AP World History - Unit 8

Big Three

Britain, United States, Soviet Union

United Nations

Replacement body to maintain world order and peace by removing the League of Nations

Yalta Conference

Conference to discuss postwar reorganization of Germany and Europe

Bretton Woods system

Made the US Dollar the main currency which was bound by gold. Helped create economic unity and stability, as well as promote free trade.

East Germany

Occupied and controlled by USSR

West Germany

Occupied and controlled by Western powers.

North Korea

Northern half of the Korean penninsula. Was turned into communist beliefs and split from South Korea due to USSR’s influence.

South Korea

Southern half of the Korean penninsula. Was turned into capitalist beliefs and split from North Korea due to United States and Western influence.

Cold War

superpower rivalry between the USSR and US

Arms Race

Competition against nations to become more militarized than the other; includes weapons, nuclear arsnels, and vehicles.

Third World

defines countries that didn’t allign with ideals or were part of NATO/Warsaw Pact. ex: India, Ghana, Vietnam, and Korea

First World

defines countries part of the NATO organization. ex: United States, Canada, and Japan.

Second World

defines countries that are part of the Warsaw Pact. ex: Soviet Union, China, Cuba, and Romania.

COMECON

Council of Mutual Economic Assistance. Similar to the Warsaw Pact, made to unite and ally with nations to the East with the Soviet Union.

Iron Curtain

Stage 1 of Cold War between 1945 to 1949

Containment

Strategy to stop the expansion of communism by giving support to countries who would be targeted by the USSR. Coined by George Kennan

Truman Doctrine

Pledged assistance to any country who fights/going to fight/is being targeted with communism.

Marshall Plan

Economic plan that gave aid to countries in need. Pumped over $13 billion to European countries for post-war recovery.

Berlin Blockade

Soviet cut off from Western Germany, such as highway and rail traffic, and other types of ground vehicles. US overcame this by using planes, which the soviets refused to shoot to not start a war.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Alliance between 12 countries: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Warsaw Pact

Alliance between 8 countries: Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania.

Domino Principle

Idea that if one country fell to communism, they all would fall.

Mao Zedong

Chinese Communist Party leader; arose with soviet support in China.

Decolonization

the process of colonies attempting to break away and form their own nation.