What was the Soviet role in Syria during the Cold-War?
Upvote:0
- Could anyone elaborate on the relationship between the Soviet-Union and Syria, and its larger geo-political connotations?
The relation between Syria and USSR was largely based on the cooperation in the economy, with big works like river dams or power plants, and about the weapons trade. Syria bought nearly everything to Russia, and this was a source of profits for USSR.
The USSR also learnt on the American capacities with the experience of the Israel-Arab wars, as did the Americans.
Getting a base in Syria was a huge avantage for USSR in terms of influence, in capacity to protect its interest, but also in case of a global war: Russia was able to deploy its submarines in advance of the war in this base, making the guards of the Bosphore and the GIUK line a little less important.
- How might the relationship between Syria and the Soviet-Union (and possibly Russia after the end of the Cold-War) have influenced Syrian politics and the present popular "Arab-spring" era reaction to current dictator Bashar al-Assad?
It is difficult to speak for the arab spring, but the idea of socialist arab republics came directly from the USSR theory. This was the idea of making Syria (but also Egypt or Algeria) similar to the USSR, with a "green revolution" to give the land to the people and the development of an industry. Brejnev's speeches showed well this objective.
To achieve this, the politics of these Arab republics, including Syria, needed an important control of the administration, in order to lead the "big projects" like power plants.... But it was in contradiction with the traditionnal decentralization of the administration in this region, since the Ottoman empire. Especially in Syria, there was the problem of multiple religious and ethnic groups living in the same country. They could live together with tolerance, but they could not achieve important projects for the entire country with a simple magic formula.
This might be part of an explanation for the arab spring in Syria and the way it turns in a multi confessionnal and multi tribes war.
Upvote:8
The first thing that came to my mind: Russia still holds a naval base located in Syria, which is of a special strategic value, as is Russia's the only one in the Mediterranean region. Well, how did Russians acquire it?
The desire for warm water ports, suggested by the commenters, dates back to Ivan the Terrible and Livonian War. It was satisfied after almost 150 years, when Piotr I defeated Sweden in Great Northern War. The successful wars with Ottoman Empire, which secured a safe access to Black Sea, started in the second half of 17th century and lasted through the 18th. Through all these years there were 3 main directions of Russian expansion:
- Central Europe - holding Polish-Lithuania as a de facto protectorate, then its dissolution, then holding status quo through the 19th century, secured by cgood relations with Prussia and Austria
- Far East - securing Siberia and Pacific Coast, trying to be an active player of Chinese politics
- South - expansion towards Caucasus, Balkans, straits of Bosfor/Dardanele and Central Asia (dreaming of liberating Constantinople and reaching shores of Indian Ocean)
Let's consider the last one - the territory of Syria, until the early 20th century part of Ottoman Empire, did never play any important part in Russian politics, whether the rulers were tzars or pre-ww2 Soviets. The territories of importance back then were Balkans, the Straits, Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, Georgia/Armenia/Azerbaijan - logically, laying closer to Russia.
The situation was changed by Suez Crisis, as its result, Russians gained an alliance with president Naser, and the latter achieved and held what he wanted - Suez Channel nationalization. This events (failed intervention of Israelis and western forces) put Soviets at one of the sides of tense Middle East relations. That's IMHO the main reason for Soviet-Syriac alliance: then through the 50s, 60s, 70s USSR sent Syria large amounts of money, arms, and resources. It was a part of a larger plan - as the support (resources, arms, specialists) went also to other anti-Israeli (and anti-US) states as Egypt, Iraq, Libya.
Things changed in 70s and 80s, as Soviets were reproaching Syria's intervention in Lebanon. Besides weakened USSR of Chernienko and Gorbachev (80s) had troubles itself (Afghanistan, economy), and simply could not afford backing Syria's quarrelsome politics, its tense relations with Israel, and involvement in affairs of Lebanon.
The alliance went practically dead in 90s, the first visit of Assad in Moscow after the fall of Soviet Union took place in 99!
Putin tried to back Syria recently, as he's generally more politically active/aggresive than Yelzin (and Russia's economy is in much better condition now); tries to reconstruct the Soviet influence all over the places it was significant 20 years ago.
(I'll try to elaborate more on last 2 paragraphs later)
Some source links: http://www.jewishpolicycenter.org/833/the-syria-soviet-alliance
More post
- 📝 Were there any successful attempts by the Allies to "turn" groups of Axis soldiers?
