Popular Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola: First National Army and the War (1975-1992)

By Miguel Junior

By studying FAPLA, we want to make a profound examination on the military edification process from 1976 to 1991. We need to understand the processes of its conversion into a national army and verify the path it has taken during its seventeen years of existence. Thus the aspects of the edification of FAPLA are a precept and the references help explain the present.
By analysing the process, we learn aspects of the war conduct and see how they made military campaign against armed insurgency. In addition, we created conditions for an in-depth understanding on how Angola prepared itself to face the aggression perpetrated by South Africa and how it was able to obtain supremacy on some fields over the external enemy, as well as allowed us to understand their military misfortunes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Dec 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728396651

Miguel Junior

Miguel Junior is a general officer of the Angolan Armed Forces and military historian. He is author of several works and has published articles on defense, security and history.

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© 2020 Miguel Junior. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 12/09/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-9664-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-9665-1 (e)

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Contents

Acknowledgements

Acronyms

Introduction

PART I

I The Decolonization and the Safety of Angola (1974–1975)

1.1 Conjuncture and Events

1.2 The Political Transition and Security

1.3 The FAPLA in War Intervention*

1.4 The Institutionalization of the National Army

II The Beginnings of the National Army (1976–1980)

2.1 The Internal and External Challenges

2.2 The Creation of the Armed Forces

2.3 The Armed Forces Configuration

PART II

III The Strengthening of the National Army (1981–1985)

3.1 The Resurgence of War

3.2 The Responses of the Armed Forces

3.3 False Signals of Change

3.4 On the Trail of Armed Insurgency

3.5 The State of Organization of the Armed Forces

IV The National Army in the New Political Context (1986–1989)

4.1 The Revitalization of UNITA Forces

4.2 From Troops Strengthening to the New Military Thinking

4.3 The Recent Military and Political Developments

4.4 The Tactical Initiative of UNITA

PART III

V The National Army and Political-Military developments (1990–1992)

5.1 The Recovery of the Tactical Operative Initiative

5.2 The Rescheduling of the Armed Forces

5.3 The Resolution of Internal Conflict

Conclusion

ATTACHMENTS

Document No. 1

From Guerrilla Detachments to FAPLA (1964–1974)

I. The Beginnings of Guerrilla Warfare

II. The Transformations and Developments of Guerrilla Warfare

III. The Stagnation of the Guerrilla Warfare

Document No. 2

Creation of the Ninth Motorized Infantry Brigade (Ninth BrIM)

Bibliography

To Paixá

Acknowledgements

In 2004, the joint staff of FAA authorized my application for a master’s degree in military history, an initiative of the Military Academy of Portugal in partnership with the University of Azores. I arrived at the academy in April of 2005. I felt at ease because they cordially accepted me. After the first few minutes, I felt the fraternal warmth of everyone. I completed the master’s degree curricular part in order to expand to the second stage.

For the second stage of the master’s degree, after observing certain formalities, I worked in accordance with the master’s degrees regulations and followed the suggestions and advice of my mentor, Professor Doutor Antonio José Telo. The following should be mentioned. Long before my registration for a master’s degree in military history, at the end of 2004, I presented a proposal to General Kundy Paihama, Ministry of National Defence, in order to work on a research project on FAPLA. The proposal was accepted. In order to enable the project, the minister of National Defence found support from the chief general staff of FAA to be useful. This was accepted by Army General Agostinho Nelumba Sanjar, former chief general staff of FAA. When the time came to work on the dissertation for my master’s degree in military history, I endorsed the research project about FAPLA and turned it into my thesis, as it was compatible with the objectives of the master’s degree. Thus I worked on it for several months before completing it and submitting it to my advisor.

Therefore, I start by thanking General Kundy Paikama, Ministry of National Defence; General Agostinho Nelumba, Sanjar, former chief general staff of the FAA, for the decision and incentive on the research; in addition to the chief general staff of the FAA for the opportunity that was given to me to obtain my master’s degree in military history. I also thank the Military Academy of Portugal and the Rectory of the University of Azores for what they did for me. I acknowledge the attention, support, and understanding from my mentor, Professor Antonio José Telo, as he discussed with me for hours, exchanged views, and gave me access to books and information from his bibliographic archives.

My gratitude also goes to the professors (Drs Luis Andrade, José Damião Rodrigues, Carlos Cordeiro, João Vieira Borges, Carlos Amaral, Francisco Proença Garcia, and Carlos M. M. Branco) with whom I learned several things. I also express my gratitude to several conference speakers (ministers, generals, admirals, high officials, and other individuals in high positions) who expressed their points of view over several materials and situations.

