Decisive battle in which Cubans were routed

No South African liberation movements actively fought at Cuito Cuanavale, writes

WJohn.

ith reference to Brendan Seery’s article, “Cuito myth a bridge too far” (The Citizen, March 26).

South Africa entered the Angolan war on request from Jonas Savimbi of Unita, who was protecting hundreds of kilometres of the then South West African border from Swapo and other forces.

The Cubans had already ar- rived in Angola in 1974. Jamba was the capital of Savimbi’s forces, the specific target of Fapla/Cuba/Russia and Swapo forces.

All in all, 400 000 Cubans saw service in Angola. Interestingly, the ANC combatants who were supposed to go into battle refused “as they did not see the sense in fighting someone else’s war” (Brigland: War for Africa).

In fact, no South African liberation movements actively fought at Cuito Cuanavale. Apparently the Russian and East Germans “ran for their lives” when the fighting started around the Lomba River.

At Cuito Cuanavale (1987-1988) the SADF lost 31 men, three tanks, five armoured vehicles and three aircraft, while Fapla and Cuba lost 4 600 men, 94 tanks, 100 armoured vehicles, nine aircraft and other Soviet equipment valued at more than R1 billion.

The SADF wiped out an entire Cuban brigade at Lomba River.

All in all, it was not only the Cuban forces that were well and truly thrashed, but also the Soviet Union that was overwhelmingly crushed economically and militarily. This defeat led to the Cubans begging for peace.