There are several scenes in the film which show the Szpilman family’s gradual disintegration. When German troops invade Poland and make rapid inroads, the Szpilmans were still hopeful that the foreigners will be soon driven out. But formal Polish resistance to the Nazi advance turns out to be very weak. Within a month Poland surrenders…
Tag: Second World War
Differences between Bretton Woods world trade regime and the current world trade system governed by the World Trade Organization
The Bretton Woods system was the result of a grand financial conference at the culmination of the Second World War. The participants were delegates drawn from 44 Allied countries that were in coalition against the defeated Axis powers. The main purpose of the conference was to organize and regulate the international monetary and financial systems,…
Th impact of the Second World War on British Cinema
Existential Themes in the film My Life Without Me
The basic plot of the movie – that set on the last days of a dying young woman – hints at being a tear-jerking melodrama. But contrary to this threat My Life Without Me delivers a surprisingly novel representation of a life about to end. The announcement of death, instead of limiting the physical and…
How can Plato’s Allegory of the Cave be read in a contemporary social, geo-political milieu?
Plato’s Republic is one of the most influential works on political theory. The book is rich in logical deliberations and thought experiments in its endeavor to identify the ideal form of government for any society. Some of the ideas and theories articulated in the work include ‘theory of forms’, ‘definition of philosopher’, ‘immortality of the…
David Irving: A Brief Profile
David Irving is one of the most controversial modern historians. Born in Britain in 1938, Irving has written many books about the Second World War and its leaders. For example, he has written detailed accounts of Adolf Hitler, Winston Churchill, Goebbels, etc. In his books, he focussed on the military aspects of the war. But…
Summary of chapters 3,4 & 5 of the book ‘The Economics of Women, Men, and Work’ by Blau, Ferber & Winkler
Chapter 3 of the book is titled The Family as an Economic Unit. Here the authors discuss the importance of the concept of family for the functioning of neoclassical economic models. In the United States and other Western capitalist democracies, the neoclassical economics is the dominant paradigm for analysis and policy. In this context, it…
The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali
Salvador Dali’s 1931 painting named The Persistence of Memory is an intriguing work of modern art. The artwork became an instant success with the public audience and continues to be Dali’s most recognized work. At the core of the painting is Dali’s perception of physical objects as either ‘hard’ or ‘soft’. The depiction of ‘soft’…
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…
Discuss what Eisenhower meant by the “Military-Industrial Complex.”
Discuss what Eisenhower meant by the “Military-Industrial Complex.” Why did the outgoing president feel the need to warn Americans about this? How justified were Eisenhower’s concerns? Was there any irony to this warning? Explain. In his farewell address to the citizens of his nation, American President Dwight Eisenhower chose to dwell on one particular aspect…