Developments in Africa and the America

when was the angolian civil war?

1975-1976

Portugal had an internal revolution in 1974, which meant that there was a rapid and hasty withdrawal from Angola. This led to clashes between competing movements but the MPLA seized power in Angola and by March 1975 they announced the People’s Republic

* they were aided by the Cubans and the reluctant Russians

opposing groups were the UNITA backed by the South Africans and the USA who did not want communism on their door/ border

but the Cubans got there with troops first and UNITA had to back down

* all in all, this was a pretty simple win for the Soviets and it definitely made them cockey

What impact did Angola have on detente?

* congress pulled the plug on support for Ford
* he was refused 25 million to fight the war
* and the view that Africa should never be viewed as a cold war conflict

__***The USSR***__

* was seen as exploiting SALT I
* helped turn Carter and Regan against detente
* would lead to afghanistan

when was the Ogaden war and the impact on deetente?

* 1977 July - March 1978
* Somalia invaded Ethiopia over the disputed region of the Ogaden
* USSR was backing both sides of the war, and tried to broker a ceasefire but failed
* Soviets disowned Somalia and supported Ethiopia with the support of 15 000 Cuban troops and $7b of military supplies
* ended with a truce in March 1978 (Somalia was forced to back down)
* Brezinski (NSA) said that detente was buried in the sands of the Ogaden

When was the invasion of Chile and what was it?

1973

* Allende was elected, he was striving for socialism and this scared Washington
* Castro visited and the phrase ‘Chilean to socialism’
* Septemeber 1973; Allende was killed on the first day of the coup
* many pro-Allende supporters were killed
* economic aid to chile was cut until Piochets repressive regime was out into place

Nicaragua?

* 1979: Sandinista National Liberation Front (considered a communist by Reagan) seized power
* 1981: US sent aid to anti-communists Contras
* sold arms to fundamentalists in Iran to fund this (Iran-Contra affair)

iran contra affair??

part of $30m sent to Iran for arms was diverted to the Contras secretly

* illegal!!

Grenada

* Oct 1983: Reagan sent 7000 troops to Grenada after pro-left Coard staged a successful coup


* UN condemned this 108-9 as a ‘flagrant violation of international law’
* Dec 1983: US troops withdrew

how many of the latin countires were under a military dictatorship

17/21