How did the Cold War affect Africa?

Africa was impacted by the Cold War. Much like other parts of the world, the communists and "non-communists" tried to get control over lands in Africa. There were some nations that sided with the Soviet Union, while some sided with the United States. There were wars fought in countries such as Angola, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These wars killed many African people.

One example of the Cold War can be seen...

Africa was impacted by the Cold War. Much like other parts of the world, the communists and "non-communists" tried to get control over lands in Africa. There were some nations that sided with the Soviet Union, while some sided with the United States. There were wars fought in countries such as Angola, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These wars killed many African people.

One example of the Cold War can be seen in Egypt. When Egyptian president Nasser could not get money for the building of the Suez Canal, he seized the canal from British and French investors. This eventually led to a conflict with Israel, France, and Great Britain against Egypt, which was supported by the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union threatened to use nuclear weapons against Europe unless the invasion ended. The United States suggested to the Soviet Union that this was not a good idea and also suggested that the Soviet Union stay out of the conflict. Eventually, the United States pressured Great Britain, France, and Israel to end the conflict. Once the conflict ended, the Soviet Union still supported Egypt, leading to future tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States.