The Modern World, SMO-THI
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
Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act
Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, U.S. legislation (June 17, 1930) that raised import duties to protect American businesses......
Smuts, Jan
Jan Smuts was a South African statesman, soldier, and prime minister (1919â24, 1939â48), who sought to promote......
Sobibor
Sobibor, Nazi German extermination camp located in a forest near the village of SobibĂłr in the present-day Polish......
social change
social change, in sociology, the alteration of mechanisms within the social structure, characterized by changes......
Social movement
Social movement, a loosely organized but sustained campaign in support of a social goal, typically either the implementation......
Social Security Act
Social Security Act, (August 14, 1935), original U.S. legislation establishing a permanent national old-age pension......
Socialism
Socialism is an economic and social doctrine that calls for public rather than private ownership or control of......
Solana, Javier
Javier Solana is a Spanish politician who served as the ninth secretary-general (1995â99) of the North Atlantic......
Somalia
Somalia, easternmost country of Africa, on the Horn of Africa. It extends from just south of the Equator northward......
Somme, First Battle of the
First Battle of the Somme, (July 1âNovember 13, 1916), costly and largely unsuccessful Allied offensive on the......
Somme, Second Battle of the
Second Battle of the Somme, (March 21âApril 5, 1918), partially successful German offensive against Allied forces......
Song Binbin
Song Binbin was a member of the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution in China. Songâs prominent involvement......
Sonnino, Sidney, Barone
Sidney, Baron Sonnino was an Italian statesman who as foreign minister promoted his countryâs entrance into World......
Sorge, Richard
Richard Sorge was a German press correspondent who headed a successful Soviet espionage ring in Tokyo during World......
South Africa
South Africa, the southernmost country on the African continent, renowned for its varied topography, great natural......
- Introduction
- Plateau, Mountains, Coast
- Soil Types, Climate, Regions
- Conservation, Wildlife, Parks
- Languages, Dialects, Afrikaans
- Urbanization, Diversity, Economy
- Economy, Mining, Manufacturing
- Resources, Power, Economy
- Rail, Road, Telecom
- Local Gov, Provinces, Municipalities
- Security, Politics, Economy
- Housing, Urbanization, Apartheid
- Diversity, Wildlife, Cuisine
- Art, Culture, History
- Afrikaans Lit, Poetry, Novels
- Cultural Institutions
- Apartheid, Colonization, Freedom
- Late Stone Age, Archaeology, San People
- Iron Age, Bantu, Khoisan
- Colonial Economy, Resources, Trade
- British Occupation, Colonization, Boer War
- Delagoa Bay, Slave Trade
- Boer Consolidation, Union, Apartheid
- Zulu, Shaka, Apartheid
- Diamonds, Gold, Imperialism
- Gold Mining, Economy, History
- Reconstruct, Union, Segregation
- Black, Coloured, Indian
- Apartheid, Colonization, Inequality
- WWII, Apartheid, Mandela
- Apartheid, National Party, Segregation
- Resistance, Activism, Liberation
- Apartheid, Democracy, Equality
- Postapartheid South Africa
South Korea
South Korea, country in East Asia. It occupies the southern portion of the Korean peninsula. The country is bordered......
- Introduction
- Flora, Fauna, Ecology
- Urbanization, Megacities, Provinces
- Farming, Forestry, Fishing
- Labour, Taxation, Economy
- Military, Security, Defense
- Culture, Cuisine, Traditions
- Cultural Institutions
- History, Culture, Economy
- Yushin, 4th Republic, Democracy
- Politics, Economy, Culture
- Relations, Divisions, Reunification
- Economy, Technology, Education
South Yemen
South Yemen, former country (1967â90) along the southern coast of Arabia that emerged out of a British protectorate......
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), nonsectarian American agency with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia,......
Southern Student Organizing Committee
Southern Student Organizing Committee (SSOC), organization of students from predominantly white colleges and universities......
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, invasion of Afghanistan in late December 1979 by troops from the Soviet Union.......
Soviet Union
Soviet Union, former northern Eurasian empire (1917/22â1991) stretching from the Baltic and Black seas to the Pacific......
