THE COLD WAR AROUND THE WORLD

• Why was there so much bloodshed in South Asia in the late 1940s, and how did the British government try to contain the violence?

  • decolonization produced horrific violence between Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs, who had been pitted against each other under British rule and now competed for political power
  • In an effort to end civil war, in 1947 British India was divided into Hindu-majority India, as well as East and West Pakistan, which were dominated by powerful Muslim majorities
• 1. How did the partition of South Asia influence the Cold War in that region?

  • ussr and us began to take sides w/ east pakistan vs west pakistan
• 1. How did the United States try to contain communism in Latin America? Where did they fail?

  • they tried to work w/ opposition leaders, like in Guatemala for ex, to overthrow the socialist government
  • it went wrong bc when they were tryna do the same thing to cuba, the leader Fidel Castro alr knew the US tactics of what they did in Guatemala. when the time came for the “bay of pigs invasion” castro had alr initiated a counter-coup attack
• 1. Why was the United States so interested in preventing communism in the former Belgian Congo?

  • The United States was interested in preventing communism in the former Belgian Congo because the HS viewed the spread of communism as a threat to its strategic interests and influence in Africa, as well as to global stability
• Compare the ways in which the United States and the Soviet Union sought to maintain influence over the course of the Cold War.

  • United States:
  • Economic Aid: Marshall Plan
  • Military Alliances: NATO
  • Proxy Wars: Vietnam and Afghanistan
  • Cultural Diplomacy
  • Economic Pressure
  • Soviet Union:
  • Ideological Support: Marxism-Leninism
  • Military Expansion
  • Economic Aid
  • Propaganda
  • Intelligence Operations
• • Cultural Diplomacy: The US used cultural exchanges, media, and propaganda to promote democratic values and ideals around the world
• • Economic Pressure: The US imposed economic sanctions and trade restrictions on countries aligned with the Soviet Union to undermine their economic stability
• • Ideological Support: The Soviet Union provided ideological and material support to communist movements and governments around the world, promoting Marxism-Leninism
• • Military Expansion: The Soviet Union expanded its military presence globally, establishing military bases in allied countries and supporting communist revolutions
• • Economic Aid: The Soviet Union provided economic assistance and development aid to countries aligned with its ideology, often with fewer strings attached than US aid
• • Propaganda: The Soviet Union used propaganda and media to promote the virtues of communism and criticize capitalist societies
• • Intelligence Operations: The Soviet Union conducted intelligence operations, including espionage and covert actions, to gather information and undermine Western influence
• The United States had to frequently intervene during the Cold War to stop socialist reformers in many places. Why do you think that communist and socialist ideas were so appealing to so many people in the newly independent nations of Asia, Africa, and Latin America?

  Communist and socialist ideas were appealing to many people in newly independent nations of Asia, Africa, and Latin America because they promised equality, social justice, and economic development, addressing the inequalities and injustices left by colonialism
• How did the Cold War impact societies around the world?

  The Cold War impacted societies around the world by dividing nations into competing blocs, fueling proxy wars and conflicts, shaping political ideologies and alliances, and influencing economic policies and development strategies
• • pakistan joined trade alliance with/ us and others to contain the spread communism (1954)
• • india encouraged new nations to stop taking sides w/ US or the USSR in the 1955 Bandung Conference
• • Cold War tensions extended to various regions, including South Asia, Latin America, Central Asia, and Africa
• • India-Pakistan conflict in Kashmir in 1965 showcased Cold War dynamics, with the US halting arms supplies to the region, favoring India due to its stronger military
• • Civil war in East and West Pakistan in the early 1970s involved Cold War powers, with the US supporting West Pakistan and India and the USSR supporting East Pakistan, leading to the creation of Bangladesh in 1971
• • Cold War rivalries in Central Asia intensified in the late 1970s, with the USSR invading Afghanistan in response to communist sympathizers' attempts at socialist unification, leading to a decade-long conflict with US-backed Islamic jihadists
• • Latin America experienced US intervention to counter perceived communist threats, such as in Guatemala in 1954, where the CIA supported a coup against a socialist government, leading to continued political divisions and economic disparities
• • Cuba emerged as a significant Cold War battleground, with the US attempting to overthrow Castro's communist regime, culminating in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962
• • Africa witnessed Cold War competition, with the Belgian Congo becoming a focal point. Patrice Lumumba's rise and subsequent execution amidst Cold War tensions highlighted the struggle for independence and influence, leaving a legacy of corruption and authoritarian rule