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Cold War
Nuclear arms race between US and Soviet Union
Lasted from 1945 to early 90s
Tried to get the rest of the world to side with them
Nuclear arsenals became large enough to wipe out the whole world
What was a source of tension between US and Soviet Union after WWII
Future security - both wanted their worldview to dominate
US: capitalism, democracy
USSR: communism/totalitarianism
Yalta and Potsdam Conferences (1945)
parts of Eastern Europe were divided among Allied forces
Soviet Union demanded control of its neighbouring states (Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria), which the US disagreed with
Berlin Blockade (1948)
French, US, British sections of Germany merged into one, while Eastern Germany was under Soviet control - they cut of access to Berlin from Western side
Berlin Airlift
US flew in resources to trapped Western side until Soviets relented and split Berlin in half - built a wall on their side (Berlin Wall)
Soviet bloc
East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Hungary
Western bloc
Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, West Germany, Greece, Turkey
Truman Doctrine (1947)
US would aid countries threatened by communism (containment) - Western bloc formed military alliance NATO for this
Iron Curtain
Weaponized lines between Soviet and Western blocs
Bandung Conference (1955)
leaders from Africa and Asia meet to discuss nonalignment partnerships - accepted investments from US and USSR but didn’t side with either
Chinese Revolution of 1911
led by Sun Yat-sen after fall of Manchu Dynasty in 1911 - China became more Westernized and powerful
Sun Yat-sen’s Three Principles of the People
nationalism, socialism, democracy
Established his own political party for his own goals - the Kuomintang (KMT)
Chiang Kai-shek
Further established KMT in 1920s after Yat-sen’s death while Japanese and Soviets also struggled to control China
US helped drive Japan out, but communists and KMT continued to fight Chinese Civil War for next 4 years
Mao Zedong
Communist leader of millions of peasants to drive KMT out of China into Taiwan
Implemented Great Leap Forward by creating communes (local governments) to achieve a Marxist state - they couldn’t keep up with their agricultural quotas, so they lied about it causing starvation of over 30 million Chinese people
Military became his focus and capitalism was implemented into economy - Mao didn’t like it
Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution
got rid of all Western influences to prevent privileged classes - universities shut down and most worked as farmers from 1960s to 70s
Republic of China
KMT’s Taiwan that they established after being forced out of China by communists
People’s Republic of China
Mainland China - Mao Zedong led the largest communist nation in the world
Deng Xiaoping
New leader after Mao Zedong - focused on restructuring economy, reimplemented education
Free-market capitalism elements, property ownership, foreign relations - but still largely communist
Tiananmen Square Massacre
hundreds of protesters for democratic reform killed by government troops under Xiaoping’s leadership
Korean War
Soviet communist regime in North Korea and US democracy in South Korea
North Korea attacked South Korea in 1950 to unite the two countries - United Nations, under General MacArthur, supported South Korea and China supported North Korea
armistice didn’t happen until 1953
Vietnam War
Vietminh nationalists fought France until it was agreed to split the nation into two
Communists - North under Ho Chi Minh and Democrats - South under Ngo Dinh Diem
Soon war broke out between them - France and US supported South, but eventually the South was taken over by communist Viet Cong fighters, which looked very bad for US
Genocide in Cambodia
Communism took over Cambodia and communist faction Khmer Rouge took over the government
goal to get rid of professional class an religious minorities led to 2 million deaths by the government
Platt Amendment
US remained involved in Cuban affairs after Spanish-American War
Batista Dictatorship (1939-1959)
Dictatorship in Cuba supported by US until peasants began revolting in 1956 under leadership of Fidel Castro
Cuban Revolution (1959)
Fidel Castro leads peasants to overthrow the Cuban dictatorship
Castro promoted democracy but immediately established a communist dictatorship instead, so the US imposed economic bans on trade with Cuba
strengthened Cuba’s ties with Soviets instead
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Organized by US with a small force of Cuban exiles, authorized by President Kennedy, to overthrow Castro - they were immediately captured
Cuban Missile Crisis
Soviets response to US Bay of Pigs Invasion was to install their missiles in Cuba
US found out and established a navel blockade around the island
Soviets eventually backed down when US agreed to not invade Cuba - closest brush with nuclear war
Democratization in Latin America
US’s capitalistic destruction of resources in Latin America stirred radical political parties in Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil
Only in 2000 did Mexico have first multi-party election - opposition
Reliance on export economies has resulted in poor domestic economies and debt
Poland’s Separation from Soviet Union
A Solidarity movement under Lech Walesa brought thousands of workers wanting reform of communist economic system
Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Solidarity member, became PM in first open elections
Communism fell in 1990, Lech Walsea become president, and economy improved swiftly
Germany’s Separation from Communism
Decline of communism in Soviet bloc led to East Germany cutting ties with Soviets
Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989 and East and West reunified
Germany now focused on peace and economic reform instead of violence
Soviet Union Collapses
Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in 1986 and urged restructuring of Soviet economy - elements of private ownership instituted, nuclear arms treaties with US
When Poland and other former Soviet nations separated from USSR, Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991
What caused the Cold War to end?
