Cold War Around the World After WWII nations were grouped politically into three “worlds.” 1. First World – United States & its allies. 2. Second World – Russia & its allies. 3. Third World – Consisted of developing nations, who were not aligned with either superpower. Many of these countries did not want to play a role in the Cold war, so they remained independent, or nonaligned nations.

CUBA The U.S. supported Cuba’s unpopular dictator, Fulgencio Batista. A revolution took place in January 1959, a lawyer named Fidel Castro led the revolution and he took over as dictator. Castro had two major crisis that took place in his early reign. 1. Bay of Pigs – April 1961 2. Cuban Missile Crisis – Russia builds 42 missile sites in Cuba

Nicaragua From 1933 to 1979 the country was led by the family of Anastasio Somoza. Sandinista rebels led by Daniel Ortega overthrew the government and Ortega took over as its leader. A civil war broke out in Nicaragua that lasted for a decade, in 1990 Ortega agreed to have free elections and he was defeated.

Iran Leaders in Iran clashed between the traditional Islamic values and modern Western materialism. The U.S. supported Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. In 1978, riots erupted in Iran and a new leader took over, Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini. American hostages are taken by young revolutionaries and held for 444 days.

Afghanistan In December 1979, Russia invades the country because they are worried that Muslims within the country will revolt. Rebels called mujahideen, held off the Russians. America had Vietnam, Russia had Afghanistan.