The Second Cold War (19)

Question 1

Preliminary situation in Afghanistan?

Answer 1

April 1978 - coup People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan - (PDPA) - overthrows Mohammed Khan - in power since 1973 with support from PDPA - Khan failed to implement socialist policies

Question 2

Soviet problems with the PDPA?

Answer 2

Was fragmented - Amin gains control - concerned he would align himself with the West (US, China and Pakistan) - USSR loses influence of border nation
Alienating the islamic community - majority - PDPA under Amin started radical, disruptive land reform - went against islam and rejected the islamic veil and the use of Islamic green in the national flag - therefore creating instability

Question 3

Soviet interests in Afghanistan?

Answer 3

Shared border of 2500 kilometres
Shared border with the Muslim Central Asian republics of the USSR
If it aligned with the USA, the USA would gain geostrategic power in the region - Brezhnev saw this as a threat to national security
Was a buffer state

Question 4

Soviet views of the invasion?

Answer 4

Was necessary to restore a stable, socialist neighbour state that was an ally to the USSR
Was no expansionism but a security necessity
Viewed as being consistent with the Basic Principles (1972) - maintain international stability and peace
December 1979
o 80,000 troops were sent in to preserve the power of Babrak Karmal which had been installed by Moscow

Question 5

Events in Iran?

Answer 5

The pro-American Shah regime was overthrown in 1979 by islamic fundamentalists led by Khomeini
US feared this new regime would collapse and Iran would become prone to communist insertions
Would further USSR regional influence

Question 6

US views of Soviet intervention in Afghanistan?

Answer 6

Was a mounting problem after the loss of Iran
Carter saw it as a threat to international peace
Carter told Congress on 3rd Jan 1980 to postpone indefinitely SALT II being ratified
Carter made an address to the nation on 4th Jan 1980 and set out measures on the USSR:
- Deferral of action on cultural and economic exchanges - imports of Soviet vodka
- Major restrictions on Soviet fishing privileges in American waters
- Ban on sale of high technologies to Soviets
- Embargo on sales of grain to Soviets
- US military and economic assistance to Pakistan
Unveiled the Carter Doctrine on 23rd Jan 1980
• President Carter reverted to Cold War Containment
• Carter called Brezhnev on the hot line and told him that the Soviet actions were considered a ‘direct threat to peace’
Also tried to persuade NATO allies to suspend East-West detente but European detente was working beneficially so they rejected
Carter had created an ultimatum for the USSR and therefore shut down diplomacy

Question 7

Carter Doctrine?

Answer 7

23rd January 1980
New Soviet global strategy to expand influence into the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean
Would threaten vital oil supplies
Build-up of US conventional forces and possibility of military intervention to cut out expansionism
Reinforced the need for strengthened relations with China
Went on to increase defence budget in 1981

Question 8

Personality: Ronald Reagan

Answer 8

Claimed detente had been used by the Soviet’s to catch-up technologically and militarily to the US
Blamed previous administrations for allowing the USA to be taken advantage of and therefore allowing America’s power globally to be eroded
Believed the USA should return to unilateralism
Evil Empire: March 1983
Tear Down This Wall: June 1987

Question 9

Problems with START?

Answer 9

Strategic Arms Reductions Talks
Came about due to popular ‘freeze’ movement that had developed in the USA and from pressure in Europe
By the end of 1981 - Reagan administration saw need of arms limitations
Stalled until mid-1982
USA deployed Perishing II and cruise missiles in November 1983 in Europe
USSR abandoned the talks in response

Question 10

Personality: Margaret Thatcher?

Answer 10

Met Reagan in Feb 1981 - seen as honeymoon period in Anglo-American relations
Reagan visited UK in June 1982
Speech to Parliament - attacked USSR - ‘crusade of freedom’
Thatcher agreed the Cold War went on too long - Detente propped up USSR
Thatcher allowed the USA to launch F - 111 bombers against Libya in 1986 - went against other European dismissals - rewarded with the USA extraditing IRA terrorists
She did not wholeheartedly back SDI - getting rid of nuclear weapons left Europe exposed to the Soviet’s much greater conventional forces

Question 11

Personality: John Paul II:

Answer 11

1978 - elected Pope - Polish
First encyclical focused on human rights
June 1979 - visited Poland - 12 million Poles witnessed the Pope expressing his views on international reconciliation
Papal message included talks of opening borders and reuniting Europe
Encouraged people to be ‘non-conformists’

Question 12

Solidarity in Poland?

Answer 12

Workers Union in Lenin shipyard in Gdansk
1980 - severe economic crisis in Poland - July-August 300,000 workers strike - response to food price rise of up to 100%
Government responded to this by accepting the first independent Polish trade union - Solidarity - Gdansk agreement
Leader was Lech Walesa
Solidarity grew to about 10 million members
Strikes erupted in the country - led to significant pay rises

Question 13

USSR response to Solidarity?

Answer 13

Worried about concessions being granted
Started to carry out military manoeuvres along the Polish frontier
Solidarity proposed a national referendum
June 1981 - Politburo secretly decided no military intervention would come in Poland - not prepared to face an increase in Western economic sanctions

Question 14

Polish governments response to Solidarity?

Answer 14

September 1981 General Jaruzelski became Communist Party leader and threatened to impose martial law
Solidarity did not take seriously and convinced the Polish Army would not side with the government
13th December 1981 Jaruzelski and the Military Committee of National Redemption imposed martial law:
- gatherings and demonstrations banned
- dissemination of information banned
- curfew imposed - 10-6
- official permission needed to be away from home for more than 48 hours
- One-state controlled tv and radio station permitted
- Solidarity banned and its leaders arrested
Led to USA economic sanctions and the economic crisis deepened

Question 15

KAAL 007?

Answer 15

1st September 1983 - shot down by Soviet interceptor
South Korean airliner - 269 people killed - 61 Americans
Soviets initially denied it - later claimed it was spying on behalf of US and no passengers were onboard
Issue of Soviet barbarity versus American espionage
28th September - Yuri Andropov, leader of USSR issued a statement - claimed Reagan administration was militaristic and threatening global peace - US had abandoned detente
Actual deaths occurred amongst Cold War tensions - large possibility of hot war

Question 16

Yom Kippur War?

Answer 16

• 1973, Syria and Egypt attacks Israel during the Yum Kippur holiday.
o Soviet Union had just released troops from Egypt and the USA thought they would have knowledge of the planned attack
• In that same year Nixon and Brezhnev had agreed to inform each other on events which could threaten world peace
o Israeli counter-offensive was supplied by the Nixon administration
o Soviet Union began to resupply the Egyptians and Syrians
• Middle East crisis increased when Brezhnev called for a US-Soviet Peace Keeping force and if the US did not contribute they would do it alone due to frustration that the Israel would not accept a cease-fire
o Nixon was angered by this and placed the US conventional and nuclear forces on a worldwide alert
• Had not happened since Cuban Missile Crisis