Puppet state
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A Puppet state is a country that is officially independent, but is not really. Most puppet states are controlled by foreign countries, but some are controlled by corporations (like Guatemala, once controlled by the United Fruit Company) or even by terrorist groups (like Taliban Afghanistan after 1998, which was controlled by Al-Qaida). Puppet governments are usually kept in power by soldiers kept within their territory by the controlling power.
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[edit] Puppet states in history
Examples of puppet states before World War II are:
- Far Eastern Republic (puppet of the Soviet Union).
- Kingdom of Holland (France)
- Kingdom of Poland (Russia)
- Panama (United States)
- Grand Duchy of Warsaw (France)
[edit] World War II
In World War II the Axis countries created some puppet states, like:
- Croatia
- Manchukuo
- Norway
- Slovakia
- Vichy France
After Italy surrendered in World War II the Italian Social Republic was a puppet state created by Germany.
[edit] Cold War
During the Cold War East European countries were puppet states of the Soviet Union:
In some of these countries the people overthrew the government, but each time they did that (before 1989) the Soviet Union and some of its other puppet states invaded and put the old government back in power. The Soviet Union had also some puppet states outside Europe, such as Mongolia.
The United States also had a few Puppet states during the Cold War:
- Guatemala
- South Korea
- Iran under the Shah
- South Vietnam
[edit] Now
There are several countries that may be called puppet states now:
Some people call Israel a puppet of the United States.