Model United Nations at UCSD presents
TRITON MUN XIV
On Saturday April 22nd , and Sunday April 23rd, 2017
Soviet Space Race
I. Introduction
Hello Delegates,
Welcome to TritonMUN XV. I am a graduating 4th year Political Science /
International Relations major at UC San Diego. Many people have been asking me
now, what is the plan after graduation? Honestly it really is up in the air but my
hope is to stay in San Diego and continue to enjoy Southern California. If all else
fails I will move back up to Sacramento and hopefully get a job as a capital staffer.
This is my second year in Model United Nations with UC San Diego and I
am also the Director of Travel for UCSD MUN. I have participated in three prior
TritonMUN’s. My first experience was as a Crisis Staff member in a Korean War
committee. Last Spring I was a Vice Chair for the 2016 U.S Election Crisis where
Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump resoundingly, something that did not actually
occur in November. In the Fall I was the Chair for the French-Indochina war where
while the Viet Minh fought bravely, were unable to secure freedom for their
country. In my free time while not partaking in Model UN or studying, I like to
work out, go to the beach, go hiking, travel, and enjoy my last year here at UCSD.
I look forward to this as my last TritonMUN and a great way to finish my
Model United Nations experience in college. Hope everyone researches and comes
up with creative approaches to advancing the grand vision of the Soviet Union not
just on Earth but also into the stars.
POSITION PAPERS: For position papers, please email them by APRIL
15th to the email listed below. Position papers should be one to two pages and
cover the background of the topic, your specific role in committee, and goals that
you would like to see achieved while in committee.
Sincerely your chair,
Tyler Rinde
[email protected]
II. Current
Situation
It is August 2nd, 1955
and it is now 9 years after the
Second World War ended.
The world is no longer
gripped by the terrors of war,
however relations between the
two emerging superpowers,
the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics has gone cold.
During the interim period multiple countries have developed nuclear weapons from
the U.S. to USSR to UK1. However the USSR has faced a setback in the last year
as Premier Josef Stalin has passed away.
Just four days ago, James Hagerty, the United States Press Secretary under
Eisenhower announced the plan to launch small Earth circling satellites as a part of
the International Geophysical Year. Today on August 2nd, 1955 scientist Leonid I.
Sedov spoke at the Sixth Congress of International Astronautical Federation in
Copenhagen announcing that the great Soviet
Union would also launch a satellite in the “near
future”2.
Both of these are set to happen during the
1957-1958 International Geophysical Year (IGY).
The IGY is a coordination between 67 different
countries to do comprehensive global geophysical
activities and study many different geophysical
phenomena occurring3. These studies will span
from both the South Pole to the North Pole and
many spots between. Both the United States and
Soviet Union have agreed to participate. The hope is with much more advanced
1
http://www.icanw.org/the-facts/the-nuclear-age/
https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/monograph10/korspace.html
3
http://www.nas.edu/history/igy/
2
scientific technology since the 1930s that a lot of new discoveries will be made
during the period between July 1957- December 19584.
The Soviet Premier, Nikolai Bulganin has now asked a body to be created to
be able to advance not only a satellite but also building off the ideas of Konstantin
Tsiolkovsky and the numerous work of the scientific community to send a human
and achieve life outside of this planet. The Premier has placed a lot of trust in this
body and expects the greatness of the Soviet Union and the Proletariat to show
through the work of this body.
III.
Background
Timeline:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/astrospies/time-nf.html
Konstantin Tsiolkovksy and his Ideas of Space
“Earth is the cradle of humanity, but one cannot remain in the cradle
forever.”5 This quote is from Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, a Russian physicist, born on
September 17th, 1857 in Izhevkoye, Russia. He was the father of Rocketry and
would influence many modern contemporaries in the field of physics and rocketry
including members of this body here today. Tsiolkovsky was the son of a Polish
deportee to Siberia. He almost became deaf at the age of ten from scarlet fever and
had to quit school6. However this was not the end of his education. He continued to
study and to learn at home and his family recognized this and sent him to Moscow
for college. After attending school he became a teacher of mathematics and
science. This got him to thinking while reading stories of space travel from Jules
4
Ibid.
https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/rocketry/home/konstantin-tsiolkovsky.html
6
Ibid.
