Western Civ Final Vocab Flashcards
Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Assassination was a key event that started WWI.
Franz Ferdinand
German military strategy to focus all power on the western Front (France) and proceed to the eastern front (Russia) after French forces were immobilized. Failed, and considered reason Germany lost.
Schlieffen Plan
Major battle between Britain/France and Germany during WWI. Severe impact on German forces, tactical battle that bolstered British forces’ experience
Battle of the Somme
Air operation to supply Berlin w/ supplies amidst illegal Soviet blockade that Stalin placed in hopes of gaining total control over Berlin. Demonstrated western resistance to Communist power
Berlin Airlift
Meeting of winners of WWI to establish peace conditions. Drafted the Treaty of Versailles, to split up German territory and place blame, created the League of Nations
Paris Peace Conference
An IO created after WWI to peacefully resolve disputes on the international level. Largely unsuccessful due to lack of legitimate power, failed to stop WWII, and the US didn’t join
League of Nations
Attempted coup by Hitler and the Nazi Party. Led to Hitler’s imprisonment and the ban of the Nazi party. Helped pave the way for Hitler and the Nazi Party’s rise to power and the events leading up to WWII
Beer Hall Putsch
Paramilitary group created by Benito Mussolini known for their violence and intimidation methods. Italian Fascists loyal to Mussolini after WWI
Black Shirts
Prime minister of the UK before WWII. Supported the “appeasement” policy towards Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, and tried to keep Britain out of the Spanish Civil War
Neville Chamberlain
German’s surprise invasion of Russia in 1941 that failed largely due to weak strategic planning. German forces were initially successful, but proved unable to proceed further against Russian forces. German first significant loss
Operation Barbarossa
Last Russian emperor, overthrown and killed by the Bolsheviks that were led by Lenin. Blamed for Russia’s failures throughout WWI and Russia’s poor state of living
Tsar Nicholas II
Led the Bolsheviks to power during WWI by overthrowing the provisional government to establish the Soviet Union. October Revolution, Russian Civil War -> communist ideals in Russia
Vladimir Lenin
A man-made famine in Soviet Ukraine in 1929 created by Stalin in order to pacify a restless peasant population that was upset with forced collectivization that was hurting the economy
Holodomar
An Indian lawyer, anti-colonist activist, and political activist that ended British colonialism in India. Non-violent methods and inspired civil rights movement
Mahatma Gandhi
A political body during the French Revolution that oversaw the defense of France against foreign and domestic enemies, oversaw the transition from the monarchy to a Republic after Louis XVI was executed
Committee of Public Safety
Major historical event during WWII where allied forced were evacuated from Dunkirk, France. Very successful, big boost for British morale
Dunkerque
Women who fought for the right to vote in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Utilized civil disobedience and lobbying, and shifted to supporting the war effort when WWI broke out in 1914
Suffragettes
A US program to provide economic aid to Western Europe after WWII to combat the spread of communism in the region
Marshall Plan
The restructuring of the economic and political system of the communist state to minimize corruption and bureaucracy in 1985
Perestroika
Annexation of Australia by Nazi Germany that was faced with little domestic or international opposition. Demonstrated the expansion of the Reich, the Nazi Party, and German military power
Anschluss
A political and ideological barrier that divided Europe into two areas during the Cold War. Facilitated by the Soviet Union to limit contact with the west and encourage growth of the communist state
Iron Curtain
Joseph Stalin’s successor, first secretary of the Nazi Party, denounced Stalin’s “cult of personality,” opened up Russia to foreign influence. Led the 1950’s Soviet “thaw”
Nikita Khrushchev
A series of criminal trials held by the allied forced after WWII against surviving high ranking officials of the defeated Nazi German State. Raises the question of who was responsible
Nuremberg Trials
Served as Prime Minister and President of Russia since 1999. Appointed as interim president after Yeltsin resigns. Brought economic expansion, health care forms, and hopes to restore the Soviet Union. Undemocratically elected and known for corrupt practice
Vladimir Putin
Protest led by university students demanding the withdrawal of soviet troops, democratization, and a more independent government. Uprising was crushed almost immediately, but exposed the weaknesses in Eastern Europe communism and helped pave the way to the Soviet Union’s collapse
Hungarian Rebellion
A war in which two actors never directly engage with each other, and possibly uses third parties as substitutes for fighting each other directly. Cold War was over who could gain the most influence on the international scale
Proxy Wars
Rationale to avoiding another war. Led by guilt about the treatment of Germany post WWI, as the Treaty of Versailles limited them economically. Allowed Hitler and Nazi Germany to expand territory and military power, and credited as the catalyst for the outbreak of WWII
Appeasement
A nuclear power plant accident at Chernobyl, Ukraine, that released massive amounts of radioactive material into the environment. Mikhail, surprisingly, was extremely candid about the accident to the world, furthering glasnost policy
Chernobyl
Peace agreement reached by the Paris Peace Conference including the winners of WWI
“War Guilt” cause that blamed Germany for WWI and imposed heavy punishment, divided up German territory and created League of Nations
President of Russia from 1991 to 1999. Advocate for radical economic and political openness. Criticized the communist system and the Soviet Union, led to the collapse of the USSR. Eventually resigned, as many blamed him for increasing economic and social chaos of the 1990’s.
