Unit 8

War Movements Changes With US and USSR

Proxy Warfare

  • Definition of Proxy War: A proxy war is defined as a conflict that is an extension of a significant war or conflict between two other states. The primary example provided is the conflict between North Korea and South Korea.

US and USSR Influence over Foreign Countries

Alliances, Doctrines, Propaganda, and Wars during the Cold War (1950s and 60s)

Main Focus Areas

  • The transcript discusses several key ways in which the US and the USSR maintained ideological influence both domestically and internationally during the early stages of the Cold War. The following points are highlighted:
      1. Project Mohole
      2. Cuban Missile Crisis
      3. Radio Free Europe
      4. Hydrogen Bomb
      5. Space Race
      6. McCarthyism
      7. Truman Doctrine

Methods for Independence (1750-1900)

Historical Context

  • Numerous states such as Korea, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Algeria, and Ghana utilized foreign influence to achieve independence. The narrative poses a question regarding additional methods states may have used for independence during the specified period.

Korean War

Extending Foreign Influence by USSR and US

  • Discussion points about the Korean War include:
       1. USSR's Contributions: Detailed list of support provided by the USSR during the war, including military assets.
       2. Communication Among Similar Ideologies: Observations regarding interactions between ideologically aligned nations, specifically the USSR, China, and North Korea.
       3. China's Involvement: The necessity for the USSR to persuade China’s involvement after the Chinese Communist Party established dominance in 1949. This was vital as the Korean War unfolded from 1950-1953, just a year after the establishment of Communist China.
       4. Types of support included Soldiers, Tanks, Generals, Military Training, and aircraft such as the MiG fighter jets. All countries involved actively coordinated their military efforts (the USSR, North Korea, and China).

Observations and Impacts of the War

  • Observing the Korean War’s outcomes led to insights into:
       - High military casualties among Communist states and significant civilian casualties in South Korea, where the majority of deaths were civilians.
       - The aftermath included South Korea’s occupation.

The Human Cost of the Korean War

Summary of the Conflict

  • Between 1950 and 1953, the Korean War, ignited by North Korean troops invading South Korea, resulted in approximately 3,000,000 Korean deaths (including military personnel and civilians), accounting for nearly 10% of the total Korean population.

Casualty Statistics

  • United States Losses:
      - Over 33,000 US soldiers killed
      - Additional 103,000 wounded
      - Approximately 5,000,000 displaced persons
      - 7,140 soldiers captured; 2,700 died in captivity

Economic Impact

  • Cost to the US: By the war's conclusion in 1953, the conflict cost the US approximately $30 billion, which represented about 5.2% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This included ongoing veteran compensation costs amounting to $2.8 billion annually.

  • Casualties: The civilian death toll in Korea predominantly constituted 70% of total casualties.

Property Damage and Economic Disruption

  • Describes significant destruction to both North and South Korean property, with North Korea's losses estimated at $3.5 billion and South Korea's at about $2 billion due to the war.

Ethiopian Reform (1974-1991)

Key Narratives

  • Haile Selassie's Regime: Selassie, ousted during World War II, returned to rule but ultimately failed to enact successful reforms in the 1960s due to his Western affiliations.

  • Mengistu Haile Mariam's Leadership: Mengistu led a coup against Selassie in 1974, receiving $6 billion in aid, military aircraft, and instructors primarily from the USSR. By 1991, Ethiopia's air force boasted approximately 150 Soviet-manufactured aircraft operational with around 4,500 personnel.

Land Reforms and Economic Reality

  • Mengistu’s reforms aimed at establishing a totalitarian economy but faltered as peasants were given land but forced to cultivate specific crops that did not yield sufficient productivity, resulting in a severe famine incited by drought in 1980.

Ethiopian-Somali War Over Ogaden (1977-1978)

Conflict Overview

  • The conflict arose as Ethiopia, under a Marxist state led by Mengistu, faced invasion by the Somali National Army. The USSR provided assistance to Ethiopia while the US backed Somalia.

  • Ethiopian military, supported by more robust Soviet aid and Cuban troops, eventually fended off the Somali invasion despite initial limitations.

Angolan Civil War (1975-2002)

Historical Background

  • Following its independence from Portugal in 1975, Angola's internal conflict involved various ethnic groups. The USSR and Cuba supported one faction, while the USA supported another.

Contra War (1981-1988)

Context and Dynamics

  • The Sandinista regime in Nicaragua faced opposition from the Contra rebels, receiving extensive US aid and intelligence along with attempts to limit US influence through legislative amendments (Boland Amendment) aimed at ceasing overreaching military activities in Nicaragua.

CIA Involvement and the War's Impact

  • Despite Congressional restrictions, the CIA engaged in covert support for the Contras, which culminated in targeted operations causing significant destruction across Nicaragua.

Comparative Analysis of Military and Economic Tactics

US vs USSR

  • Emphasis on similarities and differences between the military and economic tactics employed by both the US and USSR in intervening in global affairs.

Independence Movements Post-1900

Decolonization

  • Discussion centered on the lengthy process of decolonization emphasizing political resistance in various regions, focusing on India, Egypt, and West Africa.

Indian and Pakistan Independence (1947)

Historical Context

  • The Indian National Congress, initiated in 1885, faced the growing demands of the Muslim League which sought the creation of a separate Muslim state highlighting growing philosophical disparities between Hindus and Muslims.

Violence and Migration

  • The partitioning of India resulted in extreme violence, with millions displaced as religious adversities escalated. The comparative hint at other historical transfers, like Jewish migration establishing Israel in 1948, adds complexity to the understanding of national identity and conflict during the period.