Dissolving of Soviet Union in 1991
New Russia Democracy
looked like a perfect federal state, but their abrupt intro to democracy and capitalism led to corruption, high unemployment, poverty, widespread crime
First president, Boris Yeltsin
Vladamir Putin
Russian president, took over from Boris Yeltsin in 1999
former KGB agent
Has caused significant unrest in relations with other nations
Indian National Congress
mostly Hindu - established in 1885 to increase rights of Indians under colonial rule
Amritsar Massacre (1919)
319 Indians killed by the British during a peaceful protest - catapulted resistance
Independence Won by India
Britain granted independence to India after WWII
separated the subcontinent into three parts: India (Hindu), and Pakistan (Muslim) in two parts
Many died by religious persecution as they migrated across religious lines - created international conflict between Pakistan and India
African National Congress
established in 1912 in South Africa to oppose European colonialism
Why was it difficult for Africa to declare independence from Europe?
Colonialism caused many Africans to be undereducated with limited skills to build productive, independent nations and European influence had caused major destruction in social dynamics
Algeria Independence
fought war for independence against France from 1954-1962 and eventually won
Nigeria Independence
negotiated their freedom from Britain
Ghana Independence
negotiated their freedom from Britain
Kenya Independence
negotiated constitution with Britain
Angola Independence
overthrew colonial government causing civil wars
Congo Independence
overthrew colonial government causing civil wars
African Union
53/54 of African nations
Rwanda Genocide
Conflict between Tutsi and Hutu groups (Tutsi, 15% of pop., governed the Hutu) caused ethnic strife, genocide, and human rights violations after colonial authorities left
Hutu revolted and killed as many as 800000 Tutsis over 100 days of genocide
Apartheid in South Africa
1923: segregation established and enforced
1926: Black people banned from certain occupations
1948: system of apartheid (racial separation) established - Black people forced into the worst parts of the country and city slums
Nelson Mandela
leader of African National Congress in 1950s determined to abolish apartheid
jailed in 1964 due to protesting
released in 1990 - first president elected in a free and open election
Sharpeville Massacre (1960)
67 protesters against South African apartheid killed
Creation of Modern Israel
During WWI, Zionists (Jewish nationalists) convinced Arthur Balfour (Britain’s foreign secretary) to issue Balfour Declaration of 1917: declared that Jewish people had right to live in Palestine, without displacing current Palestinians
Many Jews came into Palestine when escaping Hitler in the 30s
Jewish State in 1948
Two Palestines, one for Jews and one for Muslims, officially created
1948 Arab-Israeli War
Muslims attack Israel as seen as they are given an official state
Israel fought back and eventually controlled most of Palestine, while Jordan held remaining portions (West Bank)
Six-Day War (1967)
Israelis taking over all of Palestine - West Bank, Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip (Egypt), Golan Heights (Syria)
Palestinians are still without their own nation
Palestine Liberation Organization
dedicated to reclaiming land and Palestinian state
has been unsuccessful in negotiating a homeland
Palestine and Israel Current Relations
Intense division, military violence, and terrorism still exists between the groups and no advancements have been made
1979 Iranian Revolution
Before Revolution, Westernization was introduced to the nation and rights of women increased drastically which angered Islamic fundamentalists
Fundamentalists ousted the current shah and went back to a strictly conservative theocracy
Human rights advancements were reversed and women went back to traditional roles
Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988)
Iraq invaded Iran over border disputes - Iraq received quiet support from US
Global Oil
Middle East was sitting on more than two-thirds of world’s oil reserves and multinational corporations rushed to gain drilling rights in 20th century
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, and Iraq earn billions annually oil leading to their nations being some of the most advanced in the world
