South African Border War facts for kids

Quick facts for kidsSouth African Border War
	; Clockwise from top left: FAPLA MiG-21bis on an airstrip; FAPLA or Cuban T-62 tank captured by the SADF; 1981 protests against SADF aggression in Angola; Soviet advisor with FAPLA subordinates; G6 howitzers just prior to their deployment to Cuito Cuanavale; South African expeditionary troops in the operational area
Date	26 August 1966 – 21 March 1990; (23 years, 6 months, 3 weeks and 2 days)
Location	Southern Africa – Namibia and Angola
Result	Three Powers Accord Withdrawal of all foreign forces from Angola by New York Accords signed on 22 December 1988.; Independence of a democratic Namibia on 21 March 1990 following elections.; Continued civil war in Angola.;
Belligerents
1966–1974:; South Africa; Portugal	1966–1974:; MPLA; UNITA; FNLA; SWAPO
1975–1990:; South Africa; UNITA; FNLA	1975–1990:; MPLA; Cuba; SWAPO; MK
Casualties and losses
1,804 dead; 2,989 killed; 7,421 dead; ??	??; 2,289–5,000 dead (whole Angolan civil war figure); 11,335 dead

The South African Border War refers to the conflict that took place from 1966 to 1990 primarily in South-West Africa (now Namibia) between South Africa on one side and the South-West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) and its allies on the other.

The roots of the conflict can be traced back to World War I, when South Africa invaded and conquered the colony of German South-West Africa on behalf of the British Empire and the other Allies of World War I. In the aftermath of the German defeat, the League of Nations awarded South Africa a mandate to administer the territory until its inhabitants were ready to govern themselves.

Following World War II, South Africa refused to surrender South-West Africa to a proposed United Nations Trusteeship agreement and instead requested the right to annex it as a fifth province. Steps were taken to integrate South-West Africa into South Africa, including giving the local white population the right to elect representatives to the Parliament of South Africa.

In 1962, SWAPO was formed to resist South African rule and petition for South-West African independence. With support from the Soviet Union, SWAPO began training guerrillas and from 1966 onwards frequently clashed with the South African police and army. The war entered a new phase in 1975, when Angola gained independence and its new communist government began providing support to the guerrillas. South African troops launched raids into Angola to destroy SWAPO bases, which led to battles with the Angolan army. Cuba, which had sent troops to bolster the Angolan government, was directly involved in some of these battles.

In 1988, South Africa, Angola, and Cuba signed a Tripartite Accord committing them to peace. Cuba agreed to withdraw from Angola if South Africa withdrew from South-West Africa and granted that territory independence. South-West Africa gained independence as Namibia in early 1990.

Images for kids

Sam Nujoma, founder and leader of SWAPO and its OPO predecessor.
Equipment of Soviet origin supplied to SWAPO. From left to right: satchel, Dragunov sniper rifle, PG-7V RPG projectile, and RPG-7 launcher.
South African armoured column in Ohangwena, Ovamboland, 1970s. Columns of vehicles like these were the primary target for PLAN ambushes and mines.
SADF sentries on border duty, monitoring the "Cutline" for guerrilla cadres.
South African troops in nondescript uniforms during Operation Savannah.
Cuban-manned PT-76 tank in the streets of Luanda, 1976.
Soviet training instructors with PLAN recruits, late 1970s.
South African troops on patrol near the border, early 1980s.
Members of 44 Parachute Brigade in training.
PLAN guerrillas on the march.
FAPLA T-34-85 tank captured by the SADF during Operation Protea.
Soviet military advisers planning FAPLA operations in southern Angola.
FAPLA 9K31 Strela-1 air defence system captured by the SADF during Operation Askari.
UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi.
South African Atlas Cheetah fighter; this was developed as a direct response to Angola's adoption of more sophisticated Soviet combat aircraft.
Signal bell used by FAPLA's 47 Infantry Brigade at the Lomba River.
SADF Mirage F1s in close formation. The great distances they had to fly to reach the operational area would prove to be a handicap during Operations Hooper and Packer.
Cuban S-125 "SA-3 Goa" missile systems on parade. Many were shipped to Angola in 1988 to provide air cover for Castro's offensive.
Chester Crocker, US diplomat. Crocker's influence and mediation was instrumental in talks which established the Tripartite Accord.
UNTAG checkpoint at Ondangwa, June 1989.