20th Century World Events & Figures

Billy Joel's 20th century anthem, "We Didn't Start the Fire", is a whirlwind tour of world events, many of which are encapsulated in the names of individuals. Beginning in 1949 with Harry Truman and ending in the commercialized "Rock and roller cola wars" of the late 80s, Joel's rock classic is intended to evoke a sense of bewilderment and energy, a cacophony of nonsense that belies an undeniable rhythm: the pulsing momentum of history. For the purposes of this discussion, three items listed in Joel's song will be pulled into relief from amidst the broader tapestry of figures and events. Beginning in 1953 with "Joseph Stalin", stopping in 1963 with "Malcolm X", and ending in 1974 with "Watergate", a look at these noteworthy, landmark figures and incidents will perhaps help to put the latter half of the 20th century into perspective.

Joseph Stalin, the autocratic ruler of the former Soviet Union, died in 1953. Few men in history have cast a longer shadow or left a more lasting legacy than has Stalin. Infamous for crushing millions of his own people beneath the massive, grinding wheel of the Communist Party that he so completely controlled, Stalin also was responsible for the "modernization" of the USSR. The first of Stalin's Five Year Plans for the USSR began as early as 1928, and the intention was clear: to develop heavy industry steel, chemical, electrical and manufacturing (Rose 14).

To accomplish his objective, Stalin instituted a process of collectivization.

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ol the economy of our community. Why should White people be running all the stores in our community? Why should White people be running all the banks in our community? Why should the economy of our community be in the hands of the White man? If a Black man can't move his store into a white community, you tell me why a White man should move his store into a Black community (Ebony)." Malcolm X desperately wanted the Black community, in turning in on itself, to regain a sense of pride as well as control. In America, African Americans had, according to Malcolm X, been taught to hate themselves: "to hate our skin, to hate our hair, to hate our features, hate our blood, hate what we are (Ebony)." In order to pull themselves out of this damaging cycle of self-hate and oppression, Malcolm X advocated self-help and pride. African Americans were instructed to wage a war on organized crime within their own communities, expose police corruption, establish drug clinics for addicts, and "create meaningful, creative, useful activities for those who were led astray down the avenues of vice (Ebony)." In advocating self-help, Malcolm X therefore meant helping one another. In all ways possible, he encouraged African Americans to explore

Category: History - 2