7. Photo of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky
5
Verne and began his writings on topics
ranging from gyroscopes, escape velocities,
the principle of action and reaction, to the
use of liquid propellant rockets7.
His research has helped science advance
greatly. His work during the 1880s revolved
mostly around the problems that someone
would encounter as they traveled into space.
Some of his works has included in 1883 an
article that discussed the conditions of living
in outer space and how one would
experience the effects of zero gravity8.
However during this period it was difficult
for him to stay on top of all of the research being done as he was living in Kaluga,
far from Moscow.
One such setback at this time was where he published a paper about the
kinetic properties of gases only to find out that someone had published a very
similar paper twenty five years prior9. Next he turned towards space and developed
many of the things that would help Soviet rocketry and hopefully space travel. In
7
https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/rocketry/home/konstantin-tsiolkovsky.html
http://www.space.com/19994-konstantin-tsiolkovsky.html
9
ibid.
8
1894 Tsiolkovsky proposed the idea of a fully metal aircraft and in 1895, the idea
of settling space10.
In 1903 he published his manuscript in
Nauchnoe Obozrenie (Scientific Review),
“Exploration of the World Space with Reaction
Machines” which described the first
scientifically viable proposals to explores
space with rockets. In these he described how
the rockets would be fueled with a mixture of
liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen11. This was
pretty advanced for his time as hydrogen was
only just able to be liquified in 189812.
Also included within his manuscript was an
equation that has now been named after him.
This essential equation describes the
mathematical relationship between the
changing mass of a rocket as it burns through
fuel, the velocity of the exhaust gases, and the
final speed of the rocket. This equation is an essential part and the foundation of
astronautics13.
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky also pioneered the idea of multistage rockets that
would allow a body to be able to leave orbit. He also proposed steering rockets
with graphite rudders, pumps to move fuel from the storage tanks to the
combustion chamber, and methods to cool parts of the rocket. He also predicted the
need to have pressured space suits when astronauts were outside the spacecraft14.
10
Ibid.
Ibid.
12. Drawing of a pressurized suit by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky
12
http://www.space.com/19994-konstantin-tsiolkovsky.html
13
Ibid.
14
Ibid.
11
The Formation of
the Soviet Union
In 1917, under the
great leadership of
Vladimir Lenin, a group
of individuals overthrew
the government of the
Tsar and the Provisional
Government. The Tsar
under his authority was
absolute and unlimited15.
The Tsar had ruled over Russia since the early 17th century. The population of
Russia was at this point 80% peasants and most lived in communes16. Many of
these peasants did not own their own land and however worked on it for a period
determined by local custom. However Russia was backwards in development had
been involved by 1917 in two major wars, the Russo-Japanese war in 1904-05, and
The Great War (1914-1918)17. The latter war especially did its toll on the country
in both lives, supplies, finances, and politically. World War One weakened the
Tsar and in February 1917, the Tsar abdicated in favor of George Lvov. The
Provisional Government then lapsed under mutinies by generals, continuing
Russia’s involvement in the First World War, and not solving the integral crisis
that prevailed in Russia18.
After a few months by the Fall 1917, it was clear that the Provisional
Government was not doing a good job in the transition from Tsardom. In October
Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks overthrew the Provisional government and
established the world’s first communist government. However, the Bolshevik did
15
https://www.britannica.com/place/Soviet-Union
Ibid.
17. The Flag of the Soviet Union
17
Ibid.
18
Ibid.
16
not control the entirety of the government or have complete control over the state
by this point.
One of the first things that the
Bolsheviks did was end the war against
Germany in World War One. Lenin signed the
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk to be able to end the
war in 191819. After this period the
Communists fought a 4 year war until 1922 in
order to secure the entire nation to be free of
the influences of capitalists, mensheviks, and
the Whites. The Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics was formed in 1922 through the
Treaty on the Creation of the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics (Договор об образовании
СССР)20.
Relatively quickly after this Vladimir
Lenin, one of the founders and the leaders of the movement and formation of the
first communist state passed away in 1924 leaving a void on who would fill the gap
in leadership. After a few years and many political maneuvers, Joseph Stalin
assumed leadership in 192721. Joseph Stalin would go on to be alongside Lenin one
of the most significant leaders in the Soviet Union.
