Cold War Conflicts and Decolonization (1960s-1970s)

Posted on Mar 23, 2025 in History

Peaceful Coexistence (1963-1975)

The Vietnam War (1961-1975)

  • The United States wanted to prevent the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia.
  • The United States sent American troops to help the government of South Vietnam in its fight against the Vietcong guerrillas, who were supported by Communist North Vietnam.
  • After the United States withdrew from Vietnam in 1973, North Vietnam won the war.
  • This country was reunified and became the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, which was a Communist regime.

The Arab-Israeli Conflict

  • In 1948, the territory of Palestine was divided into two states:
    • Israel: Created as a homeland for the Jewish people.
    • Palestine: The Arabs living here strongly opposed the creation of the state of Israel.
  • In 1964, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was established to recover lands occupied by Israel and achieve an independent Palestinian state.
  • Since the 1960s, there have been important conflicts between the Israelis (supported by the United States and Western European countries) and the Palestinians (supported by various Arab states).

Decolonization

  • A number of factors caused this process:
    • Members of the colonial elites, who had often been educated in Europe, demanded independence for these areas.
    • The United Nations supported the right of all people to national self-determination.
    • During the Second World War, people from Allied colonies had fought against the Axis Powers in defense of freedom and democracy. This encouraged the colonies to demand their own freedom after the war.

Key Decolonization Events

  • India:
    • It obtained independence from Great Britain in 1947.
    • The most important leader was Mahatma Gandhi.
    • The British territory was divided into two parts: India and Pakistan.
  • Indonesia:
    • It obtained independence from the Netherlands in 1949.
    • The most important politician was Sukarno.
  • Algeria:
    • It obtained independence from France in 1962.
    • The most important politician was Ben Bella.