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WW1
World War I, which lasted from 1914 to 1918, was a global conflict primarily involving the Allied Powers, including France, the United Kingdom, Russia, and later the United States, against the Central Powers, led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. The war was characterized by trench warfare and significant loss of life, ultimately reshaping the political landscape of Europe and leading to the Treaty of Versailles. -
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Contemporary period
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WWII
World War II, which lasted from 1939 to 1945, was a global conflict between the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) and the Allies (France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and China). It grew out of unresolved disputes from World War I, German expansionism, and Japanese aggression, resulting in an estimated 40,000,000–50,000,000 deaths and a reshaping of the global balance of power. -
The Cold War
The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, characterized by political, economic, and propaganda rivalry rather than direct military conflict. This ongoing hostility, which began after World War II and lasted until 1991, saw the two superpowers avoid direct military confrontation in Europe, but engage in combat operations to keep allies from defecting or to overthrow them after they had done so. -
NATO
NATO is a military alliance established in 1949 to create a counterweight to Soviet armies in central and eastern Europe after World War II. With its core principle being that an attack against one member is considered an attack against all, NATO has expanded to include 32 member states and has evolved into a cooperative-security organization. -
Collapse of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 was triggered by a combination of factors, including economic failure, the weakening of the Communist Party due to reforms, and the rise of independence movements in the republics. -
Creation of the European union
The European Union (EU) is an international organization of 27 European countries established by the Maastricht Treaty on November 1, 1993, to govern common economic, social, and security policies. Awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2012, the EU aims to promote peace and democracy in Europe through a single currency, unified foreign policy, and common citizenship rights. -
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, was triggered by mass demonstrations and the liberalization of Eastern countries, allowing East Germans to travel freely to the West. This event symbolized the end of the Cold War division between East and West Germany, leading to German reunification and the wall's subsequent removal.