   June 1945, 50 nations formed the

United Nations

—international organization All members represented in General Assembly; 11 on Security Council Five permanent members have Security Council veto power

    U.S. and Soviets split sharply after WWII ends The alliance between these two countries broke down because Stalin did not fulfill his promise to allow free elections in Eastern European nations U.S. was (and still is) world’s richest and most powerful country after WWII Soviets were recovering from high war casualties and many destroyed cities

      Soviets controlled Eastern European (satellites) countries after World War II Stalin installed Communist governments in several countries Truman urged free elections but Stalin refuses In 1946, Stalin said capitalism and communism cannot co-exist Germany divided; East Germany - Communist, West Germany Democratic

Iron Curtain

—Winston Churchill’s name for the division of Europe

     

Containment

—U.S. plan to stop the spread of communism

Truman Doctrine

—U.S. supported countries that rejected communism Congress approved Truman’s request for aid to Greece and Turkey Much of Western Europe was in ruins after World War II

Marshall Plan

—U.S. program of assisting Western European countries or any country that requested it Congress approved plan after Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia

    In 1948, U.S., Britain, France withdrew forces from West Germany

Berlin Blockade

- Soviets stopped land and water traffic and trade into the three western zones that created West Berlin West Berlin, which was located in Soviet occupation zone, faced starvation U.S. and Britain flew in supplies for 11 months until the blockade ended

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Cold War

—struggle of U.S., Soviet Union using means short of war In 1949, U.S., Canada, West European countries form NATO

NATO

—North Atlantic Treaty Organization was a defensive military alliance In 1955, Soviets, Eastern European nations signed

Warsaw Pact

alliance In 1961, Soviets built Berlin Wall to separate East and West Berlin

       Soviet Union exploded its first atomic bomb in 1949 U.S. and Soviet Union both developed more powerful hydrogen bomb (

nuclear proliferation

– building more nuclear weapons)

Brinkmanship

—policy of willingness to go to the edge of war Increasing tensions led to military buildup by U.S. and Soviets In October 1957, Soviets launched

Sputnik

, first unmanned satellite Launching of Sputnik caused U.S. to spend more money on education and technology and to develop more rigorous science and math programs In 1960, Soviets shot down American spy plane, increasing tensions

     • —led Chinese Communists against Japanese invaders

Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek)

—leader of Chinese Nationalists in World War II; lost support because he ignored the needs of the peasants Nationalist and Communist Chinese resume civil war after WWII ends Mao’s troops took control of China’s major cities In 1949,

People’s Republic of China

created; Nationalists migrated to Taiwan

    Mao took property from landowners and divided it among peasants Government seized private companies and planned production increase

The Great Leap Forward

established

communes

—large collective farms often supporting over 25,000 people Program is ended after inefficiency led to crop failures and famines



Cultural Revolution

—movement to build society of peasants and workers; it led to widespread chaos that closed down factories and threatened farm production

     

38th parallel

—line dividing Korea into North Korea and South Korea In 1950, North Koreans invaded South Korea with Soviet support South Korea requested UN assistance; 15 nations send troops

Douglas MacArthur

—led UN forces against North Koreans North Koreans controlled most of peninsula when MacArthur attacks Half of the North’s army surrendered, the rest retreated

    UN troops pushed North Koreans almost to Chinese border Chinese sent 300,000 troops against UN forces when fighting came near their border and captured Seoul MacArthur called for nuclear attack and is removed from command by President Truman In 1953, cease fire signed and border established at 38th parallel

      Both Jews and Palestinians make historic claims to Palestine UN votes for formation of Jewish, Palestinian states in 1947 Palestinians, nearby Arab nations reject creation of Israel Palestinians objected to receiving only part of the Mandate of Palestine Arab neighbors attack Israel the day after it becomes new nation Israel repels the attack, seizes additional territory

   Arab-Israeli tension erupts into war again in 1956 Conflict begins after Egypt grabs control of British-held Suez Canal Israeli troops seize back the canal with British, French

     Israel defeats Arab countries in Six-Day War of 1967 Israel gains key land: Jerusalem, Sinai Peninsula, Golan Heights, West Bank Egyptian leader

Anwar Sadat

launches Arab attack on Israel in 1973 Israeli leader

Golda Meir

orders Israeli counterattack Israel recovers most territory

        Egypt and Israel sign peace agreement,

Camp David Accords

, in 1979 Egypt recognizes Israeli state; Israel returns Sinai region to Egypt Many Arab countries angry at Egypt and Muslim extremists assassinate Sadat Secret talks result in

Oslo Peace Accords

in 1993 Israeli Prime Minister

Yitzhak Rabin

calls for Palestinian self-rule Rabin is assassinated by Jewish opponent of Palestinian self-rule Peace plan is stalled

