Slides of the "Battle of Leyte Gulf "

Political Cartoon : Will it? Will it Not?

In my cartoon, "Will it? Will it not?" the faliure of the League of Nations is depicted. The League of Nations is like a fledgling: just born. It has not spread its wings and it stands helpless and powerless. Japan, on the other hand is a snake: poisonous and harmful. It can eat the fledgling in one gulp. The League was supposed to avert another war and help keep peace between nations, but consequently, it was weak. In this cartoon, the League (fledgling) can only sit quiet and wait for Japan's next move. It can only hope and pray that Japan wouldn't conquer Manchuria. This cartoon is colored in black just to signify the age : this event happened a long time ago.

Japan, in 1931, conquered Manchuria, a province of China. The League stood silently and watched. When it decided to send a commisioner to look into the matter and deal with Japan in 1932, Japan left the League on the 27th of March 1932. This was on event which showed the true identity of the League of Nations.

Neville Chamberlain

“It is better to jaw jaw, than war war.” This famous quote
was said by the British prime minister, Arthur Neville Chamberlain. Chamberlain was prime minister from 1937 – 1940. He was born into a political family in Birmingham on March 18, 1869. His father, Joseph Chamberlain and half brother, Austen Chamberlain were influential politicians in the late 19th and early 20th century. Chamberlain was educated in Birmingham in the Rugby School. He joined the debating society in which he spoke for the preservation of the United Kingdom. Later, he helped his father on his plantation in the Bahamas for seven years. A few years later, he married Anne de Vere Cole and had two children. After being elected into the Parliament as a Conservative, he ascended ranks, soon becoming the prime minister of Britain. His policy of appeasement was mostly disliked. After resigning from position of Chancellor, he still brought a great deal of support. Six months after leaving office, he died at the age of 71, on the 9th of November 1940.


In November 1911, Chamberlain was elected mayor in the Birmingham City Council, and immediately became the chairman of the Town Planning committee. In 1915, he became Lord Mayor of Birmingham, holding a high position and responsibility. In 1916, Chamberlain met with the prime minister, David Lloyd George in London. He was offered to become the Director of the National Service to ensure that war industries were able to function and they had an adequate number of workers. He accepted the post but later, due to disputes between him and Lloyd George, Neville Chamberlain resigned. In 1918, Chamberlain was elected Conservative member to the parliament and was promptly promoted. He served as a health minister and chancellor, and in 1937 he was offered the post of the Prime Minister. He readily accepted. During this time, Britain was suffering the aftermath of the great depression. People’s dislike for WW1 and the deaths caused by it was the reason Neville Chamberlain approached his policy of appeasement. In the Munich Conference, where Mussolini, Chamberlain, and Daladier met, Chamberlain proposed his policy towards Hitler, eventually offering the Czech province of Sudetenland to Germany. Chamberlain contemplated that by agreeing and giving in to some of the demands proposed by Germany, he would be able to prevent a future war. Hitler knew that Britain and France wouldn't take military action against Germany and so he increased his demands for land. Hitler was clearly breaking the terms stated within the Treaty of Versailles, but due to the policy of appeasement, Chamberlain was unable to do anything about it. In March 1939, Germany took over the rest of Czechoslovakia. This went against the Munich Agreement. Unfortunately for Chamberlain, his strive to keep peace broke. In response, Hitler signed the Pact of Steel, stating Germany and Italy would aid each other in times of need.When Germany took over Poland, he was forced to declare war on Germany, starting the Second World War.


Chamberlain was born into a family of influential politicians, eventually becoming one himself, after becoming a conservative member in the parliament in 1918. He hoped to avert another dreadful and disastrous war like WW1. For this, he decided to give into the demands of Germany, who were the hit the hardest after WW1. This was his policy of appeasement. Regrettably, Hitler didn’t follow the agreement signed between him and Chamberlain, causing Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement to fail. Chamberlain, unable to keep peace, declared war on Germany commencing WW2. Chamberlain’s attempt to avoid WW2 was unfruitful, but I think this attempt bought time for many countries suffering the Great Depression, unable to prepare quickly for another war, like France and Britain. Some soldiers who fought in WW1 were still suffering many war- related diseases, like the Gulf War Syndrome. (GWS) In many countries, people were trying to recover from the visions they had of the war and the deaths they had to experience. Chamberlain's policy of appeasement allowed such countries to prepare their soldiers and themselves, for the bloody battle which would occur. His visions for the future were ephemeral but his policy kept peace for his time. As he himself once said, he had "achieved peace for our time."

