Cold War in Americas and Africa

By BowenOwen
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    E5: Chile

    US telecommunication company in Chile, silver and copper mines
    Salvador Allende democratically elected in NOV 1970 despite a failed coup funded by the CIA

    Allende seized land and nationalised industry 40 Committee and CIA funded movements against Allende, convinced the World Bank not to lend Chile money, and US removed economic support
    CIA funded strikes against Allende
    SEP 1973: General Augusto Pinochet leads coup and kills Allende Exposed willingness of CIA and US to prevent communism
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    E5: Angola (1974-1976)

    Portugese gov't promise independence - Marxist MPLA v pro-US FNLA v Maoist UNITA
    China and US backed FNLA, USSR and Cuba backed MPLA
    '75: Civil war - US sends $25mil in supplies and $16mil in arms to FNLA; S.Africa and Zaire supported FNLA
    18k Cuban troops in Angola
    OCT '75: S.African and FNLA troops defeated by Cuban troops at Luanda
    FEB '76: Victory for MPLA
    Cuban troops supported Agostinho Neto in suppressing rivals Worsened US-SU, CN-SU, US-Cuba US didn't interfere, Angola wasn't a threat
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    E5: Ethiopia (1974-1978)

    • '74: Emperor Haile Selassie overthrown by Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam and Marxist-Leninist dictatorship established
    • GBR gave Ethiopia the traditionally Somali land of Ogaden => JUL '77: Somalia invades + takes 60%
    • Soviets withdrew support for Somalia + supported Cuba's decision to send troops to Ethiopia in NOV '77
    • FEB '78: 15k Cuban troops in Ethiopia
    • Victory for Ethiopia in MAR '78
    US accused USSR of using Cuba as a proxy to gain influence in Africa Only a proxy war for a year
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    E5: Grenada

    People's Revolutionary Government executed PM and set up Marxist-Leninist ideals and suspended constitution in MAR '79
    Military coup from leftist Coard faction
    25 OCT 1983: Reagan invades with 7k troops in US OP Fury => full occupation in a few days Thatcher angry for unilateral US action in former colony
    US censured by NATO and had to use veto in UNSC
    Reagan convinced that 'we got there just in time'
    Lack of evidence for communist gov't Little response from USSR
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    E5: Nicaragaua

    Under Samoza family for 43 years
    1961: Sandinista National Liberation Front founded
    17 JUL 79: Samoza resigns after revolution from Sandinistas
    19 JUL: FSLN take power, causing exodus of middle class and landowners
    MAR 81: US supported the Contras, pressured Honduras to be a safe haven US was found guilty of illicit actions to maintain support for the Contras MAR 82: FSLN enact State of Emergency restrict civil liberties, press censorship, military conscription
    OCT 85: widened SoE