The Modern World, 197-AVE
Industrialization, nationalism, world war, decolonization, and technological change have made the modern world a time of staggering disruption and reinvention. Explore the forces that shaped it.
The Modern World Encyclopedia Articles By Title
1975 invasion of East Timor
On December 7, 1975, Indonesia invaded and annexed Portuguese Timor, seeking to forcibly integrate the territory......
1986 West Berlin discotheque bombing
1986 West Berlin discotheque bombing, attack carried out on April 5, 1986, in West Berlin, in which Libyan agents......
1991 Soviet coup attempt
1991 Soviet coup attempt, (August 19–21, 1991), attempt by Communist hard-liners to seize control of the Soviet......
25th Anniversary of Operation Desert Storm
In the early morning of January 17, 1991, warplanes, attack helicopters, and missiles belonging to an international......
25th Anniversary of the End of the Soviet Union
A eulogy of the Soviet Union would read that the 74-year-old superpower succumbed to a prolonged illness on December......
38th parallel
38th parallel, popular name given to latitude 38° N that in East Asia roughly demarcates North Korea and South......
442nd Regimental Combat Team
442nd Regimental Combat Team, United States infantry unit made up almost entirely of Nisei (second-generation)......
70th Anniversary of V-E Day
On May 8, 1945, the European phase of World War II ended with the unconditional surrender of all Nazi German forces......
8 Questions About World War I Answered
World War I was a war that was virtually unprecedented in the slaughter, carnage, and destruction it caused. Some......
9 Questions About the Vietnam War Answered
The Vietnam War was a protracted conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies......
9 Questions About World War II Answered
World War II was the world’s largest and most destructive war. It involved nearly every region of the world, and......
A Brief Overview of China’s Cultural Revolution
The Cultural Revolution (in full, the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution) took place from 1966 to 1976 in China.......
Abel, Rudolf
Rudolf Abel was a Soviet intelligence officer, convicted in the United States in 1957 for conspiring to transmit......
Abernathy, Ralph David
Ralph David Abernathy was a Black American pastor and civil rights leader who was Martin Luther King’s chief aide......
Abraham Lincoln Battalion
Abraham Lincoln Battalion, a force of volunteers from the United States who served on the Republican side in the......
Abrams, Creighton Williams, Jr.
Creighton Williams Abrams, Jr. was an American army officer who was one of the most aggressive and effective tank......
Abzug, Bella
Bella Abzug was a U.S. congresswoman (1971–77) and lawyer who founded several liberal political organizations for......
Acheson, Dean
Dean Acheson was the U.S. secretary of state (1949–53) and adviser to four presidents. He became the principal......
Adenauer, Konrad
Konrad Adenauer was the first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany; 1949–63), presiding......
Afghan War
Afghan War, in the history of Afghanistan, the internal conflict that began in 1978 between anticommunist Islamic......
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, multiethnic landlocked country located in the heart of south-central Asia. Lying along important trade......
- Introduction
- Rivers, Valleys, Mountains
- Flora, Fauna, Ecosystems
- Dari, Pashto, Turkic
- Population, Migration, Refugees
- Crops, Livestock, Forestry
- Economy, Trade, Currency
- Politics, Constitution, Elections
- Traditional, Rural, Urban
- Culture, Traditions, Customs
- Arts, Cultural Institutions
- Ancient History, Silk Road, Zoroastrianism
- Muslim Dynasties, History, Culture
- Dōst Moḥammad (1826–39; 1843–63)
- Mohammad Zahir Shah, 1933-73
- Soviet Invasion, Mujahideen, Civil War
- Mujahideen, Taliban, Civil War
- Struggle, Democracy, Reform
Afghanistan War
Afghanistan War, international conflict in Afghanistan beginning in 2001 that was triggered by the September 11......
African Americans
African Americans, one of the largest of the many ethnic groups in the United States. African Americans are mainly......
