The role of the USSR

After WW2, what were the two key Soviets aims?

• To defend and protect their southern border

• They wanted to advance communism globally

What were the two key setbacks in the 1950s?

• Turkey and Iran (border) became firmly pro-West as they signed the Baghdad Pact

• They changed their aims, wanting to extent their influence in the Arab lands to enhance their security and advance communism

What was the role of the USSR in the Six Day war?

• The Soviet supported the more radical govt in Syria in 1966

• In May 1967, the Soviets told the Egyptians that Israel was placing troops along the Syrian border, preparing to attack

• Egypt sent their senior military figure who said there were no Israel troops. Nasser still moved troops closer to the border with Syria.

What was the USSR’s policy between 1967 war and 1973 war?

• The Six Day War was a blow to Soviet prestige as they were training the Arab states and lent them military equipment which couldn’t beat the USA

• Moreover, they firstly said they’d support Egypt, then backtracked once it lacked like that there would be direct conflict with the USA.

• They wanted Egypt to cool down tensions but the Soviets couldn’t control them

Why did the USSR remain in the Middle East after the 1967?

The Soviets still wanted to maintain their military presence and their superpower status so they continued to supply Egypt and Syria

When and why did the Soviets increase military support?

• Jan 1970 - The Soviets decided to increase their military support to Egypt significantly so they took control of Egypt’s air defence systems and dispatched their advanced surface to air misses systems.

• They also placed 15,000 military advisors in Egypt as they were worried about the War of attrition but they didn’t however refused to give Egypt military support for launching an attack.

What policy was mainly adopted by the Soviets during 1971-2?

Friendship, cooperation and expulsion was a treaty signed in May 1971 after Nasser died, between Sadat and the Soviets

Why did the USSR sign the Friendship, cooperation and expulsion treaty?

• They wanted to ensure that Sadat would allow the USSR to remain a dominant presence in Egypt

• Sadat was more independent and wanted to end the stalemate on the Suez and sought a new offensive weapons from the Soviets (lost US support after) - He failed to do this in July 1972 so he expelled the Soviet advisors from Egypt.

• The Soviets complied with Sadat’s demands and resumed arms supplies in 1973 to avoid Sadat going to the US

What were the USSR’s main key aims during the 1973 war?

• Soviets wanted to assist the Arabs and restore Soviet prestige in the Arab world.

• To avoid war that might lead to direct confrontation with the US - they threatened this but then worked with the US to find peace.

What was the impact of the 1973 war on the USSR’s power?

The US was more so in control of the peace treaties and the USSR were excluded - decline in Soviet influence