Recognition also goes to my colleagues (Dr Carlos J. R. dos Santos Ferreira, Dr Filinto E. C. Girão Osorio, Dr Nuno M. G. Lourenço, Colonel José C. M. Geraldo, Lieutenant Colonel António N. R. C. Marcos Andrade, Majors Paulo J. L. da Silva, Leonel J. M. Martins, Rui C. A., and Almeida Lopes; Lieutenants João N. S. Mota de Albuquerque, Ângela M. C. Franco Leandro, and Nuno M. dos Santo R. Calhaço and Sergeant Jorge M. L. da Silva Rocha) with whom I lived, learned and exchanged impressions over various subjects for months. Since the first hours up to the end, I involved myself with colleagues and friends. In addition, the deference, military courtesy, and civility were always present.

I also endorse my gratitude to the library staff of the Military Academy of Portugal and Lieutenant Colonel Américo L. B. Paulino, for their support was also essential.

I extend my gratitude to Admiral Emilio de Carvalho (Bibi); Generals Paulo Miguel Júnior, Salvanio de Jesus Sequeira (Kianda), Tonta Afonso Castro, Pedro Benga Lima (Foguetão), Lúcio C. do Amaral, Altino C. dos Santos, Egídio de Sousa Santos (Disciplina), Peregrino Isidro Wambu Chindondo, António Filomeno C. Pereira (Meno), Manuel Luís Neto (Kassapa), Baltazar Diogo Cristóvão, Artur Valente, Elias Pedro (Kallias), César Augusto Pugliese, José da Silva Samukonga, Nicolau S. da Conceição (Kudijimbe); Brigadier Generals Rogério Saraiva P. Ferreira, Manuel Cadete Gaspar (Songa Maju), Manuel Mareso Abrantes (Juca), Pedro de Sousa Calado, Pedro Sekunanguela e José Carlos Sebastião (Sebas); Colonels José Martins, Ângelo António E. Paca, and Albino Pascoal (Kolombolo) e Pedro Tobias Tutaleny; Lieutenant José Alfredo (Chega e Mata); Major José Jack Chitechau; Lieutenant Maria Quarta; Sergeants Ramiro B. M. Neto e César Adriano; soldiers Adão B. José e Manual A. Dala and Adriano Laurestinho (Zanga Bongo); and the Legal Office of the Ministry of Defence of Angola. Some contributed to my presence in the master’s degree program, encouraged me, and were available for interviews about certain issues; others opened doors to identify documentary sources; and the rest worked with me to piece together documents about the beginnings of the FAPLA during consecutive months.

Finally, I thank my understanding family, friends, and colleagues concerning my absence from Angola and the support from family and friends in Portugal, where I stayed for several months.

Acronyms

Introduction

In the context of African national liberation struggles, three movements arouse for liberation of Angola – MPLA, FNLA and UNITA. In order to achieve their objectives on the liberation struggle, these movements provided themselves with guerrilla deployments in concept with revolutionary war theory teachings. These guerrilla deployments organized themselves in accordance with the principals of guerrilla wars and initiated war against Portuguese colonialism. The armed straggle lasted thirteen years (1961–1974), as on 25 April 1974, Carnation Revolution erupted in Portugal. This revolution created political conditions to overthrow the Portuguese fascist regime and self-determination of every people of Portuguese colonies.

With the opening of this new chapter in history, the liberation of Angola movements and Portugal initialled the Alvor Agreement. This agreement established a general basis for political power transfer to the Angolan people and defined the principles for the preservation of security in Angola during the period of political transaction. But the fierce fight for power in Angola, outside the Alvor Agreement, resulted in armed conflict. This conflict took wide proportions, consequently the intervention of international armed forces.

As the political force that had control over the situation in the capital and other locations in the country, the MPLA proclaimed independence on 11 November 1975. The international community recognized the act as valid and so the Popular Republic of Angola was born. Under these circumstances, FAPLA turned national army. Thus the state of Angola created an army as a force of military defence of the national security system. However, from the eve of independence until 1991, the war in Angola was a fact and involved rising of an army capable of supporting internal and external challenges.

The nature of the war caused the mobilization of all the country’s resources, and military fortification became the Angolan state’s main priority. In 1992, because of the Bicesse Agreement, FAPLA was extinct and another national army appeared – the FAA.

