Latin America after independence from Spain &

Portugal
1. How did the Cold War affect Latin America? Why did the United States get
involved? The cold war affected Latin America because the USSR and the United
States were two global superpowers and each wanted to see the others
destruction. All the other countries had to basically pick a side and choose who
they want to be with, if they were communist they got the support of the USSR
and if they were not the US was the buddy of that country. When fighting against
the Soviet Union, the UNited States intervened in the communist countries of
Latin America, such as Cuba, Chile, NIcaragua and Guatemala. The UNited
States said communist equaled evil.
2. What is the difference between left and right wing? And why is it
confusing? Left and right wing are the opposing political parties. The left wing
people are often known as liberals and want more people to take part in the
government and its important decisions. The people who support the right wing
are known as conservatives and and they have smaller governments. It is so
confusing because neither left nor right wing are better than the other and there
can be both terrible and amazing leaders in both left and right wing parties.
3. Why did the United States get involved in Cuba? The United States got
involved in Cuba because even though they were independent from Spain, the
United States were heavily involved in the economy there. The United States
controlled the main crop produced in Cuba, sugar. Cuba suddenly because an
enemy of the United States when Fidel Castro overthrew the government
controlled by Fulgencia Batista.
4. Whats a banana republic? A banana republic is a country that has a
government that is almost powerless. The country is instead run or controlled by
a company for the sole purpose of producing or exporting goods.
5. How did the CIA get involved in Guatemala? The CIA got involved in
Guatemala because the militant dictators had control of the country until the
1950s. The CIA helped to overthrow dictator Jacobo Arbenz Guzman in 1954.
6. What is the other infamous September 11th? The other infamous
September 11th is when in 1973 the United States supported Augusto Pinochet
when he ob overthrew socialist leader Salvador Allende, who took control of
Chile in 1970.
7. Who were the disappeared in Argentina? In Argentina, before the Great
Depression people were making a lot of money. After the depression, the people
lost a lot of the money. The people of Argentina turned to authoritarian
government and military general Juan Peron took control of the country after

WWII. Peron was leader until his death and killed up to 30,000 people who
opposed government views. The people who were killed were known as the
disappeared since they were taken out of their homes or off the streets and
never heard from again.
8. Why was it controversial when the United States intervened in Nicaragua?
It was controversial when the United States intervened in Nicaragua because the
Nicaraguan Somoza family had control of the country until 1979. There was an
anti-communist group called the Contras who fought against Sandinistas for
power when the Sandinistas revolted against the government.
9. What violence occurred in Brazil and El Salvador? The violence that
occurred in Brazil and El Salvador is when there were civil wars breaking out in
El Salvador in 1979. The war was between left and right wing fighters.
10. "If democracy is a goal of the L.A. nations, what does a nation have to

have in order to achieve this goal?" Since democracy is a goal of the L.A.
nations, they need to have a democratic government. Having a democratic
government means that the government agrees on issues and can work together
to figure out how to make the nation a better one. They also need representation,
having someone represent the people and their needs and wants. In order to
achieve this goal, they also need freedom. The main freedoms the Latin
American nations need to have are freedom of press, speech, and religion, just
to name a few. The L.A. nation's claim to have these freedoms, but people are
punished if they speak freely or try to practice their own religion. Many religions
are not allowed to be practiced in Latin America solely based off of the freedom
of religion that does not exist in the Latin American nations. Freedom of press
means that people can publish articles about the nation and what they think
without being punished, yet that does not exist and people are punished for what
they say about a nation and if they go against the government or someone who
has power. Freedom of speech goes along with the freedom of press and that
people do not have to worry about being punished for what they say about the
nation. If the Latin American nations want to be considered democratic, they
need to give the people in these nations the freedom they need. Many of the
nations have a long way to go before they can be close to being considered
democratic.