Die Suid-Afrikaanse weermag en die "stryd" om Cuito Cuanavale: fases 2, 3 en 4 van Operasie Moduler, Oktober - Desember 1987 [deel 2]
Abstract
Several international events contributed to the fact that the struggle for
South West Africa was not confined only to SWAPO and the South African
forces. Because of a coup d’etat and the economic and moral burden which
colonies entailed, Portugal withdrew from Angola and Mozambique in a rush
in 1974. SWAPO, assisted by the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola
(MPLA), established military bases in the south of Angola to invade South
West Africa more effectively. It was therefore only a matter of time before the
South African forces encountered not only SWAPO, but also the MPLA and
Cuban forces. South Africa, however, did not take an attitude of wait-and-see,
but wanted to retain the initiative mainly by means of so-called pre-emptive
operations, such as Operation Savannah (1975-1976), which was the first
of many cross-border operations. The general aim of these operations was to
effectively curtail the infiltration of SWAPO from the south of Angola into
South West Africa. During the first and only successful phase of Operation
Modular (August-October 1987), the combined South African forces came
to the aid of a beleaguered UNITA due to a Forças Armadas Populares de
Libertação de Angola (FAPLA) offensive on the UNITA strongholds of
Mavinga and Jamba. The Battle of the Lomba River on 3 October 1987
ended in the crushing of FAPLA’s 47 Brigade and ushered in the successful
completion of phase one of Operation Modular. The objective of this article is
to analyse the strategic position of Cuito Cuanavale during phases two, three
and four of Operation Modular (October-December 1987). In particular, this
article focuses on the objectives of the SADF regarding Cuito Cuanavale. The
conclusion is that, although fiercely denied in certain circles, the SADF most
definitely wanted to conquer Cuito Cuanavale.
Collections
- Faculty of Humanities [2042]
- New Contree: 2011 No 61 [12]