The Pros And Cons Of The Angolan Civil War

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The Cold War period following the end of World War II saw tensions between superpowers the United States of America (USA) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) spread to other countries geographically far-removed from either power. This occurred through proxy wars, in which belligerents sharing their respective ideologies (of either Communism or Capitalism) were supported significantly by these superpowers and their allies. One such Cold War proxy war was the Angolan Civil War (1975-2002 (neither power still involved then, exclude?)), fought (mainly) between two local parties for control of Angola after the country had secured its independence from Portugal in 1974. The groups in question were the communist MPLA, supported by the USSR and Cuba, and the capitalist-sympathising UNITA which was supported by the USA and South Africa. One decisive battle of (occurred during, but not directly MPLA v UNITA,more SADF v …show more content…

15 000 Cuban troops and technologically advanced weaponry, notably Mi-24 helicopters, caused the SADF to lose its advantage - an international arms embargo against South Africa meant the army was not able to compete with superior weapons technology. A series of Cuban airstrikes and combined FAPLA-Cuban attacks on the ground forced the SADF to retreat. As SADF colonel Jan Breytenbach admitted, the SADF “was brought to a grinding and definite halt”. In early 1988, the SADF continued importing fresh troops and continued bombing campaigns in the river region still occupied by FAPLA and Cuban troops, but were unsuccessful in their attempts to drive their enemy to the west of the Cuito river. In mid-1988 SADF forces began to withdraw from Angola at the time of peace negotiations in New York City, but the army continued to shell Cuito Cuanavale from a distance and planted landmines as it moved

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