The African Bush or Border Wars were a series of conflicts fought on the borders of South Africa. The main theater was Angola where the Totalitarian Progressive regime of Castro was propping up the Leftist regime of the MPLA. In 1976 Cuban forces intervened in support of this Leftist regime.
Their enemy was UNITA which was fighting against The Progressive forces. Although aided by the US, their main backer was South Africa. The South African Defense Forces maintained a buffer in Southern Angola to prevent Communist guerrilla from attacking their positions in Namibia. In 1987 the Communists decided to launch an offensive against UNITA forces in Mavinga. The SADF intervened and in October they encountered Cuban and MPLA forces at Cuito Cuanavale. By February of 1988 the South Africans accomplished their goal of bleeding the Cuban/MPLA forces and stopping any further attacks on UNITA positions. It was a massive defeat for Progressive forces.
At the time South Africa was hated by the world media and the Progressives claimed a Cuban victory. The reality is they were thoroughly defeated by the SADF/UNITA and begged for a cease fire.
Below is a video clip showing the truth about what happened at Cuito Cuanavale. It was a massive defeat for Totalitarian Communist Progressive forces.
Treat this as an Open thread.
(Hat Tip: Buckeye Abroad)
Tags: Angola, Battle of Cuito Cuanavale, cold war, History, South Africa