- 📝 Why does a Star of David appear at a rally with Francisco Franco?
- 📝 What were the factors that led to stagflation in the United States during the 1970s?
- 📝 Did Crimea and Russia exchange Ukraine for the Taganrog region?
- 📝 What does the abbreviation "adhib." mean in historiography or archival science?
- 📝 Australian Immigration 1945-present
- 📝 Were the Swedish holdings in northern Germany accepting or resentful of their overlord after the Peace of Westphalia?
- 📝 What are some examples of clauses against unifications in peace treaties?
- 📝 What was the rationale behind restrictions on camera ownership in post-war Germany?
- 📝 Roman Taxes: how did taxes collected in the provinces get to Rome?
- 📝 Was there any new military innovation during the Siege of Malta?
- 📝 Can you identify this seemingly British uniform in a presumably French portrait?
- 📝 What was the inheritance tax rate in the UK during WWI and WWII?
- 📝 Did the Romans hold the Isle of Wight and surrounding areas before the invasion in 43 AD?
- 📝 How a kingdom or an empire formed?
- 📝 What is the etymological origin of the Marsi, the ancient Italic people?
- 📝 Who made these comments relating to the use of the atomic bomb?
- 📝 Did senior US officials advocate a 'a final solution' for the 'red race' circa 1905?
- 📝 Are there photos/footage of the Titanic sinking?
- 📝 Were British infantry trained to shoot attacking aircraft with rifles?
- 📝 When did "cultural appropriation" become a concept?
- 📝 In Europe, why were there few portraits showing a real likeness of the subject before the 15th century?
- 📝 How much did it cost to attend events at the ancient Roman colosseum?
- 📝 What was the American policy on colonisation and why?
- 📝 In the US, why did anti-authoritarian sentiment grow only in the 1960s?
- 📝 How high the death rate on the Berlin Wall compared to other borders?
- 📝 Why are some Pharaohs depicted wearing the red or the white crowns even after the unification of Egypt?
- 📝 What pretext did Hitler use to justify Operation Barbarossa?
- 📝 First time the sail ship technology took off
- 📝 What was the first major technological advancement that occurred after the fall of the Roman Empire?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 What was the Soviet role in Syria during the Cold-War?
- 📝 What was the role of the Soviet Navy during WWII?
- 📝 During the breakup of the Soviet Union, on what basis was citizenship granted or withheld for each of the fifteen new republics?
- 📝 What was the reason for Soviet troops to withdraw from Yugoslavia in World War II?
- 📝 What was the ratio of German to Soviet losses on Eastern front during different stages of the war?
- 📝 What was the ratio women to men after World War 2 in the Soviet Union
- 📝 What was the role of the Russian Orthodox church in Soviet Russia?
- 📝 What was the nominal strength of a company in a British Regiment during the American war of Independence?
- 📝 Was there a constant 'fear of the bomb' in the Soviet Union and America during the Cold War?
- 📝 What was the role of Nikita Khrushchev during the battle of Stalingrad?
- 📝 What was the English Civil War called during the Protectorate?
- 📝 What was the estimated malaria death toll for US Forces during World War II?
- 📝 What was the role of Konstantin Rokossovsky during WW1?
- 📝 To what extent was the Cold War caused by post World War 2 economics?
- 📝 What was the role of Nigeria in Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
- 📝 What was the role of Scotland during the Hundred Years War?
- 📝 What factors contributed to the U.S economy flourishing during the early cold war period?
- 📝 What was the most popular food staple among civilians during World War II?
- 📝 What was the role of U.S. involvement in World War II?
- 📝 Was the danger of radiation in the case of nuclear war overestimated during the cold war?
- 📝 What was the extent of military conscription by the German Army during World War 2?
- 📝 Why didn't Imperial Japan attack the Soviet Union during World War 2?
- 📝 What was the typical peasant's diet like in Europe during the High Middle Ages?
- 📝 What did Germany do in World War II about the different rail gauge in the Soviet Union?
- 📝 What was the status of Arab Christians during the crusades?
- 📝 What was the internal Soviet reaction to the moon landing?
- 📝 What was the longest a World War II submarine stayed at sea without being resupplied at a port?
- 📝 What was the cleanest war ever fought?
- 📝 What was the Seven Years War called at first?
- 📝 What set Checkpoint Charlie apart from the other border checkpoints in Berlin during the Cold War?