Joseph Stalin would lead the country through the Great Depression,
modernize the country, and make the Soviet Union the country that it is today.
Soviet Union in World War Two and Beginning of the Cold
War
On June 22nd 1941, the German Reich under Adolf Hitler launched
Operation Barbarossa invading the Soviet Union. World War Two had already
been raging in Europe since September of 1939, however the Soviet Union had
been left out of it largely due to the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, also
19
Ibid.
http://www.encyclopedia.com/places/commonwealth-independent-states-and-baltic-nations/cis-andbaltic-political-geography/union
21. Leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin
21
Ibid.
20
known as the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression pact22. This caught Joseph Stalin off
guard as he thought that German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler would not betray him. The
Germans invaded with 3000 tanks, 7000 artillery pieces, and 2500 aircraft in
addition to 3 million men23. It was the largest and most powerful invasion force to
date in human history. However even with this massive amount of forces, the
Germans still had a difficult time once they entered the Soviet Union. The
operation began to fail by mid-August as even though the Red Army was suffering
more losses, this meant that it
would not be a quick conquer as
had been France in 1940, but a
long drawn out war24.
This war in the Soviet Union
would result in some of the most
brutal battles of the Second World
War which included the battle for
Leningrad and the battle for
Stalingrad. The Soviet Union had a
turning point by 1943 and by 1944
was on the move approaching
Germany. Germany ended up
losing the war in May of 1945. In the discussions at the end of the Second World
War are when relations between the Allied powers, specifically The United States
and the USSR became strained.
The strain could be seen at the conferences deciding what to do with
Germany once the war ended. When the leaders of the Allied powers in Europe
met, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin, in Yalta on the Crimean Coast of Russia in
February 1945 to discuss what to do with Germany after the war there was a clear
divide between what Roosevelt and Stalin wanted25. There was differences in what
to do with Poland and deciding if the future was communist or a democracy, how
much aid would go to Russia after the war, and the topic of a United Nations. This
22
https://www.britannica.com/event/Operation-Barbarossa
Ibid.
24. The meeting at Yalta
24
Ibid.
25
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/yalta-conference-foreshadows-the-cold-war
26. A launch of a Soviet Rocket
23
conference foreshadowed the current situation we are in where communication
between the two states is strained and suspicion and protecting the revolution is
paramount.
Recent Advances in Science
By 1942, nuclear energy emerged under the Manhattan Project and headed
by Major General Leslie Groves, while J. Robert Oppenheimer is responsible for
the actual physics behind the nuclear development. By August of 1945, atomic
bombs were deployed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, acts that would quickly bring
about V-J day.
In 1946, Kerim Kerimov was sent to
Germany to gain intelligence with respect to the
V-2 rocket developed in Germany. The V-2
rocket was the first long-range ballistic missile,
that relied on liquid ethanol and oxygen as fuel
and automatic guidance technology for direction.
Following the conclusion of the second world
war, both the United States and the Soviet Union
gained the technology used to create the V-2
rocket which would help both nations move in
the direction of Space Exploration.
In 1947, Mikhail Tikhonravov introduced
his theory of parallel stages for multistage missiles, and in 1951, Dimitry
Okhotsimsky carried out his own studies to investigate the success of parallel
staging. This form of parallel staging would power the three engines using the
outermost stages until they were empty of fuel and could subsequently be ejected.
Their combined research would help lead to the development of the R-7 Semyorka.
The R-7 Semyorka was the Soviet’s first Intercontinental ballistic missile.
The hydrogen bomb was successfully tested in 1952 in the Marshall Islands
by harnessing nuclear fusion reactions which result in a much more devastating
explosion than that of the nuclear bombs developed under the Manhattan Plan.
The Current Standing of U.S. / USSR relations
During the last few months relations have turned southwards between the
United States and the great Soviet Union. In May of this year in order to protect the
sovereignty and the security of the revolution, alongside with our comrade
countries in Eastern Europe the Warsaw Pact was formed. The Warsaw Pact is a
military defensive alliance to counter the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) that the United States and Western Capitalist countries have joined.