Boris Yeltsin
“Mobile killing squads” units of the Security Police and SD that followed German army as it invaded occupied countries in Europe. Best known for their role in the systematic murder of Jews in mass shooting operations
Einsatzgruppen
Controversial Italian dictator and founder of fascism. Totalitarian leader that utilized the suppression of political opposition, control over the media, universities, and shut down of labor unions
Benito Mussolini
Violent insurgency in Kenya between 1952 and 1960. A reaction to British colonial rule, land dispossession, and economic exploitation. Furthered decolonization efforts and the collapse of major empires
Mau Mau
Military revolt against the Republican government of Spain. Republicans (workers, peasants, professional class, supported by Soviets) vs the Nationalists (aristocracy, military, business, fascists, supported by Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany). Led to a Nationalist victory and Dictatorship under Francisco Franco, who was highly authoritarian and his national ideology aligned with the Catholic Church’s ideals
Spanish Civil War
Soviet leader from 1920’s to 1953. Industrialized the Soviet Union and defeated Nazi Germany. Praised for role with allied forced in WWII, but criticized for forced collectivization, the Great Purge, and the installment of pro-Communist governments
Joseph Stalin
One of the first concentration camps built by Nazi Germany and one of the longest lasting camps that held political prisoners, Jews, artists, intellectuals, handicapped, Romani, homosexuals
Dachau
Military and political alliance/treaty between Soviet Union and Eastern European countries between the Cold War. Counterbalance to NATO. “If one was attacked, the rest were attacked”
Warsaw Pact
Military alliance of countries in Europe and North America established in 1949. Initially established to defend against Soviet Union. Meant to protect the people and territory of its members
NATO
Period of political liberalization and mass protest in Czechoslovakia in 1968. Following communist control since WWII, it was a short lived attempt to reform the communist system and move towards democracy and free-market principles
Prague Spring
Soviet policy coined by Gorbachev meant to increase openness and transparency in government institutions and activities in the Soviet Union. Mean tot improve political and economic status through decentralization
Glasnost
A public statement issues by British government expressing support for the establishment of a “national home for Jewish people” in Palestine. Led to the creation of the state of Israel, but prompted dissent among the Arab population who saw the declaration as a betrayal of their lands rights and aspirations for self-determination
Balfour Declaration
Last leader of the Soviet Union who played a key role in ending the Cold War through policies of glasnost and perestroika. Helped begin to reform the system and expose deep structural issues that ultimately contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union
Mikhail Gorbachev
Meeting between winners of WWII to discuss future of Europe and Germany after the war. Led to the division of Germany and Berlin into four occupation zones and the demilitarization and denazification of Germany (Nuremberg Trials). Created the United Nations to condemn aggression and encourage collective security
Yalta Conference
People excluded from political rights and voting in France during the French Revolution. Passive referred to women, children, men under 25, and those who didn’t pay enough in taxes. Distinction created by the 1791 constitution of France
Passive citizens
Last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. Poor economic state and widespread dissent over the political system led to the creation of the National Assembly, who helped lead France to a Republic and the collapse of the monarchy. Was executed.
King Louis XVI
One of the most successful generals of the French revolutionary armies. Participated in the revolution that led to the overthrow and execution of the monarch. Declared emperor of France in 1804
Napoleon Bonaparte
