The primary reasons for the USA's involvement in Angola during the civil war, particularly in support of South Africa, FNLA (National Liberation Front of Angola), and UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola), can be summarized as follows:
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The USA was unwilling to allow another African country to fall to communism: During the Cold War, the USA was deeply concerned about the spread of communism globally. The MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) was aligned with the Soviet Union, and the USA perceived its rise to power as a potential threat. Supporting anti-communist factions like FNLA and UNITA was part of a broader strategy to contain communism in Africa.
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The USA preferred a capitalist government: The USA's foreign policy during the Cold War favored the establishment of governments that were aligned with capitalism and opposed communism. Supporting anti-communist groups in Angola aligned with this objective.
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The USA did not want Cuba in Angola: Cuba had sent troops and support to assist the MPLA, which further intensified U.S. concerns about the growing influence of both the Soviet Union and Cuba in Africa. The U.S. saw this as a direct challenge and sought to counter it by supporting rival factions.
While the involvement of the USA and South Africa may have intersected in some interests, it was not explicitly to support South Africa colonizing Angola. The primary motivation was to check the influence of communism and align with anti-communist movements.