Posted by: admin in General
Tags:ANC victories Cuba Cuito Cuanavale General Genl Arnaldo Oshoa Sanchez propaganda and siinformation
During the Polokwane conference I heard that the ANC wants to celebrate the battle of Cuito Cuanavale as an historic victory for the liberation of Africa. Initially I could not believe it and accepted that someone made a mistake. Later on I heard it again. ‘Are these people serious?’ I thought by myself. This was not the story friends of mine told me when they returned from Angola.
In the Rapport of today ex chief of the Defense Force, Genl Jannie Geldenhuys reacts to this assertion.
He repeats the ‘score board’:
Tanks destroyed: Cuba/Fapla 94, SA 3
Troop carriers destroyed: Cuba/Fapla 100, SA 5
Logistical vehicles destroyed: Cuba/Fapla 389, SA 1
Soldiers killed: Cuba/Fapla 4 785, SA 31.
As a result of this battle the Cuban commander, Genl Arnaldo Oshoa Sanchez and a “Hero of the Republic of Cuba’ was executed by a firing squad on his return.
I have no problem with the ANC choosing the outcome of this battle for commemoration and celebration. They and the rest of Africa have so little to choose from. But if this battle qualifies as a ‘victory’ I can think of a few more that may be considered, Bloodriver not be the least of them.
J.C.Grobler.
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January 14th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
I have been doing a vast amount of research on Cuito with sources ranging far and wide from around the globe. The bottom line is that there would never have been an ultimate military victor in Angola, the geopolitical situation was laying the foundation for the independence of Namibia and ultimately of South Africa - there were many factor splaying a role at that time and it was merely politicians playing for time on all sides of the front. In the end and after many years of bloodshed, we saw a peaceful transition in Namibia and SA (if you discount the local violence in the run up to the 94 election as non military engagements.) If the ANC wishes to celebrate Cuito as a victory, i would not be surprised. It is just a continuation of the smoke and mirrors campaign we see so rife in SA today. Eventually the smoke dissappear and the mirror shatters - if they regard the “victory at Cuito” as their ultimate achievement in the Angolan conflict, i say to them, wake up, look at the stats and if you still regard yourself as the victors, damm, you really need to take a very close look in the mirror - it might not be there soon at the rate you carry on.
Wake up my brothers, you have fought long and hard for freedom - dont’ destroy what you achieved by listening to a bunch of power hungry greasy palmed politicians who is out there to score political points. - tomorrow they may just stab you in the back.
January 14th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Kobus, thank you for the comment. Africa is a strange place where things mostly mean the opposite of what we understand. I presume that the ANC will declare a ‘Cuito Carnaval’ on which day we will all celebrate different things. I would also suggest that we re-institute Dingaan’s Day, being the day on which the Zulus were victorious over the Boers. JCG