Chapter 20 - Developments in Africa and the Americas Flashcards
How did Angola gain independence?
- Portuguese maintained colony of Angola BUT fighting against Angolan nationalists since early ’60s
- April 1974 = Right-wing gov in Lisbon overthrown
How did Portugal try to streamline independence in Angola?
- Tried to establish interim gov with representatives of different nationalist factions
- Representatives from MPLA, UNITA and FNLA
How did foreign intervention begin in Angola?
- June 1974 = China sent 120 military advisors to aid FNLA
- Jan 1975 = USA sent $300,000 in covert funding to FNLA
- MPLA receiving arms and aid from USSR
- Cuba sent military instructor to support MPLA
What was the impact of the outbreak of Civil War in Angola?
- Kissinger persuaded Ford to send $25 million in supplies and $16 million in arms to FNLA
- Oct 1975 = FNLA (supported by South Africa forces) advanced towards Luanda
How were Cuba involved in the Angolan Civil War?
- November 1975 = Cuban forces victorious in protecting Luanda from South Africans
- By Jan 1976, 12,000 Cuban troops supporting MPLA
- Cuban troops vital in helping MPLA reach victory in March 1976 (MPLA then created People’s Republic of Angola (PRA))
- Cuba started removing troops 1977 BUT promised military aid if PRA faced threats
- Cuba forces used to support PRA suppression of an attempted coup
- Angolan-Cuban relations weakened Soviet-Cuban relations
- Cuba sent experts in infrastructure development, healthcare and education to Angola
- Cuba gave scholarships for Angolan students to study in Cuba
What were the pros and cons of the option for USA to do nothing in Angola in 1975?
- Realised FNLA wouldn’t win
- OPTION to do nothing and let things happen
PROS
= avoid costly involvement
= US couldn’t be entirely in control anyway
= Protect USA from international criticism
= Avoid further irritating MPLA
CONS
= likely Neto would become dominant so Angola would move towards political left
- Zaire might think USA not interested in region so move towards Anti-American stance
Why could the USA not continue covert aid for the FNLA?
- South Africa also aiding FNLA campaign and USA couldn’t be seen to be connected to South Africa
- Africa challenging last remainder of white minority rule across the continent
- In South Africa, was growing international condemnation of apartheid (racist social and political system under white minority rule)
Why was Soviet intervention in Angola especially significant?
- The first time the USSR got involved in a country outside of the Soviet orbit
- First time USA failed to respond to USSR military moved outside Soviet orbit
(could show USA wouldn’t counter similar communist interventions in future), ,
Why was the USSR so eager to get involved in Angola?
- Sino-Soviet split (1961) = China couldn’t gain in Angola at expense of USSR
- USSR had to appear more willing than Chinese to support national liberation movements
- Neto though USSR’s compliance with detente had solidified US-USSR relations = USSR less credible in Angola
How did China influence the USSR’s actions in Angola?
- Sino-Soviet split (1961) = China couldn’t gain in Angola at expense of USSR
- Tension between USSR and China to both be major communist power
- China AND US supported FNLA = USSR saw this as outcome of improving Sino-American relations since 1971
- USSR sought to undermine influence of both China and USA
How did leadership initially change in Ethiopia?
- After WW2, Britain awarded territory of Ogaden (usually belonging to Somali) to Ethiopia
- July 1977 = Somali invaded Ogaden to retake it
- 1974 = Ethiopian Emperor Selassie was overthrown by Colonel Mariam = established Marxist-Leninist dictatorship
How did Ethiopia gain support?
- Appealed to both USSR and Cuba
- Soviets withdrew support for Somalian regime
- Nov 1977 = Castro sent troops to Ethiopia to aid them
- Brezhnev congratulated Castro - view aligned
- By Feb 1978, 15,000 Cuban troops on Ethiopia
How did the conflict in Ethiopia end?
- March 1978 = Somali troop retreated
- Truce announced
What was the significance of the conflict in Ethiopia?
- USA accused Moscow of using Cuba to extent its own power in Africa
- Any developing relations between USA and Cuba profoundly damaged
- Disappointing as Carter’s US gov had wanted detente with both USSR AND Cuba
How did the USA try to interfere with the election of Allende in Chile?
- US businesses interested in Chilean copper and silver mines
- Allende socialist and looked to USA like another Castro
- CIA attempted covert action to lead to coup to stop Allende taking power
- Coup failed = Allende democratically elected Chilean President
