World History - Unit 12

Cold war

A state of tension and hostility among nations, without armed conflict between the rivals

Truman Doctrine

President Truman saw communism as an evil force spreading throughout Europe and threatening countries around the world. This doctrine made it clear that Americans would resist Soviet expansion in Europe and around the world.

Nuclear arms race

Each side armed itself to protect from an attack by the other. The US held that advantage first with the atomic bomb, but the Soviets caught up with their own bomb. The race to be the best was on. For the next 40 years, these 2 superpowers would spend massive amounts of money to develop new, more deadly nuclear and conventional weapons than the other.

Sputnik I

The first artificial satellite to orbit Earth.

Mikhail Gorbachev

Came to power in the USSR and was determined to bring about reforms. He worked with Ronald Raegan to end Cold War hostilities and signed arms control treaties.

Glasnost

Meaning openness, ended censorship and encouraged people to openly discuss the country's problems

Perestroika

The restructuring of the Government and economy. Reduced the size of the Government and allowed limited private enterprise but still wanted to keep the idea of communism.

Mao Zedong

After his victories he set up the People's Republic of China. His goal was to make China a modern industrial nation.

Collectivization

Pooling of peasant land and labor to increase efficiency

Great Leap Forward

Program that urged people to make a superhuman effort to increase farm and industrial output.

Communes

Community in which property is held in common (Work and live on farms)

Cultural Revolution

Mao's goal was to purge China of "bourgeois" or nonrevolutionary tendencies. Teegagers formed the Red Guard that attacked those who they claimed were counter revolutionaries

Tiananmen Square Massacre

Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered here. When they refused to leave, the Government sent in troops and tanks. Thousands were killed or wounded. Many others were arrested and tortured or put to death. Today. China continues to deal with human rights violations.

Korean War

Both Koreas wanted to end the division and unite. North Korean troops attacked and soon overcame most of the south. The US organized a UN force to help South Korea. MacArthur landed troops behind enemy lines and drove the North Koreans back across the 38th parallel. This action worried China, resulting in Mao sending troops to help the North Koreans, both sides signed an armistice, but no peace treaty has ever been negotiated.

38th parallel

Where North Korea and South Korea separated

DMZ

Area with no military forces

South Korea

Supported by the United States

North Korea

A Communist Ally of the Soviet Union

Kim II Sung

The leader of North Korea (This family still rule today)

Vietnam War

The US sent only advisors and supplies to Diem. Later, American troops were sent turning a civil war into a cold war conflict. The US began bombing North Vietnam and more than 500,000 American troops were committed to the war. The USSR and China sent aid to help North Vietnam. By the 1970s, anti war demonstrations increased pressure for the US to pull forces from Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh

The leader of Communist Vietnam forces

Communist victory

The Northern Vietnamese would fight at any cost. President Richard Nixon arranged a cease fire and began withdrawing American forces in 1973. In 1975, the North Vietnamese took the capital of Saigon and reunited the country under communism.

Cease Fire

Halt in the fighting

Apartheid

Strict separation of the races; Afrikaners claimed that it would allow each race to develop its own culture, but it was truly designed to give whites control over South Africa.

African National Congress (ANC)

Set up to oppose white dominations. Organized boycotts, marches and strikes. Government violence increased resulting in the killing of 69 people in Sharpeville. The Government outlawed this resulting in the move from nonviolent protest to armed resistance.

Nelson Mandela

Leader of the anti apartheid movement. He started with nonviolent protest but then joined ANC militants. In 1964, he was convicted for treason and sentenced to life in prison. He spent 23 hours a day solitary at Robin Island Security Prison. He became a powerful symbol for the struggle to end apartheid.