Russian Civil War

My knowledge and perspective of the American involvement in the Russian Civil War has greatly progressed since the starting of the Independent Study Project. Through research, analysis and procedure I have learned extensively about politics, history and of the Russian Civil War.

Firstly, while I have always maintained an interest in the history of the Soviet Union, I have to say that I really had no idea just how complicated and interesting the Bolshevik Revolution really was. For example, this project has taught me that the Allied forces actually were involved in the civil war, and that there was an actual fear of communism even before there really existed an example of it. In addition, I have been able to study from my classmates’ blogs about such topics as FARC, and the IMF. Thus, I have learned the details of the Russian Civil War that had previously eluded me.

Also, this project has helped evolve my perspective on American hegemony and on American imperialism. I now understand just how serious a problem that outside intervention can be when the primary motive for the intervention is based on resources or on political power. I can demonstrate with examples the harm that comes from international intervention in many cases, and I believe my perspective on politics has also slightly changed. To conclude, this ISP has allowed my perspective on American intervention to develop and to flower.

Overall, this school project has allowed me to learn that, at least in this case, both the clashing ideologies, communism and capitalism, within the Russian Civil War were ultimately flawed, and that there really is no perfect system of government in which we could ever feasibly live under.