Proxy war facts for kids

A proxy war or proxy warfare is a war in which opposite sides use third parties as substitutes for fighting each other directly. States have sometimes used less powerful states as proxies. Violent non-state actors, mercenaries, and other third parties are more often employed. It is hoped that these groups can strike an opponent without leading to full-scale war. The United States and the Soviet Union used proxies to fight during the Cold War. They tried to increase their influence and diminish each others influence.

Images for kids

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  Soviet military advisers planning operations during the Angolan Civil War

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  A member of the U.S.–backed Southern Front prepares to launch a BGM-71 TOW at a Syrian Army position in southern Syria, December 2014