Puppet state
A puppet state is a country that is officially independent, but not in practice. Puppet governments are usually kept in power by military force provided by an occupying country. Puppet state is a biased term. It is used to denigrate the government of the alleged puppet state. It asserts that government's lack of legitimacy.
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[change] 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)
[change] World War II
In World War II the Axis countries created some puppet states, like:
After Italy surrendered in World War II the Italian Social Republic was a puppet state created by Germany.
[change] Cold War
During the Cold War some Eastern 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 some puppet states during the Cold War:
- Cuba
- Guatemala
- South Korea
- Iran under the Shah
- South Vietnam
[change] Now
There are several countries that may be called puppet states now:
- Iraq (puppet state of the United States)
- Afghanistan (puppet state of the United States)
- North Cyprus (puppet state Turkey)
- Abkhazia (puppet state of Russia)
- South Ossetia (puppet state of Russia)
Some people call Israel a puppet of the United States.