Works Cited
"Historic Figures." bbc.co.uk/history. 12 Jan 2008 . "Neville Chamberlain."
Spartacus Educational. 12 Jan 2008 .
"Neville Chamberlain." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 11 Jan 2008. 12 Jan 2008 .



By:Kiran and Hannah

Propaganda during the Russian Revolution

Propaganda is used to spread information through the use of newspapers, television, radios, and films. Propaganda was heavily exercised during the Russian Revolution of 1917. Propaganda told people what to believe, snatching them of their right of freedom to think. Joseph Stalin, a major figure in the Russian Revolution, used propaganda to publicize his messages. Stalin was the General Secretary of the Communist Party. He soon replaced his enemies within the communist party with people who favored him and soon became the sole and unchallenged leader of the Soviet Union. Stalin was pictured on posters which carried out his messages. The use of propaganda was effective because it was sure to relay its messages.

This poster pictures Joseph Stalin. This poster depicts Stalin as all- knowing and all- powerful. It shows people are putting flowers upon Stalin’s photo, depicting their loyalty towards him. This was Stalin’s cult of personality. The poster is powerful because people can relate to it very easily. Illiterate people can look at the poster and understand its meaning. This poster shows common people putting flowers onto Stalin’s photo. Placing flowers onto a photo is a common task, but within this poster its meaning is very lucid: Stalin is all- knowing and all- powerful, and people should bestow all their loyalty upon him.



Stalin addresses a crowd of people with a peaceful and charming grace. His stance depicts this. In this poster, common people listen to Stalin, displaying their loyalty towards him and his rule. This poster can convey its message easily: Stalin cares about the needs and necessities of his people. Common people understand this poster because they are part of it: they can relate themselves to the people listening to Stalin. This poster is powerful mainly because it includes the common people of Russia.



This poster depicts another major figure of the Russian Revolution, Lenin. Lenin led the Bolsheviks during the Civil War which lasted from 1918- 20. This poster shows Lenin towering above the Russian people, in an act of blessing them. Above him are Zeppelin aircrafts which he commanded during the Civil War. Lenin acts as a father of his people. This picture can convey its message easily because the Russian people can relate themselves to the people in the poster. The simple act of blessing people has been taken further, so now this poster depicts Lenin acting as the care-taker of all Russian people. This poster is very effective for two reasons. One, the poster might have encouraged people to grant their loyalty and trust to Lenin, during a very chaotic period of the Russian Revolution, the Civil War. Two, this poster includes the Russian people. Using common people, who needed guidance during the Civil War, is the easiest way to make them see that being loyal to Lenin can make Russia powerful.


This poster illustrates Lenin leading the Red Army during the Russian Civil War. The poster reads: ‘Peace, Land, Bread.’ It portrays Lenin as the father and leader of Russia. He is shown leading the Red (Communist) Army to their victory in the Civil War. The message is very evident: Lenin is the leader of Russia, and he is the only man who will bring prosperity to Russia. This poster is effective because it was fabricated when the people most needed it: during the chaotic period of the Russian Revolution.


This poster delineates Lenin as the leader of the Bolsheviks. Behind him, in the background, is the Red’s flag. Lenin, in this poster, is pictured as the guiding light, whose sole purpose is to bring success to Russia and its people. His stance shows his concern. The message in this poster is that Lenin is the leader of the Bolsheviks and he will bring eminence to Russia. This poster is effective because it shows Lenin’s concern for his people, when they needed to know that someone cared for them and someone would improve their lives.


Posters with effective colors, pictures, and words can alter people’s minds very easily and effectively. The use of propaganda has changed the course of the Russian Revolution. If Lenin’s Political Testament, which he wrote before he died in 1924, was read out to the public, Stalin might have never become the sole and unchallenged leader of Russia. Through the use of propaganda, he made himself powerful and people trusted him. Propaganda is using newspapers, radios, television, and posters to publicize information. It was heavily used during the Russian Revolution of 1917.


Thanks to:

1.) "Vladimir Lenin." Wikipedia. 4 November 2007. 5 Nov 2007 .
2.) Sparctacus Educational. 5 Nov 2007 .
3.) Kelly, Nigel , and Shutter Paul. A History of the Modern World. Singapore: Pearson Education, 2000
4.) "Joseph Stalin." Answers.com. 5 Nov 2007 .
5.) "Cantor Center’s 'Revolutionary Tides' examines the language of political posters." Standford News Service. 5 Nov 2007 .
6.) "Gordon Brown and Stalinism." Dave's Part. 20 March 2007. 5 Nov 2007 .
7.) "Propaganda Posters." Fortune City. 5 Nov 2007 .
8.) DeLaine, Linda. "Peace, Land, Bread!." Russian Life. PublishSync. 5 Nov 2007 .