African National Congress
African National Congress (ANC), South African political party and Black nationalist organization. Founded in 1912......
African National Congress: At a Glance
The African National Congress (ANC) is a South African political party and Black nationalist organization. The......
Aga Khan III
Aga Khan III was the only son of the Aga Khan II. He succeeded his father as imam (leader) of the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī......
Agent Orange
Agent Orange, mixture of herbicides that U.S. military forces sprayed in Vietnam from 1962 to 1971 during the Vietnam......
Agricultural Adjustment Administration
Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA), in U.S. history, major New Deal program to restore agricultural prosperity......
Akselrod, Pavel Borisovich
Pavel Borisovich Akselrod was a Marxist theorist, a prominent member of the first Russian Social-Democratic Workers’......
Alamein, El-
El-Alamein, coastal town in northwestern Egypt, about 60 miles (100 km) west of Alexandria, that was the site of......
Alanbrooke, Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount
Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke was a British field marshal and chief of the Imperial General Staff......
Albania
Albania, country in southern Europe, located in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula on the Strait of Otranto,......
- Introduction
- Mountains, Coastline, Culture
- Mediterranean, Mountains, Coastline
- Ethnic Groups, Language, Religion
- Albanian, Greek, Vlach
- Economy, Agriculture, Tourism
- Constitution, Government, Parliament
- Cultural Institutions
- Medieval Culture, Illyrian Tribes, Balkan Region
- Nationalism, Ethnicity, Culture
- Post-Communist, Balkan, Geography
Albert I
Albert I was the king of the Belgians (1909–34), who led the Belgian army during World War I and guided his country’s......
Alekseyev, Mikhail Vasilyevich
Mikhail Vasilyevich Alekseyev was the commander in chief of the Russian Army for two months in World War I and......
Alexander, Harold Alexander, 1st Earl
Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander was a prominent British field marshal in World War II noted for his North......
Alexandra
Alexandra was the consort of the Russian emperor Nicholas II. Her misrule while the emperor was commanding the......
Alexis
Alexis was the only son of Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia, and the tsarina Alexandra. He was the first male......
Algeria
Algeria, large, predominantly Muslim country of North Africa. From the Mediterranean coast, along which most of......
- Introduction
- Rivers, Lakes, Coastline
- Arabic, Berber, French
- Oil, Gas, Agriculture
- Mining, Oil, Gas
- Railways, Ports, Telecoms
- Justice, Legal System, Reforms
- Culture, Traditions, Cuisine
- Cultural Institutions
- Colonialism, Resistance, Revolution
- Nationalism, Revolution, Independence
- War of Independence, Revolution, Nationalism
- North Africa, Mediterranean, Saharan
- Civil War, Islamists, Army
- Bouteflika, Stroke, Fourth Term
- European Relations, Colonialism, Decolonization
Ali, Muhammad
Muhammad Ali was an American professional boxer and social activist. Considered one of the greatest boxers in history,......
Aliger, Margarita Iosifovna
Margarita Iosifovna Aliger was a Russian poet, journalist, and Soviet propagandist. Born into a poor family, Aliger......
All Quiet on the Western Front
All Quiet on the Western Front, American war film, released in 1930 and set during World War I, that is regarded......
All Quiet on the Western Front
All Quiet on the Western Front, novel by German writer Erich Maria Remarque, published in 1929 as Im Westen nichts......
Allawi, Ayad
Ayad Allawi is an Iraqi politician who was involved in the Iraqi National Accord, a party opposed to Saddam Hussein,......
Allenby, Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount
Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby was a field marshal, the last great British leader of mounted......
alliance
alliance, in international relations, a formal agreement between two or more states for mutual support in case......
Allied powers
Allied powers, coalition of countries that opposed the Central Powers (primarily Germany, Austria-Hungary, and......
Allied powers
Allied powers, coalition of countries that opposed the Axis powers (led by Germany, Italy, and Japan) during World......
