Unit #9

Cold War (1945-1991)

A period of geopolitical tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union without direct military conflict.

NATO

Formed in 1949 to provide collective defense against Soviet aggression.

Warsaw Pact

Established in 1955 as a response by the Soviet Union to NATO.

SALT

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks aimed to reduce nuclear arms between the US and USSR.

Marshall Plan

US initiative to aid Western Europe's post-WWII recovery.

COMECON

Economic cooperation among Eastern Bloc countries.

SEATO

Southeast Asia Treaty Organization to prevent communist expansion.

Truman Doctrine

US policy to contain communism globally.

Brezhnev Doctrine

Soviet policy to intervene in socialist countries to maintain control.

Berlin Airlift

Western Allies' response to the Soviet blockade of West Berlin.

Berlin Wall

Divided East and West Berlin to prevent East Germans from fleeing to the West.

European Economic Community

Commonly known as the “Common Market,” aimed to promote economic integration and trade among member states.

Decolonization in Africa and Asia

Former colonies gaining independence from European powers in the 1950s and 1960s.

Social welfare policies in Western Europe

Included universal healthcare, unemployment benefits, and pensions post-World War II.

Youth culture movement in the 1960s

Facilitated by social unrest, civil rights movements, anti-war sentiments, music, fashion, and changing attitudes towards authority.

1956 revolt in Hungary

Causes - Hungarian desire for independence, Soviet oppression, economic hardships. Effects - Soviet military intervention, suppression of revolt, increased Soviet control over Hungary.

1968 revolt in Czechoslovakia

Causes - Desire for political liberalization, economic reforms, calls for greater freedom. Effects - Soviet invasion, end of Prague Spring, reinstatement of hardline communist rule.

Reunification of Germany in the 1990s

Causes - Fall of the Berlin Wall, dissolution of the Soviet Union, economic disparities, popular demand. Effects - Economic challenges, political transformation, strengthening of Germany's position in Europe, social changes.

Simone de Beauvoir

French writer, philosopher, and feminist known for "The Second Sex," challenging traditional views on gender and advocating for women's rights.

Jean-Paul Sartre

French philosopher known for existentialist philosophy emphasizing individual freedom and responsibility.

Nuremberg Trials

Military tribunals after WWII to prosecute major war criminals of the Nazi regime.

Precariat

New working class in continental Europe since the 1980s characterized by unstable and precarious employment.

Glasnost

Soviet policy of openness and transparency.

Perestroika

Soviet policy of restructuring the economy and political system.

United Nations (UN)

International organization founded in 1945 to promote peace and cooperation among nations.

Revolutions of 1989 in Eastern Europe

Causes - Dissatisfaction with communist regimes, economic struggles, desire for political freedom. Effects - Fall of communist governments, end of the Cold War, reunification of Germany.

• Existentialism:

• Emphasized individual freedom, choice, and responsibility.

• Feminism:

• Advocated for gender equality and women's rights.

• Marxism:

• Focused on class struggle, socialism, and the critique of capitalism.

• Environmentalism:

• Aimed to protect the environment and promote sustainability.

• Berlin:

• Divided into East and West by the Berlin Wall, symbolizing Cold War tensions.

• Korea:

• Split into North and South after Korean War, remained divided.

• Cuba:

• Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 heightened tensions between US and USSR.

• Vietnam:

• Proxy war between North (communist) and South (anti-communist) with US involvement.