Embattled triangle

One of the major events affecting the international system since World War II is the rapid resurgence of the third world. Within a remarkably short period of time, almost the whole of subjugated Africa and Asia had become independent, and many parts of Latin America were clearly seeking a measure of dis engagement from their powerful northern neighbour.

That this was an event of staggering dimension is evident from the fact that the majority of nations constituting the international system belong to the third world, and that most of the political convulsions, armed conflicts and revolutionary upheavals are centred in this area.

Evidently these historic permutations could not escape the attention of the major powers who were competing or aspiring to compete for global influence, for the area was too big, the population too large, economic resources too important and political developments too eventful to be ignored or to be permitted to slide under the protective influence of a competing major power.