Cold War and Decolonization Flashcards

Cold War Setting

• Yalta Conference (1945): Stalin's broken promise led to the Communist Bloc.

• Soviet satellite nations: Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany.

• No direct U.S. vs. U.S.S.R. battle, but proxy wars, arms and space race.

• Germany Divided: Soviet-occupied East vs. American, British, French-occupied West.

• Berlin Blockade (1948): Soviets cut off supplies; Berlin Airlift: U.S. drops supplies.

• Iron Curtain: ideological division; Berlin Wall: physical division (1961-1989).

Cold War Strategies and Alliances

• Marshall Plan: U.S. rehabilitates Western Europe.

• Truman Doctrine: U.S. prevents Greece and Turkey from communism.

• Containment of communism: U.S. intervenes to stop the “domino effect”.

• Cold War Alliances: NATO (democratic) vs. Warsaw Pact (communist).

• Communism: leaders appointed, government controls resource distribution.

• U.S.S.R. disintegrated in 1991 into 15 democratic/capitalist countries.

Effects of the Cold War

• Nikita Khrushchev denounced Stalin in 1953.

• Suppressed revolutions in Poland and Hungary (1956).

• U.S. coups: Overthrew leaders in Iran (1954) and Guatemala (1954).

• Chile: Salvador Allende ousted in 1973 coup, replaced by Augusto Pinochet.

• Iran Contra Scandal: U.S. funded Contras in Nicaragua.

• Cuban Revolution (1959): Fidel Castro's communist regime.

• Cuban Missile Crisis (1962): averted WWIII.

Spread of Communism in Asia

• China: Communist revolution in 1949, Mao Zedong's rule and radical policies (Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution).

• Korean War: Division along 38th parallel after conflict (1950-1953).

• Vietnam War: North vs. South, U.S. involvement (1964-1973), Saigon fell in 1975.

• Cambodia: Pol Pot and Khmer Rouge genocide.

• Southeast Asia: Authoritarians gained control, anti-communist Filipino and Indonesian leadership.

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

• 1948: UN divided Palestine into Jewish and Arab states.

• 1948 Arab-Israeli War: The Nakba, expulsion of Palestinians.

• Ongoing conflict: wars in 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982, 2006, 2023.

• Multiple attempts at peace: Camp David Accords, Oslo Accords, but short-lived.

• Iranian Revolution (1979): Ayatollah Khomeini established religious state.

South Asia and Africa Decolonization

• India and Pakistan independence (1947): Partition due to Muslim representation demands.

• Gandhi's assassination (1948): religious conflicts, Kashmir disputed.

• Africa's decolonization (1960): Negritude Movement and Pan-African Unity.

• Apartheid in South Africa: Nelson Mandela became president in 1994.

• Post-colonial conflicts: Nigeria Civil War, corruption in Uganda, French fought wars in Algeria and Indochina.

• Rwandan genocide: Ethnic cleansing in the 1990s.

Newly Independent States and Global Resistance to Communism

• Non-Aligned Movement: India, Indonesia, Egypt, Ghana, Yugoslavia.

• Yugoslav Wars: Ethnic cleansing, Dayton Accords divided the Balkans.

• Northern Ireland: Bloody Sunday, IRA violence, Good Friday Agreement.

• Détente: Relaxing of tensions between U.S. and U.S.S.R., SALT treaties.

• Eastern European resistance: Prague Spring, Velvet Revolution, Solidarity movement.

End of the Cold War

• Soviets lost war in Afghanistan (1979-1989).

• Chernobyl disaster (1986).

• Berlin Wall torn down (1989).

• Gorbachev's glasnost and perestroika.

• Dissolution of the U.S.S.R. (1991): Creation of Commonwealth of Independent States.

Advances in Technology

• Digital Age: Rapid changes in information, products, and transportation.

• Green Revolution: Increased food production through GMOs.

• Fossil fuels: Heavy reliance on coal, natural gas, and oil.

• Microchip technology: Dominated by Taiwan and South Korea.

Medical Advances

• Vaccines: Smallpox, polio, measles, mumps, rubella.

• Antibiotics: Penicillin discovered.

• Fertility treatment, HIV/AIDS, Ebola treatments, and efforts in fighting malaria.

• Birth Control pill legalized.

Environmental issues

• Deforestation, desertification, resource depletion, and water scarcity are ongoing problems.

• Urbanization and globalization have intensified conflicts over territory, resources, and opportunities and also pollution.

• There are political Debates of protecting the environment versus harnassing energy.

Global Age Economics

• Reaganomics/supply-side economics vs. New Deal/demand-side economics.

• Outsourcing of jobs to cheaper producers in developing nations.

• Asian automobile and consumer technology manufacturers like Japan and South Korea.

• China: Economic liberalization, Tiananmen Square, and WTO membership.

• G7, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund.

Global Age Reform and terror

• Women suffrage was mostly granted after WWI or WWII.

• There has been and increase of fanaticism and tribalism internationally.

• War on Terror began and there has been a rise in Islamic terror groups.

Globalized Culture

• Americanization pros and cons like fast food and consumer good culture.

• Culture popular internationally has been Indian Bollywood, Japanese anime and Korean K pop.

• There is evidence of culture in religion and global traditions.

• Modernized global brands are prevalent.

Environmental issues

Deforestation, desertification, resource depletion, and water scarcity are ongoing problems.

Urbanization and globalization have intensified conflicts over territory, resources, and opportunities and also pollution.

There are political Debates of protecting the environment versus harnessing energy.

Technological advancements are impacting environmental management, with innovations aimed at sustainability, renewable energy, and conservation efforts. Governments and organizations are increasingly focusing on climate change policies and international agreements to mitigate environmental degradation.

Public awareness and activism surrounding environmental issues have surged, leading to movements aimed at promoting sustainability and protecting natural resources. Examples include initiatives for reducing carbon emissions, promoting recycling, and preserving biodiversity.

The role of corporations in environmental stewardship is being scrutinized, with consumers demanding greater accountability for corporate practices and commitments to eco-friendly operations.

The concept of the Green Economy is gaining traction, advocating for economic activities that prioritize environmental health while promoting social equity and economic growth.

Reaganomics/supply-side economics vs. New Deal/demand-side economics.
Outsourcing of jobs to cheaper producers in developing nations.
Asian automobile and consumer technology manufacturers like Japan and South Korea.
China: Economic liberalization, Tiananmen Square, and WTO membership.
G7, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund.

Increased economic interdependence due to globalization has led to shifts in power dynamics among nations, with developing economies rising as key players in the global market.
The digital economy is transforming traditional business models, enabling innovations in finance (e.g., cryptocurrencies, fintech).
Trade agreements and tariffs have become contentious political issues, with debates on free trade vs. protectionism influencing domestic and international policies.
The role of multinational corporations (MNCs) in shaping labor markets, environmental policies, and local economies has been scrutinized, leading to calls for greater corporate responsibility.
Economic disparities remain a significant challenge, with inequality rising both within and between countries, prompting discussions on wealth redistribution and social safety nets.
Gig economy: The rise of freelance and contract work facilitated by technology, altering labor relations and economic stability for workers.
Emerging markets are becoming critical in driving global demand, reshaping consumer trends and supply chains.