities throughout his life, including the creation of the Albert H. Wiggin Foundation, which supports medical research and education. Despite his controversial legacy, Wiggin is remembered as a pioneer in the field of finance and banking. His leadership at Chase National Bank helped to shape the modern banking industry, and his involvement in the New York Stock Exchange laid the groundwork for the Exchange’s continued success.

Wigmore, Barrie A. “Revisiting the October 1987 Crash.” Financial Analysts Journal 54, no. 1 (1998): 36–48. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4480051.

Painter, William H. “Section 16(d) of the Securities Exchange Act: Legislative Compromise or Loophole?” University of Pennsylvania Law Review 113, no. 3 (1965): 358–80.

https://doi.org/10.2307/3310770.https://www.sutori.com/en/story/albert-henry-wiggins–fj5AfW9C33oH6zwZkAz2hUmq

Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. “ALBERT H. WIGGIN, FINANCIER, 83, DIES: BANKER-DIPLOMAT, ONCE HEAD OF CHASE NATIONAL, PLAYED IMPORTANT WORLD ROLES STARTED CAREER AS A CLERK TESTIFIED BEFORE SENATE BODY.” New York Times (1923-), May 22, 1951. http://library.ramapo.edu:2048/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/albert-h-wiggin-financier-83-dies/docview/112236216/se-2.

https://www.sutori.com/en/story/albert-henry-wiggins–fj5AfW9C33oH6zwZkAz2hUmq

Ramapo College senior majoring in history. My concentration is in the 1920s machine politics in major cities. In particular the unsustainability of the machine politic model.

Kronsdadt Rebellion March 1-18, 1921

KC — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 18:00:53 +0000

The Kronstadt rebellion was an armed conflict between the bolsheviks and sailors and ukrainian farmers on the island of Kronstadt. The conflict began as a series of peaceful protests opposing bolshevik, communist, rule. The soviets took control of the farming industry resulting in mass famines. Farmer rebellions occurred throughout Russia but were put down by the bolshevik military. Due to instability and famines farmers, including ukrainian farmers dispersed and a significant amount settled in the island of Kronstadt. Similar to the Bolshevik revolution that ushered in the communist party, the people living in the Kronstadt strip waged their protest turned failed revolution on the ideology of workers rights. Under the communist revolution the right for people to organize has been dissolved because separate organized factions with different goals will undermine the whole communist political structure. The Bolshevik revolution boosted the Russian government and in doing so dissolved any potential threats, including unionization to the government.

On March 1st, 1921 15,000 people living in Kronstadt gathered to peacefully oppose Soviet control. The next day Soviets agreed to meet with Kronstadt representatives when it was reported that rebels were armed and planning to execute delegates. This narrative is most likely false as the Kronstadt sailors were intending to work diplomatically by meeting with the bolsheviks. Despite the unreliability of Moscow’s claim the Soviets employed the military to kill anyone who openly defied or was accused of defying the government. Kronstadt civilians took up arms to defend themselves and their home, but the Soviets ended up taking the territory.

The Kronsdadt revolution gained attention in America and showed up in US newspapers. US papers reported on the island because of the tension between the US and Russia. The United States is a capitalist country anxiously watching a communist revolution in hopes that the forces in Kronstadt can overpower the Bolshevik revolution, “Considerable fighting is said to have taken place in Kronstadt.” The Herald makes an assumption that the Bolsheviks lost in Kronstadt because the United States does not support the communist revolt. While the US does not support the Bolsheviks the Bolsheviks successfully gained control of Kronstadt. Another US newspaper, The Sun, published an article examining how and why the Kronstadt rebellion occurred, and why the rebellion failed. The cause of rebellion was attributed to man made famines meant to suppress the freedom of people living in Kronstadt, “…when Trotsky at the end of February cut food supplies (in Kronstadt) to a minimum.” The failure of the rebellion was attributed to the unorganized structure of the rebels, and in particular the ineffectiveness of Kronsdadt’s naval force, “In Kronstadt the sailors lived in officer’s private villas and idled in officers’ clubs, avoiding all drills and enjoying a paradise as long as they were supplied with food and clothing from Petrograd.” The newspaper goes on explaining that Kronsdadt’s weak navy forced rebels to fight the Soviets, Bolsheviks, on the ground where the rebels were outnumbered and out gunned.

