Cold War and Decolonization: every key term you need (+ practice quiz)
96 flashcard terms for AP World History Unit 8, written to match the course framework. Read them here, drill them as flashcards, or take the 50-question quiz. Free, no account needed.
A geopolitical rivalry (1947–1991) between the U.S. (capitalism, democracy) and the USSR (communism, single-party state). It was 'cold' because the superpowers never fought directly, instead competing through proxy wars, arms races, and ideological influence.
Iron Curtain
Winston Churchill's 1946 metaphor for the political boundary dividing communist Eastern Europe from democratic Western Europe. It symbolized the ideological and physical division of the continent.
Containment
The U.S. Cold War strategy of preventing the spread of communism, articulated by George Kennan. It was implemented through military alliances, economic aid, and intervention in countries threatened by communist movements.
Truman Doctrine (1947)
President Truman's pledge to support 'free peoples' resisting communism. It provided military and economic aid to Greece and Turkey and established containment as official U.S. policy.
Marshall Plan (1948)
A massive U.S. economic aid program that provided $13 billion to rebuild Western Europe after WWII. It strengthened capitalist economies, prevented communist gains, and tied Western Europe to the U.S.
NATO (1949)
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization — a military alliance of Western nations pledging mutual defense. It was the Western counterpart to the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact (1955).
Warsaw Pact (1955)
A military alliance of the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellite states, created as a counterweight to NATO. It formalized Soviet control over Eastern Europe.
Nuclear Arms Race
The U.S.-Soviet competition to build larger and more destructive nuclear arsenals. By the 1960s, both sides had enough weapons to destroy civilization multiple times over.
Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)
The Cold War doctrine that nuclear war was unwinnable because both sides could destroy the other even after absorbing a first strike — making nuclear weapons a deterrent rather than a usable weapon.
Berlin Wall (1961–1989)
A concrete wall dividing East and West Berlin, built by East Germany to prevent citizens from fleeing to the West. Its fall on November 9, 1989, symbolized the end of the Cold War.
Space Race
U.S.-Soviet competition in space exploration. The USSR launched Sputnik (1957) and sent the first human to space (Yuri Gagarin, 1961). The U.S. landed the first humans on the Moon (Apollo 11, 1969).
Korean War (1950–1953)
The first major proxy war of the Cold War. North Korea (supported by China and the USSR) invaded South Korea (supported by the U.S. and UN). It ended in a stalemate along the 38th parallel with no peace treaty.
Vietnam War (1955–1975)
A Cold War proxy conflict where the U.S. supported South Vietnam against the communist North (led by Ho Chi Minh). Despite massive U.S. military involvement, North Vietnam won, reunifying the country under communism in 1975.
Ho Chi Minh
Vietnamese communist leader who fought French colonialism and American intervention, leading North Vietnam in the Vietnam War. He drew on both Marxism and Vietnamese nationalism.
Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
A 13-day confrontation when the U.S. discovered Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, bringing the world closer to nuclear war than at any other time. It ended when the USSR removed missiles in exchange for a U.S. pledge not to invade Cuba.
Cuban Revolution (1959)
Fidel Castro's guerrilla movement overthrew the U.S.-backed Batista dictatorship, establishing a communist state 90 miles from Florida. Cuba became a Soviet ally and a symbol of anti-imperialist revolution.
Fidel Castro
Cuban revolutionary leader who established a communist state (1959–2008). He nationalized industry, improved literacy and healthcare, but suppressed political opposition and free speech.
Soviet-Afghan War (1979–1989)
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to support a communist government against mujahideen rebels. The U.S. armed the rebels. The war drained Soviet resources and contributed to the USSR's collapse — often called 'Russia's Vietnam.'
A period of reduced U.S.-Soviet tensions (late 1960s–1970s) characterized by arms control agreements (SALT I, SALT II), diplomatic engagement, and the Helsinki Accords.
Glasnost and Perestroika
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms: glasnost (openness/transparency) allowed public criticism, while perestroika (restructuring) introduced limited market reforms. Instead of saving the USSR, they accelerated its collapse.
Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)
On November 9, 1989, East Germany opened the Berlin Wall, allowing free movement between East and West. It symbolized the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the end of the Cold War.
