Cold War proxy countries views on nationalism or decolonization?

Question

The Cold War countries like the US and USSR had interests in other regions of the world which often resulted in indirect proxy wars.

I believe the funds were provided by the larger country and often fought by the people of the country.

So I was wondering about the nationalist and anti colonial sentiment arising at the time of these proxy wars.

My question mainly focuses on what these proxy countries would have thought by looking around places like Africa or the Middle East and seeing nationalist movements throwing off their controlling powers and gaining independence.

Did these proxy countries value independence like these other countries or did they value funding and military assistance from a much more powerful but controlling country while being a proxy?

Answer 1

Obtaining, and defending, their independence was high on the agenda of most colonies after World War II. Although some took on aid from, and incurred obligations to more powerful countries to achieve this, they didn't need the extra incentive to become someone's "catspaw." It's like what Warren Buffett said about giving permission to your 16-year-old son or daughter to date. "It's a push your child doesn't need." In most cases, we aren't talking about the modern version of the 15th century Swiss Guards.

In fact, at least one "post colonial" episode, the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War. the two combatants had to be reined in by their sponsors, the Soviet Union and the United States, respectively. It was the more powerful sponsors that had to make sure that their "proteges" didn't get out of hand.