The Soviets and the Anglicans in the South

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The soviets helped create the angol and armed forces, or fapla, and then arm them. But they also sent advisers that focused on supporting fapla's smaller and more nimble counter insurgency units. This brings us to something very much at the part of the story you tell about how it played out against the forces of reaction across southern africa. And is a fascinating story.

The second of Dan’s two-part interview with Piero Gleijeses on his book Visions of Freedom: Havana, Washington, Pretoria, and the Struggle for Southern Africa, 1976–1991. This is the story of Cuba’s military defense of the Angolan government against a US and South Africa-backed effort to overthrow the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). The future of the entire region was on the line—including the fate of apartheid in South Africa and of Namibia, then a South African colony. Learn Southern African geography by studying these maps: thedigradio.com/visions-of-freedom-maps Support The Dig with money at Patreon.com/TheDig and receive our weekly newsletter.