- Introduction
- Revolution, Communism, USSR
- Lenin, Bolsheviks, Revolution
- Brest-Litovsk, Treaty, WWI
- Communism, Revolution, USSR
- Lenin's Disillusionment
- Communism, Totalitarianism, Purges
- Collectivization, Industrialization, Five-Year Plans
- Industrialization, 1929â34
- Into the war: 1940â45
- Cold War, Communism, Collapse
- Cold War, Glasnost, Perestroika
- The Brezhnev era
- Interregnum, Andropov, Chernenko
- Command Economy, Five-Year Plans, Collectivization
- Coup, Gorbachev, 1991
Soviet Union, collapse of the
collapse of the Soviet Union, sequence of events that led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union on December 31,......
Soweto Uprising
Soweto Uprising, student-led protest that began on June 16, 1976, in Soweto, South Africa, against the governmentâs......
Spaak, Paul-Henri
Paul-Henri Spaak was Belgiumâs foremost statesman in the decades following World War II and a leading advocate......
Spaatz, Carl
Carl Spaatz was the leading U.S. combat air commander in World War II and the first chief of staff of the independent......
Spain
Spain, country located in extreme southwestern Europe. It occupies about 85 percent of the Iberian Peninsula, which......
- Introduction
- Mediterranean, Arid, Temperate
- Castile, Reconquista, Moors
- Migration, Immigration, Emigration
- Farming, Crops, Fisheries
- Labour, Taxation, Economy
- Autonomous Regions, Constitution, Monarchy
- Political Parties, Democracy, Autonomy
- Housing, Architecture, Culture
- Culture, Cuisine, Traditions
- Festivals, Holidays, Traditions
- Architecture, Gothic, Baroque
- Sports, Recreation, Culture
- Reconquista, Moors, Visigoths
- Phoenicians, Mediterranean, Iberian Peninsula
- Iberians, Pyrenees, Mediterranean
- Romanization, Culture, History
- The Visigothic kingdom
- Castile, Aragon, Unification
- Reconquista, Inquisition, Moors
- Reconquista, Kingdoms, Unification
- Muslim Rule, Reconquista, Culture
- Caliphate, Cordoba, Reconquista
- Almoravids, Reconquista, Moors
- Muslim, Architecture, Cuisine
- Reconquista, Castile, Aragon
- Inquisition, Religion, Culture
- Conquest, Granada, Reconquista
- Reconquista, Inquisition, Monarchy
- Philip II
- Reconquista, Golden Age, Empire
- Philip III, Reconquista, Golden Age
- Philip IV, Reconquista, Golden Age
- Charles II, Reconquista, Golden Age
- Early Bourbons, 1700-53
- The reign of Charles III, 1759â88
- French Invasion, War of Independence, 1808-14
- Isabella II, Unification, Monarchy
- Revolution, Republic, 1868-1873
- Primo de Rivera, Second Republic, 1931-36
- Civil War, Fascism, Republic
- Dictatorship, Franco, Autarky
- Mediterranean, Autonomous Regions, Tourism
- Austerity, Indignados, Third Parties
- Monarchs, Dynasty, History
Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War, (1936â39), military revolt against the Republican government of Spain, supported by conservative......
Spee, Maximilian, Graf von
Maximilian, Graf von Spee was an admiral who commanded German forces in the battles of Coronel and the Falkland......
Speer, Albert
Albert Speer was a German architect who was Adolf Hitlerâs chief architect (1933â45) and minister for armaments......
Sperrle, Hugo
Hugo Sperrle was a field marshal of the Luftwaffe (German air force) during World War II. Sperrle joined the German......
Spiegelman, Art
Art Spiegelman is an American author and illustrator whose Holocaust narratives Maus I: A Survivorâs Tale: My Father......
Spitfire
Spitfire, the most widely produced and strategically important British single-seat fighter of World War II. The......
Spock, Benjamin
Benjamin Spock was an American pediatrician whose books on child-rearing, especially his Common Sense Book of Baby......
SS
SS, the black-uniformed elite corps and self-described âpolitical soldiersâ of the Nazi Party. Founded by Adolf......
St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, city and port, extreme northwestern Russia. A major historical and cultural center and an important......
- Introduction
- City Layout, Canals, Bridges
- Vasilyevsky Island, Russia, History
- Peterhof, Tsar's Palace, Fountains
- Tsars, Revolutionaries, Culture
- Imperial Capital, Cultural Hub, Russia's Window to Europe
- Russian Empire, Tsar Peter, Cultural Hub
- Imperial Capital, Cultural Hub, Architectural Marvels
- Soviet Union, Russia, History
Stagg, James Martin
James Martin Stagg was a British meteorologist who, as the chief weather forecaster to Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower,......