Almond, Edward M.
Edward M. Almond was an American army officer who held important command positions during the Korean War. Almond......
Amalrik, Andrey Alekseyevich
Andrey Alekseyevich Amalrik was a Soviet-born historian, playwright, and political dissident who was twice exiled......
America First Committee
America First Committee, influential political pressure group in the United States (1940–41) that opposed aid to......
American civil rights movement
American civil rights movement, mass protest movement against racial segregation and discrimination in the southern......
Amiens, Battle of
Battle of Amiens, (August 8–11, 1918), World War I battle that marked the beginning of what came to be known as......
Anastasia
Anastasia was the grand duchess of Russia and the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last emperor of Russia.......
Anders, Władysław
Władysław Anders was the commanding officer of the Polish army in the Middle East and Italy during World War II......
Andrews, Frank M.
Frank M. Andrews was a U.S. soldier and air force officer who contributed signally to the evolution of U.S. bombardment......
Andropov, Yury
Yury Andropov was the head of the Soviet Union’s KGB (State Security Committee) from 1967 to 1982 and his country’s......
Anglo-American Chain of Command in Western Europe, June 1944
When U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met at the Arcadia Conference......
Anielewicz, Mordecai
Mordecai Anielewicz was a hero and principal leader of armed Jewish resistance in the Warsaw ghetto during World......
Antarctic Treaty
Antarctic Treaty, (Dec. 1, 1959), agreement signed by 12 nations, in which the Antarctic continent was made a demilitarized......
Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM Treaty), arms control treaty ratified in 1972 between the United States and......
Anti-Comintern Pact
Anti-Comintern Pact, agreement concluded first between Germany and Japan (Nov. 25, 1936) and then between Italy,......
Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia
Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia, umbrella organization established during World......
antisemitism
antisemitism, hostility toward or discrimination against Jews. The term antisemitism was coined in 1879 by the......
Antonescu, Ion
Ion Antonescu was a Romanian marshal and statesman who became dictator of the pro-German government during World......
Antwerp, Siege of
Siege of Antwerp, German capture of the Belgian city of Antwerp from September 28 to October 10, 1914, in the early......
ANZAC
ANZAC, combined corps that served with distinction in World War I during the ill-fated 1915 Gallipoli Campaign,......
Anzio, Battle of
Battle of Anzio, (January 22–June 5, 1944) World War II battle, fought during the Italian Campaign. Some 50,000......
apartheid
apartheid, policy that governed relations between South Africa’s white minority and nonwhite majority for much......
Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now, American Vietnam War epic, released in 1979 and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, that follows......
Appelfeld, Aharon
Aharon Appelfeld was a novelist and short-story writer who is best known for his Hebrew-language allegorical novels......
April Theses
April Theses, in Russian history, program developed by Lenin during the Russian Revolution of 1917, calling for......
Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development
Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, Arab League fund designed to promote economic and social development......
Arab League
Arab League, regional organization of Arab states in the Middle East and parts of Africa, formed in Cairo on March......
Arab Peace Initiative
Arab Peace Initiative, historic proposal by Abdullah of Saudi Arabia for Arab states to recognize Israel and normalize......
Arab-Israeli wars
After decades of confrontations between Arabs and Jews under the British mandate of Palestine, where both communities......
Araki Sadao
Araki Sadao was a Japanese general, statesman, and a leader of the Kōdō-ha (Imperial Way) faction, an ultranationalistic......
Ardon, Mordecai
Mordecai Ardon was an eminent Israeli painter who combined jewel-like, brilliantly coloured forms with virtuoso......
Argentina
Argentina, country of South America, covering most of the southern portion of the continent. The world’s eighth......