Within the context of the 1920s and looking into the 1930s the Kronstadt revolution reveals the turmoil within Russia and the unification of the country under a dictatorship. The Soviet’s successful control over the Russian government and nationalization of resources allowed the Soviet government to rebuild the country’s arsenal and economy. Come the end of the decade and the start of World War II the events in Kronstadt revealed that the Soviet government was organized and brutal. Stalin’s takeover of the country’s agriculture caused mass famines across the Union and in particular Ukraine farmers were once again faced with death because of Soviet rule. The battle of Stalingrad in addition to Stalin’s purges highlighted the Brutality of the Soviet regimes and the worthlessness of Soviet lives.

Current day issues between Russia and Ukraine, and Russia and the world stem from the 1920s and the Kronstadt rebellion reveals this. After the Soviets took control of the country the rights of Ukrainian farmers were slashed and the country was made part of the Soviet union. The Russians have access to key oil reserves, and when the Soviets nationalized the Oil industry the government can control oil prices for foreign and domestic exports. In the current year, 2023, the Russian government is attempting similar tactics to the Soviets of taking over and dominating Ukraine which is the reason for the current war. The spike in oil prices is a result of the Soviets nationalizing and seizing key oil reserves allowing the Kremlin to control the market.

Sources Consulted:

Daniels, Robert V. “The Kronstadt Revolt of 1921: A Study in the Dynamics of Revolution.” American Slavic and East European Review 10, no. 4 (1951): 241–54. https://doi.org/10.2307/2492031.

Mutinous Sailors From Kronstadt Engage Bolsheviki in Petrograd Successfully, The Evening Herald. February 09, 1921. https://www.newspapers.com/image/754974863/?terms=Kronsdadt&match=1

Anti Bolshevik Revolution Now Spreads Rapidly, The Evening Herald, March 05, 1921.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/754975195/?terms=Kronsdadt&match=1

Lazy Sailors Cause Revolt, The State, March 27, 1921.

newspapers.com/image/748252803/?terms=Kronstadt Match=1

Lenine Red. The Richmond Palladium and Sun Telegram, January 22, 1924. https://www.newspapers.com/image/246725595/?terms=Kronsdadt&match=1

Ramapo College senior majoring in history. My concentration is in the 1920s machine politics in major cities. In particular the unsustainability of the machine politic model.

What Does the 1920s Mean to me?

KC — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 00:37:26 +0000

Prohibition was a staple of the 1920s that affected all aspects of life. The prohibition of alcohol led to the creation of mafia controlled speakeasies. Since speakeasies took place of the former nightclubs and lounges the speakeasies needed to offer live entertainment through music and shows. F scott’s fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby conjures images of what a glamorized underground drinking party looked like. Women in short and elegant dresses with short hair cuts dancing to jazz and rock music. Large mansions owned by newly rich men with questionable pasts are glorified.

After looking up images of the 1920s part of my assumption was correct. Flappers are commonly shown and tied into the 1920s nightlife, party scene that was pushed underground because of prohibition. In addition to vibrant city night scenes, suburban life with images of planes and cars are prominent. World War One made mass production of war time goods a necessity. After the war ended the techniques of mass production remained and the technology adapted to fit peacetime activities. Instead of producing tanks, Henry Ford was able to use the same technology to mass produce automobiles. Mass production alongside credit made it so many Americans can access cars. While homes were not being mass produced in the 1920s furnishings for homes such as radios and kitchen appliances were being mass produced. Luxury items for homes encouraged more people to stay home or conjugate at people’s homes, businesses that had such luxury goods. Pictures of planes are also common which makes sense since the United States was responsible for mass producing planes to satisfy war time demand. When the country entered a time of peace commercial flights entered their infancy where people could travel further and goods can easily be transported for lower prices on a national and international scale.

Overall the 1920s was a decade of rapid societal and technological changes, advancements as a result of the first world war.

Work cited:

The 1920s, the Decade that Changes Everything!

https://www.history.com/news/flappers-roaring-20s-women-empowerment

Ramapo College senior majoring in history. My concentration is in the 1920s machine politics in major cities. In particular the unsustainability of the machine politic model.