Review these slides to best understand Unit 8: Cold War & Decolonization (1900-Present)

The World Split Into Two Ideological Camps

Capitalism (U.S.) vs. Communism (USSR) shaped every global conflict from 1945–1991.

The Cold War Was Fought Through Proxy Wars

Instead of direct combat, the superpowers fought in:

• Korea

• Vietnam

• Afghanistan

• Africa and Latin America

Empires Fell and New Nations Emerged

Decolonization transformed the world map as dozens of new countries became independent.

Decolonization was NOT Uniform

Some nations negotiated peaceful independence; others fought long and violent wars.

Nationalism Became a Global Force

National identity and self-determination drove revolutions and independence movements.

Global Institutions Reshaped World Order

The UN, IMF, and WHO expanded global cooperation and governance.

The Cold War Ended Because the USSR Collapsed Internally

Economic crisis + Gorbachev’s reforms + popular uprisings ended the Soviet system.

The Post-Cold War Era Created a New Global Power Structure

With only one superpower left (United States), global politics shifted into a new phase.

Causes & Context of the Cold War

Understand why the Cold War began after WWII:

• Ideological rivalry: capitalism vs. communism

• Power vacuum created after WWII destruction

• Disagreements at Yalta/Potsdam

• Nuclear weapons escalation

Key ideas:

• US policy of containment

• Soviet sphere of influence in Eastern Europe

• NATO vs. Warsaw Pact alliances

Cold War Conflicts (Proxy Wars)

Superpowers fought indirectly around the world:

• Korean War (North communist vs. South democratic)

• Vietnam War (guerilla warfare, U.S. intervention)

• Afghanistan War (Soviets vs. U.S.-backed Afghan fighters)

• Angolan Civil War, Cuban Missile Crisis

These conflicts shaped global politics without direct U.S.–USSR combat.

Cold War Strategies

• Truman Doctrine – support countries resisting communism

• Marshall Plan – economic aid to rebuild Europe

• Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) – nuclear standoff

• Space Race – scientific competition

• Arms Race – nuclear buildup

Decolonization (1945–Present)

After WWII, colonial empires collapsed.

Why Decolonization happened:

• Enlightenment + nationalist movements

• WWII weakened European powers

• Anti-imperialist ideologies (self-determination)

• U.S. and USSR supported anti-colonial movements

Different Paths to Independence:

Negotiated independence

• • India, Ghana

Armed conflict

• • Algeria, Vietnam, Kenya

Major leaders:

• Gandhi (India)

• Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana)

• Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam)

• Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya)

• Nelson Mandela (South Africa—postcolonial anti-apartheid)

New Nations & Nationalist Movements

• Creation of Israel (1948)

• Pan-Africanism

• Arab nationalism (Nasser in Egypt)

• Non-Aligned Movement (Bandung Conference; leaders like Nehru, Nasser, Tito)

Global Institutions & Globalization

Understand how the postwar world reordered:

• United Nations

• International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• World Bank

• World Health Organization (WHO)

These shaped modern international cooperation.

End of the Cold War

• Economic pressure on USSR

• Gorbachev’s reforms (glasnost & perestroika)

• Fall of Berlin Wall (1989)

• Collapse of Soviet Union (1991)

Transition to new global order (unipolar US dominance).