The World Post-World War II: 1945-Present

ISSUE
OIL/OPEC

POLLUTION

OLYMPIC GAMES

NUCLEAR
PROLIFERATION

GLOBAL TERRORISM

TERMS

SUMMARY/DESCRIPTION

- Organization of the Petroleum

After 1945, the demand for oil increased globally. The
Exporting Countries
countries that had oil deposits created OPEC, which
- supply & demand (interdependence)
regulated the production and distribution of this
- Middle East
resource. They have been able to exert power and
- industrialized
influence over industrialized nations since.
- Global North vs. Global South
The countries that make up the Global North
- air, water, land
(industrialized, modern) use the resources supplied by the
- Third World
nations of the Global South (poor, reliant, Third World).
- health care
The relationship between countries today is similar to the
- industrialization, modernization
relationship that existed during the Age of Imperialism.
- Ancient Greece
The spirit of the Olympic Games is peaceful competition
- peaceful competition
between countries whose governments, historically, have
- peaceful cooperation
not gotten along. Infamous games include: 1972 Munich
- terrorism
Games (terrorist killing of Israeli athletes), 1980 Moscow
- political statements
Games (U.S. boycott at height of Cold War).
- nuclear technology/capabilities
At the conclusion of WWII, countries raced to gain the
- mutual deterrence
technology necessary for nuclear power and nuclear
- ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic
weapons. Nuclear war was the worlds biggest concern
Missiles)
during the Cold War. Today, keeping nuclear weapons
- arms race
out of the hands of unstable or radical governments has
- fallout
become a concern.
- unconventional warfare
Terrorism in recent years has become a major, global
- civilians
problem. Prior to 9/11, the hijacking of airplanes was
- ISIS/Al Queda/ Taliban
common. Terrorists would use these actions as a
- United Nations
platform for political stances. Post 9/11, the U.S. and our

- dirty bombs
- fundamentalism

ROLE OF THE U.N.

GENETIC ENGINEERING

ENERGY & the

ENVIRONMENT

GREEN REV. & the

WORLDS POP.

- new & improved League of Nations

- collective security
- cooperation
- Universal Rights of Man & Citizen
- human rights

- advances in science & technology

- modification
- Science vs. Church
- cloning
- plants, animals (living organisms)
- nuclear power
- waste/pollution
- industrialization, modernization
- environmentalism
- efficiency
- growing populations and demands
- acid rain
- global warming
- new strands of crops (grains)
- worlds population increase
- science
- world hunger
- Third World nations
- non-political revolution

allies have waged wars in an attempt to combat

terrorism.
The United Nations was created in NYC in 1945 to help
avoid another major war. Unlike the failed League of
Nations, the U.S. joined and it has a military at its
disposal. The U.N. has 193 member nations and helps
resolve conflicts peaceful. The UN protects human rights
globally and helps orchestrate responses to natural
disasters.
Recent advances in science have led to controversial
genetic advances including cloning, organ transplants,
and the manipulation of chromosomes. A familiar
conflict between science and the Church resurfaced.
The drive to meet the demands of a growing population
and our energy demand has led to new sources. The
impact of these new sources on the environment is crucial
both short term and long term. Pollution and the
consequences to mans actions are controversial and
crucial to the future of the planet. The drive of countries
to industrialize, modernize, and create jobs must also
take into consideration the impact on the environment.
In the 1970s, scientists began developing new, more
durable strains of grains (corn, wheat, etc.) in an attempt
to meet the demands of the worlds growing population.
This was specifically targeted at poor, over-population,
Third World nations in Africa, Asia, and SE Asia. While
the Green Revolution was successful and produced

greater crop yields, it also required expensive fertilizers

and large water supplies which many countries did not
have access to.