The Cold War Superpower Rivalries and their Impact on the Civil War in Angola
TITLE
Analyse the impact that the rivalries between the Cold War superpowers had on the civil war in Angola.
ESSAY
The civil war in Angola was significantly influenced by the rivalries between the superpowers during the Cold War era. The involvement of the United States and the Soviet Union, along with their respective allies, turned Angola into a battleground where opposing factions received military support, leading to a prolonged conflict marked by power struggles and external interference.
The three main military movements in Angola – MPLA, FNLA, and UNITA – had been vying for power and control since the 1960s. The Alvor Agreement of 1975, which aimed to establish a power-sharing government, failed to prevent the outbreak of civil war as each group sought sole power. The rivalries between the superpowers exacerbated the situation as both the United States and the Soviet Union saw Angola as a strategic location with valuable resources.
The United States provided aid and training to FNLA and UNITA, with the CIA facilitating weapons shipments to the FNLA in 1975. The Soviet Union supported MPLA with military assistance, while the MPLA also had ties to Cuba. Additionally, UNITA sought help from South Africa to counter the MPLA, leading to further external involvement in the conflict.
The Ford Administration's belief that Cuba's involvement in Angola was orchestrated by the Soviet Union as a breach of détente rules led to increased US support for anti-MPLA forces. The Reagan administration's repeal of the prohibition on military aid to rebel forces in Angola in 1985 signaled a more direct involvement in the conflict, with military assistance flowing to UNITA from 1987 onwards.
The civil war in Angola persisted until 2002, with intermittent fighting and power struggles continuing even after elections were held in 1992. Savimbi's refusal to accept the election results and the subsequent resumption of the civil war highlighted the deep-seated divisions and external influences that plagued Angola for decades.
In conclusion, the rivalries between the Cold War superpowers significantly impacted the civil war in Angola, turning it into a proxy battleground where competing factions received support from external powers. The struggle for power, control of resources, and ideological differences prolonged the conflict and hindered efforts to reach a peaceful resolution until the early 2000s.
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Analyse the impact that the rivalries between the Cold War superpowers had on the civil war in Angola.
Rivalries between the superpowers turned the civil war in Angola into a Cold War battleground; support for opposing groups from the United States and the Soviet Union and their proxies inevitably helped to escalate and prolong the war but the military groups themselves failed to reach agreement they could not agree on power-sharing. Portugal, too chose to withdraw its troops from Angola.
Three main military movements had been fighting for Angolan independence since the 1960s, the MPLA, a Marxist organisation, the FNLA based in the north of the country and UNITA led by Jonas Savimbi. The Alvor Agreement with Portugal in January 1975 provided for a three-way power sharing government. However, each group wanted to attain sole power and civil war erupted. UNITA declared war on the MPLA on 1 August 1975. When MPLA leader Neto announced 11 November 1975 as the day of Angolan independence, Lisbon decided to withdraw its troops on that day.
Angola soon became a Cold War battleground with the superpowers giving military assistance to the groups they supported. Both the United States and the Soviet Union sought influence in Angola, a country with rich agricultural and mineral resources. The superpowers and their allies gave military assistance to the groups they favoured which resulted in a Cold War contest by proxy. The United States provided aid and training to both FNLA and UNITA. The CIA made its first major weapons shipment to the FNLA in July 1975. Zaire and China also helped FNLA. The Soviet Union supported MPLA with military training and equipment. The MPLA also had ties with Castro in Cuba and UNITA had asked South Africa for military help; South Africa wanted to prevent the use Angola as a base for rebels fighting for the independence of Namibia.
The US Government had encouraged the South African intervention, but preferred to distance itself from the apartheid regime. Some members of the US Congress were reluctant to intervene and Ford’s request for additional funds was rejected in 1976. South Africa withdrew its forces in the spring of 1976 and the MPLA remained as the official government of Angola. However, UNITA continued the civil war; the fighting lingered on intermittently until 2002.
Henry Kissinger claimed that the United States was forced to intervene in Angola because the Soviet Union was already providing military aid to the MPLA by using Cuban troops. However, later evidence showed that the Kremlin was reluctant to become involved and that it was the United States who backed a two-pronged invasion by FNLA from Zaire and from South Africa in support of UNITA. At the time of the crisis the United States and Soviet Union were still pursuing a policy of détente. The Ford Administration believed that Cuba had intervened in Angola as a Soviet proxy and thus was breaking the rules of détente but this was later shown to be false. The MPLA was the most organised and best led of the three factions but the United States did not want a negotiated settlement as the Soviet Union supported the MPLA.
In August 1985, the Reagan administration won a repeal of the 1976 prohibition against US military aid to rebel forces in Angola. Military assistance began to flow to UNITA in January 1987. Finally, in September 1992, elections were held, but when it became apparent that the MPLA would be the winner, Savimbi refused to accept the result and the civil war resumed. In May 1993, Washington finally recognised the Angolan government.