Osprey Men-at-Arms 242 : Modern African Wars (3) : South-West Africa

After World War I the League of Nations had assigned the governing of the former German colony of South West Africa to the Union of South Africa recently formed from the former British colonies of Cape Province and Natal and the two former Boer Republics, conquered in the Boer War at the turn of the century. South West Africa, Namibia, had long been ruled by South Africa as the 'Fifth Province', its economic system integrated into that of South Africa. The establishment of SWAPO (South-West African People's Organization) in 1960, sparked decades of guerrilla warfare, mostly aimed at the South African military. International sanctions imposed by the United Nations on South Africa took their toll. This book includes detailed descriptions of the South African Defence Force, Angolan Forces, SWAPO, and the major units involved in the counter-insurgency campaigns. When the African majority finally achieved political freedom under the leadership of Nelson Mandela after fifty years of struggle, the South African forces which had operated in Namibia came home. Text by Helmoed-Romer Heitman with illustrations by Paul Hannon.

Contents

• The Region in the 1960s-80s
• The Security Forces
• Angolan Forces
• SWAPO
• External Operations
• Support for Unita
• The Plates