The last few years there have been tough in multiple fields of policy. There
has been a military buildup on the side of the Americans and on our side. We
caught up to the Americans and test detonated our first Atomic Bomb on
September 22nd 1949. The first Hydrogen bomb was tested by the Soviets in
August 1953, under a year after the United States successfully tested their first
weapon26.
Potential Obstacles
There exist many potential obstacles as one embarks on exploring space. Up
until this point there have been no person to venture into space and no one has
explored this area. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky has provided a lot of mathematical and
theoretical approaches to how space and space travel will be. However with no one
actually ever entering space there are a plethora of problems that could occur.
Space travel and launching something into space is a formidable task. There are a
million things that could go wrong. Some things that could go wrong are
explosions, rockets never lifting off the ground, cabins depressurizing, or cooling
systems failing. However with belief in oneself, and belief in the superiority of the
proletariat, this body will be able to achieve greatness. Do not underestimate what
is being asked of you as there has never been another opportunity like this in
human history. You will be the people that will be responsible for the Soviet Union
and more importantly humankind for potentially becoming an extraterrestrial and
in the future an interplanetary species. Good luck Comrades!
IV. Characters
1) Sergei Korolev, Lead Soviet Rocket Engineer
26
https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/pubs/fs/85895.htm
a) Sergei Korolev was born January 12, 1907 in Zhitomir, present day
Ukraine and died January 14, 1966. After being accused of misuse of
government funds, he was forced to spend six years in labor camps,
some of which was spent at the Kolyma labour camp. After his time in
the labor camps he became the leader of RKK Energia, the first Soviet
rocket development project and was fully reinstated to the Soviet
Union.27 Despite serving time on claims of embezzlement, Korolev is
commonly accepted as the founder of the Soviet space program.
2) Marshall General Georgy Zhukov
Zhukov was born on December 1st 1896 in Strelkovka, Russia. He was
born into a peasant family and then was conscripted into the armed forces
during World War One. After the October Revolution in 1917, he joined
the Bolshevik party. After the end of the Russian Civil War he went to
Calvary school and moved up the ranks to become a deputy commander
of the Belorussian Military District for Calvary in 1938. During World
War Two he was a commander and defender of the city of Leningrad. In
1955 when Nikolai Bulganin became the Soviet Premier, he was
appointed and serves today as the Minister of Defense for the Soviet
Union
3) Boris Chertok, Chief Designer of Guidance and Control Systems
a) Boris Chertok was born on March 1, 1912 in the Russian Empire and
died on December 14, 2011 in Moscow. Chertok managed control
systems of ballistic missiles including the R7.28 He was designated as
the Head Designer of the S.P Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation
Energia. The navigation systems he designed for spacecraft would
help place Sputnik into orbit and assist in the Soviet’s race to the
moon.
4) Yuri Artsutanov, pioneered the idea of the Space Elevator
a) Yuri Artsutanov was born in 1929 in St-Petersburg, Russia. He helped
develop the concept of the space elevator as a means of attaining
27
28
http://www.russianspaceweb.com/korolev.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/world/europe/boris-chertok-russian-rocket-engineer-dies-at-99.html
5)
6)
7)
8)
29
orbit. He also contributed research towards the type of technologies
necessary to construct a successful space elevator.
Leonid I. Sedov, Leading Physicist of USSR
a) Leonid I. Sedov was born on November 4, 1907 in Rostov-On-Don,
Russia and died on September 5, 1999 in Moscow. He served as the
first Chairman to the USSR Space Exploration Program.29 Sedov also
served as the President of the International Astronautical Federation
from 1959 to 1961.
Mikhail Tikhonravov, Designer of Sputniks, including first artificial
satellite Sputnik 1
a) Mikhail Tikhonravov was born on July 29, 1900 in Vladimir Russia
and died on March 3, 1974 in Moscow. In 1932, Tikhonravov
participated in the first rocket research group in the Soviet Union
known as GIRD.30 His works contributed to the research on multistage missiles and orbiting spacecraft.
