APWH Vocab List 2 - Unit 1900 - Present

Iron Curtain

The political and ideological division between Western democratic countries and Eastern communist countries during the Cold War; it symbolized the conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

Pan-Slavic Movement

A movement to unite Slavic peoples in Eastern Europe; it increased nationalism and contributed to tensions that led to World War I.

Al-Qaeda

A terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden; it carried out the 9/11 attacks and led to the U.S. War on Terror.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. program that gave money to rebuild Western Europe after World War II; it helped prevent the spread of communism.

International Space Station

A space station where countries collaborate in orbit; it represents international cooperation after the Cold War.

Berlin Wall

A barrier dividing communist East Berlin and democratic West Berlin; it symbolized Cold War division and its fall marked the decline of communism in Europe.

World Bank

An organization that provides loans to developing countries; it helped rebuild economies and promote global development.

World Trade Organization

An organization that regulates international trade; it promotes free trade and globalization.

IMF

An organization that provides financial aid and economic advice to countries; it helps stabilize global economies.

European Union

A group of European countries working together economically and politically; it promotes peace and cooperation.

NAFTA

A trade agreement between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; it increased trade and economic integration.

Guomindang

A Chinese nationalist political party that fought against communists; it lost the Chinese Civil War, leading to communist rule in China.

Containment

A U.S. policy to stop the spread of communism; it shaped actions in conflicts like Korea and Vietnam.

OPEC

A group of oil-producing nations that control oil supply; it influenced global oil prices and caused economic crises.

Five-Year Plans

Government plans used by communist countries to control the economy; they helped industrialize but limited freedom.

Hubble Space Telescope

A telescope in space that provides clear images of the universe; it expanded scientific knowledge of space.

Glasnost

A Soviet policy of openness under Mikhail Gorbachev; it allowed more freedom and exposed problems in the USSR.

Collectivization

A policy forcing farmers to work on state-owned farms; it led to food shortages and famine in the Soviet Union.

Great Leap Forward

A campaign in China to rapidly industrialize; it failed and caused widespread famine.

Sputnik

The first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union; it started the Space Race.

United Nations

An international organization focused on peace and cooperation; it helps resolve conflicts and provide aid.

Apartheid

A system of racial segregation in South Africa; it led to global protests and was eventually abolished.

Genocide

The intentional killing of a large group of people; it led to the development of international human rights laws.

Cold War

A period of tension between the U.S. and Soviet Union without direct fighting; it influenced global politics for decades.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 1962 conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over missiles in Cuba involving John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev; it nearly caused nuclear war.

Total War

A type of war where nations use all resources, including civilians; it was seen in both World Wars.

Nuclear Weapons

Extremely powerful weapons using atomic energy; they created fear of destruction during the Cold War.

Proxy War

A conflict where major powers support opposing sides without direct fighting; common during the Cold War.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance of communist countries led by the Soviet Union; it opposed NATO.

NATO

A military alliance of Western countries; it was created to defend against communism.

Non-Aligned Movement

A group of countries that stayed neutral during the Cold War; they avoided siding with the U.S. or USSR.

Decolonization

The process of colonies gaining independence; it reshaped Africa and Asia after World War II.

Taliban

An Islamist group that ruled Afghanistan; it played a major role in modern conflicts and U.S. involvement.

Perestroika

A Soviet policy of economic restructuring; it contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union.