Polish elections of 1989
Poland had alway resited communism. A labor party called solidarity protested any attempt to restrict their freedoms. In that year the soviets legalized their party, thinking they would loose anyway. Solidarity won and started dissolving the bonds between poland and the soviet union.
Berlin wall
Prevented east berliners from fleeing to the economically prosperous west.
Unified dominance. Ex: the soviet union's dominance over eastern europe.
Korean war
When people were allowed to express their opinions, turns out they didn't really like the USSR. A wave of nationalism spread over soviet countries who started demanding their independence.
Gorbachev's effort to restructure the soviet economy by introducing some limited free-market elements like private property
European coal and steel community
Agreement between 6 countries to integrate their coal and steel operations. Was quickly profitable for member nations and the idea was that if nations were tied together economically, they wouldn't go to war with one another.
Cold war
European union
Decolonization
It was Wilson's insistence that nations be granted the right of national self-determination that led to calls for independence throughout the world. (14 points)
India used non-violent civil disobedience to negotiate with the exhausted british for independence.
Results of U.S. influence
Creation of world monetary and trade systems, like the International monetary fund which offered loans to help nations rebuild, and the creation of NATO for the defence of western european nations
2nd wave of feminism
Marshall plan (1947)
After WWII, Europe lay in ruins. The U.S. hoped strong democratic economies would not easily fall to communism. Western European countries gladly accepted the money, while Soviet satellite states did not.
Economic miracle
Chechen nationalist movement
Chechen muslims had profound anti-russian sentiments that stretch back centuries. When the USSR collapsed, they declared independence. They ruled themselves for 3 years until Russia decided to reassert its influence through a series of conflicts that ended in 2017.
Proxy wars
Division of germany
At the end of the war, germany was divided into occupation zones. The west wanted economic recovery for Germany to keep europe stable, but the soviets wanted to keep germany weak, and wanted to extract reparations.
Growth of social welfare
The idea of social welfare spread throughout europe.
Demanded Hungary have free and fair elections in Hungary. The soviets freaked out and sent hundreds of troops, and tanks to crush the revolution
Algerian decolonization
National liberation front fought with france until Algeria was independent.
Fall of the Soviet Union in 1991
Officially ended the cold war, capitalist democracies were established in eastern europe, and germany was reunited.
Common market (later the european union)
A major push for women's suffrage and other rights after women's contributions to WWI and WWII