Kerim Kerimov, Soviet aerospace engineer, identity kept from the
public
a) Kerim Kerimov was born on November 14, 1917 in Baku, Azerbaijan
and died on March 29, 2003 in Moscow. For much of his career, his
identity was concealed as he worked to learn more about the German
V-2 rocket in 1946.31 Kerimov contributed to inter-continental
ballistic missile programs in the Soviet Union. He succeeded Korolev
in 1966 to serve for 25 years as Chairman of the State Commission on
Piloted Flights.
Alexander Kemurdzhian, inventor of the first space exploration rover
Lunokhod
a) Alexander Kemurdzhian was born on October 4, 1921 in Vladikavkaz
Russia and died on February 25, 2003 in St. Petersburg, Russia. He
served as the Soviet Chief Designer at UNIITransMash where he
designed “moon buggies” that would later contribute to the photos of
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonid_I._Sedov
http://www.russianspaceweb.com/tikhonravov.html
31
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1426422/Lieutenant-General-Kerim-Kerimov.html
30
the moon retrieved by the Soviet Union.32 His “moon buggies” are
better known as Lunokhod Rovers.
9) Vladimir Chelomei, Head of OKB 52, major rival of Korolev. Designer
of Soviet cruise missiles.
a) Vladimir Chelomei was born on June 30, 1914 in Siedlce, Poland and
died on August 12, 1984 in Moscow. In 1942, Chelomei invented
Soviet’s first pulsating air jet engine.33 His appointment to Director
and Chief Designer of Plant N51 helped bring about the development
of the world’s first cruise missiles.
10)
Vladimir Barmin, designer of the world's first rocket launch
complex (Baikonur spaceport)
a) Vladimir Barmin was born on March 4, 1909 in Moscow and died on
July 17, 1993 in Moscow. His design of the launch complex would
contribute to the launchings of N1 and Energia Super Boosters.34
11)
12)
13)
32
Andrey Yanuarevich Vyshinsky, USSR Ambassador to UN
a) From 1935 to 1939, Andrey Vishinsky served as the Procurator
General under the USSR, a position that gave him great power during
the Great Purge under Stalin’s rule. From 4 March 1949 – 5 March
1953, Andrey Vyshinsky served as the USSR Minister of Foreign
Affairs.35 He was also the permanent representative to the UN.
Arseny Zverev, Minister of Finance of USSR
a) Arseny Zverev was born on February 18,1990 in Moscow and died on
July 27, 1969 in Moscow. Arseny was a member to the Supreme
Soviet of the Soviet Union from 1937-50 and 1954-6236. From
December 28, 1948 to May 16, 1960, Zverev served as the Minister of
Finance to the Soviet Union.
Vyacheslav Molotov, Minister of Foreign Affairs
a) He was born on March 9,1890 in the Russian Empire and died on
November 8, 1986 in Moscow. Considered an Old Bolshevik,
http://www.ranker.com/list/famous-aerospace-engineers-from-russia/reference
http://www.russianspaceweb.com/chelomei.html
34
http://www.edubilla.com/inventor/vladimir-barmin/
35
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arseny_Zverev
36
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vyacheslav-Mikhaylovich-Molotov
33
Molotov was a key signatory on many negotiations including the Non
Aggression Pact of 1939. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs
from March 3, 1939 to March 4, 1949 but was removed from his
position after conflict arose between him and Stalin. After Stalin’s
death he regained the position and served as Minister of Foreign
Affairs from March 5, 1953 to June 1, 1956.
14)
Nikolai Dem'yanovich Psurtsev, Minister of Communications
a) Nikolai Psurtsev was born in 1900 and died in 1980. He served as
Minister of Communications from March 30, 1948 to September 3,
1975. This position was responsible for managing all types of
communication and advancing them technologically within the Soviet
Union.37
15) Vasily Danilovich Sokolovsky, Chief of General Staff of the Soviet Armed
Forces
b) Vasily Sokolovsky was born on July 21, 1897 in Kozliki, Poland and
died on September 3 1975. Following World War Two up until 1946,
Sokolovsky served as the Deputy Commander in Chief of Soviet
Forces in East Germany.38 On July 3, 1946 he became Marshal of the
Soviet Union, and from 1949 he became Chief of General Staff of
Soviet Armed Forces.
