The primary reason the USA got involved in Angola, supporting South Africa and the FNLA (National Front for the Liberation of Angola) and UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola) against the MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) liberation movement, was largely because the USA was unwilling to allow another African country to fall to communism.
During the Cold War, the US was concerned about the spread of communism and sought to contain it wherever possible. The MPLA received support from the Soviet Union and Cuba, which heightened American fears of losing Angola to a communist regime. Therefore, the USA's involvement was largely motivated by geopolitical considerations rather than a desire for South Africa to colonize Angola or a preference for a capitalist government in a broader sense.
1 answer