30-Second Twentieth Century

The 50 most significant ideas and events, each explained in half a minute

Jonathan T. Reynolds

• Publisher: Icon Books
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781848318427
• eBook ISBN: 9781848318434
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: 20th Century History
• Index: History

You probably know, or think you know, quite a bit about what happened in the 20th century – chances are, if you're reading this, you lived through at least some of it – and you may have referenced the Cuban Missile Crisis, the double helix, or the Wall Street Crash in conversation. But even for people who were there, it was the fastest-moving hundred years in history, so refresh your memory with these pacey profiles on everything from Sputnik to Stonewall.Twentieth Century presents a unique approach to modern history, condensing 100 years of innovation and art, politics and conflict, triumph and disaster, into 50 graphic snapshots that offer an instant appreciation of the way the world revolves and evolves. Consider which events define a period of history and why. From the Red Army to Black Monday, from Woodstock to the World Wide Web, this is the fastest way to travel in time.

POLITICS & SOCIETY

POLITICS & SOCIETY

GLOSSARY

African National Congress (ANC) Initially formed in 1911, the African National Congress developed as the main opposition group to South African racial oppression. The party maintained a programme of non-violent resistance until the 1960s, at which point it accepted the necessity of violence to overturn South Africa’s government. Following the collapse of apartheid in 1994, the ANC became the dominant political party in the country.

Bantustans After the creation of apartheid in 1948, the Native Reserves that comprised some 13 per cent of the country were renamed Bantustans, which the South African government sought to identify as independent nations: this was a means of declaring non-whites to be non-citizens of the country.

Cold War This term describes the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union from after the Second World War (1939–45) to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989–91. The term 'Cold War' highlighted that the conflict was more about ideas and political allegiance among allies than about warfare. The Cold War was nonetheless very hot in places such as Korea, Angola and Afghanistan.

ExComm The Executive Committee of the National Security Council (ExComm) was established in 1962 to provide a group of expert advisers to President John F. Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Nation Defined as a political system embodying the will and destiny of culturally homogeneous and geographically bounded population, the idea of the nation became the accepted norm for political organization in the 19th and 20th centuries. Unfortunately, few if any human populations are culturally homogeneous or geographically bounded.

National American Woman Suffrage Association Founded in 1890, this organization was established to advocate for Women’s suffrage in the United States. Along with the somewhat more radical National Women’s Party, the NAWSA campaigned successfully for the passage in 1920 of the 19th Amendment to the US constitution, which guaranteed women's right to vote. The groups would then unsuccessfully pursue the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Non-Aligned Movement Founded in Belgrade in 1961, and building upon the 1955 Bandung Conference, the movement sought to establish a power block of non-aligned states as a counterweight to the Western and Eastern camps created by the Cold War. The countries of India, Yugoslavia, Ghana, Indonesia and Egypt were particularly influential in setting the group’s agenda.

Operation Condor Launched in 1975, this operation was a coordinated plan among Latin American military governments to eradicate left-wing intellectuals and activists from the region. With the knowledge and material aid of the United States, these states pursued programmes of torture and assassination that resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of individuals.

Prague Spring This term refers to a brief period of political liberalization that took place in Czechoslovakia in early 1968. Reforms included lifting restriction on travel, free speech and religious worship. After brief negotiations, Warsaw Pact forces invaded Czechoslovakia in August and reversed the reforms.

Townships Under apartheid in South Africa, non-whites were not allowed to live in cities. In order to meet the demand for labour in the cities townships were established outside urban areas where non-whites were allowed to remain so long as they were employed in white areas.

'KAISER WILSON'

the 30-second history

The 19th Amendment, which guarantees American women the right to vote, was first introduced to Congress in 1878. Forty years later, women remained disenfranchised. Seeing an opportunity to further their cause, the National American Woman Suffrage Association made the controversial decision to support President Wilson in taking the USA into the First World War in 1917. Their strategy highlighted the hypocrisy of fighting for democracy in Europe while denying it to women at home. Suffragettes staged demonstrations against Wilson, with members of the more radical National Woman’s Party (NWP) gaining a reputation for ...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Science & Technology
• Arts & Entertainment
• War & Conflicts
• Politics & Society
• Industry & Economics
• Medicine & Health
• Events, Triumphs & Tragedies
• Appendices
• Resources
• Notes on Contributors
• Index
• Acknowledgements