South Africa's intervention in Angola: Before Cuito Cuanavale and thereafter

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since South Africa's military intervention in the Angolan conflict twenty years ago, manyscholars have written various conflicting accounts on the subject. Why did South Africabecome involved in the first place, what made the SADF withdraw, and why did the countrydecide to become involved once again in a conflict that seemingly did not concern them?What happened at Cuito Cuanavale? These are the questions this study aims to address bydrawing on the work of several influential authors. But why the differing narratives? Internalfactors such as South Africa's regional policies during apartheid as well as external factorssuch as pressure on the Nationalist government from the international arena, all playedsignificant roles in the decision to become more deeply involved in Angola.South African regional policies during apartheid have been regarded in very different ways byvarious authors which this study will explore. SA's policies during apartheid werecharacterised by anti-communism and influenced mainly by the thought that if SA supporteda Western ideal, SA would be able to regain some international credit from Western powers.In addition, pressure from international actors increased on SA to protect the southern Africanregion from communist domination. As a result, SA's second intervention in Angola becameprolonged as the clashes between the SADF/UNITA and Angolan/Cuban/Soviet forces grewin intensity. The battle/siege of Cuito Cuanavale is still considered to be the watershedmoment that ended the Angolan conflict. The outcome of this battle, however, is still a verycontroversial subject to this day as some authors claim Cuba won, while others claim theSADF won. At the time there was no surrender.However, establishing exactly who the winner was is very difficult as every party to theconflict has its own ideas about what really happened. The military outcome and politicalconsequences may have influenced this debate. For that reason it is imperative to rememberall important influence that various schools of thoughts have on different observers andtherefore accounts of the conflict as many of them were written in a time when Cold War andliberation sentiments thrived. Twenty years later is a good time for better informed hindsight.iv

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University