#AP World History: Modern - Unit 8 Study Guide: The Cold War & Decolonization 🌍

Hey! Let's get you prepped for Unit 8. We're diving into the post-WWII world, focusing on the Cold War and Decolonization. Think of this as your ultimate cheat sheet for acing the exam! 🚀

#Context: The Aftermath of WWII

#The Seeds of Conflict: Pre-WWII Tensions

• WWI's Unresolved Issues: Nationalism, militarism, imperialism, and alliances were the main ingredients for WWI. The Treaty of Versailles failed to address these issues, setting the stage for further conflict.
• Rise of Fascism: Economic struggles in Germany led to the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party, who used scapegoating (Jews and Slavs) to gain power.
• WWII Kick-Off: Hitler's invasion of Poland in 1939 started WWII. The Axis (Germany, Italy, Japan) fought against the Allies (USA, France, Britain, USSR, among others).

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• Two Superpowers Emerge: The USA and USSR came out of WWII as the dominant world powers. Unlike other allies, they were relatively unscathed by the war.
• Clash of Ideologies: The USA was capitalist, while the USSR was communist, leading to a power struggle.
• The Cold War Begins: This power vacuum after WWII is the main reason for the Cold War. It was a period of tension, espionage, and proxy wars, not direct fighting between the USA and USSR.
• Decolonization: WWII weakened colonial powers, leading to independence movements in Africa and Asia.

Image: Map showing the Allied and Axis Powers during WWII. Notice how the major powers were mostly located in Europe and Asia.

#Big Ideas: Cold War & Decolonization

# The Cold War: Capitalism vs. Communism ⚔️

• Power Struggle: The USA and USSR competed for global dominance, representing capitalism and communism, respectively.
• NATO vs. Warsaw Pact: Countries aligned themselves into military alliances: NATO (USA and allies) and the Warsaw Pact (USSR and allies).
• Divided Germany: Germany was split into East and West, with Berlin also divided. The Berlin Wall became a symbol of Cold War tensions.
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