Portuguese Colonial War

Portuguese Colonial War
Guerra Colonial Portuguesa

Part of the Decolonisation of Africa and the Cold War

Guerra Colonial Portuguesa.jpg

Date	February 4, 1961 – April 25, 1974 (13 years, 2 months and 3 weeks)
Location	Angola, Portuguese Guinea and Mozambique
Result	Independence of Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique and São Tomé e Principe: Portuguese military victory in Angola and Mozambique. Portugal regains full control of the territory of Angola and almost all of Mozambique by the end of the conflict (1974); maintenance of the nationalist movements´s headquarters and its political bodies in neighboring countries during the war. Military stalemate or Portuguese partial defeat in Portuguese Guinea. Political, social and diplomatic erosion of the Estado Novo regime Fall of the Estado Novo regime (Carnation Revolution) Subsequent withdrawal of all Portuguese troops from Africa under the Lusaka and Alvor agreements.
Territorial changes	Portuguese overseas territories in Africa become independent.

Belligerents

Supported by:

MPLA
FNLA
UNITA
FLEC
PAIGC
FRELIMO

Supported by:

Commanders and leaders

Generally:

António de Oliveira Salazar

Marcelo Caetano

Américo Tomás
Angola:

Francisco da Costa Gomes
Portuguese Guinea:

António de Spínola

Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho
Mozambique:

António Augusto dos Santos (1964–69)

Kaúlza de Arriaga (1969–74)

Angola:

José Eduardo dos Santos

Jonas Savimbi
Portuguese Guinea:

Amílcar Cabral

João Bernardo Vieira

Francisco Mende Mozambique:

Eduardo Mondlane (1962–69)

Joaquim Chissano (1962–75)

Filipe Samuel Magaia (1964–66)

Samora Machel (1969–75)

Strength

148,000 European Portuguese regular troops;
65,000 in Angola
32,000 in Portuguese Guinea
51,000 in Mozambique

38,000–43,000 Guerrillas
18,000 in Angola
10,000 in Portuguese Guinea
10–15,000 in Mozambique

Casualties and losses

8,827 killed

15,507 wounded (physical and/or psychological)

~30,000 total casualties in Angola
~6,000 killed
~4,000 wounded in Portuguese Guinea
10,000+ killed in Mozambique

Civilian casualties:
50,000 killed in Mozambique

Independence of Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique and São Tomé e Principe:

MPLA
FNLA
UNITA
FLEC
PAIGC
FRELIMO

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Wikipedia

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