Mozambique's civil war was inevitable given the tradition of conflict that had always characterized Frelimo, first as an independence movement, and then as a ruling party. Without disregarding the role played by both Rhodesia and South Africa in the war—in fact providing new and detailed information about it—João Cabrita guides the reader through Frelimo's early days and gives a clear understanding of the pattern of internal dissent, persecution and physical elimination of members and opponents that remained the organization's hallmark.

Mozambique's civil war was inevitable given the tradition of conflict that has always characterized Frelimo, first as an independence movement, and then as a ruling party. Without disregarding the role played by both Rhodesia and South Africa in the war - in fact providing new and detailed information about it - Cabrita guides the reader through Frelimo's early days and gives a clear understanding of the pattern of internal dissent, persecution and physical elimination of members and opponents that remained the organization's hallmark.