Lesson 3: Regional Conflicts Flashcards
(37 cards)
Apartheid Definition
a strict separation of races practiced in South Africa
Camp David Accords Definition
a 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in which Israel agreed to return the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt and Egypt agreed to recognize Israel
Mediator Definition
an agent who helps conflicting parties iron out their differences
OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) Definition
a multinational organization of oil-producing countries that sets a common policy for the sale of petroleum
PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) Definition
a Palestinian Arab organization founded in 1964, originally committed to destroying Israel and later committed to promoting the interests of Palestinian Arabs through nonviolent means
Sanction Definition
a restriction on trade and finance designed to make a country change its policy
Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) Definition
a 1991 treaty signed by the United States and Soviet Union to reduce nuclear weapons
Remember: The Soviet Union split apart in 1991. The breakup brought an end to the Cold War. The United States remained the world’s lone superpower.
The Soviet Union split apart in 1991. The breakup brought an end to the Cold War. The United States remained the world’s lone superpower.
What were the arguments of the function of the United States in the post-Cold War world? What did Presidents Bush and Clinton believe about U.S. involvement in world affairs?
Americans debated their function in the post–Cold War world. Some people wanted to reduce the role of the United States in world affairs. “In the post–Cold War world, we will no longer require our people to carry an unfair burden for the rest of humanity,” said Representative Dana Rohrabacher. Others argued that the nation must not retreat from the world. They thought that the United States had a responsibility to use its power wisely. “The United States must lead, period,” declared Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Neither President George H.W. Bush nor President Bill Clinton reduced U.S. engagement around the world. Both believed that fostering freedom and democracy abroad would only strengthen the United States at home.
As the former Soviet Union collapsed, what challenge did the world face? What were other countries doing? In 1991, what was the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START?
As the former Soviet Union collapsed, the world faced a menacing challenge, the spread of nuclear weapons. The United States and Russia still had thousands of nuclear missiles in their possession. Other nations were developing nuclear weapons, too. The United States and the old Soviet Union had already agreed to several treaties reducing nuclear arms. In 1991, they signed the most important agreement yet, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START. Even more reductions followed in 1993.
In 1970, what was the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty? Which countries did not agree to it? When is Israel suspected to have developed nuclear weapons? In 1998, what did India announce? Two weeks later, what did its rival Pakistan announce? What did world leases see these tests as? What did President impose on India and Pakistan, and what was its effect? Who did Pakistan share nuclear secrets with?
Despite such progress, a new arms race loomed. In 1970, the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty came into force. Under the treaty, nuclear powers such as the United States promised to reduce their stock of nuclear weapons and not to spread nuclear weapon technology to other nations. Nations without nuclear weapons promised not to develop them. A few countries, including Israel, India, and Pakistan, never agreed to this treaty. According to U.S. government sources, Israel developed nuclear weapons in the late 1960s, though Israel has never confirmed this. In 1998, India confirmed the worst fears of other nations when it announced that it had conducted five nuclear tests. Two weeks later, Pakistan, its neighbor and deadly rival, exploded five nuclear devices of its own. World leaders saw the tests as the beginning of a dangerous new arms race. President Clinton called for economic sanctions against both India and Pakistan but with little effect. Pakistan was later found to have shared nuclear weapons technology with other countries, including North Korea.
Remember: Britain, France, and China joined the United States and Russia as nuclear powers, each with nuclear arms numbering in the hundreds. Each of the other countries in the “nuclear club” has fewer than 100 nuclear weapons.
Britain, France, and China joined the United States and Russia as nuclear powers, each with nuclear arms numbering in the hundreds. Each of the other countries in the “nuclear club” has fewer than 100 nuclear weapons.
Remember: The efforts of Presidents Bush and Clinton to promote global democracy supported a process that was already underway. Political freedom was spreading across the globe. With it came economic freedom, including the development of free markets with less interference from the state. In the last years of the 20th century, the United States encouraged both of these trends. American leadership met with both failures and successes.
The efforts of Presidents Bush and Clinton to promote global democracy supported a process that was already underway. Political freedom was spreading across the globe. With it came economic freedom, including the development of free markets with less interference from the state. In the last years of the 20th century, the United States encouraged both of these trends. American leadership met with both failures and successes.
In the post-Cold War world, what were the many forms of American leadership?
American leadership took many forms. Sometimes the United States worked to influence foreign governments through quiet diplomacy or economic pressure. Sometimes it acted as a mediator. A mediator is an agent that helps conflicting parties come to an agreement. Occasionally the United States used military force, often in cooperation with other nations.
In 1986, thousands of Filipinos protested the rule of which dictator? What did they accuse him of? What caused the dictator to flee? How did the United States intervene? Who did they support? What did they continue to do throughout the 1990s?
In 1986, thousands of Filipinos protested the rule of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. They accused Marcos of fraud in a recent presidential election.
Proclaiming “people power,” they refused to recognize Marcos as president. After weeks of demonstrations, the Philippine army joined the demonstrators. Marcos fled. The United States backed Corazon Aquino, the woman who had run against him. During the 1990s, the United States continued to provide economic aid for the young Filipino democracy.
During the 1980s, what did China start to build? Despite this, what did they reject? In 1989, what happened in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China? How did President George H. W. Bush respond? What similar policy did he and President Clinton follow in China?
