Kumer AP Euro Unit 4

World War One

A global conflict from 1914 to 1918 characterized by trench warfare and the collapse of several major empires, sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Alliance System

A network of treaties requiring nations to defend one another, escalating regional conflicts into a world war.

Total War

A conflict in which nations mobilize all available resources and populations to support the war effort, blurring the distinction between soldiers and civilians.

Paris Peace Conference

The 1919 meeting of Allied victors to set peace terms for the defeated Central Powers, which led to many nations being dissatisfied.

Wilsonian Idealism

The foreign policy philosophy emphasizing ethical principles, democracy, and national self-determination, with the League of Nations as its centerpiece.

Successor States

New nations created from the territory of collapsed empires, such as Czechoslovakia and Poland after WWI.

League of Nations

An international organization established after WWI to promote cooperation and peace, which ultimately failed to prevent WWII.

Treaty of Versailles

The primary peace treaty ending the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers, imposing harsh penalties on Germany.

War Guilt Clause

Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles, forcing Germany to accept full responsibility for starting WWI.

Weimar Republic

The democratic government of Germany from 1919 to 1933, marked by economic hardship and political polarization.

Isolationism

A policy of remaining apart from foreign affairs, which characterized U.S. foreign policy during the 1920s and 30s.

Appeasement

The policy of making concessions to dictatorial powers to avoid conflict, exemplified by the Munich Agreement.

Fascism

A far-right, authoritarian ultranationalism emphasizing dictatorial power and suppression of opposition.

Blitzkrieg

A military tactic creating shock and disorganization in enemy forces through speed and surprise.

Nazi Germany

The German state between 1933 and 1945, transformed into a totalitarian dictatorship under Adolf Hitler.

Collaborationists

Individuals or groups cooperating with enemy forces occupying their country, such as the Vichy regime in France.

German New Order

The political, social, and economic system the Nazis aimed to establish in Europe, involving exploitation of conquered territories.

Holocaust

The state-sponsored systematic murder of approximately six million Jews and millions of others by the Nazi regime.

Russian Revolution

The 1917 uprising that dismantled the Tsarist autocracy, leading to the establishment of the Soviet Union.

Soviets

Workers' councils that originated during the Russian Revolution to organize political and economic life.

Provisional Government

The temporary government in Russia between the Tsar's abdication and the Bolshevik takeover, which lost popular support.

Bolshevik Revolution

The second phase of the Russian Revolution led by Lenin in October 1917, establishing the first socialist state.

Russian Civil War

A multi-party war in the former Russian Empire fought between the Bolshevik Red Army and the anti-Bolshevik White Army.

Lenin

The founder of the Russian Communist Party and first leader of the Soviet Union, advocating for a vanguard party.

Stalin

The Soviet leader succeeding Lenin, who transformed the USSR into an industrial and military superpower.

New Economic Policy (NEP)

A temporary retreat from socialism allowing some private trade and capitalism to aid economic recovery post-civil war.

Liquidization of the Kulaks

A campaign of repression against wealthier peasants, part of Stalin's plan for collective farming.

Purges

Campaigns of political repression in the USSR to eliminate perceived enemies, leading to significant loss of leadership.

Ukrainian Famine (Holodomor)

A man-made famine in 1932-33 killing millions of Ukrainians due to Soviet policies.

Cold War

Geopolitical tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, characterized by proxy wars and a lack of direct military conflict.

Iron Curtain

The political and ideological barrier erected by the Soviet Union to separate itself from the West.

“Hot wars”

Actual military conflicts during the Cold War, such as those in Korea and Vietnam, which acted as proxy battles.

Arms Race

A competition between nations for military superiority, contributing to the state of 'Mutually Assured Destruction'.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, formed to counter Soviet expansion and based on collective defense.

COMECON

The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, established to coordinate the economies of Eastern Bloc countries.

Warsaw Pact

A collective defense treaty among the Soviet Union and its satellite states, serving as a military counterpart to COMECON.

German Reunification

The 1990 process of East Germany joining West Germany, symbolizing the end of the Cold War division.

European Union (EU)

A political and economic union aimed at ensuring peace and prosperity through integration among European states.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. program providing aid to Western Europe post-WWII, crucial for rebuilding and preventing the spread of communism.

Economic Miracle

The rapid reconstruction and development of West Germany and Austria after WWII, transforming them into industrial powers.

Decolonization

The process by which colonies gained independence from their colonizers, notable in the post-WWII era.

Self-determination

The principle allowing nations to determine their own statehood and government affiliations, significant in the dismantling of empires.

Existentialism

A philosophical theory emphasizing individual agency and responsibility, popularized after WWII.

Postmodernism

A late-20th-century movement characterized by skepticism towards grand narratives, focusing on individual interpretation.

Feminism

The advocacy for women's rights based on equality; the second wave in the 1960s included reproductive rights and workplace equality.

Globalization

The process of businesses operating on an international scale, leading to economic interdependence and cultural concerns.

Baby Boom

A significant increase in birth rates following WWII, influencing 1960s culture and politics.

Guest Workers

Foreign workers permitted to live and work temporally, notably relevant in post-war Germany.

Nikita Khrushchev

The Soviet leader during part of the Cold War known for initiating 'de-Stalinization'.

De-Stalinization

The policy aimed at eradicating Stalin's influence and record, including the release of political prisoners.

Mikhail Gorbachev

The final leader of the Soviet Union who introduced reforms leading to its eventual collapse.

Perestroika

The policy of restructuring the Soviet economy through limited free-market practices.

Glasnost

The policy of increased openness in government and media in the USSR, allowing for greater freedom of expression.

Balkan Genocide

The systematic killing of Bosniaks by Bosnian Serb forces during the 1990s, marked by the Srebrenica massacre.