16) Valentin Petrovich Glushko, Head of OKB 456, major rocket engine
design bureau.
Glushko was born in Odessa in September 1909. He became interested in
aeronautics after reading books by Jules Verne. He attended Leningrad University
and studied Physics and Mathematics. After not graduating he went on to work in
research labs. After World War Two he was sent to Germany to study the German
rocket program and in 1946 became the chief designer of OKB 456. Their focus is
on the development of rocket engines.
37
https://books.google.com/books?id=JfodeaeoqkC&pg=PA456&lpg=PA456&dq=Nikolai+Dem'yanovich+Psurtsev&source=bl&ots=uficS53WJX&
sig=GSohCzWpMLb3jUBwwmxnIwG0V-c&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwikqtaYvXSAhVBCmMKHU2CBrwQ6AEILDAD#v=onepage&q=Nikolai%20Dem'yanovich%20Psurtsev&f=f
alse
38
http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/sokolovsky-vasilydanilovich
17) Mikhail Yangel, Aviation Engineer and Head of OKB-586, rocket design
bureau
Yangel was born on November 7th , 1911 in Zyryanov, Russia. He graduated from Moscow
Aviation institute in 1937. After graduating he worked as an aviation Engineer. He moved up
through the ranks to be in charge of guidance systems for ballistic missiles. After working under
Korolev for a bit, last year in 1954, Yangel was promoted to head of OKB-586, which focuses on
the development of intercontinental Balistic Missiles
V. Questions to Consider
1.
2.
3.
4.
What scientific research will need to be done?
What are the goals of each character?
How can one advance Soviet Goals to out wit the Americans?
Are there any creative ways to advance science and exploration into space?
VI. Suggested Sites
1.
2.
3.
4.
CIA World Fact Book
https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/space-race
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/ir2/
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/atomic
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Wade, Mark. "Barmin." Barmin. Encyclopedia Astronautica, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.
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Zak, Anatoly. "Korolev." Korolev. Russian Space Web, 31 Aug. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
Zak, Anatoly. "R-7 Family of Launchers and ICBMs." R-7 Family of Launchers and ICBMs.
Russian Space Web, 19 Aug. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
Zak, Anatoly. "Tikhonravov." Tikhonravov. Russian Space Web, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.
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Image 3:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Tsiolkovsky_Album_44.jpg
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Image 5: http://www.readex.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/soviet-space-programpropaganda-poster-24-small_0.jpg?itok=G_xtJwaw
Image 6: https://wwiifrecker11ff.wikispaces.com/file/view/joseph-stalin-1.jpg.jpeg/264193275/josephstalin-1.jpg.jpeg
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VIII. Recommendations By The Chair
1. Where should I put the brunt of my research?!
● I would start by identifying the parameters of your character’s job.
Specifically the character’s duties, with whom the role interacts with within
and outside the Soviet government, and the responsibilities, powers, and
resources available to you. If you are unable to find specifics on any of those
key details, I would try to find information on those details by researching
either a similar role in the Soviet government or an identical role in another
European government. If you choose the latter option, know that whatever
you find will be a rough comparison to the Soviet version.
● Once you have nailed down those three items, I would go further and begin
to tie in additional interactions such as trends relevant to your role (i.e. an
economic and budgetary situation, current state of foreign relationships,
domestic pressures, etc.). You can do this by either:
i. Read broader histories of post-war Russia to get a broader sense of trends
and states of relationships.
ii. All too often the internet can be more of a hindrance than a help in research.
There’s simply too much stuff to sift through. Library’s are your friend and a
single trip will give you a lot of relevant information to work with.
2. The Ideal Strategy -- Five tips
a. Once you have a sense of what you can do with your role and the greater history
you are a part of, you can begin strategizing. I will not disclose the exact way I
judge MUN because I believe there are multiple avenues to victory and if I walked
you through one way, people would naturally be inclined to follow it as much as
possible for the “guaranteed victory” as opposed to striking a more creative path.
