Contingency or, How Might Things Have Been Different
The WWII brought with it significant changes to the political and administrative structures and trends across the globe. Even as the world strong and influential nations realized the political changes and military supremacy over other, the third world, majorly the African nations also had a shift in the political trends internally. It was during this time that the African nations the vulnerability of the European nations even in war yet they are the ones that colonized them. What followed was a mass scramble for the emancipation and decolonization of the African nations in the 1960s. the mere fact that the European could stand scared under the gun fire as opposed to the usually seen commanding and towering colonialist was enough motivation for the African nations to start pushing for self-governance and self determination.
At this point, the different nations of the first world caliber adopted different policies towards the Third World nations. The White House (2012:Pp 6) in the policy statement indicated that the US has four key pillars in their relations with Africa, “(1) strengthen democratic institutions; (2) spur economic growth, trade, and investment; (3) advance peace and security; and (4) promote opportunity and development.” The USA policy promoted the establishment of democracy in the African...
The US has also included other issues that during the cold war were at the periphery of their considerations like the issue of human rights, global environment and international peacekeeping have all become central to the US foreign policy especially towards the third world nations.
On the other hand, the Soviet Union was deeply concerned with ensuring that as many nations as possible in the third world adopt the communist policies and socialism as a way of their governance. However, it was noted that the Soviet Union adopted a rather reluctant approach to engaging in direct military engagement in the Third World countries. This showed their limited power in engaging the US particularly in areas that appeared contested with eth US expressing interest. They hence opted for the provision of military assistance as well as advisory support to Third World clients and in some instances air defense support. Soviet Union also developed a policy to check the influence of the West and China in Africa and other strategic Third World states. In the recent times, Soviet Union has however shown lesser in using its own military power and that of the client nations to hold political positions. They have tended…
