hist222 final study guide

Brezhnev Doctrine

A Soviet foreign policy asserting the USSR's right to intervene militarily in Warsaw Pact nations to protect communist rule.

Normalization

The process of restoring stability and order after a crisis, often involving military presence and political suppression.

Helsinki Accords

A 1975 diplomatic agreement signed by 35 nations aimed at easing Cold War tensions and recognizing human rights.

Charter 77

A Czechoslovak civil rights manifesto published in 1977 criticizing the communist government for human rights violations.

Solidarity

A social and political force in Poland representing unity and mutual support among individuals or groups opposing communism.

Francisco Franco

The military dictator of Spain from 1939 to 1975, known for his authoritarian rule and repression of political opponents.

Ostpolitik

West German Chancellor Willy Brandt's policy aimed at normalizing relations with the Eastern Bloc during the late 1960s.

Red Army Faction

A far-left militant group in West Germany that engaged in urban guerrilla warfare from 1970 to 1998.

Red Brigades

An Italian far-left militant group founded in 1969 aimed at overthrowing the Italian state and establishing a communist society.

Irish Republican Army (IRA)

A militant organization dedicated to ending British rule in Northern Ireland and achieving a united Ireland.

Margaret Thatcher

The first female Prime Minister of the UK, known for her free market policies and strong anti-communist stance during her tenure.

Falklands War

A conflict between Argentina and the UK in 1982 over the Falkland Islands, resulting in UK military victory.

Chernobyl

The site of the worst nuclear accident in history on April 26, 1986, leading to a massive release of radioactive material.

Glasnost and Perestroika

Reform policies introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev aimed at openness and economic restructuring in the USSR.

The Little Stalins

The first generation of communist leaders in Eastern Europe who established regimes modeled on Stalin's totalitarian rule.

Velvet Revolution

A peaceful protest movement in 1989 that led to the overthrow of communism in Czechoslovakia.

Nicolae Ceaușescu

The totalitarian dictator of Romania whose brutal regime was overthrown in a violent uprising in 1989.

Lech Wałęsa

Polish labor leader and co-founder of Solidarity, who later became President of Poland.

Václav Havel

Czech playwright and dissident who led the peaceful overthrow of communism in Czechoslovakia and became its first president.

Helmut Kohl

German Chancellor known for his role in the reunification of Germany and support for the European Union.

Franjo Tuđman

The first president of Croatia who led the country to independence from Yugoslavia.

Slobodan Milošević

The president of Serbia known for promoting nationalism and contributing to the Yugoslav Wars.

Srebrenica

Site of the mass murder of over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys in July 1995 during the Bosnian War, recognized as genocide.

Dayton Accords

A peace agreement signed in 1995 that ended the Bosnian War and established a framework for governance in Bosnia.

Kosovo War

An armed conflict between Yugoslav forces and the Kosovo Liberation Army, leading to NATO intervention and Kosovo's independence.

European Defense Community (EDC)

A failed plan from the 1950s for a supranational European military force.

European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)

A 1951 organization that combined coal and steel production in Western Europe, a step towards integration.

Single European Act (SEA)

A 1986 treaty that aimed to create a single European market and enhance the powers of the European Parliament.

Maastricht Treaty

The 1992 treaty that created the European Union and expanded integration beyond economics into politics.

Eurozone (European Monetary Union)

A group of EU countries that adopted the euro (€) as their currency, managed by the European Central Bank.

Brexit

The United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union, initiated by a referendum in 2016.

Gastarbeiter

Guest workers recruited to West Germany from various countries during the economic boom of the 1950s to 1970s.

National Front / National Rally (France)

A far-right nationalist political party in France known for its anti-immigrant and protectionist policies.