Elliot Taylor           

October 26, 2015

Reflection of the Readings from Week Three

In terms of diplomacy, the relationship between the Venetians and Ottoman Empire in the Middle Ages parallels the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Ottomans and Venetians were strong, influential states in the Mediterranean and the Soviet Union and United States were hegemons on the international level. The use of slander was prevalent in both examples as well.

We saw the cooperation between the United States and the Soviet Union during World War II, but the end of the War ignited the Cold War. Both sides grew increasingly wary of the other. Similarly, as time elapsed, the Venetians and Ottoman Empire grew increasingly suspicious of one another. We learned in Carboni’s piece that Venice was interested in having a peace conference with the Ottoman Empire but never materialized (2007: 17,18). What is more, as time went on, the Venetians and Ottomans became increasingly distrustful of one another beginning in 1204 during the Fourth Crusade when the Venetians attacked Constantinople (2007: 19). Although the Venetians and Ottoman Empire continued to trade with one another after this event, the nature of their relationship was forever changed, similar to how World War II changed the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union.

In both the Cold War and during the Middle Ages, the use of satire and propaganda was well established. During the Cold War, the United States had a myriad of vitriolic posters depicting the Soviets. The posters ranged from stating “There’s a Communist Under Every Bed” to “If Russia and the Communists should win the next world war, many American men would be sterilized.” Similarly, we learned in Carboni’s piece that there is a painting “populated exclusively with Ottoman figures represents the stoning of St. Stephen, as if Muslims ought to be the only characters responsible for evil acts against Christians” (2007:26). Furthermore, today in class we read an abridged version of Shakespeare’s Othello. In the play Ensign, is depicted as an untrustworthy and conniving individual and is an allegory of Muslims while Othello, a Christian Moor, embodies the West. In both situations, the two sides were suspicious of one another.

The East- West dynamic of the Middle Ages embodied by the relationship between the Venetian and the Ottoman Empire parallels the relationship between the First and Third World of the United States and Soviet Union, respectively. In both situations, there was a growing fear and paranoia in regards to the actions that the other would or would not perform. In both examples, satire, propaganda, and slander were used to humiliate and dehumanize the other.