However I will share some broader tactics that I believe will make this committee
enjoyable for all of us and help you as well.
i. Personal narratives: Remember that your role in committee is more than just a set
of powers, you are emulating a real person. Therefore I recommend that you create
some sort of backstory for your character. Take creative license and define them as
a fiery war-hawk, a thoughtful strategist, a anti- communist, a secret communist, a
man/woman with a vendetta, etc. This is can be quite fun and not only allows you
to become more immersed in your role but it makes you memorable. A huge part
of MUN competitions is ensuring not only do you perform well, but perform in a
way that makes it harder for the judge to forget you in the many speeches given
throughout the tournament.
i. Being deliberate: You should ideally, always be trying to give a speech or
ask a question when possible. In doing so, you will continuously refresh my
memory of you in addition to adding to my notes. Furthermore, you should
try when possible to keep tabs on grand picture of the debate taking place in
the committee session. Is it stagnating (people continue to talk about the
same topic without referencing each other)? Is it not focused (people are
going against the parameters of the moderated caucus and talking about
other topics)? You will do better if you keep these issues in mind since it
will allow you to plan speeches that either take advantage of the discord or
give you a leadership opportunity to take control of the debate.
ii. Long-term schemes: Long-term plans tend to pay off well. Firstly, longterm plans demonstrate to myself and my crisis team that you have a strong
understanding of the topic and can plan strategically. By slowly building
towards a goal (which you can choose to reveal or not), you are more likely
to get the result you want. For example, demanding that Crisis gives you
50,000 crack troops to assault a stronghold even though you are the secretary
of the treasury doesn’t make much sense. However if you were to slowly
build a case to validate that request by passing notes to crisis that:
undermined a French general, allocated resources in a secret black budget,
tricked a competitor in committee to give you access to some of their
powers, and so forth, you might succeed. Naturally disruptions to plans can
occur and sometimes you are better off abandoning a plan that takes too
much time with little pay off. This leads to the next tip.
iii. Adapting to the situation: Sometimes, things in committee session will not
go your way. You might be skipped during a moderated caucus too many
times. You might fail to get the crucial signatures to pass a resolution
integral to a long term plan to assassinate this or that important figure. With
this in mind, having broader objectives that can be satisfied in multiple ways
are generally better than specific ones. This mindset will allow you to
continue to strive towards a goal in committee and adjust to issues as they
arise. Moreover, as you get closer to your goal, I have found in my
experience more specific rewards can be attained. For instance if you were
trying to dam a river and had ended up managing to coerce villagers to build
said dam after several resolutions and requests to crisis, that might give you
an opportunity to make your own militia or an insider advantage in
negotiating with other villages. Try to be flexible and find use in whatever
power or resource crisis grants you.
v. Working with others: Inevitably you will find yourself in situations where you
your ambitions stretch farther than your personal powers. MUN is deliberated
designed to force you to work with others to shape history. Not only does this
apply in the broader committee-shaping sense, but also at the smaller, personalobjective sense. Maintaining relationships with others is key to your success.
Whether it being sabotaging others, trading favors and signatures, or building
internal coalitions, you should try to incorporate others into your internal plans
(whether they are aware of your ambitions or not). Just be sure to continue to pass
resolutions through normal channels as well.
3. Brownie Points and their limitations
a. MUN should be fun. The exhilaration of achieving goals, initiating nuclear war,
and pursuing other Orwellian fantasies can be addictive. I know because I too have
pursued them. However competitors should understand that at the end of each
session, the ultimate goal is to have Soviet Union be the premier global
superpower . You will be, as we all are in committee, at the mercy of your chair
and the crisis team; our job is not only to moderate the committee session but give
it some sense of history, urgency, and grounding so that your accomplishments are
more tangible than fantastical. Whatever happens may be completely zany,
mundane, or somewhere in between. So long as you are aware of the general
direction crisis and myself intend to take the committee session (based largely on
the responses to your requests to crisis), you should do well. Ultimately we want
you to have fun but within reason.
4. Having Fun
a. This is the end of guide. I hoped it gave you some insights and helped you in
your preparation. I certainly look forward to meeting you and seeing your
arguments and plans as they unfold. MUN is one of my favorite activities in
college and some of the best fun I have had in college has been in this
environment. I hope this tournament will give you a taste of that.
b. At the end of the day, you might enjoy the weekend as an opportunity to
meet new people, learn some Space Race history, dress well, and see a
college.
Good luck!