Stalin, Joseph
Joseph Stalin was the secretary-general of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1922â53) and premier of the......
Stalingrad, Battle of
Battle of Stalingrad, (July 17, 1942âFebruary 2, 1943), successful Soviet defense of the city of Stalingrad (now......
Stauffenberg, Claus, Graf Schenk von
Claus, Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg was a German army officer who, as the chief conspirator of the July Plot, carried......
Staupers, Mabel Keaton
Mabel Keaton Staupers was a Caribbean-American nurse and organization executive, most noted for her role in eliminating......
Stein, Edith
Edith Stein ; canonized October 11, 1998; feast day August 9) was a Roman Catholic convert from Judaism, Carmelite......
Stilwell, Joseph W.
Joseph W. Stilwell was a World War II army officer, who headed both U.S. and Chinese Nationalist resistance to......
Stimson, Henry L.
Henry L. Stimson was a statesman who exercised a strong influence on U.S. foreign policy in the 1930s and â40s.......
Stirling, David
David Stirling was a British army officer who founded and led the elite British Special Air Service (SAS) regiment......
Stobart, Mabel St. Clair
Mabel St. Clair Stobart was an English medical relief worker, feminist, and author. Stobart founded the Womenâs......
stock market crash of 1929
stock market crash of 1929, a sharp decline in U.S. stock market values in 1929 that contributed to the Great Depression......
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union that were aimed......
Strategic Arms Reduction Talks
Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START), arms control negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union......
strategic bombing during World War II
strategic bombing during World War II, the mass bombing of military targets and population centres during World......
Streicher, Julius
Julius Streicher was a Nazi demagogue and politician who gained infamy as one of the most virulent advocates of......
Stresemann, Gustav
Gustav Stresemann was the chancellor (1923) and foreign minister (1923, 1924â29) of the Weimar Republic, largely......
Strijdom, Johannes Gerhardus
Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom was the prime minister of the Union of South Africa (1954â58) noted for his uncompromising......
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), American political organization that played a central role in......
Students for a Democratic Society
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), American student organization that flourished in the mid-to-late 1960s......
Stuka
Stuka, a low-wing, single-engine monoplaneâespecially the Junkers JU 87 dive-bomberâused by the German Luftwaffe......
Sturmer, Boris Vladimirovich
Boris Vladimirovich Sturmer was a Russian public official, who served as prime minister, minister of the interior,......
Stutthof
Stutthof, Nazi German concentration camp and extermination camp located outside the village of Stutthof (now Sztutowo,......
Sudan
Sudan, country located in northeastern Africa. The name Sudan derives from the Arabic expression bilÄd al-sĆ«dÄn......
- Introduction
- Wildlife, Deserts, Savannahs
- Islam, Christianity, Animism
- Crops, Livestock, Fisheries
- Manufacturing, Textiles, Oil
- Politics, Governance, Conflict
- Culture, Traditions, Religion
- Agriculture, Trade, Industry
- Cultural Institutions
- Ancient Kingdom, Nubia, Nile Valley
- Islamic Encroachments
- Islam, Spread, Africa
- Ismail Pasha, European Influence
- Mahdiyyah, Islamic State, Revolt
- British Conquest, Colonization, Resistance
- Nationalism, Independence, Unity
- Addis Ababa, Agreement, Peace
- Civil War, Dictatorship, Conflict
- Darfur Conflict, Genocide, War Crimes
- Conflict, South, Secession
- Bashir's Rule, Military Coup, 2019
Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis, (1956), international crisis in the Middle East, precipitated on July 26, 1956, when the Egyptian......
Sukhomlinov, Vladimir Aleksandrovich
Vladimir Aleksandrovich Sukhomlinov was a Russian general and minister of war who was largely responsible for Russiaâs......
Sun-Joffe Manifesto
Sun-Joffe Manifesto, (Jan. 26, 1923), joint statement issued at Shanghai by the Chinese Nationalist revolutionary......
Suslov, Mikhail Andreyevich
Mikhail Andreyevich Suslov was a leading Soviet Communist ideologue and power broker from the 1950s until his death.......
Sussex Incident
Sussex Incident, (March 24, 1916), torpedoing of a French cross-Channel passenger steamer, the Sussex, by a German......
Sussex pledge
Sussex pledge, agreement by the German government during World War I to stop the indiscriminate sinking of nonmilitary......
