APWH Module 8 Vocab

Fall of Saigon

1975 marked the unification of Vietnam under a Communist government

Mao Tse-tung

A Chinese communist leader and founder of the Chinese Communist Party

Arms race

A competition between countries to obtain more weapons of war in order to have an advantage over other countries.

Soweto Uprising

A demonstration of South African High School students in 1976 that turned violent and led to the deaths of about 170 people.

Malta Summit

A meeting between U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Soviet Premier Gorbachev shortly after the fall of the Berlin wall in December 1989. It was seen as a lifting of tensions between the two nations

Perestroika

A restructuring of the Soviet economy that drove the economy towards more of an open market economy and away from the traditional Soviet command economy

Mohandas Gandhi

He is considered the leader of the Indian Independence movement. He was famous for his use of peaceful protests to gain favor with the rest of the world for his movement. Indian Independence - This was an Indian movement (primarily after WWI) in an attempt to gain independence from Britain, which was ultimately achieved in 1947.

Fidel Castro

Infamous Cuban dictator who led the overthrow of the Cuban government in 1959 and escalated Cold War tensions.

Josip Broz Tito

Leader of Communist Yugoslavia, which blended free market ideas and communism, which differed from the Soviet model Moon Landing Occurred on July 20th, 1969 and marked the end of the Space Race

Alexander Dubcek

Leader of Czechoslovakia during the Prague Spring, was removed from office following an invasion by the Soviet Union to quell the democratic movement

Deng Xiaoping

Leader of the Chinese Communist Party after the death of Mao, instituted state controlled capitalism

Glasnost

Means "openness", this was the new policy of the Soviet Union followed by Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev. This policy was used to encourage democratic discussion in the Soviet Union.

Polish Solidarity

Movement Was a movement of Polish factory workers to band together and demand better wages and working conditions

Operation Iraqi Freedom

Name give to the 2003 invasion of Iraq designed to overthrow the Dictatorship of Saddam Hussein

NAFTA

North American Free Trade Agreement: This was a trade agreement established in 1994 that eliminated trade taxes (tariffs) between Canada, US, and Mexico.

Summer Olympic Boycott

Occurred at the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow by the United States in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Soviet Union then boycotted the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles in response

START

Occurred in 1991 and was an agreement between the Soviet Union and United States to reduce and limit strategic offensive arms

Nelson Mandela

Originally a member of the South African Congress, he became of prisoner of South Africa during its independence movements. He is considered a symbol of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. After his release from prison, he became the first democratically elected President of South Africa in 1994.

Miracle Year

Refers to the year 1989 when the Soviet Eastern Bloc fell and Democratic countries emerged from the ashes of Communism

Treaty of Rome

Signed in 1957, laid the foundation for the creation of the European Union

Truman Doctrine

This document provided aid to countries who were being threatened by communist influence and expansion.

U-2 Incident

This incident involved a CIA pilot, Francis Gary Powers, who was on a secret mission to photograph territory in Russia. The pilot was shot down by a Soviet missile and then captured by the Soviets and was charged with espionage and sentenced to ten years in prison.

Dependency Theory

This is an economic idea that a handful of rich countries are able to exploit the resources of many poor countries which allow the rich countries to get richer while making it a struggle for the poor countries to develop. This theory was a popular explanation for why so many Latin American countries failed to develop strong economies.

United Nations

This is an international organization created in order to maintain peace throughout the world. Was created after World War II and all member nations agree to discussing issues and disputes through peaceful negotiation.

Global South

This is the name given to 3rd world countries during the Cold War. These are generally nations who achieved independence and were trying to develop their own political and economic identities (also known as developing countries).

Satyagraha

This is the name given to Gandhi's belief in peaceful political protest.

Apartheid

This is the name given to racial segregation and discrimination policies of South Africa.

Decolonization

This is the term for the global south's independence from European rule.

M.A.D./ Mutually Assured Destruction

This policy was created in the 1950s and stated that if the Soviet Union attacked the United States then the U.S. would counter attack and both nations would face major destruction.

Perestroika

This policy was put in place by Gorbachev in the Soviet Union. This policy was centered on economic restructuring through allowing private ownership and less control over the economy by the central government.

Ronald Reagan

This president served from 1981-1989 time in office was marked by the end of the Cold War. He was credited for helping end the Cold War and negotiated with Gorbachev.

Domino theory

This theory states that countries near to becoming communist were likely to fall one right after the other as communism's influence spreads.

Suez Crisis

This took place in 1956 when the president of Egypt, President Gamal Nasser, took the Suez Canal from French and British control. This caused an invasion by Israeli, British, and French forces on Egypt. Egypt was able to come out the winner which was a victory to Egyptian nationalism.

Korean War

This war was fought between North and South Korea from 1950-1953. The fighting took place along the 38th parallel. The United States along with the assistance of the United Nations supported South Korea during this war while China aided North Korea.

Berlin Blockade/Airlift

This was Stalin's attempt at cutting off western influence. Trains, planes, and roads leading into East Berlin are blocked. The United States and England airlifted supplies to East Berlin during the blockade which lasted from 1948-1949.

Space Race

This was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to be the first at achieving space exploration.

Cold War

This was a conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. These two countries fought for global domination and an arms race ensued. This lasted from 1947-1991 and was characterized by propaganda and the threat of nuclear war.

Warsaw Pact

This was a military alliance between the Soviet Union and nations of Eastern Europe formed in 1955. The Soviet alliance included Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania.

