20) Developments in Africa and Americas Flashcards
Political backdrop to Africa after WWII
-ending of colonialist rule, this however did not mean the end of western involvement in Africa
-Ethiopia and Liberia were the only independent countries at the start of the 21st century
-at the end of WWII, most were of the opinion to support African self determination
-Pan-Africanism, political/cultural movement across Africa that promoted unity
-impact of colonisation was the destruction of traditions and oppressive ruling, thus in the absence of colonial rule, there was a power vacuum
how did the situation in African countries result in it becoming a part of the cold war
-proxy wars, due to political vacuums both pro-capitalist and pro-communist parties/powers were developed
what struggles did many African countries face due to the involvement of the west
-economic problems, many western colonial powers up and left without considering the impacts- moreover, the depression of the 1930s spread to Africa through western involvement
-wars/conflict, even leading to genocide (1994 Rwanda)
Reagan’s quote on detente and what it meant
‘detente does not mean the end of danger (…) detente is not the same as lasting peace’
this was clearly reflected at between 1975-85 (during the period of detente) the USSR, its allies, and USA all intensified their efforts it intervene and support sympathetic regimes in Africa, Asia (Afghanistan) the Caribbean and South America
US attitude towards Cuba post crisis
-hostile
-feared domino theory in south America
-sought to undermine nascent socialist and communist parties in the region
Cuban attitude towards US post crisis
-hostile
-ally to USSR but not dependent of this, Castro (like Tito) seized power without their support
-supported developing communist/socialist parties in African countries
deployment of Cuban troops
during the Cold War Cuba sent more troops overseas than all other countries bar the USA
who was the colonial power in Angola
Portugal, after a coup in april 1974, the new rulers sought to get rid of its expensive colonial empire
when they left Angola, a power vacuum was created
Angolan civil war prior cold war intervention
since the 1960s
between the Portuguese colonists and the Angolan nationalists
very expensive
3 main groups (MPLA, FNLA and UNITA) had been fighting in this civil war
The Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
MPLA
Marxist organisation
led by Agostinho Neto
The National Front for the Liberation of Angola
FNLA
based in the North
strong ties to the US ally in the neighbouring country of Zaire
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA)
UNITA
off shoot of the FNLA
led by Jonas Savimbi
was supported by the countries largest ethnic group, the Ovimbundu
Alvor Agreement
Jan 1975
Between Portugal and the 3 main revolutionary groups
Established 3 way power shared government that quickly fell apart into a civil war as each party wanted sole power
How was the Angolan civil war a proxy war
The USA, USSR and PRC all gave covert assistance to groups in order to ensure than a party, hostile to their interests, did not win the war
US intervention in Angola
- $300,000 in covert funding to support the FNLA
-July ‘75, Kissinger persuades Ford to send $25mill in supplies and $16mill in arms
-recruited mercenaries while training and equipping the FNLA troops
-airlifted armaments and CIA advisors
-however in December 1975, fearing another Viet Nam, the US stop support
USSR’s intervention in Angola
-Brezhnev was initially wary, he feared intervention would destabilise detente
-intervened due to pressure from the Cuba/his advisors and as a reaction to US intervention
-did not want the PRC to gain anything, at the expense of the USSR, in Angola
-sent military support, including ground troops
