Apartheid A policy that separated white and black people in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. Apartheid ended in 1994, when free elections were held and Nelson Mandela became president.

Berlin Wall A wall built by the Communist authorities of East Germany in 1961, to stop people moving from East to West Berlin. The Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989 after uprisings weakened Soviet power in the region.

Civil rights movement The campaign of African Americans in the 1960s for all people to have the same basic rights. Racial discrimination was banned in 1964 when the US Civil Rights Act was passed.

Cold War The period of tension between the Soviet Union and the USA after World War II. The Soviets wanted to extend Communism but the USA opposed it. The two sides never fought directly but supported other conflicts. The Cold War ended in 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed.

Communism A political and economic system, in which all property is shared. The Soviet Union was the first Communist country, followed by countries in Asia, Eastern Europe and South America.

European Union (EU) A union of 28 European countries, formed in 1993 to strengthen the European economy.

Fascism A political system, in which the government exalts the state and its leader and may use violence to keep control. Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria and Greece all had fascist governments before or during World War II.

Gandhi, Mohandas (1869–1948) Leader of the Indian independence movement. Gandhi led non-violent protests against British rule. India became independent in 1947.

Great Depression An economic slump that started in 1929, when the New York Stock Exchange (Wall Street) crashed. Thousands of people lost their savings and their jobs. The depression quickly spread to Europe.

Guerrilla warfare A type of warfare in which small groups of people, such as armed civilians, use tactics such as ambushes, sabotage and raids to fight much stronger conventional military forces. Communist leaders like Mao Zedong and the North Vietnamese Ho Chi Minh both successfully used guerrilla warfare.

Hitler, Adolf (1889–1945) Leader of the German Nazi Party. Hitler rose to power in the 1930s and became a dictator in 1934, leading Germany into World War II in 1939.

Holocaust The mass murder of Jews and other ethnic groups under the German Nazi government. Victims were sent to concentration camps, where many died from illness and starvation, or death camps where they were gassed to death.

King, Dr Martin Luther (1929–1968) An important American civil rights leader. He spoke out against discrimination and organized many non-violent protests. Martin Luther King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 but was assassinated in 1968.

Korean War The war between South Korea and Communist North Korea fought from 1950 to 1953.

Lenin, Vladimir (1870–1924) A revolutionary and politician who led the Russian Revolution of 1917 and became the first leader of the Soviet Union.

Mandela, Nelson (1918–2013) President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He spent 27 years in prison for opposing apartheid. Mandela was released in 1990 and elected president in 1994, ending apartheid in South Africa.

Mao Zedong (1893–1976) Leader of the Chinese Communist Party from 1935 to 1976. Mao improved the Chinese economy by bringing industries under government control. However, many people were killed or exiled for criticizing him.

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, formed in 1949. It is a military alliance of 28 different countries.

Nazis (National Socialist German Worker’s Party) A fascist party started in Germany in the 1920s. Under Hitler, the party took control of Germany and started World War II.

Nuclear weapon A powerful explosive device. In August 1945, nuclear bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing thousands and forcing Japan to withdraw from World War II. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union and USA developed new nuclear weapons, leading many to fear a nuclear war.

Panama Canal A canal that cuts across the narrow strip of land joining North and South America. The Panama Canal opened in 1915 and greatly aided international shipping.

Russian Revolution An uprising in Russia in 1917 that forced the tsar (emperor) to give up his throne. Revolutionaries took control and formed a Communist government.

Soviet Union Communist Russia and the territories under its rule from 1922 to 1991. The Soviet Union was a shortened form of the name Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

Spanish Civil War A war from 1936 to 1939 between political groups in Spain. At the end of the war General Francisco Franco (1892–1975) became a fascist dictator.

Stalin, Joseph (1878–1953) Leader of the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1953. Stalin ruled as a dictator, killing anyone who opposed him. Under his rule, the Soviet Union became very powerful.

Terrorism The use of violence to achieve political, military or religious goals. One of the worst terrorist attacks ever occurred on 11th September 2001. Members of the al-Qaeda organization seized control of four aeroplanes and crashed three of them into buildings in America, killing 3000 civilians.

United Nations A union of countries that formed in 1945 to prevent future wars. There are now 193 countries in the UN.

Vietnam War The war from 1955 to 1975 between Communist North Vietnam, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and anti-Communist South Vietnam, supported by the USA and its allies.

Wars In the first half of the 20th century, the world was involved in two major conflicts, World War I and World War II. The second half of the century was dominated by the Cold War and by conflicts such as the Afghan War (1979–1989), the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988), the Korean War (1950–1953) and the Vietnam War (1965–1975). Meanwhile, many colonies gained independence and some people made advances in the struggle for equality.

World War I (WWI) The war from 1914 to 1918 fought between the Allies (Britain, France, Russia) and the Central Powers (Germany and her allies). Also known as the Great War.

World War II (WWII) The war from 1939 to 1945 between the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy and Japan) and the Allies (Britain, France, the Soviet Union and the USA).

Consultant: Philip Parker