THE ANGOLAN PROXY WAR: A STUDY OF FOREIGN INTERVENTION AND ITS IMPACT ON WAR FIGHTING A thesis presented to the Faculty of the US Army Command and General Staff College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE Strategy by BRIAN BISSONNETTE, MAJ, USA B. A., Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, 1991 Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 2008 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing this collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 13-06-2008 Master’s Thesis AUG 2007 – JUN 2008 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER The Angolan Proxy War: A Study of Foreign Intervention and Its Impact on War Fighting. 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER BRIAN BISSONNETTE, MAJ, USA 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORG REPORT U.S. Army Command and General Staff College NUMBER ATTN: ATZL-SWD-GD Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027-2301 9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT NUMBER(S) 12. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT The ability to understand the impact of foreign intervention and its ramifications on conflict is a vital requirement for the United States military. As the United States continues to confront unconventional and irregular global threats, in conjunction with host nation military forces, the ability to understand its impact becomes paramount. This study examines the influence of foreign intervention on war fighting during the Angolan Civil War and analyses how the various levels of support impacted the successes and failures of the internal warring factions. Through a combination of descriptive and quantitative analysis conclusions are drawn to better understand the relationships between external support and the internal players during the Angolan conflict. These conclusions provide a framework to understand the impact of foreign intervention and how it impacted the prosecution and outcome of the Angolan Civil War. This study also provides a model which can be used to examine past, present and possible future conflicts. This model can be used as a tool for strategic planners to understand the impact of external support and how it can influence their operations. It also allows for the development of a strategic plan that uses the appropriate level of support to a faction or government engaged in conflict to create a strategic result that supports national foreign policy objectives. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Angola, Proxy War, Civil War, Foreign Intervention, External Support, MPLA, FNLA, UNITA, Impact 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION 18. NUMBER 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON OF ABSTRACT OF PAGES a. REPORT b. ABSTRACT c. THIS PAGE 19b. PHONE NUMBER (include area code) (U) (U) (U) (U) 107 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 ii MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE THESIS APPROVAL PAGE Name of Candidate: MAJ Brian Bissonnette Thesis Title: THE ANGOLAN PROXY WAR: A STUDY OF FOREIGN INTERVENTION AND ITS IMPACT ON WAR FIGHTING. Approved by: , Thesis Committee Chair Jack D. Kem, Ph. D. , Member Harold A. Laurence, M.B.A , Member Brian G. Blew, M.S. Accepted this 13 day of June 2008 by: , Director, Graduate Degree Programs Robert F. Baumann, Ph.D. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student author and do not necessarily represent the views of the US Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to this study should include the foregoing statement.) iii ABSTRACT THE ANGOLAN PROXY WAR: A STUDY OF FOREIGN INTERVENTION AND ITS IMPACT ON WAR FIGHTING by MAJ Brian Bissonnette, 107 pages. The ability to understand the impact of foreign intervention and its ramifications on conflict is a vital requirement for the United States military. As the United States continues to confront unconventional and irregular global threats, in conjunction with host nation military forces, the ability to understand its impact becomes paramount. This study examines the influence of foreign intervention on war fighting during the Angolan Civil War and analyses how the various levels of support impacted the successes and failures of the internal warring factions. Through a combination of descriptive and quantitative analysis conclusions are drawn to better understand the relationships between external support and the internal players during the Angolan conflict. These conclusions provide a framework to understand the impact of foreign intervention and how it impacted the prosecution and outcome of the Angolan Civil War. This study also provides a model which can be used to examine past, present and possible future conflicts. This model can be used as a tool for strategic planners to understand the impact of external support and how it can influence their operations. It also allows for the development of a strategic plan that uses the appropriate level of support to a faction or government engaged in conflict to create a strategic result that supports national foreign policy objectives. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research would not have been possible if I did not have the support of my beautiful wife and daughter. They have supported me in this process and sacrificed by giving me the time necessary to complete my research. They have both been a source of strength throughout this process. Because of their support and love I dedicate this project to them. I would also like to thank the members of my committee for providing expert guidance throughout this process. Without their assistance the creation of this study would not have been possible. Finally, I would like to recognize the people of Angola. Throughout my research it became extraordinarily clear that for over 25 years the people of Angola bore the brunt of this struggle for independence. Collectively, they have been a source of inspiration for me throughout this project. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE THESIS APPROVAL PAGE ............ iii ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................................v ACRONYMS................................................................................................................... viii ILLUSTRATIONS ............................................................................................................ ix TABLES ..............................................................................................................................x CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................1 Historical Background .................................................................................................... 3 1975-1976 ................................................................................................................3 1977-1980 ................................................................................................................6 1981-1988 ................................................................................................................7 Primary Research Question ............................................................................................ 8 Secondary Research Questions....................................................................................... 8 Assumptions.................................................................................................................... 9 Limitations.................................................................................................................... 10 Scope and Delimitations ............................................................................................... 10 Significance of Study.................................................................................................... 11 Summary....................................................................................................................... 12 Maps.............................................................................................................................. 14 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................16 The United