World War II and Its Aftermath

A compilation of key terms and definitions related to World War II and the subsequent geopolitical landscape.

First World

Refers to the countries aligned with the United States during the Cold War, characterized by capitalism and democracy.

Second World

Refers to the communist countries aligned with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Third World

Refers to the postcolonial nations seeking autonomy, often caught between the First and Second Worlds during the Cold War.

Total War

A war that requires the mobilization of an entire society, including civilians, into armed efforts.

Holocaust

The systematic extermination of six million Jews and millions of others by the Nazi regime during World War II.

Blitzkrieg

A German term meaning 'lightning war,' used to describe swift and fervent military offensives during World War II.

Ideological Rivalry

The conflict of ideas, particularly between capitalism and communism during the Cold War.

Atomic Bomb

A nuclear weapon dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, leading to Japan's surrender and the end of World War II.

Cold War

A prolonged period of political and military tension between the capitalist West led by the United States and the communist East led by the Soviet Union.

Internationalism

The political principle that advocates for greater political or economic cooperation among nations.

Self-Determination

The right of peoples to determine their own political status and pursue their economic, social, and cultural development.

United Nations

An international organization founded in 1945 to promote peace, security, and cooperation among countries.

Marshall Plan

An American initiative that provided economic aid to Western European countries to help them rebuild after World War II.

Berlin Airlift

An operation conducted by the Western Allies from 1948 to 1949 to supply West Berlin after the Soviet blockade.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance established in 1949 among Western nations.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance of communist nations in Eastern Europe, formed in response to NATO in 1955.

Decolonization

The process by which colonies gained independence from colonial powers following World War II.

Genocide

The deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, ethnic, national, or cultural group.