Die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag en Transgrensoperasie Moduler, fase 1: Die FAPLA-offensief teen UNITA, Augustus - Oktober 1987 [Deel 1]

The objective of the South West African People’s Organisation (SWAPO) was to liberate South West Africa (Namibia) from South African rule. In 1962, SWAPO decided to combine the political struggle for the freedom of South West Africa with military actions against the South African forces. Internation...

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Main Author: Gerhard J.J. Oosthuizen
Format: Article
Language:Afrikaans
Published: AOSIS 2010-11-01
Series:Contree
Subjects:
Online Access:https://newcontree.org.za/index.php/nc/article/view/369
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author Gerhard J.J. Oosthuizen
author_facet Gerhard J.J. Oosthuizen
author_sort Gerhard J.J. Oosthuizen
collection DOAJ
description The objective of the South West African People’s Organisation (SWAPO) was to liberate South West Africa (Namibia) from South African rule. In 1962, SWAPO decided to combine the political struggle for the freedom of South West Africa with military actions against the South African forces. International events contributed to the struggle for South West Africa not being confined to SWAPO and the South African forces only. After 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 tried to retain the initiative through pre-emptive operations. This article focuses on the first phase of Operation Moduler (August-October 1987). It explores how the combined South African Forces came to the aid of a beleaguered UNITA, after a FAPLA offensive on the UNITA stronghold of Mavinga. Although the Battle of the Lomba River on 3 October 1987 ended in the crushing of 47 Brigade of FAPLA, the South African forces failed to take advantage of this situation. The reasons for this will also be analysed in the article.
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spelling doaj-art-c7d9a169560f477cb6c292d58c8d0a702025-08-20T02:23:31ZafrAOSISContree0379-98672959-510X2010-11-0160110.4102/nc.v60i1.369350Die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag en Transgrensoperasie Moduler, fase 1: Die FAPLA-offensief teen UNITA, Augustus - Oktober 1987 [Deel 1]Gerhard J.J. Oosthuizen0North-West UniversityThe objective of the South West African People’s Organisation (SWAPO) was to liberate South West Africa (Namibia) from South African rule. In 1962, SWAPO decided to combine the political struggle for the freedom of South West Africa with military actions against the South African forces. International events contributed to the struggle for South West Africa not being confined to SWAPO and the South African forces only. After 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 tried to retain the initiative through pre-emptive operations. This article focuses on the first phase of Operation Moduler (August-October 1987). It explores how the combined South African Forces came to the aid of a beleaguered UNITA, after a FAPLA offensive on the UNITA stronghold of Mavinga. Although the Battle of the Lomba River on 3 October 1987 ended in the crushing of 47 Brigade of FAPLA, the South African forces failed to take advantage of this situation. The reasons for this will also be analysed in the article.https://newcontree.org.za/index.php/nc/article/view/369operasie modulersuid-afrikaanse weermagunitamplafaplaangolalombacuito cuanavalemenonguemavinga
spellingShingle Gerhard J.J. Oosthuizen
Die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag en Transgrensoperasie Moduler, fase 1: Die FAPLA-offensief teen UNITA, Augustus - Oktober 1987 [Deel 1]
Contree
operasie moduler
suid-afrikaanse weermag
unita
mpla
fapla
angola
lomba
cuito cuanavale
menongue
mavinga
title Die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag en Transgrensoperasie Moduler, fase 1: Die FAPLA-offensief teen UNITA, Augustus - Oktober 1987 [Deel 1]
title_full Die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag en Transgrensoperasie Moduler, fase 1: Die FAPLA-offensief teen UNITA, Augustus - Oktober 1987 [Deel 1]
title_fullStr Die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag en Transgrensoperasie Moduler, fase 1: Die FAPLA-offensief teen UNITA, Augustus - Oktober 1987 [Deel 1]
title_full_unstemmed Die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag en Transgrensoperasie Moduler, fase 1: Die FAPLA-offensief teen UNITA, Augustus - Oktober 1987 [Deel 1]
title_short Die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag en Transgrensoperasie Moduler, fase 1: Die FAPLA-offensief teen UNITA, Augustus - Oktober 1987 [Deel 1]
title_sort die suid afrikaanse weermag en transgrensoperasie moduler fase 1 die fapla offensief teen unita augustus oktober 1987 deel 1
topic operasie moduler
suid-afrikaanse weermag
unita
mpla
fapla
angola
lomba
cuito cuanavale
menongue
mavinga
url https://newcontree.org.za/index.php/nc/article/view/369
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