2. Proxy War Conflicts in which one superpower provides support to a group or state that opposes the rival superpower. The support may consist of money, arms, or personnel. 2
3. Greek Civil War 1946 The Greek Government army and the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE) were backed by the USA. The Greek Communist Party (KKE) and the National Liberation Front (EAM) were supported by the Soviets. This was one of the first conflicts of the cold war. The British troops (supported by USA) were in a bloody battle verses EAM which was effectively controlled by the communists. The EAM was defeated, however tensions remained high. The Greek government and the DSE were very successful on the battle field and the KKE faced many political problems which resulted in Yugoslavia gaining independence and withdrawing from the communist side. This then lead to the victory of the Greece government. The final victory of the Western-Supported government led to the Greeks membership in NATO and helped define the ideological balance of power in Greece, surrounding areas and even the world. 3
4. Korean War 1950 South Korea was supported by the United States and North Korea was supported by China and the Soviet Union. This war was a result of the political division of Korea by agreement of the Allies after they won the Pacific War. The Peninsula had been previously ruled by Japan and after the second World War it was divided along the 38th parallel with the US troops occupying the southern part and the Soviet troops occupying the northern part. Many cross-border skirmishes and raids occurred at the 38th parallel. The situation then escalated into open warfare. A rapid UN counter-offensive drove the North Koreans past the 38th parallel and almost to the Yalu River, this caused China to join. The Soviet Union aided both North Korea and China. In 1953, the War ceased with an armistice that restored the border at the 38th parallel and created a demilitarized zone that served as a buffer between the two Koreas. There are still minor skirmishes to this day. The Korean War extended the Cold War from Europe to the rest of the world. But, the war did not end far from where it began. This helped confirm the west’s policy of containment of communism. 4
5. Vietnam War 1955 North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet Union and its communist allies and South Vietnam was supported by the USA and its anti-communist nations. USA was drawn deep into conflict, dispatching more than $500 million of US aid to South Vietnam. The US president used an attack by North Vietnamese boats on a US military vessel as a pretext to authorize retaliatory raids on North Vietnam. US marines also arrived in March 1965 making 543 000 US troops and 47 000 Australians in Vietnam. A US bombing campaign failed to dent the North Vietnamese resistance. 1968 consisted of a series of bold attacks by the North Vietnamese that unnerved the Americans and on 1973 the USA signed a Paris Peace accord by which US forces would leave Vietnam within 60 days. South Vietnam (deprived of US backing) survived until April 1975 when the Southern Capital Saigon fell to reunite Vietnam. The USA, because of being forced out of Vietnam, experienced a decrease in their sphere of influence while the Soviets experienced an increase. This in turn increased the tensions between the two superpowers. 5
6. Bay of Pigs Invasion 1961 Over 1 million Cuban exiles were trained by the USA’s CIA, and the island of Cuba was supported by the Soviets. The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an attack on Cuban soil perpetrated by Cuban exiles trained and supported by the US military. The force landed on the south coast of Cuba and the fight only lasted 2 days before the exiles were forced to retreat. The failed invasion increased the popularity of Castro (Cuba’s government at the time) and created a greater suspicion and mistrust of the US. This invasion solidified Cuba’s military, political, and economic relationships with the Soviet Union. 6
7. Chilean Coup d'état 1973 The Soviets supported Allende who was running to be the government of Chile and was planning on placing his country en route to communism. The USA supported the opponent of Allende, who was Alessandri. The election of 1973 was between Allende and Alessandri. The US spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in propaganda against Allende but he ended up winning the position. Allende wanted Chile to be turned into a communist country. In October 1972 Chile suffered the first of many socially confrontational strikes which were led by the Chilean rich and supported by the USA’s CIA. On August 22 the Chamber of Deputies accused the Allende government of unconstitutional acts and called upon the military to enforce constitutional order. Allende ended up committing suicide, resulting in the opponents of Allende winning. This did not increase or decrease tensions but was a component of the Cold War. 7
8. Angolan Civil War 1975 UNITA (The national union for the total independence of Angola), supported by Jonas Sauimbi, was working with the South Africans and Americans trying to turn the country towards democracy. AgostinhoNeto, the leader of the MPLA (Marxist popular movement for the liberation of Angola) and the USSR military were working to make Angola a communist country. It was believed that whoever won the battle of Angola would win the cold war. USA pumped money towards UNITA and the Soviets pumped money towards the MPLA. In 1991 an agreement called Bicesse Accords was declared. The new agreement caused multiparty elections to be held. The MPLA was then elected against UNITA. This caused more anger and the war carried on. It finally ended in 2002. Angola was an extension of the Cold War but the tensions were beginning to decrease. 8
9. Afghanistan 1979 The main combatants were the Marxist-Leninists who were supported by the Soviet Union and the Mujahideen Resistance who was supported by the United States. When 50 Soviet advisors were murdered in Afghanistan the USSR invaded to restore order. An Islamic resistance group then declared war against the USSR and the PDPA (Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan). The Mujahideen Guerrillas (supported by USA) fought the Soviet troops and began to threaten Soviet aircraft. This war was very expensive for the USSR and in 1988, under firm international pressure, president Mikhail Gorbachev (USSR) announced the withdrawal of Soviet troops leaving the Marxist-Leninists and the Mujahideen in a tie (stalemate). This war did cause great damage to the USSR’s international standing and military moral. 9