Dissolution of the Soviet Union (1991)
The USSR formally dissolved on December 25, 1991, splitting into 15 independent republics. Russia, under Boris Yeltsin, was the largest successor state. The Cold War was over.
Decolonization — Overview
The process by which European empires dissolved after WWII. Between 1945 and 1975, dozens of nations in Africa and Asia gained independence — sometimes peacefully, often through armed struggle.
Kwame Nkrumah — Ghana (1957)
Led Ghana to independence from Britain — the first sub-Saharan African nation to gain independence. He became a leading Pan-Africanist voice but was later overthrown in a military coup (1966).
Jomo Kenyatta — Kenya
Led Kenya to independence from Britain (1963) after the Mau Mau uprising. He became Kenya's first president and promoted national unity under the slogan 'Harambee' (pulling together).
Mau Mau Uprising (1952–1960)
A Kenyan armed rebellion against British colonial rule, primarily among the Kikuyu people. Britain's brutal counterinsurgency (detention camps, forced resettlement) drew international criticism.
Algerian War of Independence (1954–1962)
A brutal war between Algerian nationalists (FLN) and France. It involved guerrilla warfare, terrorism, and torture, killing over 1 million Algerians. Algeria gained independence in 1962.
Patrice Lumumba — Congo
The first democratically elected prime minister of the Congo (1960). He was overthrown and assassinated with CIA and Belgian involvement, and the Congo descended into decades of dictatorship under Mobutu.
Organization of African Unity (OAU)
Founded in 1963 to promote African solidarity, coordinate independence movements, and settle disputes. It became the African Union (AU) in 2002.
Neocolonialism
The continuation of economic exploitation after formal independence — former colonial powers maintained economic control through trade agreements, debt, multinational corporations, and military intervention.
Indonesian Independence (1945–1949)
Sukarno declared Indonesian independence from the Netherlands in 1945. After four years of armed struggle and international pressure, the Dutch recognized Indonesian sovereignty in 1949.
Sukarno
First president of Indonesia (1945–1967) who led the independence movement and hosted the Bandung Conference (1955). He was later overthrown by the military under Suharto.
Vietnamese Independence
Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnamese independence from France in 1945. France's defeat at Dien Bien Phu (1954) ended French colonial rule, but Vietnam was divided, leading to the Vietnam War.
Battle of Dien Bien Phu (1954)
A decisive Vietnamese victory over French forces that ended French colonial rule in Indochina. It demonstrated that a determined anti-colonial movement could defeat a European military power.
Bandung Conference (1955)
A meeting of 29 African and Asian nations in Indonesia that promoted solidarity among newly independent states, opposed colonialism, and laid the groundwork for the Non-Aligned Movement.
Non-Aligned Movement
A group of nations (including India, Indonesia, Egypt, Yugoslavia) that refused to align with either the U.S. or USSR during the Cold War. It promoted decolonization, sovereignty, and peaceful coexistence.
India's first prime minister (1947–1964) who pursued democratic socialism, non-alignment in the Cold War, and modernization through Five-Year Plans and secular governance.
Gamal Abdel Nasser — Egypt
Egyptian president (1956–1970) who nationalized the Suez Canal, pursued Pan-Arab nationalism, and became a leader of the Non-Aligned Movement. His defiance of Western powers inspired anti-colonial movements.
Suez Crisis (1956)
Egypt's nationalization of the Suez Canal triggered a British-French-Israeli invasion. U.S. and Soviet pressure forced a withdrawal, demonstrating that European colonial powers could no longer act independently.
Chilean Coup (1973)
The CIA-backed military overthrow of democratically elected socialist president Salvador Allende by General Augusto Pinochet, who established a brutal right-wing dictatorship.
Augusto Pinochet
Chilean military dictator (1973–1990) who overthrew Allende in a U.S.-backed coup. His regime murdered and tortured thousands of political opponents while implementing free-market economic reforms.
Sandinistas — Nicaragua
A leftist revolutionary movement that overthrew the U.S.-backed Somoza dictatorship in 1979. The Reagan administration funded the Contras to fight them, creating a devastating civil war.
Dirty Wars — Argentina
The Argentine military junta's campaign (1976–1983) of kidnapping, torturing, and murdering suspected leftists — an estimated 30,000 'disappeared.' The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo protested.
Liberation Theology
A Latin American Catholic movement combining Christian ethics with social justice activism, arguing that the Church should advocate for the poor and oppressed. It was controversial within the Vatican.
