Proxy Wars, Part 2

Proxy Wars Both the U.S. and U.S.S.R. are unwilling to expand through direct conquest. Both countries instead try to foster revolutions in nations aligned against them. As soon as one of them interferes, the other feels obligated to help the other side.

Iran and Iraq At the end of WWII, both Iran and Iraq were constitutional monarchies. In 1951, Iran elects a new Prime Minister, Dr. Mohammad Mosaddegh. One of Mosaddegh’s first acts is to nationalized the oil industry. This is a financial disaster for the United Kingdom which had been expoliting cheap Iranian oil.

Iran and Iraq The US and its allies see this a possible prelude to communism. In, 1953 the UK and US cooperate to arrange a military coup against Mossaddegh. The Shah (Iran’s monarch) Mohammad Reza Pahlavi is made an absolute monarch by the Iranian army.

Iran and Iraq On 14 July 1958, a Soviet- supported coup overthrows the Kingdom of Iraq and sets up a republic. The new government is focused on Iraqi nationalism and five years later it is overthrown by more Arab- centric elements of the military.

Iran and Iraq In 1968, the Iraqi government is overthrown again, this time by the Ba’ath Party. Ba’athism is a secular, pan- Arab, socialist movement. In July 1979, Ba’athist leader Saddam Hussein becomes leader of Iraq.

Iran and Iraq In 1978, demonstrations against the increasingly corrupt Iranian government develop into an Islamist revolution. In 1979 the Shah flees and a theocracy is set up under the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Marxists had aided in the revolution, but Khomeini’s government turns against them, executing many.

Iran and Iraq On 4 November 1979, pro- revolution Iranian students invade the US embassy and seize embassy workers. 52 of the workers are held 444 days—they are released minutes after Ronald Reagan is sworn in as the new president. The Reagan administration is later exposed as having sold arms to Iran to bolster their anti-Soviet position.

Iran and Iraq In 1979, Iraq invades Iran. Hussein wanted to make Iraq the strongest state in the Middle- East and prevent the spread of Shi’ite Islamic revolution. As Iraq’s successes build, the US begins to support them with arms and intelligence. As Iraq becomes more aligned with the US, the Soviets try to court Iran. By the mid ‘80s, both sides of the Cold War begin to distance themselves from Iran and Iraq.

Hearts and Minds Not all Cold War strategies were military. Both sides sought to win the “hearts and minds” of the Third World. The Marshall Plan, USAID, and Peace Corps were all aimed at improving the conditions that often led to communist revolution. The Soviet Union could not compete with the West in monetary aid, but it assisted developing nations like Egypt and India with technical advice and assistance.

The Cold War: c. 1980

The Space Race The Soviets test their ICBM technology by putting into orbit the world’s first artificial satellite— Sputnik. The US and USSR are soon competing to see who can achieve space goals first. The Russians take an early lead: First animal, first man, first woman. President Kennedy refocuses the Space Race as a race to the Moon. American wins that race 20 July 1969—Neil Armstrong becomes the first human on the Moon.

Non-Aligned Movement As developing nations felt increasingly drawn into the Cold War many turned to the Non-Aligned Movement. Founded by Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, and Yugoslavia, the Non-Aligned Movement gave developing nations somewhere to turn for support besides Moscow or Washington.

Afghanistan In 1976, the Soviets help Mohammed Daoud Khan overthrown the Afghan monarchy. By 1978, Khan isn’t living up to Soviet expectations so they support a second coup against him.

Afghanistan The Soviets replaced Khan, but the next year his replacement was assassinated. Facing increasing resistance to modernization, the communist government asked the Soviets to send troops to help them.

Afghanistan The Soviets plan was to take control of the major cities and border crossings. The failed to recognize how much a foreign military presence would enrage the Afghanis. The Soviets soon find themselves fighting a guerilla war.

Afghanistan Many in and outside Afghanistan tried to paint the conflict in religious terms—the Muslim Afghanis against the atheist, infidel Russians. The Afghan resistance began to call themselves Mujahideen—holy warriors.

Afghanistan The United States and its Muslim allies Pakistan and Saudi Arabia quickly began supporting the Mujahideen. The US and the Saudis provided arms and funding. Pakistan set up training camps near the Afghan border.

Afghanistan The United States and its allies also encouraged young Muslim men to travel to Afghanistan to aid the Mujahideen. One who did was a younger son of wealthy Saudi family.

Afghanistan The Soviets enjoyed considerable military success, but the Mujahideen refused to surrender. Afghanistan was soon being called Russia’s Vietnam. By 1985, the cost of the Afghan War and the arms race with the US had crippled the Soviet economy. Mikhail Gorbachev began to “Afghanize” the war. The last Soviet troops leave Afghanistan in 1989.

Afghanistan The Mujahideen is soon able to topple the communist government. But the outside world has changed—the Cold War was over, the Soviet Union dissolved. America and its allies no longer saw the value in aiding the Afghanis. The communists were gone but they were soon replaced by corrupt local warlords more concerned with personal power and profit than helping their people.