Main Idea

1. 33. 4 – Cold War Divides the World • Main Idea • Essential Question What future impact did the Cold War have on third world countries?

2. Objectives

3. Setting the Stage • Following WWII, the world’s nations were grouped politically into three “worlds.” This terminology provided a way of broadly categorizing nations into groups based on social, political, and economic divisions. • The 1st world was the industrialized capitalist nations, including the US and its allies. The 2nd world was the Communist nations, led by the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies • 3rd World – • These 3rd world nations provided another area for competition between the US and the USSR

4. Cold War Strategies • 3rd world nations in Latin America, Asia and Africa suffered from terrible poverty and political instability, due largely to years of imperialism • Needed political and economic system to build stability. US style democracy and Soviet communism were main choices • US and Soviet used different strategies to influence 3rd world countries. Both used spy agencies that would carry out covert actions such as assassinations. Instigated or supported revolutions • US – CIA, Soviet – KGB • US provided military aid, built schools, programs to combat poverty and sent volunteers to developing nations • Soviet provided technical assistance to India and Egypt • Non Aligned Nations– • Indonesia hosted the Bandung Conference to organize a group of independent nations aimed at remaining neutral in Cold War

5. Cuban Revolution • Poverty and instability forced many Latin American nations to suffer dictatorial rule • People especially in Cuba grew tired of harsh leaders that were backed by US businesses • In 1950s increasing resentment towards Fulgencio Batista, a Cuban dictator, backed by the US, resulted in a revolution led by a lawyer, Castro • Fidel Castro – • After successfully overthrowing Batista Castro cancelled elections and ruled as a dictator • Republic of Cuba became a one-party socialist state; industry and businesses were nationalized, and socialist reforms implemented in all areas.

6. Bay of Pigs Invasion • When Castro nationalized the economy, he took over businesses including the US owned sugar mills. This triggering a response by the US government • US President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered an embargo on all trade with Cuba, began plotting ways to overthrow Castro • Castro turned to Soviets for economic and military aid • Bay of Pigs – • Castro proceeded to strengthen ties with USSR. This led to the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis • Major embarrassment for U.S. Across Latin America, it was celebrated as evidence of fallibility of U.S. imperialism.

7. Cuban Missile Crisis • Following Bay of Pigs invasion the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev secretly began to build 42 missile sites in Cuba • In October of 1962 US spy planes discovered the sites. US President John F. Kennedy declared the sites a threat. Kennedy did not want to instigate a war, but was firm in showing American strength • Cuban Missile Crisis – • Regarded as the moment the Cold War came closest to turning into a nuclear conflict. • The US trade embargo against Cuba continued and still remains intact today

8. What Was the Result of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

9. Civil War in Nicaragua • Like in Cuba the US also supported dictators in other countries. In Nicaragua the US funded the dictator Anastasio Somoza and his family since 1933 • In 1979 a communist rebel group called the Sandinistas led by Daniel Ortega led a successful revolution against the Somoza government • Both US and Soviets ended up aiding the rebel group • But when the Sandinistas aided other socialist groups in neighboring countries the US began to shift its support to the anti-communists governments in that region • Contrarevolucionarios were formed to act as an anti-commmuist force (backed by the US) which resulted in a civil war • After a series of civil wars that crippled Nicaragua Ortega, in 1990, agreed to hold free elections and was defeated by Violeta Chamorro

10. Iranian Hostage Crisis • US supported pro-western leaders in Middle Eastern countries such as Iranfor their access to oil. Iran’s leader Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi embraced Western government and their wealthy oil companies • Angered Iranian nationalists who did not like Western influence. This led to a revolution and the overthrow the Shah by an Islamic leader named Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini • Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini – • Iranian Hostage Crisis – • Khomeini called for neighboring nations to overthrow their governments and create a Islamic states. This led to conflicts with neighboring Iraq which was a secular state

11. Superpowers Face-Off in Afghanistan • Soviets invaded Afghanistan in Dec. 1979 following a Muslim revolution to overthrow the country’s communist regime • Soviets expected a quick result but found it very difficult to put down the uprising due to the difficult mountain terrain and many caves • Mujahedeen – • US fearing that the Soviets were trying to gain influence in the Persian Gulf. They set up a grain embargo against the Soviets and boycotted the 1980 summer Olympic games in Moscow • Last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in Feb. 1989, defeated by guerilla war waged by Mujahedeen

12. How the Cold War was fought