Operation Savannah (Angola)

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This article is about the South African invasion of Angola. For the World War II military operation, see: Operation Savannah.

Operation Savannah was the name given to the South African Defence Force's 1975 - 1976 invasion of Angola during the South African Border War.

1 Background
2 Invasion
3 Aftermath
4 See also

[edit] Background

After a conflict lasting 14 years and aided by a military coup that overthrew Portugal's dictatorship government, Angola's nationalist parties began to negotiate for independence in January 1975. Independence was achieved on 11 November 1975 and by 29 February 1976 all the Portuguese forces had withdrawn from the country.

Almost immediately after independence, a civil war broke out between the three main factions - the MPLA, UNITA and the FNLA. Cuban forces had already begun moving into Angola during April 1975 on the invitation of the communist-oriented MPLA in order to support them in the fighting and South Africa thus faced the prospect of communist state bordering its de facto "fifth province" of (the then) South-West Africa (SWA). Consequently South Africa, with the covert assistance of the United States Central Intelligence Agency, began assisting UNITA and the FNLA.

[edit] Invasion

South Africa subsequently made an alliance with UNITA and invaded Angola on the 2 October 1975 during Operation Savannah. Within thirty-three days the South African Army had covered 3,159 km, to within artillery range of the Angolan capital of Luanda. However, the South African forces were halted by a combination of the withdrawal of its covert Western support and Cuban assistance to the MPLA. This enabled the MPLA to retain control of Luanda and the main South African force consequently withdrew from Angola on the 27 March 1976.

[edit] Aftermath

The MPLA subsequently declared itself to be the de facto government of the country and Agostinho Neto was sworn in as its first President. However, South Africa continued to support Unita in order to ensure that SWAPO did not establish any bases in southern Angola.