Cold War Competition in the Third World Notes

The Three Worlds After WWII

  • First World: Industrialized capitalist nations (e.g., United States and its allies).
  • Second World: Communist nations led by the Soviet Union.
  • Third World: Developing, often newly independent, nations not aligned with either superpower.
    • Became an arena for Cold War competition.

Characteristics of Third World Nations

  • Location: Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
  • Economic Condition: Economically poor.
  • Political Status: Politically unstable due to:
    • Colonial history.
    • Ethnic conflicts.
    • Lack of technology and education.
  • Needed a Political and Economic system
    • Soviet-style communism
    • US-style free market democracy

Superpower Influence in the Third World

  • Techniques Used:
    • Backed wars of revolution, liberation, or counterrevolution.
    • Covert activities by CIA (US) and KGB (Soviet Union), including spying and assassination attempts.
    • Military aid, schools, and poverty reduction programs by the US.
    • Military, technical, and economic aid from the Soviets.
      • Mainly to India, Egypt, and newly independent countries in Central and West Africa (e.g., Congo, Angola, Mozambique).

Non-Alignment and Neutrality

  • Some Third World countries sought neutrality (e.g., India).
  • Bandung Conference (1955): Hosted by Indonesia to form a "third force" of independent, non-aligned nations.
  • Some nations took sides or played competing sides against each other.
    • Egypt initially accepted Soviet aid for the Aswan High Dam and weapons for conflicts with Israel, then switched allegiance to the US after the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Latin America During the Cold War

  • Factors Influencing Latin America:
    • Rapid industrialization.
    • Population growth.
    • Gap between rich and poor.
    • Alternation between democracy and military rule.
  • US Involvement:
    • Supported leaders protecting US business interests, who often oppressed their people.
    • Provided military and economic aid to anti-communist dictators.
  • Influence of Communism:
    • Inspired revolutionary movements with Soviet support.

Case Study: Cuba

  • Pre-Revolution:
    • Ruled by unpopular dictator Fulgencio Batista, who had US support.
  • Cuban Revolution (1959):
    • Led by Fidel Castro, who overthrew Batista.
    • Initial praise for social reforms and economic improvements.
    • Castro became a harsh dictator, suspending elections, jailing/executing opponents, and controlling the press.
  • Shift to Communism:
    • Nationalized US-owned sugar mills and refineries.
    • US imposed an embargo on trade with Cuba.
    • Castro turned to the Soviets for economic and military aid.
  • Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961):
    • CIA trained Cuban exiles invaded Cuba at the Bay of Pigs.
    • Lack of US air support led to defeat, humiliating the US.
  • Cuban Missile Crisis (1962):
    • Khrushchev secretly began building 42 missile sites in Cuba.
    • US spy plane discovered the sites.
    • President John F. Kennedy demanded their removal and announced a naval blockade of Cuba.
    • Khrushchev agreed to remove missiles in exchange for US promise not to invade Cuba.
    • Resolution left Castro dependent on Soviet support, leading to Cuban backing of communist revolutions in Latin America and Africa.
  • Post-Soviet Era:
    • Soviet aid ended in 1991, crippling the Cuban economy.
    • Castro loosened state control and sought better relations with other nations.

Case Study: Nicaragua

  • Samosa Dictatorship:
    • The US had funded the Nicaraguan dictatorship of Anastasio Samosa and his family since 1933.
  • Sandinista Revolution (1979):
    • Communist Sandinista rebels toppled Samosa's son.
    • The US and the Soviet Union initially provided assistance to the Sandinistas led by Daniel Ortega.
  • Contra War:
    • Sandinistas aided Marxist rebels in El Salvador.
    • The US supported the anti-communist Contras to fight Sandinistas.
    • Civil war weakened Nicaragua's economy.
  • End of Conflict
    • In 1990, Ortega agreed to hold free elections and was defeated by Vaileza Chimorro.
    • Ortega returned to power in 2006.

Case Study: Guatemala

  • Arbenz Government:
    • In 1950, Jacobo Arbenz was elected president and promised economic reforms.
    • Arbenz initiated land reform and nationalized foreign industries.
  • US Intervention:
    • The US feared Arbenz's government might turn communist.
    • President Eisenhower and the CIA devised a plan to overthrow Arbenz.
    • The CIA launched a propaganda campaign and backed a military coup in 1954.
    • Carlos Castillo Armas, the US-backed leader, assumed control and promoted American interests.

The Middle East and Oil

  • The oil-rich Middle East attracted both superpowers.
  • Oil industry wealth fueled a clash between traditional Islamic values and modern Western materialism.

Case Study: Iran

  • Pre-Revolution:
    • Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi embraced Western governments and oil companies.
    • Iranian nationalists resented foreign influence under Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh who nationalized the British-owned oil company. The Shah was forced to flee.
    • The United States helped restore the Shah to power.
    • The Shah Westernized Iran with US support.
  • Rise of Islamic Opposition:
    • Conservative Muslim leaders (Ayatollahs) opposed Western influences.
    • Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in exile, spurred riots in 1978.
  • Iranian Revolution (1979):
    • The Shah fled Iran.
    • Khomeini returned and established an Islamic state.
  • Anti-American Sentiment:
    • Hatred of the US due to support for the Shah.
    • 1979: Islamic revolutionaries seized the US embassy in Tehran and took American hostages.
    • The Hostage crisis lasted 444 days.
  • Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988):
    • Khomeini encouraged Muslim radicals to overthrow secular governments.
    • War broke out between Iran and Iraq (governed by Saddam Hussein).
    • The United States secretly gave aid to both sides and The Soviet Union supported Iraq.
    • The United Nations negotiated a cease-fire in 1988 after a million deaths.

Case Study: Afghanistan

  • Pre-Soviet Era:
    • Afghanistan maintained independence from the Soviet Union and the United States.
    • Soviet influence began to increase in the 1950s.
  • Soviet Invasion (1979):
    • A Muslim revolt threatened Afghanistan's communist regime.
    • The Soviets invaded to support the Afghan communists.
  • Mujahideen Resistance:
    • Afghan rebels (Mujahideen or holy warriors) fought the Soviets with American weapons.
    • The US considered the Soviet invasion a threat to Middle Eastern oil supplies.
  • US Response:
    • President Jimmy Carter stopped US grain shipments to the Soviet Union and boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
  • Soviet Withdrawal (1989):
    • Mikhail Gorbachev withdrew Soviet troops due to the war's devastating cost.
    • Internal unrest and economic problems were tearing apart the Soviet Union causing collapse in 1991.