S6 Episode 9 - "Something Big and Bloody"
Summary
This episode details the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale, the largest post-WWII African conflict, where Cuban and Angolan forces halted South African and UNITA advances. Fidel Castro’s decisive military intervention shifted the strategic balance, forcing South Africa to negotiate. The resulting New York Accords secured Namibian independence and mandated Cuban troop withdrawals, ending the decade-long proxy war.
Topics discussed
Introduction and sponsor message
Cold War context and the struggle in Angola
The Battle of Mavinga and South African intervention
Operation Modular and the siege of Cuito Cuanavale
Gorbachev's reforms and Cuban-Soviet tensions
Cuban reinforcements and air superiority shift
Sponsor message: Quince clothing
Diplomatic negotiations and the linkage policy
Internal unrest in South Africa and the New York Accords
Implementation of peace and the legacy of Cuito Cuanavale
Jonas Savimbi's PR campaign and political isolation
Savimbi's atrocities, Cuban withdrawal, and aftermath
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