Star Wars

This was a plan under the Reagan administration which involved developing weapons that would be able to defeat Soviet missiles by shooting them down from space. It was also known as the Strategic Defense Initiative. This was to prevent any attack on the United States by the Soviet Union.

Marshall Plan

This was a program instituted in July of 1947 to assist Europe by means of economic support to aid in recovery after World War II.

Bay of Pigs

This was an unsuccessful invasion of Cuba led by Cuban exiles and backed by the United States government. The invasion took place on April 17th, 1961 and failed due to Fidel Castro's troops outnumbering the Cuban exiles

McCarthyism

This was the act of publicly accusing an individual, usually a political figure, of disloyalty through communist support. Joseph McCarthy led the campaign from 1950-1954.

India/Pakistan Partition

This was the division of India into two countries: Muslim majority Pakistan and Hindu majority India.

Sputnik

This was the first artificial Earth satellite. There were a series of earth-orbiting satellites created by the Soviet Union starting on October 4th, 1957.

Iron Curtain

This was the imaginary boundary that separated Soviet controlled Eastern Europe and Western European countries that were against the spread of communism.

Party of Institutionalized Revolution (PRI)

This was the ruling political party of Mexico from the early 1900s (after gaining their independence) to the election of 2000.

Decolonization

Took place as African and Asian countries began to gain independence from Western rule. Former colonial powers collapsed and these countries were free of colonial control.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Took place during John F. Kennedy's presidency. (review timeline in notes)

Vietnam War

Was a conflict within the Cold War that involved South Vietnam with aid from the United States, South Korea and others against the Vietcong and North Vietnam's communist regime. This conflict started in 1954 and ended in 1975 the Vietcong and North Vietnam wanted to reunite Vietnam. South Vietnam succumbed to communist rule.

Apollo-Soyuz Test

Was a joint space venture between the USA and USSR which revealed a thaw in Cold War tension

Afghanistan War

Was an ill-advised invasion of Afghanistan by the USSR in 1979, the 10 year war would drain the Soviet treasury and sap morale. Sometimes referred to as The Soviet Union's Vietnam

John F. Kennedy

Was the United States president from 1961-1963. Events during his time in office include the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

SALT

Was the agreement between the USA and USSR in which both countries agreed to reduce their nuclear arsenals

Velvet Revolution

Was the non-violence transition of government power from a communist government to a democratic government in Czechoslovakia

Four Power Agreement

Agreement between former WWII allies Great Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union to protect the citizens of divided Berlin

Populism

An ideology based on support of the common person.

Mao Zedong

Became leader of the Chinese Communist Party and declared the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and ruled until 1976.

Leonid Brezhnev

Became the Soviet Premier after Nikita Kruschev and oversaw a period of detente with the West, but increased control domestically

Fidel Castro

Communist leader of Cuba who formed an alliance with the Soviet Union. This alliance allowed nuclear weapons from the Soviet Union were placed in Cuba leading to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Ho Chi Minh

Communist leader of North Vietnam, used guerilla warfare tactics against American forces which made war unwinnable.

Core Countries

Countries who control and benefit from the global economic market

Prague Spring

Democratic movement during 1968 in Czechoslovakia which sought to implement more democratic principles in the country

African National Congress

Established in 1912, this was an association of educated, professional, and middle-class Africans whose original goal was to be accepted as "civilized men" in African society. They eventually help to lead independence movements in Africa.

Nikita Khrushchev

Soviet leader who took over in 1953 after Stalin's death. This leader was responsible for the building of the Berlin Wall and was also leader of the Soviet Union during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Tiananmen Square

Student led pro-democracy protests in Beijing, China in 1989. The incident on June 4th involved Chinese troops firing on civilians. The death toll is estimated to be in the thousands.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was a military alliance formed between the United States, England, France, Canada and Western European nations. This alliance was created to ensure military support in case of an attack from another country.

Containment

The United States took action to stop the spread of communism

Democratization

The act of nations installing democratic principles as their basis of new governments that began to form in Eastern Europe

Detente

The easing of political tensions

Pan-Africianism

The idea of of bringing unity to people of Africa by ending colonization of African countries. This also helped to create the idea of unique cultures and traditions as compared to European culture and traditions.

Reagan Doctrine

The idea of overwhelming Communism worldwide in order to roll it back and end the Cold War

38th Parallel

The line dividing South and North Korea.

Russian Federation

The name for Russia following the collapse of the Soviet Union

De-stalinization

The process of loosen political restrictions in the Soviet Union following the death of Josef Stalin

Destabilization

The process of upsetting the stability of a region, this occurred in Eastern Europe as the Soviet Union collapsed and democratic countries emerged

Chernobyl Disaster

The worst atomic energy accident occurred in Pripyat, Ukraine in 1986 and resulted in 31 direct deaths and 15 (possibly more) indirect deaths due to radiation poisoning

Zapatistas

They are a Mexican revolutionary group that led a rebellion in 1994 helping to end the reign of the PRI.

Mikhail Gorbachev

This Soviet leader was in power from 1985-1991. He introduced major reforms in order to improve the economy. He also backed glasnost and citizens were able to voice their opinions.

Richard Nixon

This United States president was elected to office in 1968 and 1972. He practiced detente in respect to the Soviet Union to ease tensions and also opened relations to the Republic of China through his administration's foreign policy.

Che Guevara Marxist

revolutionary who was important to the Cuban revolution.