Many years have passed since the extinction of FAPLA, but to this date, no studies have been found on how this army was created, not even information on the paths followed by them in this sector which permitted Angola to have a military organization capable of handling military challenges at the time. For this and other reasons, within the military history master’s degree, we have chosen the theme of the national army at the time as our dissertation project. Yet it must be clarified exactly what we want with this study.

By studying FAPLA, we want to make a profound examination on the military edification process from 1976 to 1991. But beforehand, the aspects of methodological and basic operation concepts used must be put into detail in order to facilitate the understanding of the fundamental ideas and other questions that we have presented on the research text.

The first thing to consider is the objective of the research. It is true that under the new political conditions, Angola possesses another national army. But just because another military organization exists, it is not the same as saying that the military edification process just started. On the contrary, it just means its continuation because it initiated in 1976, after they institutionalized FAPLA as the national army. These are the facts, and there is an obligation to study the particularities of this military edification. Therefore, it is essential to look at the recent military experiences and register what in fact happened in regards to the edification of the first military organization of the Angolan state.

The basic and guided idea of the study is so clear. In fact, another national army exists nowadays in Angola because of the political and military transformations that operated, but there is an obligation to examine FAPLA. We need to understand the processes of its conversion into national army and verify the path taken during its seventeen years of existence. Thus the aspects of the edification of FAPLA are a precept and references to help explain the present.

By analysing the process, we learn aspects of war conduct and see how they made military campaigns against armed insurgency. We create conditions for an in-depth understanding of how Angola prepared itself to face the aggression perpetrated by South Africa and how it was able to obtain supremacy on some fields over the external enemy. In addition, it allows us to understand their military misfortunes. Penetrating into past military experiences helps us believe in terms of further development in the military field as far as the new political, economic, and social conditions and see the best way to mobilize forces in similar situations, especially in in case a external aggression.

From here on, we can also see how this newly independent Angolan state was able to raise its military organization with such short notice – how it prepared and put the national army at the disposal of the political objective services of the state. At the same time, we are able to see how it converted itself into a main instrument for consolidating national triumphs and construction of the Angolan nation. On the other hand, according to the study on military edification, it is possible to identify the efforts made by the Angolan nation, economically and financially, to maintain its military organization on its feet.

Having exposed the main ideas on the research goals, we now move on to its justification. In fact, we are facing a noble objective and should value it on the context of social researches. For this and other reasons, studying the experiences of the military edification in the recent past is something unequivocal, being that we can retain important values and much more. We should also consider preserving and transmitting the combative legacies of FAPLA to the new and future generations. And this transmission can only occur, in truth, upon registering the path drawn by the first Angolan army and all that has been done within the war. Furthermore, society as a whole must be provided with figures and facts on the matters of the military edification of 1976 to 1991.

The best way to supply society is exactly through studies of this nature because it provides information on how it all was processed. Through researches of this nature, we can also identify factors that determined the accelerated edification of the first national army and see other matters that interfered positively or negatively with the referred process. Furthermore, this is an important opportunity to evaluate the way that the political power and military commands handled on a daily basis the analysis of the matter at hand in order to judge cultural level of the National Defence and conjecture on matters of the military edification at present and in the future.

What is more, with work prospects of this nature, we create conditions to familiarize with the complex scene of the edification of the first national army and to investigate the highs and lows of the whole process of military edification, as well as allow marking, in detail, transformations and adaptations made by the military organization, given the offensive pace of the army uprising and external enemies. This way’s meditation value is also reflected in the need to register that the FAPLA integrated in certain war circumstances, through their commands at certain levels, political and judicial power in some parts of the national territory. On its own, this information is another benchmark.

With this research, it is possible to evaluate whether the military edification at hand rested, or not, on principles of military fortification, if it followed its basic orientations, and if its legal basis complied with the county’s juridical system. Another element that justifies research at this degree of approach is that through it is possible to identify the military model of the first national army and comparative studies with similar military models built in the contexts of war.

Other justification components are the fact that FAPLA, as a national army, were the leading actors and protagonists of the war in Southern Africa (1976–1991) and faced the South African army, which everyone considered one of the most significant armies in continental Africa at the time. Furthermore, based on some combative traditions, the FAA – single national army – were able to participate in such short time of existence in international military campaigns (Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo-Brazzaville) and conduct military actions in the interior of the country, which contributed greatly to its political stability. Without a doubt, the elements we have pointed out justify the purpose of the study of the development of FAPLA.

After we have clarified the area of justification, there is a need to explain with clarity the object of