Uchiha God
Veteran
was on youtube studying, and found this cool bbc documentary on cuban support of african nations fight for independence, and thought i'd share:
not finished the video yet but it speaks on the angolan civil war and how complex a conflict it was. brief notes from what i've watched:
- Angola was the portuguese empire's gem (portuguese didn't want to let go of it because most of their colonial wealth came from there)
- Three political parties positioned to get a hold of power/leadership, out of these 3 parties, MPLA, FNLA and UNITA, MPLA had Cuban and Soviet support, FNLA had CIA support via Mobutu in Zaire, and UNITA also had CIA backing channeled through Apartheid South Africa
- Christianity was used to cause a divide in the populous
- Fighting between the political parties threatened fight against colonialism, and as it intensified, USA & Soviet Union stepped in to fan the flames
- USA was sensitive after being driven out of vietnam, and feared that Moscow was gonna take advantage of their moment of weakness to secure geopolitical gains in Angola
- USA provided arms, financing, mercenaries, training and weaponry to FNLA and UNITA to prevent Soviet backed MPLA to achieve position of leadership
- Apartheid forces from South Africa (SADF) invaded the south of Angola to prevent a Soviet backed political party rising to power. c00n FNLA & UNITA troops deemed Apartheid forces "the lesser of two evils" and joined forces with them because "they needed help" (nikkas will do anything for power)
- FNLA with Mobutu troops moved onto the capital from the north. UNITA and SADF moved onto the capital from the south. Despite getting weapon caches from Soviet Union, MPLA found itself at a disadvantage and struggling to hold the capital, they needed more weapons and soldiers
- MPLA sent a message to the Soviet Union asking for support, but Soviet Union said they weren't prepared to make any direct moves in mainland Angola before November 11th (intended date for declaration of independence)
- Castro/Cuba came to their aid. MPLA made a modest request for more weaponry. Cuba response went far beyond what was requested and expected.
- "on the 23rd of October, Angola was invaded by South African forces, we couldn't just sit and watch, we offered the aid necessary to prevent Apartheid being installed in Angola" - Castro
- No covert operation, Castro decided to engage publicly and overtly in Angola. Cuban Elite Special Forces were dispatched, along with 35,000 soldiers.
- Soviet Union was shocked and unhappy with Cuba because they didn't inform or consult them first, they just decided to help
- Soviet Union couldn't impose any sanctions on Cuba because Cuba already had Soviet arms, and they felt that if they opposed Cuba on this, their relationship would've ended, and they needed Cuba as an ally because "of their location at the USA's doorstep". Strategically Cuba was too important to Soviet Union's military objectives.
that is where I stopped. I only watched like 15 minutes, but so much fukkery already
not finished the video yet but it speaks on the angolan civil war and how complex a conflict it was. brief notes from what i've watched:
- Angola was the portuguese empire's gem (portuguese didn't want to let go of it because most of their colonial wealth came from there)
- Three political parties positioned to get a hold of power/leadership, out of these 3 parties, MPLA, FNLA and UNITA, MPLA had Cuban and Soviet support, FNLA had CIA support via Mobutu in Zaire, and UNITA also had CIA backing channeled through Apartheid South Africa
- Christianity was used to cause a divide in the populous
- Fighting between the political parties threatened fight against colonialism, and as it intensified, USA & Soviet Union stepped in to fan the flames
- USA was sensitive after being driven out of vietnam, and feared that Moscow was gonna take advantage of their moment of weakness to secure geopolitical gains in Angola
- USA provided arms, financing, mercenaries, training and weaponry to FNLA and UNITA to prevent Soviet backed MPLA to achieve position of leadership
- Apartheid forces from South Africa (SADF) invaded the south of Angola to prevent a Soviet backed political party rising to power. c00n FNLA & UNITA troops deemed Apartheid forces "the lesser of two evils" and joined forces with them because "they needed help" (nikkas will do anything for power)
- FNLA with Mobutu troops moved onto the capital from the north. UNITA and SADF moved onto the capital from the south. Despite getting weapon caches from Soviet Union, MPLA found itself at a disadvantage and struggling to hold the capital, they needed more weapons and soldiers
- MPLA sent a message to the Soviet Union asking for support, but Soviet Union said they weren't prepared to make any direct moves in mainland Angola before November 11th (intended date for declaration of independence)
- Castro/Cuba came to their aid. MPLA made a modest request for more weaponry. Cuba response went far beyond what was requested and expected.
- "on the 23rd of October, Angola was invaded by South African forces, we couldn't just sit and watch, we offered the aid necessary to prevent Apartheid being installed in Angola" - Castro
- No covert operation, Castro decided to engage publicly and overtly in Angola. Cuban Elite Special Forces were dispatched, along with 35,000 soldiers.
- Soviet Union was shocked and unhappy with Cuba because they didn't inform or consult them first, they just decided to help
- Soviet Union couldn't impose any sanctions on Cuba because Cuba already had Soviet arms, and they felt that if they opposed Cuba on this, their relationship would've ended, and they needed Cuba as an ally because "of their location at the USA's doorstep". Strategically Cuba was too important to Soviet Union's military objectives.
that is where I stopped. I only watched like 15 minutes, but so much fukkery already
