Flashpoints outside Europe and the impact on international relations

Flashpoints outside Europe and the impact on international relations

The Korean War

  • Division of Korea: Post World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into two zones, Soviet-backed North Korea and US-backed South Korea.
  • Start of conflict: North Korea invaded South Korea (1950), initiating the Korean War.
  • International response: The United Nations, led by US forces, intervened on behalf of South Korea.
  • Stalemate and armistice: The war ended in a stalemate in 1953, formalised by an armistice that created a Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.

The Cuban Missile Crisis

  • Cuban Revolution: Following the Cuban Revolution (1959), Fidel Castro established a socialist state, aligning Cuba closely with the Soviet Union.
  • Bay of Pigs invasion: A failed attempt by US-backed Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro (1961) convinced Castro of a need for Soviet support to counter American aggression.
  • Nuclear brinkmanship: In 1962, US reconnaissance revealed Soviet missile bases in Cuba, leading to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
  • Resolution: The crisis was resolved after intense negotiations, where the Soviets agreed to withdraw missiles from Cuba, and the Americans secretly agreed to withdraw missiles from Turkey, averting potential nuclear war.

The Vietnam War

  • Decolonisation and division: After World War II, Vietnam declared independence from French colonial rule. It was also divided on ideological lines into North Vietnam (Communist) and South Vietnam (Anti-Communist).
  • US involvement: The US got involved in the conflict to stop the spread of communism, marking another key battlefield in Cold War politics.
  • Guerrilla warfare and mass protests: The intense guerrilla warfare by Viet Cong forced the US to withdraw by 1973. The war also sparked widespread anti-war protests in the US.
  • Fall of Saigon: In 1975, North Vietnam captured Saigon, marking the end of the Vietnam War and the reunification of Vietnam under Communist rule.

The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

  • Soviet intervention: In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to back a communist government against Mujahideen rebels.
  • International reaction: The invasion was condemned by Western countries. The US boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics in protest and started aiding the Mujahideen.
  • War impact: The war became a costly venture for the Soviet Union, both financially and in terms of reputational harm, and was one of the factors leading to the collapse of the USSR.
  • Withdrawal: The Soviet forces withdrew in 1989, but instability persisted in Afghanistan, eventually leading to the rise of the Taliban.