Operation Savannah (Angola)

This article is about the South African invasion of Angola. For the World War II military operation, see Operation Savannah.
Operation Savannah
Part of South African Border War and the Angolan Civil War
Date14 October 1975 – 1 January 1976
Location
Angola
Result MPLA-Cuban victory
Belligerents
MPLA
Cuba
Supported by:
 Soviet Union		  South Africa
FNLA
UNITA
Zaire
Supported by:
 United States
Commanders and leaders
Agostinho Neto
António França
Jorge Risquet		 Constand Viljoen
Holden Roberto
Colonel Callan
Units involved

MPLA:

 Cuba:

  • 3rd Motorized Infantry Battalion
  • 9th Motorized Infantry Brigade

 South Africa

  • Task Force Zulu
  • Task Force Foxbat

FNLA

  • Special Commando Company

Zaire

Strength
MPLA:
30,000 soldiers[1]
 Cuba:
4,000–6,000 soldiers (supported by T-34 and T-55 tanks and 122 mm guns)[2]
 Soviet Union:
1,000 advisors		 FNLA:
20,000 soldiers[3]
UNITA:
10,000 soldiers[4]
Zaire:
1,200 soldiers
 South Africa:
Start of Operation:
500 soldiers
End of Operation:
2,900–3,000 soldiers
2 frigates
1 replenishment oiler
Casualties and losses
MPLA:
500-550 killed
Cuba:
200 killed
Soviet Union:
7 killed[5]		 FNLA:
Unknown
UNITA:
612 killed
Zaire:
Hundreds killed
South Africa:
49 killed[6]
100 wounded[5]
7 captured
9–10+ armoured cars destroyed
2 SA 330 Puma helicopter destroyed[7][8]
1 recon plane destroyed[9]

Operation Savannah was the South African code name for their military incursion into Angola in 1975–1976. It was part of the South African Border War and arose due to the Angolan War of Independence. The operation also materially influenced the subsequent Angolan Civil War. South African forces invaded deep into Angola with the objective of driving the MPLA, Soviet and Cuban forces out of southern Angola so as to strengthen the position of UNITA, the main opponent of the MPLA and an ally of South Africa.

South Africa as well as UNITA and FNLA had been receiving material and tacit support of the United States as part of their Cold War opposition to the Soviet Union which emboldened them to pursue this incursion. South African and UNITA fortunes were overturned and their forces were compelled to withdraw due to MPLA, Cuban and Soviet pressure. Victory was claimed by the MPLA who were actively supported by Cuba and the Soviet Union, over the combined forces of UNITA, FNLA, Zaire and South Africa. For the MPLA, the victory was essential for the proclamation of independence and subsequent political control over Angola.

  1. ^ Clodfelter, Micheal (24 April 2017). Warfare and Armed Conflicts. McFarland. p. 565. ISBN 9781476625850. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  2. ^ Weigert, S. (2011). Angola: A Modern Military History, 1961–2002. Springer.
  3. ^ Clodfelter, Micheal (24 April 2017). Warfare and Armed Conflicts. McFarland. p. 565. ISBN 9781476625850. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  4. ^ Clodfelter, Micheal (24 April 2017). Warfare and Armed Conflicts. McFarland. p. 565. ISBN 9781476625850. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  5. ^ a b Clodfelter, Micheal (2017). Warfare and Armed Conflicts: A Statistical Encyclopedia of Casualty and Other Figures, 1492–2015, 4th ed. McFarland. p. 566. ISBN 978-0786474707.
  6. ^ Clodfelter, Micheal (24 April 2017). Warfare and Armed Conflicts. McFarland. p. 565. ISBN 9781476625850. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  7. ^ "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 73211". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 2021-09-10. Retrieved 2021-08-07.
  8. ^ "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 73208". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 2021-08-07. Retrieved 2021-08-07.
  9. ^ "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 83223". Aviation Safety Network. 25 November 1975. Archived from the original on 7 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.