Brothers in arms: For over 20 years, Cuba helped Africa’s freedom struggle

“The US implemented a covert plan to crush the legitimate interests of Angolan people and impose a puppet government. A key point was (a US) alliance with South Africa to train and equip certain organisations created by the Portuguese colonial regime to frustrate Angola’s independence and turn it into a condominium for Mobutu.”

The Angolan Popular Liberation Movement (MPLA) was led by Agostinho Neto, who had asked for Cuba’s help.

The US made arrangements to transfer to South Africa of several atomic bombs... We took all precautions, (under the assumption that) the South Africans were going to drop a nuclear weapon on our troops.”

In mid-October 1975, the Zaireian army and mercenary troops, bolstered by South African military advisers, were getting ready to launch new attacks from northern Angola, and in fact were already in the vicinity of the capital, Luanda. The greatest danger was in the south.

South African troops had crossed the southern border of the country and were advancing quickly into the heart of the country.

“The objective was to meet Mobutu’s mercenaries from the north and occupy Luanda before Angola proclaimed its independence, which was scheduled for November 11, 1975. Those were difficult days!” Castro says.

In the face of the two-pronged invasion of Angola, Cuban soldiers joined the combat.

“For the first time, in that remote part of the continent, the blood of Cubans and Angolans joined to nourish the freedom of that long-suffering land.”

By late November 1975 the enemy aggression had been halted in both the north and south.

After that victory, Cuba withdrew from Angola in 1976.

“In March 1977, I was finally able to visit Angola and congratulate its people and Cuban combatants on their victory. By then about 12,000 internationalists had already gone back to Cuba – that is, about a third of our troops. Up to that point, the withdrawal plan was being followed to the letter.”

In 1977, Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam assumed power in Ethiopia, at a time when the country had been invaded by Somalia.

Somali President Mohamed Said Barre had taken over Ogaden in his ambition of a Greater Somalia, which would bring together all ethnic Somalis in one nation.

To do this, it was necessary to annex Djibouti, the Somali region of Kenya and the Ogaden.

The Soviet Union provided aid to Ethiopia, and Cuba sent in an expeditionary force.