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Contested historical interpretations and the narrative of the Angolan-South Africa War 1987-1988 - a military outcome?
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-12) Beck, Stephen James; Nasson, Bill; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of History.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The end of the 1980s brought about great changes throughout the world, the end of the Cold War – globally, as well as the end of apartheid in South Africa. For South Africans these two events can be seen in the narratives which surround the Angolan Border/Civil War, as it contained all the elements of a Cold War struggle and is heralded by some as a turning point towards the end of apartheid. The outcomes of this conflict are hotly contested, each side claiming a victory for themselves. The Cuban, ANC, and MPLA narrative would have us believe that the SADF was defeated through military might. And the SADF narrative argues that they were not defeated in Angola. This thesis will look at those claims, and judge them on their merit, but will ultimately find that all the major players in this conflict emerged heads held high, and the only losers were the Angolan people.