Latin America and the Middle East
begin to be affected by Cold War
tensions.
Post WWII, the world’s nations are grouped politically
into 3 “Worlds”
First World: Industrialized, capitalist nations
Second World: Communist nations
Third World: Developing nations
Latin America, Asia, and Africa
Economically poor and politically unstable
Another arena for competition between
superpowers
Association of Nonaligned Nations: those that did
not wish to play a role in the Cold War
Ex: India and Indonesia
 Rapid
industrialization
 Population
growth
 Gap
between
rich and poor
Latin American
nations seeking
assistance from
BOTH
superpowers
Revolution:
Unpopular and
U.S. supported
dictator Fulgencio
Batista
overthrown
Led By: Fidel
Castro
At First: Castro brought social reforms and
improved the economy
Then:
 Suspended elections
 Jailed and executed opponents
 Tightly controlled press
 Nationalized the Cuban economy
 Action: Castro
took
over U.S.-owned
sugar mills and
refineries
 U.S. Response:
Eisenhower ordered
an embargo on all
trade with Cuba
 Cuba Response:
Castro turned to
Soviets for economic
and military aid
Background: U.S. CIA began to train antiCastro Cuban exiles to invade and
overthrow
Event: April 1961- Bay of Pigs Invasion
Problem: U.S. did
not provide air
support
Result: Castro easily
defeated the
invaders and the
U.S. is humiliated
Background: Soviet leader Nikita
Khrushchev convinced U.S. would not resist
soviet expansion in Latin America
Action: Soviets secretly begin to build 42
missile sites in Cuba
Discovery: An American spy plane
discovers sites
Kennedy: Demands
removal and orders
blockade of Cuba
Castro:
Resolution:
 Soviets agree to
remove missiles
 U.S. agrees
to
remove missiles
from site in
Turkey and not
to invade Cuba
 Cuban
Crisis
Missile
Castro is now DEEPLY dependent on Soviet
Support
Backs Soviet revolutions in Latin America
and Africa
Soviet aid abruptly ends in 1991 (break up
of the Soviet Union)- crippling Cuba’s
economy
Background: U.S. funded the Nicaraguan
dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza since
1933
Resistance: Communist Sandinista rebels
topple Somoza’s son
Who supports the Sandinistas?
 BOTH U.S. and Soviets
Sandinastas support:
Marxist rebels
U.S. supports: Contras
(Nicaraguan anticommunist forces)
Civil War: lasts more than
a decade
Outcome: Eventually free
elections in the 1990s
Background: Clash between traditional
Islamic values and modern western
materialism
Post WWII Leadership: Shah embraced
western governments and wealthy western oil
companies
Iranian nationalists: fueled by resentment,
united under Prime Minister Muhammad
Mossadeq
Action: Mossadeq
nationalized a Britishowned oil company
and forced the Shah to
flee
U.S. Fear: Iran may turn
to Soviets for support
U.S. Action: Help
restore Shah to power
 Tehran
is westernized and wealthy
 Millions
 Shah
live in extreme poverty
tries to weaken the authority of the
ayatollahs
• Religious leaders who oppose western
influences
• Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader, living in
exile
Event: Revolts in every
major city (1979)
Outcome:
 Shah fled
 Khomeini returned to
establish an Islamic
state
 Domestic
policy: ruled by strict
adherence to Islam
 Foreign
policy: fueled by hate for U.S.
• Why? Because U.S. supported the Shah
The event: Young
Islamic revolutionaries
seized the U.S.
embassy in Tehran
Demands: U.S. to force
Shah to face trial
Outcome: Hostages
released in 1981 (held
for 444 days)
Iran Hostage Crisis
 The
Event: Iran-Iraq War
 Soviet’s
support: Iraq
 U.S. supports: BOTH
sides- not wanting
the balance of power in the region to
change
 Cease
fire: Negotiated by U.N. in 1988
Background: Soviets
began exerting
influence on
independent
Afghanistan in the
1950s
Opposition: Muslim
revolts begin in the 70s
against the now
communist regime
Afghan Rebels: Mujahedeen
Supported by: U.S.
Why: Soviet invasion of Afghanistan seen
as a threat to Middle Eastern oil supplies
Soviets: Stuck much like U.S. was in
Vietnam
Who: Mikhail
Gorbachev
What he does about
Afghanistan: Withdraws
troops
Situation in Soviet
Union: Unrest and
economic problems