Anyway Operation Savannah could be successfully despite Cuban and Soviet involvement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Savannah_(Angola)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Savannah_(Angola)
Capture the capital LuandaHow would you define a successful Operation Savannah? What would be the metrics rendering the operation "successful"?
Well, if they're able to successfully take Luanda, AND maintain the covert nature of the whole thing, the whole region would be very different.Capture the capital Luanda
as long as Mozambique is hostile.Rhodesia is untenable due to longer border and access to the port of Beria.Overall, not sure if this would be enough to save Ian Smith's govt, as the Brit's cutting them off after UDI is pretty much a death knell; although a less-sanctioned South Africa might be more emboldened to give them a hand. Not sure if such assistance would be enough to save them though.
What white rule in Angola given all the factions are black ?White rule in Angola
It's pretty well recognized that Ian's government didn't militarily loose the war; it was the sanctions and economic untenability of the war that did them in.as long as Mozambique is hostile.Rhodesia is untenable due to longer border and access to the port of Beria.
Sorry; that was a tongue-in-cheek comment to the idea that the FNLA would have certainly had black leadership, but would have been propped up by South Africa and (maybe) the US. Hence, white leadership behind the scenes.What white rule in Angola given all the factions are black ?
It's pretty well recognized that Ian's government didn't militarily loose the war; it was the sanctions and economic untenability of the war that did them in.
Precisely.It's two sides if the same coin. While the Rhodesians maintained military superiority to the end by the late 70's the Rhodesians simply couldn't afford the sort of military they needed. It's sort of like the fall of the Soviet Union, right up to 1989 the Warsaw Pact remained militarily competitive but by the mid 80's the economy simply couldn't support the military's requirements.
Which they may very well be emboldened to do; if they get away with Savannah (and the war in general) without western sanctions.For the Rhodesians to hold on you'd need South African troops on the ground. While financial pressures were enormous an even bigger issue was the increased operational tempo of the Rhodesian Light Infantry, the economy simply couldn't function with so many 18-40 men in uniform.
Given increasing number of ZIRPA and ZANLA guerrilla and the decreasing white population and economy. It was arguably just a matter of time.It's pretty well recognized that Ian's government didn't militarily loose the war; it was the sanctions and economic untenability of the war that did them in.
Oh, it was. I don't believe in the long-term viability of the apartheid government there. It would be dragged out with heavier SA involvement, but still would be going down in the end. Hence I even brought up a possible Muzorewa's govt.Given increasing number of ZIRPA and ZANLA guerrilla and the decreasing white population and economy. It was arguably just a matter of time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesian_Bush_War#Military_pressure