(20) Developments in Africa and Americas Flashcards
What had been the background to events in Angola?
In the 1960s Portugal governed Angola as part of their African colonies.
Angola was costly to maintain and after the 1974 Portuguese revolution, the right-wing government was overthrown and the new government immediately promised independence to Angola.
An interim coalition government was formed to assist Angola in achieving full independence.
The coalition was formed in 1975 of the Marxist MPLA, the nationalist FNLA and the FNLA’s offshoot group UNITA.
How did this lead to the Angolan Civil War?
The MPLA and FNLA entered into a civil war after this.
The MPLA and the FNLA both received foreign assistance.
The MPLA was a Marxist Party which received arms and aid from the USSR, military advisers from China and 36,000 troops from Cuba.
The FNLA was a pro-American party and it received $300,000 dollars from the CIA, military advisers and aid from China, aid from Zaire and support from South Africa.
The MPLA won the civil war and created the People’s Republic of Angola (PRA) which was formally recognised by other African countries in 1976 and the USA in January 1977.
Why did Cuba and the USSR get involved in Angola?
Cuba continued to support Angola and in 1988 stationed 52,000 troops in Angola.
They also provided military aid (if required), experts to assist with infrastructure development, healthcare and education.
Why did the USSR feel the need to get involved in Angola?
The USSR wanted to assist the MPLA due to their Marxist nature and didn’t want the country to be influenced by Chinese communism.
The USSR also was concerned that the Americans and Chinese were becoming too close by both supporting the FNLA.
The USSR saw interference in Angola in line with détente and simply helping a struggling nation achieve their liberation.
What was the impact of Cuban intervention in Ethiopia?
In 1974, the Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie was overthrown by the Marxist-Leninist regime led by Colonel Mariam.
War between Ethiopia and Somalia began 3 years later after Somalia re-took the territory that Britain gave Ethiopia after WW2.
Somalia invaded Ethiopia in July 1977.
Mariam appealed for support from the USSR and Cuba.
In February 1978, 15,000 troops were sent to Ethiopia by Cuba. Somalian troops retreated and agreed to a ceasefire a month later.
How did this lead to tensions and a breakdown in detente?
The USA accused the USSR of using Cuba to extend communist influence in Africa. Relations between the USA and Cuba were damaged as a result.
Why was USA worried about the spread of communism in the Caribbean and Latin America?
The USA was always concerned about the spread of communism in the Caribbean and Latin America as they didn’t want communism spreading to ‘their own backyard’.
The USA was thus willing to intervene in any regimes which may be communist.
How did US intervention negatively impact Chile?
In 1970, Salvador Allende was elected President of Chile.
- Allende achieved this despite the USA attempting to stage a coup to rid him of power as he was a socialist.
- Allende nationalised industry, particularly copper and banking.
In response, the USA blocked the World Bank from lending to Chile and withdrew all economic aid.
- This resulted in inflation, a decline in industrial output, unemployment and stagnation in agriculture.
- This led to strikes and riots, with Augusto Pinochet staging a successful military coup. Allende was overthrown and by 1973, Chile had plunged into a brutal dictatorship.
What was the historical interpretation by Kinzer regarding the USA’s persuasion of the World Bank?
The USA also persuaded World Bank to cancel a $21m loan to Chile for livestock improvement. This was referred to as an ‘invisible blockade’
Why was the USA so determined to bring down Allende?
The US government believed that Allende would become closer to socialist countries, such as Cuba and the Soviet Union. They feared that Allende would push Chile into socialism, and therefore lose all of the US investments made in Chile.
What happened in Grenada?
n 1979, the leftist New Jewel Movement banned all other political parties and accepted aid from both the USSR and Cuba.
In 1983, Bernard seized power in a military coup.
The USA sent 70,000 troops to Grenada in order to supposedly protect US students there.
How did their involvement in Grenada cause tensions and led to a breakdown in detente?
The actions taken by the USA enraged the USSR who saw this as an act of American Imperialism.
This caused the USSR to walk out of the Geneva talks. Britain also condemned US actions on what was a British colony, but the special relationship with America remained.