Iranian Revolution (1979)
A popular revolution that overthrew the U.S.-backed Shah and established an Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Khomeini. It transformed Iran into a theocratic state and reshaped Middle Eastern politics.
Ayatollah Khomeini
Leader of the Iranian Revolution who established a theocratic Islamic Republic. He opposed Western influence, held American hostages for 444 days, and inspired Islamic revolutionary movements worldwide.
Arab-Israeli Conflict
An ongoing conflict rooted in competing Jewish and Palestinian claims to the same land. Key events include the 1948 war, 1967 Six-Day War, 1973 Yom Kippur War, and the unresolved Palestinian question.
OPEC Oil Embargo (1973)
Arab OPEC members restricted oil exports to nations supporting Israel in the Yom Kippur War, causing an energy crisis that quadrupled oil prices, triggered inflation, and demonstrated oil's geopolitical power.
Mao's Great Leap Forward (1958–1962)
Mao's campaign to rapidly industrialize China through agricultural collectivization and backyard steel production. It caused the deadliest famine in history, killing an estimated 15–55 million people.
Cultural Revolution (1966–1976)
Mao's campaign to purge 'bourgeois' elements from Chinese society. Red Guards attacked intellectuals, destroyed cultural heritage, and created chaos that devastated China's education and economy.
Deng Xiaoping's Reforms
After Mao's death (1976), Deng Xiaoping opened China's economy to market forces while maintaining Communist Party political control. Special Economic Zones attracted foreign investment and fueled explosive economic growth.
Tiananmen Square Massacre (1989)
Chinese troops killed hundreds (possibly thousands) of pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. It demonstrated the Communist Party's determination to maintain political control despite economic liberalization.
Four Asian Tigers
South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore — nations that achieved rapid industrialization and economic growth from the 1960s–1990s through export-oriented policies, education investment, and authoritarian governance.
Apartheid — South Africa
A system of racial segregation and white minority rule in South Africa (1948–1994). It classified people by race, restricted movement, denied political rights, and enforced separate and unequal facilities.
Anti-apartheid leader imprisoned for 27 years (1964–1990) who became South Africa's first Black president (1994). He promoted reconciliation rather than revenge, establishing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
African National Congress (ANC)
South Africa's leading anti-apartheid organization, founded in 1912. Under Mandela and others, it used both nonviolent protest and armed resistance to fight racial oppression.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
A post-apartheid body that investigated human rights abuses, allowing perpetrators to confess in exchange for amnesty. It prioritized national healing over retribution — a model studied worldwide.
Proxy Wars — Definition
Conflicts where the U.S. and USSR supported opposing sides without fighting each other directly. Examples: Korea, Vietnam, Angola, Afghanistan, Nicaragua — the Cold War was fought through surrogates.
Domino Theory
The Cold War belief that if one nation fell to communism, neighboring nations would follow like falling dominoes. It justified U.S. intervention in Vietnam, Korea, and Latin America.
Khmer Rouge — Cambodia
A radical communist movement led by Pol Pot that ruled Cambodia (1975–1979). Its attempt to create an agrarian utopia killed approximately 2 million people — about 25% of Cambodia's population.
One-Party States in Africa
Many newly independent African nations adopted one-party systems, arguing that multi-party democracy would worsen ethnic divisions. In practice, this often led to authoritarianism, corruption, and military coups.
Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI)
An economic strategy adopted by many developing nations to reduce dependence on imports by building domestic industries behind protective tariffs. It had mixed results and often led to inefficiency.
Dependency Theory
A theory arguing that global capitalism keeps developing nations poor by trapping them as raw material exporters dependent on industrialized nations — a structural critique of neocolonialism.
Solidarity Movement — Poland
A Polish trade union and social movement led by Lech Walesa that challenged communist rule in the 1980s. It was the first independent labor union in the Soviet bloc and helped trigger communism's fall.
Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan
U.S. commitment to contain communism (Greece, Turkey) and rebuild Western Europe economically, drawing the lines of the Cold War in 1947-48.
Non-Aligned Movement
Founded after Bandung (1955) by Nehru, Nasser, Tito, and Sukarno to avoid superpower blocs and assert postcolonial independence.
Proxy Wars
Superpower rivalry fought through client states in Korea, Vietnam, Angola, and Afghanistan, often devastating the Global South.
