Cold War: Crises

Question 1

Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979-1989): Causes

Answer 1

• April 1978
  - Afghan Army seizes power, executes President Daoud
  - Installs PDPA (Marxist regime), with leader Taraki
• December 1978
  - USSR and Afghanistan sign bilateral agreement for Soviet assistance, which Afghanistan heavily relied on
• Marxist reforms resisted in rural areas, resulted in violence and civil strife
  - PDPA being anti-religion
• Mujahideen began to oppose PDPA
  - Appealed to people against religious reform
  - Relied on the backing of local warlords
• Resistance started to target Soviet leaders as well as PDPA
  - 100 Soviet advisers and 5000 Afghans killed by mutinous members of the Afghan army
  - March 1979
• September 1979, Taraki is overthrown and executed by Amin, who was more radical and unpredictable
  - Less stability in region
  - Taraki was a friend of Brezhnev
  - “Strength, and not a little strength at that, is needed to defend socialist gains.”
• After being refused aid from USSR, Amin turned to the USA for aid, resulting in Soviet fears of Afghanistan leaving the sphere of influence.
  - Resulted in USSR feeling it was necessary to invade for National Security.

Question 2

Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979-1989): Events

Answer 2

• December 1979
  - USSR invades Afghanistan
  - Justified by Brezhnev doctrine
  - 10,000 Paratroopers in to encircle Kabul.
  - Amin killed/replaced with Karmal.
• 27 December
  - 70,000 Soviet troops stationed in Afghanistan with no course of action.
  - Soviets controlled the cities and highways but Mujahadeen controlled the countryside.
• February 1980
  - 100,000 troops in Afghanistan only to protect Karmal and maintain his socialist government.
• 1980
  - President Carter allows CIA to conduct ‘operation cyclone’
  - Included funding and supplying Mujahadeen with high-grade weapons to fight Soviets
  - Many anti-aircraft missiles capable of taking down soviet aircraft.

Question 3

Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979-1989): Impacts

Answer 3

• Communist government remains in power
• Death toll
  - 15,000 killed, 30,000 injured
  - Morale affected
• International condemnation for the USSR
  - Boycott of 1980 Moscow Olympics
• 1992: Taliban take over
  - Did the USSR achieve anything
• Continued aid
  - US funding reached $60 million / year
• Refugees

Question 4

Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979-1989): Significances

Answer 4

• Failure for the USSR
• Impact on Soviet Economy
  - (Would ultimately lead to the end of the Cold War)
  - 25% of GDP
• Refusal to ratify SALT II
• Increase Arms Race

Question 5

Berlin Blockade (1918-1919): Causes

Answer 5

• Potsdam:
  - Big 3 agree on joint governance of Berlin, which itself was in Soviet controlled Germany
  - Stalin felt vulnerable
  Creation of Bizonia
  - September 1947
  - Britain and USA merge zones, followed by France, leading to form a unified government of all 3 sectors
  - Threat to East Germany + Stalin wanted a unified Germany
• Marshall Plan
  - 1947
  - Increased Western influence in Germany, against Stalin’s plans for the future of Germany
  - February 1948
  - Proposal of new four-power currency
  - USSR reject
• Final meeting in March 1948
  - UK, US, France declare the establishment of West German Government
  - End of Allied Control Council
  - Directly triggered blockade

Question 6

Berlin Blockade (1918-1919): Events

Answer 6

• April 1948
  - Soviets first prevent military supplies from entering West Berlin
  - Stalin then launches full Blockade/Nothing was allowed in or out of West Berlin.
• 1st July
  - Operation Vittles
  - USA and UK began dropping supplies into Berlin
  - Airlift supplied the city with an average of 13,000 tons per day for 323 days.
• April 1949
  - Allies enact “easter parade”, where they delivered 13,000 tons of coal in 1383 flights.
  - USA showed they could continue indefinitely
  - Soviets express willingness to lift the blockade.
• 12 May 1949
  - Blockade officially lifted
  - Allies re-enter western Berlin at 5 am the next day.

Question 7

Berlin Blockade (1918-1919): Impacts

Answer 7

• Hunger in West Berlin
• The Berlin Airlift
  - Show of strength from the USA
  - A reaction from Stalin could have seen Europe fall back into war
  - Cost: US $350m, UK £17m
• Increase in tension in Europe and also between USA and USSR
• International Condemnation for the USSR
  - Considered a failure of the USSR
  - Failure of Stalin to assert dominance over Europe and establish sphere of influence
• Decrease in relationships between East and West

Question 8

Berlin Blockade (1918-1919): Significances

Answer 8

• Demonstrated the need for USA’s involvement in Europe
• Battle of ideologies (East vs West) which is what the Cold War was about.
• NATO (1949) and Warsaw Pact (1955)