CHAPTER 3: US HEGEMONY IN WORLD POLITICS.

1.When did the US HEGEMONY begin? What does hegemony mean ?

Ans. The US. hegemony began in 1991, after the collapse of USSR.Hegemony means leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others. American hegemony is in the form of cultural, military, economic and political domination.

2. When did Iraq invaded Kuwait? 

Ans. In August 1990.

3.What is known as the first Gulf War? 

Ans. When a massive coalition forces of 6 lakh 60 thousand troops from 34 countries fought against Iraq and defeated it.This came to be known as the first Gulf War.

4. Who was the American president during the first Gulf War? 

Ans.  George Herbert Walker Bush.(George H.W.Bush) 

5. What was operation Desert Storm? 

Ans. The UN operation againt Iraq during the first Gulf War. 

6. Who was the President of Iraq at that time? 

Ans.Saddam Hussein. 

7 What were the major highlights of the first Gulf War? 

Ans. - The war revealed a vast technological gap between the American military capabilities and that of other states. 

     -  It was a computer war

     - Due to widespread television coverage it was a video game war as well.

8.Who succeeded George H.W. Bush as the president of USA?

Ans. Bill Clinton of Democratic party in 1992.

9.For how long did Bill Clinton ruled USA.?

Ans. He was the President of America from 1992 to 2000. For tenure of 8 years ie.two terms.

10. What is operation Infinite Reach?

Ans. Operation Infinite Reach is a series of cruise missile strikes on Al-Qaeda terrorist targets in Sudan and Afghanistan. It was ordered by Clinton without any regard to any provision of international law or UN.

11.Why is the date 9/11 significant in the Contemporary world? 

Ans. On 11 September 2001, the state of America faced the biggest terrorist attacks in the world. 

12.Who was the President of  USA.during this attack? 

Ans. George. W.Bush, son of eariier president George. H.W.Bush.

13.After the terror strike of 2001, as a part of its global war on Terror, name the operation launched by America. 

Ans. Operation Enduring Freedom. 

14. What is Operation Enduring Freedom? 

Ans. It is against all those suspected to be behind the 9/11 attack, mainly Al -Qaeda and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. 

15.Where did the US keep the persons who were arrested for being a supect in this attack? 

Ans. The arrested persons were detained in a secret prison at Guantanamo Bay,a naval base in Cuba.

16. What is known as Operation Iraqi Freedom? 

Ans. It is the codename given to the US invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003.

17.What was the main reason for American invasion of Iraq in 2003?

Ans.To prevent Iraq from developing WMD ( weapons of mass destruction). 

18.What is US.share of world economy? 

Ans. 28 percent. 

19. Which system still constitutes the basic structure of the world economy. 

Ans. Bretton Woods system. 

20. Name the three most powerful and influential economic organizations that are the products of American hegemony. 

Ans. World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization. 

21 Where in the world was the first business school set up?

Ans. Wharton school at the University of Pennsylvania in 1881.The first MBA.courses were started in 1900.

22.What is America's share in world Trade?

Ans. 15%

23. Explain Us.hegemony as 'soft power'

Ans. American culture is the most seductive and powerful culture on earth. This attribute is called the soft power, the ability to persuade rather than coerce.

Chapter 2 - THE END OF BIPOLARITY

1. When  was the Berlin Wall built?
Ans.  It wss built in 1961 at the height of Cold war.It divided the east from West Germany.
2. What did Berlin Wall symbolise?
Ans. It symbolised the division between the capitalst and the communist world.
3. Why is the year 1989 landmark  during the cold war.
Ans. The Berlin Wall was bought down by the people on 9 th November 1989.This marked the unification of the two parts of Germany.
4.When did USSR come into being?
Ans. It came into being in the year 1917, after the socialist revolution in Russia.
5.  Name the ideals that inspired the socialist revolution of Russia.
Ans. The revolution was inspired by the ideals of socialism and need for an egalitarian society. (equal society).  It was opposed to the idea of capitalism.
6. Name the political party that dominated the Soviet political system.
Ans. The communist party.
7. What kind of party system was prevalent in Soviet Union?
Ans. The Soviet system had one party system ie.the communist party. No other political party or opposition was allowed. The economy was planned and controlled by the state.
8. Which countries were called the ' second world '?
Ans. Those  east European countries that came under the control of USSR followed the same economic system, that existed in USSR.This group of countries were known as the Second world or the socialist bloc.
9. When did Soviet Union invade Afghanistan?
Ans. In 1979.
10. Who became the general secretary of the communist party of the Soviet Union in 1985?
Ans. Mikhail Gorbachev. He wanted to reform the Soviet system.
11. Why did Gorbachev wanted to reform the system?
Ans. He wanted to reform the Soviet system to keep the Soviet Union at par with the information and technological revolutions that was taking place in the West.
12. When did the coup take place in Soviet Union?
Ans. In the year 1991. It was in this year the USSR also disintegrated.
13. What is CIS?
Ans. It is commonwealth of independent states.It was founded after the dissolution of Soviet Union It was founded by former republics of Soviet Union.
14. After the disintegration of USSR, who was accepted as the successor state of Soviet Union?
Ans. Russia. It also inherited the seat in the united nations security council.
15.For how long did the communist party rule the Soviet Union.
Ans. 70 years.
16. Who was Boris Yeltsin?
Ans. He was the first elected president of Russia (1991-99).
17.What is  Shock therapy?
Ans.The model of transition (change)  in Russia, Central Asia and east Europe that was influenced by the world Bank and IMF came to be known as shock therapy.
18.What was  the dominant ideology of Soviet Union?
Ans. Socialism
19.Name the military alliance started by USSR in 1955?
Ans.  Warsaw pact
20. Which was the first Republic to declare independence from USSR?
Ans. Lithuania was the first of the 15 Soviet republics to declare its independence.