The classic epic poem Beowulf is strongly centered on a theme of loyalty. Given that the historic setting and milieu of the epic, it is understandable why this particular quality of human affairs was given centre stage. The author portrays a heroic image of the protagonist, who fearlessly fights enemies in order to save his…
Category: History
‘United States Foreign Policy from 1945- 1991 was overwhelmingly concerned with USSR’. Explain.
Yes, the foreign policy of the United States has been predominantly concerned with the balance of power with USSR from 1945 to 1991. The rest of this essay will present facts and arguments in support of this assertion. Right through its history, America has not hesitated to use force under the pretexts of principles, sovereignty…
Sources of English Law
The English law of the present day is the culmination of a long tradition of revision, appraisal and amendment. Historically, what comes to be passes as law is derived and influenced by a range of sources. The following essay will capture a brief outline of these sources in their order of importance. European Community Law:…
Compare and Contrast World War 1 and World War 2
Both the first as well as the second world wars are landmark events in modern world history. Both wars are marked by involvement of the prevailing world powers of the day. In the case of World War 1 (WW1), the principal actors were the European powers of Britain, Germany, Austria, etc with nominal participation from…
Major Changes from 1945 until the late 1960’s in American Society
The aftermath of the Second World War saw the formation of a bi-polar world, with the United States and the Soviet Union dominating their respective hemispheres. Both the powers were equipped with nuclear arsenal and any direct confrontation could have led to the destruction of the species. In this atmosphere where the stakes are very…
How was Ronald Reagan instrumental in the collapse of the Soviet Union?
Many believe Ronald Reagan alone didn’t win the Cold War but say that his policy of peace through strength was most critical in addition to his superb leadership. The Soviet Union collapsed of its own weight, but Reagan’s initiatives accelerated their fall. Reagan described the Soviet Union as an evil empire. With the scare of…
The Cold War in Europe and Asia – A comparison
The aftermath of the Second World War saw the formation of a bi-polar world, with the United States and the Soviet Union dominating their respective hemispheres. Both the powers were equipped with nuclear arsenal and any direct confrontation could have led to the destruction of the species. In this atmosphere where the stakes are very…
How did photography reflect the values and stereotypes that underlay European colonialism?
On par with the written word, photography is a potent tool of historical documentation. The advent of still picture devices, as they were crudely called during their initial days, coincided with the peak years of European colonialism. While the concept of photography is a valuable aid for a historical scholar in presenting “facts”, the prevailing…
Writing the War on Terrorism by Richard Jackson
The book “Writing, The War on Terrorism” is a detailed scholarly analysis on the use of language in the media and political offices before and during the so called “counter-terrorism” operations led by the United States and its allies. The central thesis of this work is the claim that the mainstream rhetoric is a carefully…
Civilization and its Discontents & Bury Me Standing
The central thesis of Sigmund Freud’s Civilization and its Discontents is the assertion that the conflict between sexual needs and the societies restrictions is a big factor to human “dissatisfaction, aggression, hostility and ultimately, violence”. Given that the book was published in 1930, people’s mindsets were largely conservative, which led to protests and outcry against…