Sadat

and

Rabin

both executed by members of their own religion

     

Ho Chi Minh

—Vietnamese Communist leader In 1954, French surrendered to Vietnamese after major defeat

Domino theory

—U.S. theory of Communist expansion in Southeast Asia; one nation falls, the rest will follow International peace conference agreed on a divided Vietnam

Ngo Dinh Diem

—led anti-Communist government in South Vietnam

Vietcong

—South Vietnamese Communist guerillas who fought against Diem

      In 1964, U.S. sent troops to fight Vietcong and North Vietnamese U.S. fought guerilla war Vietcong gained support from Ho Chi Minh, China, Soviet Union War grew unpopular in U.S.; in 1969, Nixon starts withdrawing troops

Vietnamization

—Nixon’s plan to withdraw U.S. from war gradually Last U.S. troops left in 1973; South Vietnam was overrun in 1975

   Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City; Vietnam united as Communist nation About 1.5 million people fled Vietnam; some settled in U.S., Canada In 1995, United States normalized relations with Vietnam

     

Khmer Rouge

—Communist rebels who took control of Cambodia in 1975; led by Pol Pot Attempts at agricultural reform led to widespread famine Arbitrary executions and torture carried out by its cadres against perceived subversive elements Purged their own ranks They slaughtered 2 million people; Khmer Rouge is overthrown by pro Communist, but moderate Vietnamese invaders In 1993, Cambodia adopted democracy, held elections with UN help

    U.S., Soviet Union, China competed for influence over

Third World

by backing revolutions and giving economic, military, technical aid

Third World

—developing nations; often newly independent, nonaligned

Nonaligned nations (nonalignment)

—independent countries not involved in Cold War Many countries, like India, wanted to avoid involvement in Cold War

   

Fidel Castro

—led a revolt in Cuba against dictator (Batista) who was supported by U.S.

In 1959, Castro gained power, nationalized economy, and seized U.S. property

Bay of Pigs Invasion

In 1961, Castro’s forces defeated U.S.-trained Cuban exiles at Bay of Pigs; CIA trained these Cubans but they failed to assassinate Castro

Cuban Missile Crisis

- In 1962, U.S. demanded the removal of Soviet missiles in Cuba; Soviets withdrew missiles and U.S. promised not to invade Cuba; nuclear war was averted; this event pitted Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev against President John F. Kennedy

     

Anastasio Somoza

—Nicaraguan dictator supported by U.S.

Daniel Ortega

—led Sandinista rebels who take power in Nicaragua U.S. and Soviet Union both initially supported Sandinistas Sandinistas aided Communist rebels in El Salvador U.S. helped anti-Communist

Contras

in Nicaragua to assist El Salvador In 1990, Nicaragua holds first free elections; Sandinistas lose

       

Shah Reza Pahlavi

embraced Western governments and oil companies with U.S. support Iranian nationalists overthrew shah and seized British oil company U.S. restored shah to power because we feared Soviet involvement

Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini

—Iranian Muslim leader who was Islamic fundamentalist In 1978, Khomeini sparked riots in Iran and the shah fled Islamic revolutionaries held American hostages in Tehran (1979 –1981) Rescue attempt under President Carter failed (10 Americans killed), but hostages were released right after Reagan was elected President (

Algiers Accord

) Muslim radicals took control in Iran

      In 1979, Soviets invade Afghanistan and fail to conquer In 1988, Soviets invaded Afghanistan again to help Communist government against rebels Muslim rebels fought a guerilla war against Soviets with U.S. weapons Rebels forces form

mujahideen

—holy warriors—to fight Communist rule; defeated Soviet forces U.S. stopped grain shipments to Soviet Union Soviets withdrew their forces in 1989

     

Deng Xiaoping

—becomes leader of China by 1980

Four Modernizations

—Deng’s plan for economic progress; called for progress in agriculture, industry, defense, and science and technology Western political and economic ideas enter China, encouraging democracy In 1989, students protest in

Tiananmen Square

- public area in Beijing Deng orders army to surround square, attack protesters Attack leaves hundreds dead, thousands wounded

       

Détente

—policy of reducing Cold War tensions to avoid conflict

Richard M. Nixon

—U.S. president who launched détente Détente grew out of philosophy that recognized politics needed to be practical, flexible Nixon visited China and Soviet Union and signed the

SALT I Treaty

SALT

—Strategic Arms Limitation Talks—limit nuclear weapons Nixon and Gerald Ford improve relations with Soviets and China Jimmy Carter had concerns about Soviet policies but signed

SALT II

Congress did not ratify

SALT II

due to Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

    

