South African Border War

A conflict fought mainly from 1966 to 1989 in which South Africa opposed Namibian independence forces and intervened in Angola amid Cold War rivalries.

South African Defence Force: South Africa’s national military, responsible for the country’s defense and military operations during apartheid. Its forces conducted South Africa’s campaigns in Namibia and Angola.
South West Africa: The former name for Namibia under South African administration and, earlier, German colonial rule. The territory’s unresolved status gave rise to the independence struggle.
P. W. Botha: South African prime minister from 1978 to 1984 and state president from 1984 to 1989. His government intensified regional military operations during the conflict.
Tripartite Accord: A 1988 agreement among Angola, Cuba, and South Africa linking Cuban withdrawal to Namibian independence arrangements. It established the regional framework that brought the conflict toward an end.
People's Liberation Army of Namibia: The armed wing of the South West Africa People’s Organisation, which fought for Namibian independence. PLAN’s insurgency against South African rule was a central front of the war.
South West Africa People's Organisation: A Namibian nationalist movement that led the campaign for independence from South African rule. SWAPO organized the independence movement whose armed wing fought South Africa.
Sam Nujoma: A Namibian independence leader who headed SWAPO and became Namibia’s first president. He led the movement whose political and military campaign sought independence.
Namibian independence: Namibia’s emergence as a sovereign state on 21 March 1990 after South African administration. Independence fulfilled the central political aim of the Namibian struggle.
Operation Savannah: A 1975–1976 South African military intervention in Angola during the Angolan Civil War. It marked South Africa’s first major intervention in Angola.
Namibian War of Independence: The armed struggle against South African rule that formed the conflict’s Namibian front. It identifies the independence campaign at the war’s core.

Linked from 21 pages