Bachelor of Arts, Wittenberg University, 2020, International Studies

In the late 1950's, African nations began to gain independence from colonizers and as such, assistance was needed. France and the Soviet Union were among the nations that took advantage of the opportunity. In jumping in to assist the newly independent nations, they were given the opportunity to increase their status as world leaders and strengthen their global economies and politics. Beginning with an analysis on French and Soviet involvement on the African continent from 1960 to 1990, this essay explores the reasons for involvement, the policies implemented by each country, the advantages Africa provided, and the extent to which each was able to influence the budding nations. In its conclusion, this work compares the French and Soviet involvement in Africa's post-colonialism.

Committee: Scott Rosenberg (Advisor); Christian Raffensperger (Committee Member); Lila Zaharkov (Committee Member) Subjects: African History; African Studies; European History; History; International Relations; Russian History; World History