Sutzkever, Avrom
Avrom Sutzkever was a Yiddish-language poet whose works chronicle his childhood in Siberia, his life in the Vilna......
Suzman, Helen
Helen Suzman was a white South African legislator (1953â89), who was an outspoken advocate for the countryâs nonwhite......
Suzuki KantarĆ, Danshaku
Danshaku Suzuki KantarĆ was the last premier (AprilâAugust 1945) of Japan during World War II, who was forced to......
Sverdlov, Yakov Mikhaylovich
Yakov Mikhaylovich Sverdlov was a Soviet Communist Party leader and government official. His organizational skills......
Sweden
Sweden, country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in northern Europe. The name Sweden was derived from the......
- Introduction
- Arctic, Temperate, Maritime
- Lutheranism, Paganism, Secularism
- Economy, Trade, Manufacturing
- Trade, Exports, Imports
- Politics, Economy, Welfare
- Politics, Constitution, Monarchy
- Education, Schools, Universities
- Culture, Traditions, Cuisine
- Museums, Art, Music
- Viking, Scandinavia, Fjords
- Civil Wars, Union, Reformation
- Law, Code, Reforms
- Politics, Conflict, Union
- Vasa Kings, 1523-1611
- Gustav II Adolf, Reformation, Scandinavia
- Charles XII, Expansion, War
- Enlightenment, Reforms, Gustav III
- Bernadotte Dynasty, Royal Family, Scandinavia
- Parliamentary Reform, Democracy, Constitution
- Union, History, Culture
- Neutrality, WWI, Politics
- Welfare, Equality, Social Security
- Politics, Economy, Welfare
- Arctic, Neutrality, Welfare
Switzerland
Switzerland, federated country of central Europe. Switzerlandâs administrative capital is Bern, while Lausanne......
- Introduction
- Alps, Lakes, Rivers
- Alpine, Temperate, Precipitation
- Alpine, Climate, Weather
- Alpine, Fauna, Wildlife
- Alpine, Multicultural, Federalism
- Population, Migration, Diversity
- Dairy, Alpine, Fruits
- Trade, Banking, Alps
- Labour, Taxation, Economy
- Federalism, Multiculturalism, Neutrality
- Federalism, Neutrality, Direct Democracy
- Health, Welfare, Alpine
- Multiculturalism, Cuisine, Alps
- Alps, Banking, Neutrality
- Literature, Languages, Poetry
- Museums, Libraries, Universities
- Alps, Neutrality, Confederation
- Alps, Roman, Helvetii
- Alps, Confederation, Medieval
- Alps, Neutrality, Confederation
- Alps, Confederation, Cantons
- Neutrality, Multiculturalism, Alps
- Alps, Neutrality, Confederation
- Confederation, Neutrality, Alps
- Alps, Neutrality, Banking
- WWI, Economic Crisis
- Neutrality, Alps, Banking
- Alpine, Multicultural, Neutrality
Swope, Herbert Bayard
Herbert Bayard Swope was a journalist who became famous as a war correspondent and editor of the New York World.......
Sword Beach
Sword Beach, the easternmost beach of the five landing areas of the Normandy Invasion of World War II. It was assaulted......
Symington, Stuart
Stuart Symington was a U.S. senator from Missouri (1953â76) who was a staunch advocate of a strong national defense......
Syria
Syria, country located on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea in southwestern Asia. Its area includes territory......
- Introduction
- Climate, Deserts, Winds
- Urbanization, Agriculture, Deserts
- Agriculture, Oil, Manufacturing
- Economy, Oil, Agriculture
- Local Government, Provinces, Districts
- Culture, Traditions, Cuisine
- Media, Publishing, Culture
- Hellenistic, Roman, Empire
- Umayyad Dynasty, Damascus, Middle East
- Ottoman Rule, Conflict, Refugees
- Ottoman Rule, Restoration, Conflict
- French Mandate, Middle East, Conflict
- Union, Egypt, 1958-61
- Baath, Civil War, Sectarianism
- Uprising, Civil War, Conflict
SzĂĄlasi, Ferenc
Ferenc SzĂĄlasi was a soldier and politician who was the fascist leader of Hungary during the last days of World......
T4 Program
T4 Program, Nazi German effortâframed as a euthanasia programâto kill incurably ill, physically or mentally disabled,......
