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Angolan Communists

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Denis View Drop Down
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  Quote Denis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Angolan Communists
    Posted: 05-Jan-2007 at 16:37
Hi, I have a 1,000 word assignment for college and I need to get some info on a few things:

  • The MPLA, FNLA and UNITA
  • Information on the leaders, parties and proxies at work in the region
  • Information on the battles, places and cities relevant to the case
Anything based around 1975 and based in or around the city of Luanda would be useful. I'm not looking for anyone to come along and do this essay for me but rather some links if anyone can help out. Some links to good websites, books etc. would be very useful as I'm finding it very hard to get any half decent sources for this!

Thanks.
"Death belongs to God alone. By what right do men touch that unknown thing"

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Hellios View Drop Down
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  Quote Hellios Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Jan-2007 at 00:39
They fought & defeated the pro-apartheid South African forces that invaded Angola.
 
Agostinho Neto & Fidel:
 
 
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Eondt View Drop Down
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  Quote Eondt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Jan-2007 at 02:41
They hardly "fought and defeated pro-apartheid South African forces".
First off, the above forces didn't work together but fought each other in a civil war. Cuba and the Soviet Union backed MPLA. Apartheid South Africa, the US and Zaire backed UNITA.
MPLA defeated UNITA by 1980, after which South Africa withdrew its troops from Angola. I don't think UNITA was ever "pro-apartheid".
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  Quote Kapikulu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Jan-2007 at 03:20
A tragic example of the destructive effects of political polarization and the globally famous card game named "The Cold War"...The main thing which shall be emphasized in the Angolan Civil War is this.
We gave up your happiness
Your hope would be enough;
we couldn't find neither;
we made up sorrows for ourselves;
we couldn't be consoled;

A Strange Orhan Veli
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  Quote Hellios Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Jan-2007 at 03:22
Originally posted by Eondt

They hardly "fought and defeated pro-apartheid South African forces".
First off, the above forces didn't work together but fought each other in a civil war. Cuba and the Soviet Union backed MPLA. Apartheid South Africa, the US and Zaire backed UNITA.
MPLA defeated UNITA by 1980, after which South Africa withdrew its troops from Angola. I don't think UNITA was ever "pro-apartheid".
 
Hehe, I know it's more complex than how I put it. Smile
 
But Eondt, South African forces invaded Angola & wasn't South Africa an apartheid regime at the time?  I'm asking just to know more - not to question your knowledge (on the topic) which seems to be more than mine.
 
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  Quote Eondt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Jan-2007 at 09:01
Hi Hellios,
 
OK, I misunderstood your post somewhat then Smile.
 
South Africa was ruled by an apartheid regime at the time, but they didn't invade Angola as such, in that they never intended to occupy Angola but to provide support to one of the rival factions in the war (UNITA).
 
It just seemed from you're post that MPLA defeated forces which were pro-apartheid when you should actually say that the the MPLA coalition (Soviet Union, Cuba, MPLA) defeated the UNITA coalition which included Apartheid South African soldiers.
 
South Africa never supported UNITA because UNITA might be supportive of South Africa's apartheid policy but because they fought communist forces. As Kapikulu stated, cold war politics. The South African government tapped into the cold war politics to create the fear amongst white South Africans that a change to majority (black) rule would mean a change to communism for the country. They therefore had to be seen as fighting against the communist threat that was seemingly surrounding South Africa.
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  Quote Hellios Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-Jan-2007 at 09:44
Thanks Eondt, it's much clearer for me now.
 
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