cold war around the world
... and many other countries wanted to stay neutral in the Cold War. They met to form a “third force” of independent countries, or nonaligned nations. U.S. was involved in Latin America long before World War II. American businesses backed leaders who often oppressed their people but protected the U.S. interest. After the war, communism and nationalistic feelings encouraged a wave of revolutionary movements. These found enthusiastic Soviet support. In response, the United States provided military support and economic assistance to anti-Communist dictators. Cuba had an unpopular dictator, Fulgencio Bastista, who was overthrown in a popular revolution led by Fidel Castro. At first, many people praised Castro for bringing reforms to Cuba and improving the economy, literacy, health care and conditions for women. However, he was a harsh dictator. He suspended elections and jailed or executed his opponents. Castro took over U.S. owned sugarmills and refineries so in response, an embargo on all trade with Cuba was ordered. They turned to the Soviets for economic and military aid. Soviet aid had ended abruptly with the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. The United States had funded the Nicaraguan dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza and his family since 1933. Both the United States and the Soviet Union gave aid to the Sandinistas and their leader Daniel Ortega when Communist Sandinista rebels overthrow the dictatorship of Somoza’s son. The civil war in Nicaragua lasted over a decade and seriously weakened the country’s economy. Throughout the Middle East, wealth from the oil industry fueled a growing conflict between traditional Islamic values and modern Western materialism. The U.S. supported Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. And with their support, Iran’s capital featured gleaming skyscrapers, foreign bands and modern factories although many Iranians still lived in...