Tajikistan
Tajikistan, landlocked country lying in the heart of Central Asia. It is bordered by Kyrgyzstan on the north, China......
Talabani, Jalal
Jalal Talabani was an Iraqi Kurdish politician who served as president of Iraq (2005â14). Talabaniâs involvement......
Taliban
Taliban, ultraconservative political and religious faction that emerged in Afghanistan in the mid-1990s following......
Tanga, Battle of
Battle of Tanga, the opening battle in German East Africa (Tanzania) on November 2â5, 1914, during World War I......
Tanker War
Tanker War, maritime component of the Iran-Iraq War (1980â88) that involved strikes on oil tankers and merchant......
Tannenberg, Battle of
Battle of Tannenberg, (August 26â30, 1914), World War I battle fought at Tannenberg, East Prussia (now StÄbark,......
Tarasov, Anatoly
Anatoly Tarasov was a Russian ice hockey coach whose innovations in Soviet hockey established the country as the......
Tashkent Declaration
Tashkent Declaration, accord signed on January 10, 1966, by Indiaâs Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri (who died......
Taylor, Maxwell Davenport
Maxwell Davenport Taylor was a U.S. Army officer who became a pioneer in airborne warfare in Europe during World......
Tedder, Arthur William Tedder, 1st Baron
Arthur William Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder was a marshal of the Royal Air Force and deputy commander of the Allied......
TehrÄn Conference
TehrÄn Conference, (November 28âDecember 1, 1943), meeting between U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British......
Teleki, PĂĄl, GrĂłf
PĂĄl, Count Teleki was a Hungarian prime minister who cooperated with Nazi Germany in the early stages of World......
Tess of the dâUrbervilles
Tess of the dâUrbervilles, novel by English novelist Thomas Hardy, first published serially in bowdlerized form......
Tet Offensive
Tet Offensive, attacks staged by North Vietnamese forces beginning in the early hours of January 31, 1968, during......
Thailand
Thailand, country located in the centre of mainland Southeast Asia. Located wholly within the tropics, Thailand......
- Introduction
- Mountains, Rivers, Coastline
- Rivers, Deltas, Basins
- Rainforest, Wildlife, Mangroves
- Chinese Influence, Culture, Cuisine
- Tai, Culture, Cuisine
- Rural, Urban, Migration
- Rural Settlements, Villages, Agriculture
- Rice, Fishing, Forestry
- Trade, Exports, Imports
- Monarchy, Constitution, Buddhism
- Security, Military, Politics
- Housing, Urbanization, Architecture
- Culture, Cuisine, Traditions
- Arts, Culture, Traditions
- Music, Dance, Culture
- Sports, Recreation, Culture
- Mon-Khmer, Civilization, Culture
- Ayutthaya, Monarchy, Buddhism
- Monarchy, Buddhism, Trade
- Chulalongkorn, Modernization, Reforms
- Coup, Constitution, Order
- Postwar Crisis, Phibunsongkhram, Democracy
- Revolution, Aftermath, 1973
- Populist Democracy, Reforms, Constitution
- Yellow Shirts, Red Shirts, Politics
- Economy, Foreign Policy, Developments
Thani, Sheikh Khalifa ibn Hamad Al
Sheikh Khalifa ibn Hamad Al Thani was the emir of Qatar (1972â95), who came to power five months after Qatar became......
Thanom Kittikachorn
Thanom Kittikachorn was an army general and prime minister of Thailand (1958, 1963â71, 1972â73). Thanom entered......
The 50th Anniversary of the Soweto Uprising
June 16, 2026, marks the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising (also called the Soweto Rebellion) in South Africa.......
The Argentine Menâs Basketball Team: Gold for the Golden Generation
To reclaim its longtime dominance of Olympic menâs basketball, the United States, beginning with the 1992 Games......
The First Atomic Bombs Tested and Used During World War II
This infographic explains how the U.S. government created, tested, and used the first atomic bombs during the 1940s.......
The Great War Infographic of Deaths and Milestones
The infographic presents an overview of World War I, also called the Great War, which lasted from 1914 to 1918.......
The Holocaust: Facts and Figures
One of historyâs darkest chapters, the Holocaust was the systematic killing of six million Jewish men, women, and......
Theresienstadt
Theresienstadt, town in northern Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic), founded in 1780 and used from 1941 to 1945......
Third Reich
Third Reich, official Nazi designation for the regime in Germany from January 1933 to May 1945, as the presumed......