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Africa@War #31
War of Intervention in Angola: Volume 1 - Angolan and Cuban Forces at War, 1975-1976
As of 1975, the decades long insurgency in Angola appeared to be short of its conclusion. However, with no less than three major insurgent movements fighting for supremacy, the war went on and then South Africa, USA, the Soviet Union, Zaire and Cuba became involved.
Affairs like the CIA’s efforts to destabilize Angola for little else but to recoup its prestige after the catastrophic defeat in South Vietnam, or the South African military intervention in Angola – Operation Savannah – have attracted lots of public attention and are relatively well covered in related publications. On the contrary, the final stages of the Portuguese withdrawal, the military buildup of three native insurgent forces, and then the onset of the Cuban military intervention in Angola – Operation Carlotta run in 1975 and 1976 – remain largely unknown.
Based on extensive research with help of Angolan and Cuban sources, the War of Intervention in Angola is providing a unique insight precisely into the latter topic. It traces the failures of the US-supported FNLA, the growth and reorganization of the MPLA into a conventional army; deployment of Cuban military contingents, their capabilities and intentions; and the performance and experiences of the MPLA and Cuban forces at war with South Africans and the third Angolan insurgent group – UNITA.
The volume is illustrated with over 100 rare photographs, a dozen of maps and 15 color profiles.
Affairs like the CIA’s efforts to destabilize Angola for little else but to recoup its prestige after the catastrophic defeat in South Vietnam, or the South African military intervention in Angola – Operation Savannah – have attracted lots of public attention and are relatively well covered in related publications. On the contrary, the final stages of the Portuguese withdrawal, the military buildup of three native insurgent forces, and then the onset of the Cuban military intervention in Angola – Operation Carlotta run in 1975 and 1976 – remain largely unknown.
Based on extensive research with help of Angolan and Cuban sources, the War of Intervention in Angola is providing a unique insight precisely into the latter topic. It traces the failures of the US-supported FNLA, the growth and reorganization of the MPLA into a conventional army; deployment of Cuban military contingents, their capabilities and intentions; and the performance and experiences of the MPLA and Cuban forces at war with South Africans and the third Angolan insurgent group – UNITA.
The volume is illustrated with over 100 rare photographs, a dozen of maps and 15 color profiles.
80 pages, Paperback
Published October 9, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 12, 2019
This is a good intro to the wars in Angola. This book series is similar to ones published by Osprey where they are short summaries on whatever topic is being covered with a good number of illustrations. These have a larger format like an oversized magazine and so there's more content than a typical Osprey book.
I enjoyed this short history which focuses mainly on how the MPLA came to dominate after the Portuguese granted independence to their former colony. It also provided interesting insight on how the Cubans became so heavily involved. Back during the Cold War days, we in the US always assumed it was the Soviet Union that was behind everything including the "Cuban invasion of Angola." But in hindsight, it was the Cubans in their revolutionary fervor that willingly provided aid into Angola despite Soviet protests. In the end, the Soviets felt they had to get involved to prop up the MPLA and Cubans once the US started backing the UNITA forces.
One complaint I have about this book is that while it does have numerous maps, they often don't have any of the cities mentioned in the text, so it's not easy to visualize the campaign movements.
I enjoyed this short history which focuses mainly on how the MPLA came to dominate after the Portuguese granted independence to their former colony. It also provided interesting insight on how the Cubans became so heavily involved. Back during the Cold War days, we in the US always assumed it was the Soviet Union that was behind everything including the "Cuban invasion of Angola." But in hindsight, it was the Cubans in their revolutionary fervor that willingly provided aid into Angola despite Soviet protests. In the end, the Soviets felt they had to get involved to prop up the MPLA and Cubans once the US started backing the UNITA forces.
One complaint I have about this book is that while it does have numerous maps, they often don't have any of the cities mentioned in the text, so it's not easy to visualize the campaign movements.
November 19, 2021
Well written history focused on this short, but very critical period in the ongoing violence in Angola that accompanied gaining their independence from Portugal. I didn't realize how many other countries become embroiled in the conflict, even going so far as to commit troops as well as funding and weapons.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews