Milestones of the Past Century - A Changing Global Landscape (1950-Present)

These flashcards summarize key historical concepts, figures, and events from the lecture notes, aiding in understanding their significance in the development of global history.

European Economic Community

An alliance formed in 1957 by six European countries to promote economic growth, stability, and free trade, contributing to political unity in post-World War II Europe.

Marshall Plan

A United States government initiative to provide 13 billion dollars to help Western Europe rebuild after WWII, aimed at preventing communism and economic disasters.

Mao Zedong

Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China, known for his political ideologies that resulted in millions of deaths.

Great Leap Forward

A campaign led by Mao Zedong from 1958-1962 to industrialize China rapidly, which ultimately failed due to poor management and resulted in widespread famine.

Cultural Revolution

A period (1966-1976) initiated by Mao Zedong to encourage rejection of traditional and capitalist ideas in China, leading to significant social upheaval and destruction of cultural artifacts.

Cold War

An ideological conflict between the Soviet Union and Western powers characterized by proxy wars, political instability, and a significant impact on global relationships.

Truman Doctrine

A policy established in 1949 that provided economic and military support to countries threatened by communism, particularly Greece and Turkey.

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

A military alliance established to protect member nations from attacks, formed as a response to the geopolitical dynamics post-World War II.

Warsaw Pact

A counter-alliance to NATO formed by Soviet-aligned states to defend against perceived threats from the West.

Proxy Wars

Indirect conflicts during the Cold War where countries supported opposing sides to influence wars, such as in Korea and Vietnam.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day confrontation in 1962 between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles stationed in Cuba, bringing the two superpowers close to nuclear war.

Mutually Assured Destruction (M.A.D.)

A military strategy where both sides in a conflict possess nuclear weapons, ensuring that any use of those weapons would result in complete annihilation.