Unit 8 & 9 Flashcards - Cold War, Decolonization, and Globalization

Flashcards covering vocabulary related to The Cold War, Decolonization, and Globalization

Cold War

A decades-long ideological struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union that shaped the geopolitics of the second half of the 20th century.

Conflicting Ideologies (Cold War Cause)

The United States was characterized by democratic capitalism, while the Soviet Union was characterized by authoritarian communism; both ideologies wanted to expand.

Mutual Mistrust (Cold War Cause)

Disagreements on the post-World War II world, such as Stalin's takeover of Eastern Europe and disagreements over Germany, led to mistrust between the US and Soviet Union.

Non-Aligned Movement

New states resisted getting caught up in the Cold War rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union.

Arms Race (Effect of Cold War)

The Soviet Union and the United States spent large amounts of money developing larger and more powerful stockpiles of weapons.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Alliance. This was a defensive alliance started by the United States and then joined by several states in Western Europe.

Warsaw Pact

The Soviet Union's response to NATO. An alliance including the Soviet Union and their satellite states in Eastern and Central Europe.

Proxy Wars

Smaller conflicts that represented the ideologies of the US and the Soviet Union, where they could fight without directly fighting each other.

Korean and Vietnam Wars

Examples of proxy wars in Asia where new countries were split between communist and anti-communist forces. The US backed the anti-communist forces while the Soviet Union backed the communist forces.

Collectivization of Agriculture (China)

A policy in China similar to Stalin's in the Soviet Union, but was a relatively peaceful process due to widespread support for the Communist Party.

The Great Leap Forward

An economic plan in China intended to rapidly industrialize the country through the development of heavy industry in rural areas.

Gamal Abdul Nasser

Egyptian leader who proclaimed independence for Egypt and nationalized the Suez Canal in 1952.

Negotiated Independence

Achieving independence through diplomatic means rather than armed conflict, for example, India.

Armed Resistance

Achieving independence through violent conflict, for example, Algeria.

Zionism

A nationalistic ideology growing among Jews that wanted a state of their own in Palestine.

Homespun Movement

A protest of Britain's economic dominance of India's cotton industry. Gandhi encouraged his followers to make their own clothes at home and not rely on imported British goods.

Salt March

In response to the British imperial salt tax, Gandhi and his followers marched to India's west coast and harvested their own salt, an illegal act.

Apartheid

A system in South Africa under which Africans were denied basic rights.

Perestroika

A restructuring of the Soviet economy to address economic woes by reducing the level of central planning from the Soviet government.

Glasnost

Openness. A policy under which freedom of speech was bolstered and criticism of the government was more tolerated.

Globalization

Increased speed due to new technologies, and has had widespread effects on the global population in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Shipping Containers

Increased the freight of goods that can be shipped internationally and that leads to a massive increase in global commerce.

Green Revolution

Created new strands of wheat and grain through controlled crossbreeding.

Deforestation

Forests are being cleared at an alarming rate to make room for more farmland.

Desertification

Fertile land becomes desert-like because in part because of deforestation and you know the application of harmful chemicals to the land.

Climate Change

As a result of industrialization, carbon emissions that are released into the atmosphere increase the global temperature over time.

NAFTA

North American Free Trade Agreement between Canada, United States and Mexico.

Reggae

Originated in Jamaica but now has worldwide appeal.

K-Pop

Originated in South Korea but now everyone in the world is listening to it.

Consumer Culture

Consumerism is now crossing international borders.

World Trade Organization

These international organizations while yes facilitating cooperation and trade actually favored richer nations and thus you know the inequality of that needed to be remedied.

United Nations

Formed after World War II to maintain world peace and foster international cooperation.