The Brezhnev Era, 1972-1985: Developments in Africa and the Americas - the Impact of Cuban Intervention in Angola (US, USSR & Chinese Intervention)

Question 1

Which countries supported each faction?

Answer 1

• MPLA

• Cuba
• USSR
• China

• UNITA

• China
• US

• FNLA

• South Africa
• US
• China

Question 2

Why did China and Cuba become involved in the Angolan civil war?

Answer 2

• Commitment to support revolution, especially where Marxism seemed likely to succeed
• China and Cuba used substantial portion of foreign policy budgets in assisting Marxist, anti-imperialist guerrilla groups and militias

Question 3

Why did the US support the FNLA?

Answer 3

• To undermine the Soviet supported MPLA
• Wanted to prevent MPLA success, as it was first time Soviets tried imposing a regime outside the ‘immediate Soviet orbit’ in Kissinger’s words
• Wanted to avoid international perception that US had lack of determination to counter communist interventions

Question 4

What aid did the US provide to the FNLA?

Answer 4

• January 1975
- Sent $300,000 in covert funding to FNLA to undermine MPLA

• July 1975
- Secretary of State, Kissinger, persuades Ford to send $25 million in supplies and $16 million in arms to FNLA

Question 5

When and how much aid did the US provide the FNLA in covert funding to undermine the MPLA?

Answer 5

• January 1975

- US sends $300,000

Question 6

When and how much aid did the US provide in supplies and arms to FNLA?

Answer 6

• July 1975
• $25 million in supplies
• $16 million in arms

Question 7

By what year did the US realise that the FNLA was not going to win the civil war?

Answer 7

• Summer of 1975

Question 8

What options did the US consider after realising the FNLA were not going to win the civil war?

Answer 8

• Stay neutral

- Continue sending covert aid to FNLA

Question 9

What were the pros and cons of the US staying neutral?

Answer 9

• Pros

• Saves money
• Protect US from international criticism
• Prevents further irritation of MPLA

• Cons

• Neto would establish a dominant position
• Angola would move further to political left
• Would be first time US fails to respond to Soviet military moves outside Soviet buffer

Question 10

What were the cons of the US continuing to send aid to the FNLA?

Answer 10

• Would not effectively counteract aid for MPLA from Cuba and USSR
• Would align the US with South Africa, which was facing international criticism due to apartheid

Question 11

Did Angola pose a threat to US interests?

Answer 11

• By November 1975

- US didn’t regard Angola as direct threat to economic and strategic interests

Question 12

Why did the USSR send aid to the MPLA?

Answer 12

• Due to Sino-Soviet split in 1961, the Soviet priority was to ensure China didn’t gain advantages in Angola
• USSR couldn’t appear as less supportive towards leftist liberation movements in developing countries
• To spread Soviet influence and undermine influence of China and US

Question 13

Did Soviet and US intervention in Angola align with détente?

Answer 13

• US believed USSR was not complying with détente

- USSR believed that fighting for people’s liberation aligned with détente