Studied by 3 people
US Unemployment
The percentage of unemployed individuals in the United States, often used as an economic indicator.
Federal Government Revenue
The income generated by the federal government through various sources like taxes, tariffs, and fees.
Federal Government Spending
The amount of money the federal government allocates for its expenses, including programs, services, and debt payments.
Cold War
A period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, characterized by political, military, and economic rivalry.
Communism
A political ideology advocating for a classless society where the means of production are owned by the community as a whole.
Capitalism
An economic system based on private ownership of the means of production and the pursuit of profit.
Allies
Countries that joined forces during World War II to fight against the Axis powers.
Axis Powers
The coalition of countries led by Germany, Italy, and Japan during World War II.
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
A non-aggression treaty signed between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany in 1939.
United Nations
An international organization established in 1945 to promote peace, security, and cooperation among nations.
Bretton Woods
A conference held in 1944 to establish the post-World War II international economic order.
Yalta Conference
A meeting in 1945 between the leaders of the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom to discuss post-war plans and the division of Europe.
Potsdam Conference
A meeting held in July 1945 with Clement Atlee, Stalin, and Harry Truman to discuss post-World War II plans and address issues like the dismemberment of Germany and reparations.
Truman Doctrine
A policy announced by President Truman in 1947 to provide aid to countries resisting communism, particularly Greece and Turkey, marking the start of the containment strategy.
Marshall Plan
Officially known as the European Recovery Program (ERP), it was a U.S. initiative to provide economic aid to Western European countries to help rebuild after World War II and prevent the spread of communism.
Iron Curtain
Coined by Winston Churchill in 1946, it symbolized the ideological divide in Europe between Western democracies and Soviet-controlled Eastern European countries.
Berlin Airlift
A massive airlift operation from June 1948 to May 1949 to supply West Berlin with food and other essentials after the Soviet Union blockaded the city in response to the introduction of a common currency in West Germany.
Containment
A policy developed by George Kennan advocating for the containment of Soviet influence and expansion, leading to strategies like the Truman Doctrine and the formation of alliances such as NATO.
COMECON
The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, established by the Soviet Union in 1949 as a response to the Marshall Plan, aimed at coordinating economic activities among communist countries.
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, formed in April 1949 as a military alliance between Western European and North American countries to counter Soviet aggression and ensure collective defense.
National Security Act
Enacted in 1947, it led to the creation of the CIA, the Department of Defense, and the National Security Council, enhancing the U.S. government's capabilities in dealing with security threats.
Long Telegram
A telegram sent by George Kennan in 1946 from Moscow outlining the Soviet threat and the need for a policy of containment, influencing U.S. foreign policy towards the Soviet Union.
ANZUS (1951)
A security treaty between Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
SEATO (1954)
The South East Asia Collective Defensive Treaty involving Britain, the US, France, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand, and Pakistan.
CENTO (Bagdad Pact) (1955)
Originally including Great Britain, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan, and the US, renamed the Central Treaty Organization after Iraq's withdrawal in 1958.
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance of European and North American countries.
Warsaw Pact
A military alliance of socialist countries aligned with the USSR.
NSC-68
A US policy paper from April 1950 outlining strategies to counter the Soviet threat.
HUAC
House of Un-American Activities Committee, known for investigating alleged disloyalty and subversive activities.
Korean War (1950-53)
Conflict between North Korea (backed by the USSR and China) and South Korea (supported by the US and UN forces).
Hydrogen Bomb
A more powerful nuclear weapon developed in the early 1950s by the US and the USSR.
McCarthyism
Refers to the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy.
House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
A committee that conducted investigations into alleged disloyalty and subversive activities on the part of private citizens, public employees, and organizations suspected of having Communist ties.
Richard Nixon
A prominent political figure who rose to fame through his involvement in the Alger Hiss case and later became the Vice President under President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Korean War
A conflict that began in 1950 when North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, invaded South Korea, leading to a United Nations intervention to support South Korea.
General Douglas MacArthur
A key military leader during the Korean War who advocated for aggressive tactics, including attacking China, which led to his dismissal by President Truman.
Cold War
The period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States and their respective allies, lasting from the end of World War II in 1945 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Marshall Plan
An American initiative passed in 1948 to aid Western Europe, providing over $12 billion in economic assistance to help rebuild Western European economies after the end of World War II.
Economic Miracle
The rapid economic growth and recovery experienced by Western European countries in the 1950s and 1960s, characterized by industrial expansion, increased productivity, and improved living standards.
Christian Democratic Parties
Political parties in Western Europe, especially in Italy, France, and Germany, that emerged after World War II, promoting democratic values, free market economies, and social welfare policies based on Christian and European heritage.
Denazification
The process of removing Nazi ideology and influence from social, political, and economic institutions in Germany and Austria after World War II, often involving the punishment of former Nazi party members responsible for war crimes.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
A military alliance established in 1949, comprising Western European and North American countries, aimed at collective defense against aggression and the spread of communism.
Warsaw Pact
A military alliance formed in 1955 by the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellite states in response to West Germany's admission to NATO, serving as a counterbalance to NATO in the Cold War.
Social Welfare State
A system in which the government undertakes responsibility for the well-being of its citizens, providing social services such as healthcare, education, housing, and unemployment benefits, as seen in Scandinavian countries and Great Britain.
