Loading subject…
Anarchism
A political philosophy that advocates for a society without hierarchies or centralized authority, especially rejecting the state and government.
Armistice
A formal agreement between warring parties to stop fighting, often to create a temporary truce while a peace treaty is negotiated.
Artillery
large-calibre guns used in warfare on land
Autonomy
Ability of regions or communities to manage their own affairs.
Bolsheviks
Radical Marxist faction led by Lenin that split from the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party in 1903, advocating a small, disciplined party of professional revolutionaries to seize power on behalf of the working class.
Cold War
Political rivalry between the USA and the Soviet Union after WWII
Communism
Political system where the state controls the economy and promotes equality.
Conscription
A government policy that requires eligible citizens to serve in the military, often called a draft.
Coup
a sudden seizure of power by a small group, often from within the government.
Decolonization
The process by which colonies gained independence from European powers after 1945.
Dictatorship
A dictatorship is a form of government where a single person or a small group holds absolute power, with no constitutional limitations or effective political opposition.
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
Japan's imperial vision of economic and political unity in Asia under its leadership, often used to justify conquest.
Guerrilla tactics
Strategy using mobility, ambush and knowledge of terrain against stronger forces.
Guerrilla Warfare
Strategy of irregular combat and mobility, central to Mao’s revolutionary tactics.
Guerrilla Warfare
Irregular fighting by small, mobile groups using surprise tactics against larger traditional forces.
Inflation
General increase in prices and fall in purchasing power.
Infrastructure
The fundamental physical and organizational structures, such as transportation, communication, and energy systems, needed for a society’s economy to function effectively.
Isolationism
A foreign policy stance of avoiding involvement in international affairs, alliances, and conflicts. In the 1930s, the United States pursued isolationism through the Neutrality Acts, refusing to intervene in European and Asian crises.
Land Reform
Government redistribution of agricultural land from large landowners to peasant farmers, often involving confiscation and political mobilisation of the rural population.
Legitimacy
The public’s acceptance of a leader’s authority, often earned through wartime experience or moral leadership.
Legitimacy
Legitimacy is public acceptance of authority
Manchuria
a region in northeastern China rich in resources, contested by Japan and Russia.
Marxism-Leninism
Communist ideology emphasizing class struggle and revolution; Mao later adapted it to focus on peasants rather than industrial workers.
Militarism
The belief that the military should dominate politics and national policy, often justified by claims of national destiny.