Biology Reference
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1.5 million people died, including 12,000 South African troops in the “Border War” against
MPLA (People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola) Angola forces, Cubans, SWAPO
(South West Africa People's Organization—the ruling party now in Namibia), ANC (African
National Congress), and Russians. The toll of Mozambique's civil war after it gained
independence was less at about 70,000 under Samora Machel, many of them executions, maybe
as many as a total of 1 million during the civil war and 20,000 to 30,000 deaths occurred in
Rhodesia/Zimbabwe (see Peter Goodwin's topics). The numbers for the Mau Mau uprising in
Kenya are less well known (see Robert Ruark's novels Uhuru and Something of Value). It is
then even more remarkable that under Nelson Mandela there was virtually no bloodshed in
South Africa during the 1994 transition, although the European powers, including Sweden,
planned massive evacuations of their citizens if uncontrolled violence had broken out.
The Angola conflict started when Portugal withdrew from Angola in 1975 and handed over
the country to the local Africans. There were multiple factions fighting for control. The FNLA
(National Front for the Liberation of Angola), supported by the Congo and USA expertise,
protected the oil enclave of Cabinda. The United States, Zaire (Congo), and of all people
President Kaunda of Zambia, urged South Africa to invade and support UNITA (National
Union for the Total Independence of Angola). Chevron was exporting about 2 million barrels a
day of oil to the USA from Cabinda and 90% of Angola's economy is still dependent on oil.
Indeed its massive growth in GDP is largely oil dependent although exports to the USA in
2006 were half a million barrels and have fallen by another third as vehicles in the USA
become for efficient, local production has increased (oil wells in Ohio have grown from two a
decade ago and will increase to over 1,000 by 2015 and projected 7.2 million barrels p.a. but
far less than other states, going down 7,000 feet to the Utica Shale and then laterally by another
7,000 feet for fracturing), and Canadian production increased from the 20 mile by 20 mile
Alberta Sands fields. Instead the oil is being exported to China (China's second most
important source after Saudi Arabia - the political alignment changes will be of interest,
although China did support UNITA) and India. President Ford gave orders to Colby, the head
of CIA, to support the operation, however, Senator Clark found out about it and Congress
passed a bill to block support. Indeed, this withdrawal was later endorsed by President Carter,
leaving South Africa to support the pro west UNITA faction. Under George HW Bush senior,
the CIA continued to support UNITA, at President Reagan's request. Meanwhile, the MPLA
controlled Luanda and spread rapidly south with nominal support from Russia and Cuba.
Russia's Kosygin argued against further involvement, wary of Vietnam, but was overruled by
Brezhnev and so more Russians were sent in as advisors. The rapid expansion of MPLA to the
south concerned Prime Minister Vorster of South Africa because it would be the loss of a
buffer area against SWAPO forces invading South West Africa. He then ordered Operation
Savannah before the Angola election, and with USA support a massive operation was
undertaken from the South that drove the MPLA back into Luanda and linked up with UNITA
against MPLA. After surrounding Luanda, the forces tried to go further north around Luanda,
and link up with the FNLA/Congo forces from the north. This was thwarted by the Cubans
blowing up the bridges and the loss of USA support. The logistics were horrendous. The airlift
of supplies to the forward base from Grootfontein was 1500km and the battle front a further
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