Ronald Reagan

—anti-Communist U.S. president took office in 1981 Increased military spending and proposes a missile defense program In 1985, new Soviet leadership allowed easing of Cold War tensions

Mikhail Gorbachev

—became Soviet leader in 1984 Young, energetic, skilled, wanted to pursue new policies

      To achieve economic reforms, Gorbachev needed an open dialogue in society Gorbachev promoted new policy of

glasnost

—openness; dissent allowed People complained about lack of goods; Gorbachev blamed old communist system In 1985, he introduced

perestroika

—policy of economic restructuring He hoped to make economy more efficient and productive by introducing elements of capitalism In 1987, he gave voters a choice and more reformers were elected to new legislature (expanded democracy)

     

Berlin Wall

was constructed in 1961 to divide

West Berlin

(democratic) from

East Berlin

(communist) East Germany’s leader resisted reforms Thousands of East Germans escaped through Hungary to Austria East Germany closed its borders which sparked massive protests In November 1989, new East German leader opened Berlin Wall; Communist government in East Germany falls

Reunification

—merging of the two Germanys—achieved in October 1990

      Gorbachev wants to reform Soviet Union, but reforms lead to collapse Non-Russian ethnic groups rebel in different republics In 1990, Lithuania declared independence Gorbachev, fearing similar actions in other republics, sent troops Reformer

Boris Yeltsin

rallied people against Communist old guard Old-time Communists opposed both Gorbachev and Yeltsin

      In August 1991, hardliners tried to seize control of government again Thousands of protesters and Yeltsin rallied against this move Army refused to attack protesters and coup collapses Government took actions to punish Communist Party for the coup Many republics declared independence; Gorbachev could not stop them Republics formed a federation,

CIS

—Commonwealth of Independent States

      Yeltsin aimed to reform the Russian economy Tried

“shock therapy”

—quick transition to free market system New policies brought economic chaos and hardship as well as political troubles In 1991, Chechnya declared independence from Russia Yeltsin attempted to crush rebellion which caused unrest at home As conflict continued in 1999, he resigns in favor of

Vladimir Putin

     Fighting still drags on in Chechnya under Putin In 2002, Chechen rebels seized a theater in Moscow and many people were killed Economic problems continued which led to unstable politics Social problems included homelessness and unemployment There were declines in the population, standard of living and average life expectancy

          In 1948, National Party enacts

apartheid

—separation of races Government sets up reserves, called homelands, for blacks in 1959 In 1912, blacks form African National Congress (ANC) to protest

Nelson Mandela

—ANC leader imprisoned for 27 years Protests rise in 1970s and 1980s, sometimes resulting in violence In 1990, F. W. de Klerk legalizes ANC, frees Mandela from prison Parliament repeals apartheid laws, grants rights to blacks De Klerk agrees to elections open to all races to be held in 1994 In 1994, ANC wins majority of Parliament; Mandela elected president In 1996, new constitution adopted giving equal rights to all

         Yugoslavia has 8 ethnic groups in a federation of 6 republics

Milosevic

, Serbian leader, tries to impose control on whole country Slovenia and Croatia fight off Serbian army, win independence In 1992, Bosnia-Herzegovina declares independence; war breaks out Serb forces practice

ethnic cleansing

—getting rid of Bosnian Muslims In 1995, U.S., UN establish peace setting up multiethnic government In 1998, fighting starts in Kosovo, Serb province of ethnic Albanians Serbian army invades to put down Albanian rebels with harsh force In 1999, NATO bombs Serbia, forces Serbs to withdraw

      In 1990, Iraq invades Kuwait and seizes vast oil fields Fears mount that Iraq might control majority of world’s petroleum

Persian Gulf War

- In early 1991, many nations, led by the U.S., send armies and drive Saddam Hussein and Iraq out of Kuwait Iraq, under Hussein, expels UN inspectors searching for Weapons of Mass Destruction UN threatens “severe consequences” if Iraq stops inspectors’ return

Iraq War

- In 2003, U.S. and Britain lead coalition to disarm Iraq by force; U.S. troops are still present in Iraq

          

Terrorism

—use of violence to force social or political change Many terrorists have political goals; some have religious motives On

September 11, 2001

, Arab terrorists, led by Taliban leader,

Osama Bin Laden

hijack four airliners Hijackers crash two jets into World Trade Center towers in New York One crashes into the Pentagon, one into a field in Pennsylvania WTC towers collapse; extensive damage at Pentagon 3,000 die in the attacks

Department of Homeland Security

—created in 2002 to fight terrorism U.S. detains Arabs, Muslims considered suspicious; many protest Government defends wartime suspension of civil liberties In 2001, Congress passes

USA Patriot Act

—antiterrorism measure