Displaced Persons (DPs)
Individuals who were forced to leave their homes due to war, persecution, or other reasons, often seeking refuge in camps or other countries until they could return home or find a new place to live.
United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA)
An international organization established in 1943 to provide aid and support to countries and individuals affected by World War II, including the management of displaced persons and refugees.
Social Welfare Programs
Ambitious programs implemented by countries like France and Britain to provide social services and benefits to their citizens, including nationalizing industries, creating planned economies, and establishing welfare states.
Nationalization
The process of a government taking control of privately owned industries or assets and converting them into state-owned enterprises.
Planned Economy
An economic system in which the government controls and regulates production, distribution, prices, and incomes to achieve specific social and economic goals.
DeGaulle
Charles de Gaulle, a prominent French general and statesman who played a key role in establishing the Fourth Republic in France and later became the President of the Fifth Republic.
Labour Government
Refers to the British government led by the Labour Party, which implemented socialist policies such as nationalization of industries and the establishment of the modern welfare state.
National Health Service (NHS)
A publicly funded healthcare system in the United Kingdom that provides medical services free at the point of use to residents.
European Economic Community (EEC)
An organization established in 1957 by six European countries to promote economic integration and cooperation, which later evolved into the European Union (EU).
Schumann Plan
A proposal by Robert Schumann, the French foreign minister, which led to the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951 to integrate the coal and steel industries of member nations.
Treaty of Rome
An agreement signed in 1957 by six European countries that established the European Economic Community (EEC) to create a common market and promote economic cooperation.
European Union (EU)
A political and economic union of European countries that aims to promote peace, stability, and prosperity through cooperation and integration.
European Community (EC)
An economic community established in 1997 to promote cooperation and integration among member states.
Common Market
An older agreement that eliminated tariffs among member states but allowed for individual economic policies as long as they did not violate common market rules.
Single Market
Integration of member states' economies where goods, services, labor, and capital can move freely as if they are part of the same country.
Treaty of Maastricht
Signed in 1992 by EC members to accelerate the implementation of the single market and move towards greater political and economic integration, including the establishment of a common currency.
European Union (EU)
Replaced the EC in 1993, aiming for a common currency, economic policy, and political and military union among member states.
Schengen Agreement
Implemented in 1995, allowing passport-free travel between certain European countries.
Treaty of Amsterdam
Signed in 1997, amending the Treaty of the European Union to emphasize citizenship rights, democracy, common foreign policy, and institutional reforms.
Euro
The single currency adopted by 11 EU member states in 1999, leading to the circulation of euro banknotes and coins in 2002.
War on Terror
Term associated with the events of September 11, 2001, leading to increased cooperation among EU countries to combat crime.
World War II
A global conflict from 1939 to 1945 that resulted in significant geopolitical changes, including the weakening of European states and the rise of decolonization movements.
Decolonization
The process by which colonies gained independence from their colonial rulers, often marked by movements of national liberation challenging imperial powers.
Nationalism
A strong sense of identity and loyalty to one's nation, often leading to movements for independence and self-determination.
Self-determination
The right of a group to choose its own political status and form of government without external influence.
Bipolar world
Refers to the division of the world into two major power blocs led by the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II.
Colonialism
The policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.
Ho Chi Minh
Vietnamese communist revolutionary leader who played a key role in the fight for Vietnamese independence from French colonial rule.
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Egyptian leader who championed Arab nationalism and played a significant role in the decolonization of Egypt, including the nationalization of the Suez Canal.
Frantz Fanon
Martinican psychiatrist and revolutionary writer who critiqued colonialism and advocated for violent means to achieve liberation in his book "The Wretched of the Earth."
Nonalignment
A foreign policy approach of not aligning with any major power bloc, such as the United States or the Soviet Union, during the Cold War.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland
These countries gained independence from Russia in 1919.
Czechoslovakia
This country gained independence from the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1919.
Canada
Became an independent nation within the British Empire in 1867.
Australia
Gained independence in 1901.
New Zealand
Granted Dominion status in 1907.
South Africa
Gained nominal independence in 1910.
Ireland
Gained independence in 1918.
Egypt
Gained independence in 1922.
Iraq
Gained independence in 1932.
South Africa and Newfoundland
Gained independence in 1934.
Transjordan and Palestine
Gained independence in 1946.
Burma
Gained independence in 1948.
Aden
Gained independence in 1967.
Italian Somaliland
Gained independence in 1960.
Kuwait
Gained independence in 1961.
Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates
Gained independence in 1971.
British Commonwealth of Nations
Formed after the First World War in 1921, where members are free in domestic and foreign policy but remain in allegiance with the British Monarchy.
Treaty of Westminster
Canada joined the Commonwealth in 1931 through this treaty.
Statute of Westminster
Stated in 1931 that certain nations were independent of British legislative control.
Mau Mau Rebellion
A rebellion in Kenya in the early 1950s that was crushed by the British.
Apartheid
A system of rigid racial segregation in South Africa.
Patrice Lumumba
Led an anti-colonial movement in the Belgium Congo in 1960.
Joseph Mobutu
Replaced Lumumba in the Congo and ruled until 1997.
Soviet Union (1945-1975)
Refers to the period following World War II when the Soviet Union was devastated and had to rebuild its economy under the leadership of leaders like Stalin and Khrushchev.
Joseph Stalin
Soviet leader who implemented Five Year Plans, emphasized heavy industry over consumer goods, and exported communism to Eastern Europe.
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