Chapter 20: Developments in Africa and the Americas Flashcards
What was the situation in Angola?
- Portugal had been fighting nationalists - gave them independence 1975
- Coalition formed of factions - MPLA, FNLA, UNITA
- Civil war began
What ideology were the MPLA?
- Marxist
What aid did the MPLA gain before the war?
- Arms from USSR
- Chinese military advisors
What aid did the MPLA get during the war?
- 36,000 troops from Cuba
- Supplies and economic aid from USSR
What ideology was the FNLA?
- Nationalist
What aid did the FNLA get before the war?
- $300,000 in CIA covert funding
- Chinese military advisors
What aid did the FNLA get in the war?
- $25mil in supplies and $16mil in arms from the US
- Aid from Zaire
- South African support
How did the war end?
Angola
- Oct 1975 - FNLA advance to the capital
- Cuba protect capital
- MPLA win 1976
What was Cuba’s position with Angola?
- Strong relations
- Promise military aid after the war
- 1988 - 52,000 troops in Angola
- 1000s of experts help infrastructure, healthcare and education
What was the USSR’s position with Angola?
-Supported Angola to prevent the spread of Chinese communism
- Wanted to expand their influence and support Marxism
- Aided those fighting for liberation - saw it as in line with détente
What was the US’s position with Angola?
- Saw MPLA gain strength - moved to non-intervention policy
- Would reduce costs, international criticism, especially due to South Africa- apartheid
- Knew the MPLA had a minimal threat to their interests
What was China’s position with Angola?
- Supported Angolan independence
- Bad Soviet relations meant they didn’t want to support them
- Supported both until 1975 as the FNLA was supported by South Africa
What was the situation in Ethiopia?
- 1974 - Emperor overthrown and replaced by communist regime
- 1977 - war with Somalia over Ogaden territory that had been given to Ethiopia after WW2 by Britain
What did Ethiopia do for help?
- Appealed to USSR and Cuba
- USSR withdrew support for Somalia
- Cuba sent troops - 15,000 by Feb 1978
What was the result of the war?
Ethiopia
- Somali troops retreated
- Ceasefire March 1978
- USA accuse the USSR of using Cuba to expand communism into Africa
- US-Cuban relations damaged
What was the context of Chile?
- 1970 - socialist Allende was elected president despite US attempts at a coup
- New policy - land redistribution and nationalisation of industry
How did the US respond in Chile?
- Blocked the world bank from lending to Chile
- Withdrew economic aid
What was the result in Chile?
- Inflation
- Reduced industrial output
- Unemployment
- Strikes, riots - coup and Allende overthrown Sep 1973
- Brutal dictatorship followed with genocide of Allende supporters
What was the context of Grenada?
- 1979 - New Jewel movement (leftist) banned political parties and accepted aid from USSR and Cuba
- Oct 1983 - Coard gained power with a military coup
How did the US respond in Grenada?
- No evidence of Pro Soviet or Cuban regime
- US sent 7000 troops to ‘protect medical students’
What was the result in Grenada?
- USSR leave Geneva arms talks - saw actions as Us imperialism
- Thatcher angry they were not asked about an invasion of a former British colony
What was the context of Nicaragua?
- June 1979 - FSLN (Sandinistas) gained power
How did the US respond in Nicaragua?
- Carter recognised their govt, provided assistance to keep them western leaning
- Reagan - Supported anti-communist Contras instead
- Gave them funds, equipment, training
What unethical US actions were taken?
- To get around congress - CIA tried to persuade US allies to give funding (Israel, Taiwan etc)
- Sold arms to Iran despite embargo to fund black market arms to Nicaragua
- Mined Nicaraguan harbours
