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African Battlegrounds; Angola - Coggle Diagram
African Battlegrounds; Angola
FNLA
1960's US supported FNLA through financial and military support
Indirect support for the FNLA through the American client regime in Zaire proved to be far more significant
Mobutu hoped to use FNLA and French backed separatist movement to annex Angola's Bakongo areas, etc, to form a more powerful and wealthy Zaire
Early 1970's - China, North Korea and Romania also provided FNLA with weapons and advisors while China also supported UNITA
MPLA
Initially MPLA became entangled in Sino-Soviet conflict and opposing sympathies fractured its leadership
MPLA-Soviet relationship stayed but remained tense due to Soviet distrust of Neto(too independent minded)
1965 - small # of Cubans helped the MPLA in their fight against the Portuguese
MPLA soldiers received material assistance from China, Cuba, North Korea, Eastern Europe and Soviet Union
Soviet disenchantment with MPLA(due primarily to internal leadership struggles) led to the cessation of Soviet aid for several months in 1974
Portuguese coup in April 1974
Dramatically altered the lay of the land
China immediately intensified aid to the FNLA and UNITA
CIA funnelled support to FNLA through Mobutu's territory
August - Soviet Union announced its moral support for the MPLA but demanded that the movement reconcile factional differences before Moscow would consider providing aid
Soviet Union reluctantly threw its weight behind the strongest faction - due to concerns with escalating involvement of the US and China
Alvor Accord created as a result of supporting an African-led peace initiative
Alvor Accord violated almost immediately
Washington began to provide substantial military and economic support to the FNLA through the Mobutu regime, which had lobbied hard for US involvment
March through May FNLA launched series of attacks that killed MPLA activists - resisting Portuguese requests that it keep Mobutu at bay, US refused to get involved.
Moscow responded reluctantly to American-led escalation
July- US and SA intelligence collaborated closely and US pressed SA to intervene militarily
Pretoria and Washington funnelled weapons and vehicles valued at tens of millions of dollars to the FNLA and UNITA
As US and SA bolstered FNLA and UNITA, Moscow escalated its support for the MPLA
Foreign intervention took on a new dimension in mid oct when SDAF launched a massive invasion. End of month - estimated 1,000 SA soldiers were entrenched in Angola
Everyone on FNLA and UNITA side began to advance on Luanda, rapidly winning the territory
Cuba's response to MPLA requests had been modest, but that changed after South African invasion in oct
November 11 - MPLA announced the establishment of the People's Republic of Angola
After independence thousands of foreign troops poured into Angola
SA withdrew from Angola in 1976
By early 1980s only the US and SA continued to withhold diplomatic recognition