- Introduction
- Climate, Subtropical, Alpine
- Spanish, Catholicism, Indigenous
- Economy, Agriculture, Trade
- Farming, Livestock, Fisheries
- Resources, Power, Economy
- Railways, Airports, Telecoms
- Justice, Legal System, Courts
- Urban, Rural, Housing
- Music, Dance, Theater
- Soccer, Rugby, Polo
- Colonial Cities, Culture, History
- Buenos Aires, Dominance, Economy
- National Consolidation, 1852-80
- Conservative Restoration, Concordancia, 1930-43
- Military Rule, Dictatorship, Repression
- Falklands War, Galtieri, Malvinas
- Economy, Politics, Culture
Armenia
Armenia, landlocked country of Transcaucasia, lying just south of the great mountain range of the Caucasus and......
Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide, campaign of deportation and mass killing conducted against the Armenian subjects of the Ottoman......
Arnold, Henry Harley
Henry Harley Arnold was an air strategist, commanding general of the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II. After......
Arras, Battle of
Battle of Arras, British offensive carried out from April 9 to May 17, 1917, against the German defenses around......
Aryan
Aryan, name originally given to a people who were said to speak an archaic Indo-European language and who were......
Asia
Asia, the world’s largest and most diverse continent. It occupies the eastern four-fifths of the giant Eurasian......
- Introduction
- Geologic History
- Stratigraphy, Structure, Geology
- Mesozoic, Plate Tectonics, Climate
- Cenozoic, Plate Tectonics, Climate
- Plains, Lowlands, Geography
- Regions, Geography, Culture
- South Asia, Subcontinent, Culture
- Lakes, Rivers, Geography
- Arctic, Landforms, Wildlife
- Mediterranean, Landforms, Cultures
- Climate, Monsoons, Rainfall
- Monsoons, Typhoons, Climate
- Climate, Regions, Geography
- Flora, Fauna, Ecosystems
- West Asia, Middle East, Arabian Peninsula
- Wildlife, Fauna, Ecosystems
- Landforms, Cultures, Religions
- Ethnic Groups, Diversity, Cultures
- Languages, Dialects, Scripts
- Religion, Beliefs, Customs
- Settlement Patterns, Geography, Cultures
- Population, Migration, Urbanization
- Trade, Manufacturing, Agriculture
- Mineral Resources, Oil, Gas
- Wildlife, Flora, Fauna
- Resource Development
- Farming, Crops, Irrigation
- Manufacturing, Industries, Economies
- Trade, Routes, Commodities
- Transportation, Infrastructure, Trade
Asquith, H.H., 1st earl of Oxford and Asquith
H.H. Asquith, 1st earl of Oxford and Asquith was a Liberal prime minister of Great Britain (1908–16), who was responsible......
Assad, Hafez al-
Hafez al-Assad was the president of Syria (1971–2000) who brought stability to the country and established it as......
assassination
assassination, the murder of a public figure. The term typically refers to the killing of government leaders and......
assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.
assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., mortal shooting of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., the most prominent......
Atatürk, Kemal
Kemal Atatürk was a soldier, statesman, and reformer who was the founder and first president (1923–38) of the Republic......
Atlantic, Battle of the
Battle of the Atlantic, in World War II, a contest between the Western Allies and the Axis powers (particularly......
atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, during World War II, American bombing raids on the Japanese cities of......
Attendees of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Funeral
On April 4, 1968, the United States was shaken to its core by the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,......
Auchinleck, Claude
Claude Auchinleck was a British field marshal best known for his victory against Gen. Erwin Rommel in North Africa.......
Aung San
Aung San was a Burmese nationalist leader and assassinated hero who was instrumental in securing Burma’s independence......
Auschwitz
Auschwitz, Nazi Germany’s largest concentration camp and extermination camp. Located near the industrial town of......
Australia
Australia, the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth, lying between the Pacific and Indian......
