The Cuban Intervention in Angola, 1965-1991: From Che Guevara to Cuito Cuanavale (Cass Military Studies)

The first complete study of Cuban involvement in the Angolan War, from the first contacts in the 1960s to the full-scale military occupation of the 1980s. A new examination of why Cuba, a Caribbean country, sent half a million of its citizens to fight in Angola in Africa, and how a short-term intervention escalated into a lengthy war of intervention. It clearly details how in January 1965 Cuba formed an alliance with the Angolan MPLA which evolved into the flagship of its global 'internationalist' mission, spawning the military intervention of November 1975 culminating in Cuba's spurious 'victory' at Cuito Cuanavale and Cuba's fifteen-year occupation of Angola. Drawing on interviews with leading protagonists, first-hand accounts and archive material from Cuba, Angola and South Africa, this new book dispels the myths of the Cuban intervention, revealing that Havana's decision to intervene was not so much an heroic gesture of solidarity, but rather a last-ditch gamble to avert disaster. By examining Cuba's role in the Angolan War in a global context, this book demonstrates how the interaction between the many players in Angola shaped and affected Cuba's intervention as it headed towards its controversial conclusion BOOK COVER......Page 1 TITLE......Page 6 COPYRIGHT......Page 7 CONTENTS......Page 10 INTRODUCTION......Page 16 1 INTERNATIONALISM IN THE CUBAN REVOLUTION AND THE BIRTH OF THE ALLIANCE WITH THE MPLA, 1959–65......Page 29 3 THE CUBAN MISSION TO BRAZZAVILLE AND THE COLLAPSE OF THE ALLIANCE, 1965–74......Page 43 2 THE CARNATION REVOLUTION AND THE FAILURE OF ANGOLA’S DECOLONISATION, APRIL 1974–OCTOBER 1975......Page 64 4 OPERATIONS SAVANNAH AND CARLOTA, OCTOBER–NOVEMBER 1975......Page 83 5 THE ‘SECOND LIBERATION WAR’, NOVEMBER 1975–MARCH 1976......Page 97 6 THE FAILED WITHDRAWAL FROM ANGOLA, 1976–81......Page 131 7 ‘THE PEOPLE’S WAR’: Cuban internationalists in Angola, 1975–91......Page 158 8 ABORTIVE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS AND THE PATH TO FULL-SCALE WAR, 1981–5......Page 179 9 THE BIG OFFENSIVES, 1985–7......Page 207 10 THE BATTLE OF CUITO CUANAVALE, NOVEMBER 1987–MARCH 1988......Page 228 11 THE FIGHTING IN SOUTH-WEST ANGOLA AND THE NEGOTIATING END-GAME, MARCH–DECEMBER 1988......Page 251 12 THE STING IN THE TAIL: The Ochoa scandal, the death of internationalism and the start of the ‘Special Period’, 1989–91......Page 271 CONCLUSION......Page 289 APPENDIX 1 CHRONOLOGY OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS IN THE ANGOLAN WAR, 1956–91......Page 301 APPENDIX 2 PRINCIPAL SADF OPERATIONS IN ANGOLA, 1975–88......Page 315 APPENDIX 3 ANGOLAN PLACE NAME VARIANTS......Page 317 NOTES......Page 319 SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 360 INDEX......Page 364 "In January 1965 Cuba formed an alliance with the Angolan MPLA which evolved into the flagship of its global 'internationalist' mission, spawning the military intervention of November 1975 and Cuba's fifteen-year occupation of Angola. This book examines why a Caribbean country sent nearly half-a-million of its citizens to fight in Angola, and how a short-term intervention escalated into a lengthy war of attrition, culminating in Cuba's spurious 'victory' at Cuito Cuanavale. Drawing on interviews with leading protagonists, first-hand accounts and archive material from Cuba, Angola and South Africa, this book dispels the myths of the Cuban intervention, revealing that Havana's decision to intervene was not so much an heroic gesture of solidarity, but rather a last-ditch gamble to avert disaster. By exploring the complex interplay between the fighting on the ground, the tortured peace process and the constantly shifting alliances, this book aims to explain how these forces shaped and affected Cuba's fifteen-year intervention, propelling it towards its controversial conclusion."--BOOK JACKET Internationalism In The Cuban Revolution & The Birth Of The Alliance With The Mpla (1959-65) -- The Cuban Mission To Brazzaville & The Collapse Of The Alliance (1965-74) -- The Carnation Revolution & The Failure Of Angola's Decolonisation (april 1974-october 1975) -- Operations Savannah And Carlota (october-november 1975) -- 'the Second Liberation War' (november 1975-march 1976) -- The Failed Withdrawal From Angola (1976-1981) -- 'the People's War', Cuban Internationalists In Angola (1975-91) -- Abortive Peace Negotiations And The Path To Full-scale War (1981-85) -- The Big Offensives (1985-87) -- The Battle Of Cuito Cuanavale (november 1987-march 1988) -- The Fighting In Southwest Angola & The Negotiating End-game (march-december 1988) -- The Sting In The Tail - The Ochoa Scandal, The Death Of Internationalism & The Start Of The 'special Period' (1989-91). Edward George. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.