ARMED STRUGGLEWeek Six
I.) The Winds of Change
A.) Blew from West to East and then South
B.) But blocked at the Zambezi River
II.) Resistance to Independence came from “settler colonies”
A.) Virtually all
B.) Something to lose
C.) Many came from Portugal
III.) Portugal delays de-colonization
A.) Authoritarian ruler in the metropole: Antonio de Oliveira Salazar
B.) Portugal needed resources
C.) African political movements were CRUSHED; moved quickly to armed resistance
Angola and Mozambique
III.) Portugal delays de-colonization
D.)Mozambique FRELIMO: Front for the Liberation of
Mozambique In Angola, three different armed movements:▪ FNLA: Frente de Libertaçao de Angola, Holden
Roberto▪ North, Congolese
▪ MPLA: Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola▪ Central, Kimbunda & “mestizos”, Marxist
▪ UNITA: Union for Total Independence of Angola, Joseph Savimbi▪ Highlands & East, Ovimbundu
III.) Portugal delays de-colonization
E.) Coup in Portugal, 1974 – end the empire
In Mozambique, smooth transition to FRELIMO and Samora Machel
In Angola, not so smooth – big struggle▪ MPLA finally ended up on top
III.) Portugal delays de-colonization
F.) Conflict continued South Africa intervention in 1975 Backed RENAMO or MNR: Mozambique
National Resistance Another decade of war (1980’s) Negotiated peace in 1990
III.) Portugal delays de-colonization
G.) Conflict continued in Angola 25 years of war after independence in 1975
Jonas Savimbi, UNITA Current President Killed in 2002 Jose Eduardo
dos Santos
IV.) Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)
A.) Central African Federation, 1953-63 Economic union of S. Rhodesia, N. Rhodesia &
Nyasaland (now Zimbabwe, Zambia, & Malawi) Buffer zone of moderated white supremacy
B.) Didn’t work
C.) White Rhodesia declares independence from Britain, Nov. 11, 1965 UN sanctions
IV.) Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)
D.)Banned African nationalist parties: ZANU (Zimbabwe African National
Union),Mugabe ZAPU (Zimbabwe African People’s Union),
NkomoRobert Mugabe Ian Douglas Smith
IV.) Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
1.) At first, Smith did well2. ) Gorilla movement developed, early
‘70’s▪ Second Chimurenga▪ Led by Mugabe, bases in Mozambique
E.) The war deepened1.) 30,000 dead, a million refugees2.) Ian Smith negotiated elections
3.) Mugabe won, assumed leadership, Ap. 1980
V.) South West Africa (Namibia)
Administered by South Africa after WWII
A.) Low level resistance intensified when the Angola struggle spilled over the boarders, South Africa involved
B.) UN calls for elections in 1980 to remove South Africa
1.) profound shift in South Africa 2.) regional intertwining is
common in de- colonization
VI.) All colonies eventually became independent
But scars are deep, painful, and on-going
