Portuguese Colonial War facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Portuguese Colonial WarGuerra Colonial Portuguesa |
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| Part of the Decolonisation of Africa and the Cold War | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
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Supported by:
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
Generally:
Angola:
Portuguese Guinea:
Mozambique:
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Angola:
Portuguese Guinea:
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| Strength | |||||||||
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148,000 European Portuguese regular troops
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40,000–60,000 guerrillas +30,000 in Angola
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Civilian casualties:
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The Portuguese Colonial War (Portuguese: Guerra Colonial Portuguesa) was fought between Portugal's military and the emerging nationalist movements in Portugal's African colonies between 1961 and 1974. Portugal fought the MPLA, FNLA, UNITA and FLEC in Angola between 1961 and 1974. Also, they fought the PAIGC in Guinea-Bissau between 1963 and 1974. Lastly, they fought the FRELIMO in Mozambique between 1964 and 1974.
Related pages
- Angolan War of Independence (1961–1974)
- Guinea-Bissau War of Independence (1963–1974)
- Mozambican War of Independence (1964–1974)
- Angolan Civil War (1975–2002)
- Mozambican Civil War (1977–1992)
Images for kids
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Cabo Verdean and Bissau-Guinean revolutionary Amílcar Cabral: In his formative years, he was awarded an agronomy degree by the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, in Lisbon.
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Leader of FNLA Holden Roberto in 1973
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Portuguese-held (green), disputed (yellow) and rebel-held areas (red) in Portuguese-Guinea and other colonies in 1970, before the Portuguese military operations known as Gordian Knot Operation (Mozambique), Operation Green Sea (Guinea) and Frente Leste (Angola).
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Portuguese combatants in the woods around River Onzo, Angola
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Portuguese Army soldiers in the beginning of the War in Angola. The camouflage uniforms and the FN FAL assault rifles identify them as Caçadores Especiais. At this time, the remaining Army forces still wore yellow khaki field uniforms and were mostly armed with bolt-action rifles.
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General António de Spínola, governor of Portuguese Guinea between 1968 and 1973. Conducted an effective campaign both against the PAIGC as well as to develop Guinea.
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Portuguese troops board NRP Nuno Tristão frigate in Portuguese Guinea, during amphibious Operation Trident (Operação Tridente), 1964
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A PAIGC checkpoint in 1974
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Reoccupation of Beira Baixa estate, 1961
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Reoccupation of Beira Baixa estate
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A Portuguese version of Heckler & Koch G3A3 was used as the standard infantry weapon for most of Portugal's forces. It was produced in large quantities in the Fábrica do Braço de Prata small arms plant.
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Portuguese-era fighters now on display on the National Museum of Military History in Luanda
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A Portuguese Air Force Alouette III helicopter deploying paratroopers armed with 7.62mm ArmaLite AR-10 rifles during an assault operation in Angola.
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A Portuguese F-84 Thunderjet being loaded with ordnance in the 1960s, at Luanda Air Base.
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The Portuguese Air Force employed Fiat G.91 aircraft like this in the Portuguese Colonial War.
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AKM assault rifles were widely used by the African guerrilla movements.
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SKS semi-automatic rifles were also used by guerrillas.
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Heavy equipment used by the PAIGC now on display at Bissau
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Marcello Caetano, who succeeded Salazar in the premiership of Portugal in 1968.
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Coup in Portugal.
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Portuguese soldier with black Afro-Portuguese child, a monument to the Portuguese Overseas Territories' Heroes (Heróis do Ultramar), in Coimbra, Portugal.
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Monument in Lisbon to Portuguese soldiers who died in the Overseas War (1961–1976).
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Remains of an armoured car in Medina do Boé, Guinea-Bissau
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Evolution of the expenditure of the Portuguese state with the military during the war.
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See also
In Spanish: Guerra colonial portuguesa para niños
