AboutMichael FitzGerald Expertise I am an expert in German history between 1918 and 1945, particularly with regard to the Nazi era. I am also very knowledgeable about most areas of philosophy (I have an honours degree in the subject) and am able to answer questions on that subject too. In addition, I am very knowledgeable about poetry. One of my hobbies is also politics, mainly British and European though I follow the US political scene as well. Another one is the history of crime and punishment and British social history (the two often overlap!) I am willing to answer questions on all the above issues.
Experience Author of two published works, 'Storm Troopers of Satan,' an account of the lunatic fringes of Nazi ideology, and 'Adolf Hitler: A Portrait,' a biography of the German dictator. 'Adolf Hitler' was published in July 2006 by the top history publisher Spellmount and was named historical biography of the month by the Good Book Guide. I correspond with Ian Kershaw, Peter Stachura, Jeremy Noakes, Roger Moorhouse and Stan Lauryssens. I have undertaken research for radio, television, newspapers and magazines
Organizations Society of Authors
Education/Credentials I have an Honours degree in philosophy.
Awards and Honors LT prize for poetry
Historical Biography of the month, Good Book Guide
Question How did the end of world war two and the rise and fall of the Cold War affect the economic, social and cultural lives of the following countries? Palestine/Israel, Eastern Europe and India/Pakistan.
On a follow up,the end of world war II launched and unprecedented liberation movements, what was the struggle between fundamentalists and secular nationalists within these movements?
Your previous answer was great help to me.
Thanks
Answer Hi Ahmed,
In the first place I should like to apologise for the delay in replying to you but I had to get the manuscript of my latest book ready for the publishers this week and have not had much time to devote to anything else. That is now out of the way and I will be more rapid in my response in future.
The Palestinian/Israeli, Eastern European and India/Pakistan issues were completely different in almost every respect. In the case of the Israelis, from the very beginning there was a dichotomy between the attitudes of the secular Jews and the religious zealots. Ben-Gurion represented the secular wing of Zionism and Begin the hardline religious advocates. In the short term, the secular Zionists triumphed though the last few years have shown Israeli politics taking a different route. The Arabs too were split between the followers of the Mufti and the more Marxist-orientated Muslims who looked towards Russia and later supported Nasser, the Baath Party in Syria and Iraq and the Fatah wing of the PLO. Later still came splits with more religiously orientated movements like Hezbollah and Hamas. Ironically, Hamas is largely an Israeli creation, built up by Mossad as a counterweight against the PLO but soon taking on a life of its own.
Eastern Europe is a very complex issue. Following the Soviet occupation of the satellite states, there were several attempts to overthrow or at least modify the severity of the repression. East German workers revolted in 1953, largely out of general frustration rather than any specific political demands. In 1956, Poland rioted and managed to replace the very hardline Communist government with the slightly more liberal Gomulka regime. The same year saw an open challenge to Communism in the 1956 Hungarian uprising. This was almost entirely led by the working-classes and they did not want a capitalist regime but a more equitable and freer socialist one.
1968 saw Czechoslovakia attempt reform and that too, like the Hungarians, was largely led by the people and wanted a democratic socialist regime rather than a repressive Marxist one.
It was not until the emergence of Solidarity in Poland that religion began to become a factor in these things. Even then there is no doubt that Lech Walesa and his movement used the Catholic Church as allies rather than their main motivation being religious.
When the Iron Curtain finally collapsed, it was largely the economic difficulties and the fact that Russia no longer had the desire to crush revolt by force, rather than any religious aspects, that led to the collapse of Communism.
India definitely wanted to maintain a secular government and (though I am anything but an expert on Indian politics) the corruption and inefficiency of Congress rule was more a factor in the BJP success than any real committment to Hindu fundamentalism. In recent years that appears to be less true than it was when the BJP won power.
Pakistan on the whole has always tended to be ruled by the secularists, from Jinnah, Ayyub Khan, Yahya Khan, Bhutto and his daughter, and others. It is in my opinion largely the economic and political chaos of the last ten years or so that have led to rising support for fundamentalists in the country, although of course foreign policy decisions by Western countries and some poor domestic choices by successive leaders, together with foreign influence through the Madrashas (hope I spelt that right - apologies if I got it wrong) from Al-Qaida and Hezbollah sympathisers have certainly helped it to spread.