- Introduction
- Geologic History
- Stratigraphy, Structure, Geology
- Mesozoic, Cenozoic, Ecosystems
- Land, Climate, People
- Plateau, Outback, Deserts
- Interior, Lowlands, Outback
- Soils, Climate, Erosion
- Flora, Fauna, Ecosystems
- Flora, Eucalyptus, Acacias
- Wildlife, Ecosystems, Diversity
- Indigenous, Multicultural, Immigration
- Languages, Dialects, Indigenous
- Multiculturalism, Immigration, Diversity
- Urbanization, Migration, Diversity
- Mining, Agriculture, Tourism
- Farming, Crops, Livestock
- Resources, Energy, Mining
- Manufacturing, Resources, Trade
- Labour, Taxation, Economy
- Federalism, Democracy, Multiculturalism
- Health, Welfare, Care
- Culture, Diversity, Indigenous
- Art, Aboriginals, Colonization
- Cultural Institutions
- Indigenous, Colonization, Federation
- Authoritarian, Society, Politics
- Colonization, Gold Rush, Immigration
- Small Democracies, 1860-1900
- Social Movements, Indigenous Rights, Activism
- Immigration, Economy, Culture
- Postwar Economy, Immigration, Aborigines
- WWII, Pacific, Involvement
- Indigenous, Multicultural, Outback
- Popular Culture, Music, Film
- International Relations, Trade, Migration
- Radicalism, Labor, Politics
- Australia since 1983
- Domestic issues
- Emblems, Flora, Fauna
Australian federal election of 2010
Less than a month after becoming Australia’s first woman prime minister, Julia Gillard of the centre-left Australian......
Austria
Austria, largely mountainous landlocked country of south-central Europe. Together with Switzerland, it forms what......
- Introduction
- Alpine, Temperate, Mediterranean
- German, Slovene, Croatian
- Alpine Farming, Forestry, Wine
- Banking, Economy, Taxation
- Railways, Airports, Telecommunications
- Politics, Government, Constitution
- Education, Universities, Schools
- Music, Art, Theater
- Cultural, Institutions, Museums
- Early, Middle Ages
- Babenberg, Alps, Danube
- Medieval, Habsburgs, Alps
- Medieval, Habsburgs, Alps
- Habsburgs, Alps, Central Europe
- Central Europe, Alps, Danube
- Burgundian, Spanish, Marriages
- Protestantism, Reformation, Habsburgs
- Bohemian Rising, Counter Reformation
- Central Europe, Habsburgs, Alps
- War Spanish Succession
- Turks, Bourbons, Conflict
- Baroque, Culture, Economy
- Maria Theresa, Congress of Vienna
- Reforms, 1748-56
- Reforms, 1763-80
- Enlightenment, Reforms, Joseph II
- Enlightenment, Reforms, Joseph II
- Revolutionary France, Napoleonic Wars, 1809
- Napoleonic Wars, Resistance, Defeat
- Metternich, Revolution, Habsburgs
- Revolution, Counterrevolution, 1848-59
- Neoabsolutist, Reforms, Revolution
- Constitutional Reform, 1860-67
- Habsburg Empire, Dual Monarchy, WWI
- Politics, Economy, Unification
- Balkan, EU, Neutrality
- Imperialism, Dualism, Habsburgs
- Political Turmoil, WWI, WWII
- German Alliance, Dual Monarchy, Habsburgs
- Alpine Land, Central Europe, Culture
- Conflict, Serbia, WWI
- WWI, Central Powers, Alpenland
- Habsburg Empire, Central Europe, Alps
- Alpine Land, Anschluss, WWI
- Reconstruction, Political Strife
- Authoritarianism, Dollfuss, Schuschnigg
- Anschluss, WWII, Nazis
- Alpine, Central European, Democracy
- Sovereignty, Restoration, Politics
- Alpine Country, EU Member, Central Europe
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, the Habsburg empire from the constitutional Compromise (Ausgleich) of 1867 between Austria and......
Averescu, Alexandru
Alexandru Averescu was a military leader and politician who three times served as premier of Romania and was the......