Agostinho Neto & Fidel:

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

OK, I misunderstood your post somewhat then .

 

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.