This title analyses the causes of armed conflicts in Southern Africa during the Cold War. Vladimir Shubin traces the influence of the various foreign powers involved in the region during this period and their relationship to local movements and governments. He focuses on countries that experienced violent internal conflict and foreign intervention - Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Shubin provides a detailed analysis of the role played by the Soviet Union in these conflicts. Spanning 30 years, the book explores how each country struggled for genuine independence against colonialism and apartheid against the backdrop of the wider conflicts of the Cold War.

South Africa’s armed forces invaded Angola in 1975, setting off a war that had consequences for the whole region that are still felt today. A far-away war contributes to a wider understanding of this war in Angola and Namibia. The book does not only look at the war from an “old” South African (Defence Force) perspective, but also gives a voice to participants “on the other side” – emphasising the role of the Cubans and Russians. This focus is supplemented by the inclusion of many never-before-published photographs from Cuban and Russian archives, and a comprehensive bibliography.

This book analyses the causes of armed conflicts in Southern Africa during the Cold War. It examines the influence of the various external forces in the region during this period and their relationship to local movements and governments. The book focuses on states experiencing violent internal conflict and foreign intervention, that is Angola, Mozambique, Namibia , South Africa and Zimbabwe. The author provides an unique history of the key part that the Soviet Union played in these developments. Spanning 30 years, the book explores how each country struggled for genuine independence against colonialism and apartheid and their place in the wider conflicts encompassed by the Cold War.