APEURO UNIT 9 Post-WWII Rebuilding

Marshall Plan

A U.S. initiative launched in 1948 to provide economic aid to Western European countries to help them rebuild their economies after the devastation of World War II; motivated by the desire to stop the spread of communism

West Germany

had such an extreme comeback following WWII that its economic output was larger than all of Germany’s output before the war

consumerism

the idea that the wellbeing of a nation’s economy is dependent on people buying consumer goods

Potsdam Agreement

An agreement reached in 1945 among the Allied powers to determine the postwar order in Europe, outlining the administration of Germany and set the stage for post-WWII geopolitics.

Nuremberg Trials

A series of military tribunals held after WWII to prosecute prominent leaders of Nazi Germany for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

United Nations

An international organization founded in 1945 to promote peace, security, and cooperation among countries, addressing global issues and fostering diplomatic dialogue; would be able to take cooperative action, unlike the LoN

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

A milestone document adopted by the United Nations in 1948, outlining the fundamental rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled, serving as a common standard for all nations.

Berlin Blockade

The Soviet Union's attempt to cut off access to West Berlin from June 1948 to May 1949, in response to Western advancements in Germany, leading to the Berlin Airlift.

Milada Korakova

A prominent Czech dissident and feminist activist who was executed for suspicion of being one of the professional agents of the American, English or French imperialists

Mao Zedong

The founding father of the People's Republic of China; a key figure in the Chinese Communist Party and led the country from its establishment in 1949 until his death; known for implementing policies like the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution.

Sputnik

The first artificial Earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, marking the beginning of the space age and the space race between the US and USSR.

NATO

a military alliance established in 1949 for mutual defense against aggression, particularly from the Soviet Union.

Warsaw Pact

A collective defense treaty signed in 1955 between the Soviet Union and seven Eastern Bloc socialist republics, in response to the formation of NATO.

Economic Democracy

A political and economic system where economic decisions are made by democratic processes, typically involving equitable distribution of resources and social welfare.

Welfare State

A government concept that provides for the well-being of its citizens through various social programs, including healthcare, education, and financial security.

Robert Schuman

French statesman who was a key architect of European integration, known for the European Economic Community

European Economic Community

An organization aimed at fostering economic cooperation and integration among European countries, established by the Treaty of Rome in 1957.

Treaty of Rome

The foundational treaty that established the European Economic Community, signed in 1957, promoting economic integration among its member states.

Charles de Gaulle

A French military leader and statesman who played a crucial role in the establishment of the Fifth Republic, serving as its first President from 1959 to 1969; opposed supranational ideas

Nikita Khruschev

Soviet leader known for de-Stalinization policies and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Kitchen Debate

A series of impromptu exchanges between US Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in 1959, during which they discussed the merits of capitalism versus communism and which was better for the consumer.

Jean-Paul Sartre

A French philosopher, playwright, and novelist, known for his contributions to existentialism

Simone de Beauvoir

A French writer and philosopher, known for her pioneering work in feminist theory, existentialism, and her book "The Second Sex," which explores the construction of women's identities.

Soviet Bloc

The group of communist states in Central and Eastern Europe aligned with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, including countries like Poland, East Germany, and Hungary.