Cuban Missile Crisis
1962 confrontation over Soviet missiles in Cuba brought the world close to nuclear war and led to a hotline and arms-control talks.
Great Leap Forward
Mao's 1958-62 drive to industrialize via communes and backyard furnaces caused a famine that killed tens of millions.
Cultural Revolution
Mao's mobilization of Red Guards (1966-76) against 'old' culture and party rivals, disrupting education and the economy.
Partition of India (1947)
British India split into India and Pakistan along religious lines, triggering mass migration and up to a million deaths, and the Kashmir dispute.
Algerian War
FLN insurgency (1954-62) against France, marked by torture and terrorism; ended with independence and the flight of settlers (pieds-noirs).
First sub-Saharan colony to gain independence (1957) through negotiation and Pan-African organizing, inspiring other movements.
Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh
Nationalist-communist struggle against France (Dien Bien Phu, 1954) then the U.S., ending in unification in 1975.
Creation of Israel and Arab-Israeli Wars
1948 partition led to war and Palestinian displacement; wars in 1967 and 1973 reshaped the Middle East and Cold War alignments.
Apartheid and the ANC
South Africa's racial segregation regime (1948-1994) resisted by Mandela's ANC; ended through sanctions, protest, and negotiation.
Import Substitution Industrialization
Latin American and Indian strategy of tariffs and state industry to replace imports; growth stalled by 1980s debt crises.
Detente and Arms Control
1970s easing of tensions with SALT treaties and Nixon's China visit, followed by renewed confrontation after Afghanistan (1979).
Gorbachev's Glasnost and Perestroika
Openness and economic restructuring meant to save Soviet socialism instead unleashed dissent and led to the USSR's 1991 dissolution.
Solidarity and 1989 Revolutions
Polish trade union movement and Eastern bloc protests culminated in the fall of the Berlin Wall as the USSR declined to intervene.
Containment Doctrine
Formulated by George Kennan and announced through the Truman Doctrine, it committed the United States to resisting Soviet expansion wherever it appeared.
Marshall Plan
Massive American aid rebuilt western European economies, stabilizing them against communist parties while creating markets for United States exports.
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
The Soviet closure of land routes in 1948-49 was defeated by a sustained Allied airlift, hardening the division of Germany and the emerging bloc system.
Proxy Wars
Superpowers armed and funded rival sides in Korea, Vietnam, Angola, Afghanistan, and Central America, exporting Cold War conflict to the decolonizing world.
Cuban Missile Crisis
The 1962 standoff came closest to nuclear war and produced the hotline and later arms-control talks by demonstrating the danger of miscalculation.
Non-Aligned Movement and Bandung
The 1955 Bandung Conference launched an effort by newly independent states to resist alignment with either bloc and to press for economic justice.
Gandhi and Satyagraha
Mass nonviolent resistance, including the Salt March and boycotts, made colonial rule administratively and morally costly and inspired later movements globally.
Partition of India
The 1947 division into India and Pakistan triggered mass migration and violence killing hundreds of thousands, showing how religious identity could be politicized by hurried decolonization.
Nkrumah and Ghana
Ghana's 1957 independence under Kwame Nkrumah made it a model for African decolonization and a center of Pan-Africanist thought.
Algerian War of Independence
A brutal 1954-62 conflict against a large settler population showed why colonies with entrenched settlers usually required violent rather than negotiated decolonization.
Mao's 1958 campaign for rapid collectivized industrialization produced backyard steel of no value and a famine that killed tens of millions.
Cultural Revolution
From 1966 Mao mobilized youth against party officials and traditional culture, disrupting education and industry for a decade.
Deng Xiaoping's Reforms
After 1978 China introduced household farming, special economic zones, and foreign investment while keeping one-party rule, producing decades of rapid growth.
Iranian Revolution of 1979
The overthrow of the shah established a theocratic republic and showed that mass mobilization could be religious rather than Marxist or nationalist.
Apartheid and Its Dismantling
South Africa's legal racial separation was ended by internal resistance, sanctions, and negotiation, with Mandela's 1994 election completing the transition.
Glasnost and Perestroika
Gorbachev's openness and economic restructuring aimed to save the Soviet system but instead allowed criticism and nationalism that dissolved the union in 1991.