November 11, 2025, marks the fiftieth anniversary of Angola’s independence, ending more than five centuries of Portuguese domination. The independence struggle had been long and bloody, marked by outside intervention that turned Angola into a Cold War battleground.
In this regard, Angola was not alone. In the aftermath of World War II, African independence movements sprang up in French, British, and Belgian colonies, where civilian populations had been forced to support the European war effort. In exchange for their sacrifices, they demanded political rights, better living and working conditions, and eventually complete independence.
By the early 1960s, France, Britain, and Belgium were forced to concede. They granted political independence to most of their colonies in exchange for economic privileges that provided them with the same benefits but without the hassles and expense of political control.
Portugal, in contrast, was an impoverished country with an underdeveloped economy. Without the cheap labor and raw materials that resulted from a harsh colonial regime, Portugal’s industries would not be profitable. Unable to compete in an unprotected market, Portugal was thus determined to retain political control of its African colonies. From 1961 to 1974, it waged devastating wars to keep them.
Angola was the most valuable of Portugal’s African possessions. A major producer of oil, industrial diamonds, and coffee, it was the site of significant investments by US and other Western firms. When the winds of change blew through the continent after 1945, Angolans joined activists from other countries in their demand for an end to colonial rule.
When the winds of change blew through the continent after 1945, Angolans joined activists from other countries in their demand for an end to colonial rule.
Three nationalist organizations strove for dominance: the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA),…
Auteur: Elizabeth Schmidt
