PROXY WARS

PROXY WARS

The Cold War saw many conflicts between the USSR and the USA, however the
two never fought each other directly.
Instead they fought proxy wars, fighting with other countries aligned with their
enemies.
That is, the US fought communists in other countries and the USSR fought against
democrats/capitalists.

KOREAN WAR (25 June 1950 27 July 1953)

We have looked into the background of the Korean War before
(see week 4: Domino Theory).

Started when North Korea invaded South Korea.

The United Nations, with the United States, came to the aid of South Korea.

Primary causes:
The division of Korea at the end of WWII.
The tensions of the Cold War.

21 countries of the UN contributed at some point to the defence of

South Korea.
The US forces made up 88%.

KOREAN WAR (25 June 1950 27 July 1953)

South Korean forces of the brink of defeat after 2 months.

UN initiatives in September 1950 forced the North Koreans almost back to the
border with China at the Yalu River.
China then joined the war, supporting the North Koreans (October 1950).

Both forces at loggerheads at the 38th parallel.

Armistice signed 27 July 1953.
Creation of the Korean Demilitarized Zone at the 38th parallel.
No peace treaty signed so technically North and South Korea are still at war.

VIETNAM WAR (1 November 1955 30 April 1975)

North Vietnam.
Supported by USSR, China and other communist allies.

South Vietnam.
Supported by United States, Australia, Philippines and other anti-communist allies.

Viet Cong (National Liberation Front or NLF) were communist sympathisers living in
South Vietnam.
They fought using guerrilla warfare, something the US and its allies had little experience
in.

The Vietnam war was unique in terms of the media presence.

Never before had people had footage of battles and warfare aired on their television.
The American public were, for the first time, seeing just what happened in the glory of
war.

VIETNAM WAR (1 November 1955 30 April 1975)

Gulf of Tonkin Incident.
US Destroyer clashed with North Vietnamese.
Lead to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which gave the
U.S. president authorisation to increase military
presence.

Tet Offensive.
Communist offensive that aimed to overthrow the
South Vietnamese government but failed.

Agent Orange & Napalm

Substances used to burn the forest and vegetation in
Vietnam
Used by US troops in an attempt to lessen the playing
field, so to speak, for guerrilla warfare.

VIETNAM WAR (1 November 1955 30 April 1975)

My Lai massacre (March 1968)

A company of US soldiers brutally killed up to 500
unarmed civilians (men, women and children)
Women were gang-raped and bodies
mutilated.

Prompted global outrage when the true details

of the offensive became known.

Vietnamization
Operation that aimed to reduce and ultimately
end US involvement in the war by training the
Vietnamese to fight for themselves.

BERLIN CRISIS (4 June 9 November 1961)

USSR provoked the crisis with an ultimatum demanding the
withdrawal of Western armed forces from West Berlin.
President Khrushchev gave the US 6 months to remove all military personnel
with the USSR taking control of all of Berlin thereafter.

Lead to the erection of the Berlin Wall.

Sunday 13 August 1961 the border between East and West Berlin was closed.
Roads and paths were ripped up to stop all access between and near the
wall
32000 combat and engineer troops were used to build the wall

BERLIN CRISIS (4 June 9 November 1961)

Tensions rose when US diplomats were refused entry through

Checkpoint Charlie to East Berlin.
All diplomats were allowed entry in and out of either side of Berlin under the
agreements at the Potsdam Conference.

US & USSR tanks had a stand off 50-100m on either side of Checkpoint
Charlie from 27 October @ 5pm until 28 October @ 11am.
Kennedy & Khrushchev agreed to reduce tensions and the tanks backed
away from both sides.

SUEZ CRISIS (29 October 7 November 1956)

Invasion of Egypt by Israel.
UK and France lather invaded as well.

Aimed to regain Western control of the Suez Canal and remove the
Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser.
After the fighting started, the USA, USSR and UN forced the three
invaders to withdraw.
The failure of the crisis embarrassed the UK and France and made President
Nasser even stronger.

October 29 Israel invades Egyptian Sinai.

Britain and France issue ultimatum to cease fire, which was ignored.

SUEZ CRISIS (29 October 7 November 1956)

November 5 Britain and France landed paratroopers along the

Suez Canal.
Egyptian forces were defeated but they managed to stop the canal to all
shipping.

Historians state that the Crisis signified the end of Great Britains
role as one of the worlds major powers due to their failure.
UN created UNEF Peacekeepers to patrol the Egyptian-Israeli
border as a direct result of the Crisis.

UPRISINGS AND REVOLTS

HUNGARY (October 23 November 10 1956)

Nationwide revolt against the government and the Soviet imposed policies.
Revolt began as a student demonstration.
Attracted thousands as they marched through Budapest to the parliament building.
Fired upon by the State Security Police.
One student died, was wrapped in a flag and held above the crowd. This was the start
of the revolution.

Revolt quickly spread across Hungary and the government collapsed.

Thousands organised into militias, battling the State Security Police and Soviet
troops.
Pro-Soviets & members of the State Police were often executed or imprisoned
and former political prisoners were released and armed.

HUNGARY (October 23 November 10 1956)

November 4 large Soviet force invaded Budapest and other regions of the
country.
Hungarian resistance continued until 10 November.
Over 2500 Hungarians and 700 Soviet troops killed in the conflict and 200,000
Hungarians fled as refugees.
Mass arrests continued for months after the end of the conflict.
By January 1957 the new Soviet government had supressed all public opposition.

PRAGUE SPRING (5 January 21 August 1968)

Period of political liberalization.

Began when reformist Alexander Dubcek was elected First

Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
Wanted to grant additional rights to citizens
Loosening restrictions on the media, speech and travel.

Dubcek oversaw the decision to split Czechoslovakia into 2: the

Czech Republic & Slovak Republic.
Only change that survived the Prague Spring.

PRAGUE SPRING (5 January 21 August 1968)

It ended when the Soviet Union and other members of the Warsaw
Pact invaded the country to halt the reforms.
Half a million troops were sent to stop the reforms when negotiations failed.

Non-violent resistance was mounted throughout the country.

Fraternization, painting over and turning street signs, defiance of curfews, etc.

Resistance held out for 8 months.