19251971

1925–1971 marks a span of global history from the mid-1920s to the early 1970s. It includes dramatic shifts in politics, economics, science, and culture, and it encompasses the upheavals of the Great Depression, World War II, and the consolidation of the postwar order.

The period begins with economic volatility and the rise of totalitarian regimes in some regions, followed by World War II (1939–1945) and the Allied victory. In the aftermath, the United Nations was established, the Cold War divided much of the world into competing blocs, and decolonization led to independence for numerous states in Asia, Africa, and beyond.

Technological and social change accelerated: advances in aviation, nuclear energy, computing; the space program; the civil rights movement; feminist movements; youth and counterculture; mass media.

End of the period: In 1971, the United States unilaterally suspended the convertibility of the dollar to gold, signaling a shift in the global monetary system. The era left a legacy of enduring international institutions, economic ties, and cultural transformations that continue to influence contemporary politics and society.