American Prestige Unlocked - Blowback: The Forgotten Cold War Front in Angola w/ Brendan James and Noah Kulwin
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Dec 6, 2025 
Brendan James and Noah Kulwin, co-hosts of the Blowback podcast, dive into Angola's overlooked role in the Cold War. They discuss how Angola became a crucial battleground, highlighting U.S. proxy wars and Cuba’s bold military maneuvers without Soviet approval. The conversation touches on the long-lasting impacts of these interventions, how Ronald Reagan's presidency reshaped foreign policy, and the complexities of local leaders like Neto and Savimbi. They also draw compelling parallels to contemporary political dynamics, making history resonate today.
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Angola As A Major Cold War Front
- Angola became a major Cold War battlefield because the conflict united local, regional, and global actors into a single, large-scale proxy war.
- Blowback frames Angola as part of a pattern of U.S. subcontracting local forces across continents during the Cold War.
Domestic Politics Shape Foreign Policy
- U.S. foreign policy often pivots in response to domestic political pressures rather than purely strategic logic.
- Noah Kulwin and Derek Davison highlight Angola as an example of domestic politics shaping intervention choices.
Cold War Strategy Oscillated Over Time
- U.S. strategy alternated between rollback and détente across different eras rather than following a steady progression.
- Brendan James calls this oscillation 'ping ponging' driven by changing administrations and domestic moods.