After President Nixon’s historic visit to China, many hoped that the communist nation would begin to reform. During the 1980s, China did begin to build a free-market economy. However, Chinese leaders refused to accept political reforms. In 1989, students and workers launched a bold campaign to bring democracy to China. Hundreds of thousands gathered at Tiananmen Square in the nation’s capital, Beijing. However, the army crushed the demonstrations. Many people were killed or arrested. President George H. W. Bush disapproved of the crackdown but took no strong action against the Chinese government. He hoped to influence China by keeping communication open. President Clinton followed a similar policy. On a 1998 visit to China, he pledged to strengthen ties between the two nations. At the same time, he publicly debated human rights issues with China’s president.
How did the fall of the Soviet Union affect Cuba? What did many Cubans do as the economy spiraled downward? What agreement was signed between the United States and Cuba in 1994, and what did it state? How did Cold War tension remain between North and South Korea? How did the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong II, worsen the conditions of a famine?
Other communist nations refused to reform even when their people faced hard times. The fall of the Soviet Union deprived Cuba of its main source of trade and economic aid. As the Cuban economy spiraled downward, some 30,000 Cubans fled by boat to the United States. Still, after four decades, Cuba’s communist dictatorship remained in power. In 1994, the United States signed an agreement with Cuba to allow Cubans to emigrate more freely. At the same time, the United States continued to enforce a 40-year-old embargo aimed at toppling Castro. On the Korean peninsula, the Cold War remained alive. There, the armies of communist North Korea and democratic South Korea faced each other along a tense border. In the 1990s, famine struck North Korea. The famine was worsened by the economic policies of the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong Il.
How was apartheid ended in South Africa? Who was Nelson Mandela?
The cause of global democracy had its most dramatic success in South Africa. Since 1948, the government of South Africa had enforced a policy of apartheid (uh PAHRT hayt), or strict separation of races. The nation’s nonwhite majority was segregated. By law, nonwhites and whites were required to use separate facilities. Nonwhites were allowed no voice in the government. In 1986, Congress approved economic sanctions against South Africa to force an end to apartheid. Sanctions are measures aimed at making a country change its policy. American companies were forbidden to invest in South Africa or import South African products. In the 1990s, in response to sanctions, South Africa moved to end minority rule. Under a new constitution, all races were permitted to vote for the first time in 1994. Nelson Mandela (mahn DEL uh), a black man who had spent 27 years in prison for opposing apartheid, was elected president. Mandela called for peace and reconciliation, or an agreement to come together, among South Africa’s peoples. He helped establish democracy, racial equality, and freedom in South Africa.
Remember: After the Cold War, the nations that rejected communism struggled to adapt to their new freedoms. As the governments sold off state-run businesses to private enterprises, their economies were not able to adjust. The result was high unemployment and high inflation.
After the Cold War, the nations that rejected communism struggled to adapt to their new freedoms. As the governments sold off state-run businesses to private enterprises, their economies were not able to adjust. The result was high unemployment and high inflation.
What did Russian President Boris Yeltsin seek to build? When did his efforts falter? How did the United States support Yeltsin?
Russian president Boris Yeltsin sought to build a stable democracy. His efforts faltered when he failed to put down an independence movement in the Russian province of Chechnya. The United States supported Yeltsin’s democratic efforts and offered the Russian government advice on transitioning to a free-market economy.
Which republics were located within Yugoslavia? In 1991, what did Croatia and Bosnia declare? Despite this, what did Serbs in these nations want? How did this lead to civil war? What was the aftermath of the Bosnia Civil War? What was done to end the violence, with help by the United States?
In Eastern Europe, Yugoslavia faced a civil war. Yugoslavia was made up of several republics, including Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. In 1991, Croatia and Bosnia declared their independence. However, Serbs in Croatia and Bosnia wanted to remain part of Yugoslavia. With help from Serbia, they fought to prevent the new governments from splitting away. Fighting ended quickly in Croatia but continued in Bosnia. During four years of civil war, more than 250,000 people died, including many children and teenagers. To end the violence, the United States sponsored a meeting in Dayton, Ohio. There an agreement was hammered out. To help guarantee the peace agreement, President Clinton sent about 20,000 American troops to Bosnia. There, they joined NATO and Russian forces in a peacekeeping mission. The troops helped to restore order.
How did America intervene and help solve the conflict between Kosovo and Serbia?
Kosovo, a province within Serbia, also sought greater independence. The Albanians living there were in the majority and resented Serbian rule.
In 1998, Serbs launched a series of attacks against Albanian rebels in Kosovo. Hundreds of thousands of Albanians fled the province. Many thousands of others were killed or wounded. President Clinton condemned the attacks as “feeding the flames of ethnic and religious division.” In March 1999, American air forces joined the air forces of other NATO nations in bombing Serbia. This forced Serbian troops to leave Kosovo. NATO peacekeeping forces then entered the province. The violence in Kosovo ended, and a slow process of rebuilding began.
True or False: In the early 1900s, the United States had frequently intervened in the internal affairs of Latin American nations. In the late 1900s, Cold War tensions led the United States to resume its active role.
True
During the Cold War, which policy did the United States return to in Latin America? During the 1970s and 1980s, what was happening in Central America? What were rebels in El Salvador and Guatemala working towards? Despite this, why did the United States support the governments? What were the costs of these wars?
During the Cold War, the United States returned to a policy of intervention in Latin American affairs. During the 1970s and 1980s, civil wars raged in several Central American countries. Rebels in El Salvador and Guatemala fought to overthrow harsh governments. The United States backed the governments because they were strongly anticommunist. The wars cost tens of thousands of lives. To escape the fighting, thousands of refugees fled to the United States.
