AP World History Unit 8 Review

Cold War

War not fought through armed battle, but instead ideologically between United States and Soviet Union through political influence, proxy wars, and economic competition.

Big Three Superpowers

United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union

Main Contention between Superpowers

Argument over fate of Western & Eastern European countries, where Soviet Union wanted Eastern European countries to be under there control to act as a “buffer zone” against future Western European invasions.

Soviet Bloc

Group of Eastern European countries under the influence and control of the Soviet Union, serving as a buffer zone against the West while also establishing communist economic ideologies

Warsaw Pact

Military alliance of Eastern Bloc countries, led by the Soviet Union, primarily established as a counterbalance to NATO.

NATO

Military alliance of Western countries formed in 1949 to provide collective defense against the Soviet Union and its allies.

Communism

Political and economic ideology advocating for a classless system where all property is publicly owned, and each person's work and resources are shared, eliminating private ownership.

Capitalism

Economic system characterized by private ownership of production and where the market generally determines prices and distribution.

Soviet/U.S Conflict

Soviet ambitions characterized by communist ideologies of reshaping the world and clashing U.S ambitions characterized by capitalist and democratic ideologies of reshaping the world

Great Leap Forward

Campaign by CCP to transform China from an agrarian society into industrialized socialist society through collective farming and large-scale industrial projects, resulting in widespread famine.

Containment

U.S. foreign policy adopted during the Cold War to prevent the spread of communism by supporting countries resisting Soviet influence, while also allowing pre-existing communist countries to remain untouched.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. initiative providing financial aid to Western Europe after World War II to help rebuild economies, prevent the spread of communism, and promote political stability.

U.S/Soviet Arms Race

The competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to accumulate nuclear and conventional weapons during the Cold War, which intensified tensions and led to significant military expenditures.

Mutually Assured Destruction

Military doctrine during the Cold War where both the U.S. and the Soviet Union possessed enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other, deterring them from actually using those weapons.

Proxy Wars

Conflicts during the Cold War where the U.S. and Soviet Union supported opposing factions or governments, often in third-party countries, to exert influence without direct confrontation.

Mikhail Gorbachev

Last General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union who promoted reforms like perestroika and glasnost, ultimately leading to the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Perestroika

Soviet effort at reorganizing the economy to allow for more free trade principles.

Glasnost

Soviet policy of allowing more openness and transparency in government and media.

End of Cold War

Period marking the end of 50 year conflict, characterized by diplomatic agreements through Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan following the implementation of perestroika and glasnost.

Indian Resistance

Example of independence gained through negotiation and non-violence

Indian National Congress

Political party in India that played a crucial role in the independence movement, advocating for civil rights and self-governance by means of nonviolence and civil disobedience, led by Mohandas Gandhi

Muslim League

Political organization that advocated for the interests of Muslims in India and played a significant role in the creation of the new muslim state of Pakistan.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Political activist inspired by teachings of Mohandas Gandhi and eventually fought for civil rights and social justice through nonviolent resistance for the black population in America

Algerian Resistance

Example of armed struggle to receive independence followed after restrictive laws under French rule.

Al-Qaeda

A militant Islamist organization founded in the late 20th century, known for its terrorist activities worldwide, trained and established by the U.S military to combat the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Metropoles

Urban centers of colonial powers that exerted control over colonies, often serving as cultural and economic hubs for those who were once conquered. (ex: Indians moving to England / Algerians moving to France)