Peterson Academy – Michael Malice – The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union

In our introductory lecture, Michael Malice begins our journey into the Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union by describing the tumultuous history of anarchism and communism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on key figures such as Emma Goldman, Alexander Berkman, and Vladimir Lenin. The lecture traces the rise of revolutionary fervor, the suppression of dissent, and the ultimate disillusionment experienced by Goldman and Berkman upon witnessing the realities of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia.

In lecture two, we study the rise of Joseph Stalin and the devastating consequences of his rule in the Soviet Union, focusing on the mass starvation in Ukraine known as the Holodomor and the Great Terror that followed. The lecture examines the role of Western journalists, particularly Walter Duranty of the New York Times, in downplaying the severity of the famine and the efforts of journalists like Gareth Jones and Malcolm Muggeridge to expose the truth. It concludes by discussing the impact of Stalin’s paranoia and the Soviet system’s flaws on various aspects of society, from industry and the arts to the very nature of reality itself.

In lecture three, Michael Malice walks us through the Soviet Union’s Great Purge under Joseph Stalin, detailing the widespread arrests, torture, and executions of individuals across various sectors of society, including the secret police, military, government, and intelligentsia. The lecture highlights the paranoia, fear, and societal breakdown that characterized this period, as well as the complicity of Western intellectuals in justifying and supporting Stalin’s actions.

In lecture four, we learn about the complex history of intellectuals and public figures who supported or defended Joseph Stalin’s Soviet Union, focusing on the experiences of Upton Sinclair and Henry A. Wallace. The lecture examines their writings, public statements, and visits to the Soviet Union, highlighting their often misguided or misinformed views on the realities of life under Stalin’s rule, particularly in the notorious gulag labor camps. Malice concludes the lecture by discussing Wallace’s eventual realization of the true nature of the Soviet system and the lasting impact of his failed presidential bid.

In lecture five, we delve into the aftermath of World War II, focusing on the rise of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the Western powers. We examine Stalin’s continued reign of terror, the division of Germany, and the construction of the Berlin Wall, highlighting the human cost of these events through poignant stories of individuals caught in the crosshairs of history.

In lecture six, we focus on the political careers and partnership of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, exploring their rise to power in the UK and US respectively, and the challenges they faced in their early years in office. Michael Malice highlights their shared conservative ideology and determination to confront the Soviet Union, marking a significant shift from the prevailing policy of détente.

In lecture seven, we explore the intertwined relationship between Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, and Mikhail Gorbachev during the 1980s, focusing on their efforts to navigate the Cold War tensions and the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union. The lecture delves into the personal dynamics between these leaders, the challenges they faced in their nations, and the pivotal events that led to the fall of the Iron Curtain and the end of the Cold War era.

In our eighth and final lecture, we witness the dramatic events leading to the fall of communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Michael Malice covers the peaceful revolutions in Poland, Hungary, East Germany, and Czechoslovakia, the violent overthrow of Romania’s Ceausescu regime, and the failed coup attempt against Gorbachev that ultimately led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.