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soviet

(Encyclopedia)soviet, primary unit in the political organization of the former USSR. The term is the Russian word for council. The first soviets were revolutionary committees organized by Russian socialists in the ...

Hukbalahap

(Encyclopedia)Hukbalahap (Huk) ho͝okˌbälähäpˈ [key], Communist-led guerrilla movement in the Philippines. It developed during World War II as a guerrilla army to fight the Japanese; the name is a contraction ...

Japan

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Japan jəpănˈ [key], Jap. Nihon or Nippon, country (2015 est. pop. 127,975,000), 145,833 sq mi (377,835 sq km), occupying an archipelago off the coast of E Asia. The capital is Tokyo, which, ...

Dubinsky, David

(Encyclopedia)Dubinsky, David do͞obĭnˈskē [key], 1892–1982, American labor leader, president (1932–66) of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU), b. Brest-Litovsk, Poland. He was a baker in ...

Tanaka, Kakuei

(Encyclopedia)Tanaka, Kakuei käko͞oˈā tänäˈkä [key], 1918–93, Japanese political leader and prime minister (1972–74). Born to a poor rural family, he moved to Tokyo at the age of 15 and by 1937 had esta...

Kollontai, Aleksandra Mikhaylovna

(Encyclopedia)Kollontai, Aleksandra Mikhaylovna əlyĭksänˈdrə mēkhīˈləvnə kələntīˈ [key], 1872–1952, Russian revolutionary, diplomat, and novelist, whose maiden name was Aleksandra M. Domontovich. Th...

Tawney, Richard Henry

(Encyclopedia)Tawney, Richard Henry tôˈnē [key], 1880–1962, British economic historian, b. Calcutta (now Kolkata). He was professor at the Univ. of London from 1931 to 1949. A leading socialist, Tawney helped ...

Wright, Richard

(Encyclopedia)Wright, Richard, 1908–60, American author. An African American born on a Mississippi plantation, Wright struggled through a difficult childhood and worked to educate himself. He moved to Chicago in ...

Moldova

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Moldova məldōˈvə [key], officially Republic of Moldova, republic (2015 est. pop. 4,066,000), c.13,000 sq mi (33,670 sq km). Chişinău (formerly Kishinev) is the capital and largest city. ...

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