History Commons^™

Book Review: Karl E. Ryavec. A Historical Atlas Of Tibet, Michael Andregg

Comparative Civilizations Review

This is a fantastic scholarly work (20 pages inclusive, 49 detailed maps plus over 100 photos and illustrations) that adds greatly to the body of scholarship on ancient and modern Tibet. In his introduction, Ryavec explicitly calls Tibet a civilization in its own right despite many entanglements with Chinese Empires, being conquered by the Mongols, and being influenced by steady flows of trade long the Silk Road and by Buddhist monks from India promoting their brands of enlightenment to any who would listen. Thus, there came to be a predominantly Buddhist Tibet, until the communist Chinese took over from 1951-59 …

The Effect Of Nationalistic Communism On The Sino-Soviet Split, Braeden Davis

BYU Asian Studies Journal

In the early 1950s, the world communist movement seemed unstoppable. Without giving the liberal democracies time to catch their breath following World War II, the world’s socialist nations confronted the West in a dangerous Cold War standoff. In less than a decade, communist parties had consolidated power across most of the Eurasian continent, all under the powerful protection of the Soviet Union and its communist party (hereafter referred to as the CPSU). Most significantly, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had taken control of China, thus establishing the most populous communist nation on earth. The Chinese were close allies of the …

Katja, Ketevahi 'Katje', Tsos

TSOS Interview Gallery

Ketevahi “Katja” is from Georgia. She’s in her late 40’s. She grew up on a farm in the country and became the financial support for her family after her mother died and her father became “emaciated.” When Putin came to power, diplomatic ties deteriorated between Georgia and Russia, which eventually led to war. She fled her country using forged documents and first worked in Turkey but has now lived in Naples for nine years and regularly sends money home to her brother, who cares for their father.

Katja expresses her feelings about war, government, liberty, and what it means to …