Namibian War of Independence

Namibian War of Independence
Part of the Cold War and the South African Border War
Geopolitical situation, 1978. States friendly to the nationalist guerrillas are denoted in red, and Namibia itself presented in a maturing pink.
Date 26 August 1966 – 21 March 1990 (23 years, 6 months, 3 weeks and 2 days) Location South-West Africa (Namibia) Result Withdrawal of South African Defence Force Elections under universal franchise held SWAPO government assumes power in Windhoek Territorial changes South-West Africa gains independence from South Africa as Republic of Namibia.
Belligerents
Anti-communist forces:  South Africa South-West Africa Supported by: UNITA[1]	African nationalist forces: PLAN (SWAPO) SWANU Combat support Cuba[2] MPLA[3] Material support  Soviet Union[4]  China[5]  Yugoslavia[6][7]  Bulgaria[8][9]  Tanzania[10][11]  Zambia[12]  Libya[13]  Kenya[14]  Algeria[15]  Guyana[16]
Commanders and leaders
Gerrit Viljoen Willie van Niekerk Louis Pienaar BJ Vorster Pieter Willem Botha Cornelius Njoba Peter Kalangula Jonas Savimbi	Sam Nujoma Andimba Toivo ya Toivo Dimo Hamaambo Julius Shaambeni Shilongo Mnyika Peter Mweshihange Solomon Huwala
Strength
~71,000 (1989)[1][17] South Africa: 30,743 SADF troops 10,000 irregulars South-West Africa: 22,000 SWATF troops 8,300 SWAPOL police	1989:[18] 32,000 guerrillas
Casualties and losses
2,038[19] – 2,500[20]	11,335[21]

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Khoisan people Bantu expansion Orlam migration Dorsland Trek German colonisation Herero and Namaqua Genocide South-West Africa Campaign South African Mandate South African Border War War of Independence SWAPO
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The Namibian War of Independence, which lasted from 1966 to 1990, was a guerrilla war which the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) and others fought against the apartheid government of South Africa. It was closely intertwined with the South African Border War.

South Africa had administered what was then still known as South West Africa since it captured the German territory during World War I and subsequently received a League of Nations mandate to administer the territory. In 1966 the United Nations General Assembly, successor to the League of Nations, revoked South Africa's mandate to govern South-West African territory and declared that it was under direct UN administration. South Africa refused to recognise this resolution and continued to administer the territory de facto.^[22]

On 26 August 1966, SWAPO guerrilla forces launched an attack against the South African Defence Force at Omugulugwombashe. It was the first armed battle in the Namibian struggle for independence.^[23] In commemoration of the day, 26 August is a public holiday in Namibia. It is recognised by the United Nations as Namibia Day^[24] but Namibians refer to it as Heroes' Day.

The war ended with the New York Accords signed on 22 December 1988, which also ended direct involvement of foreign troops in the Angolan Civil War. Independence came to Namibia on 21 March 1990 following elections which saw SWAPO win 55 of 72 seats in the National Assembly of Namibia, enabling them to form a national government.^[25]

See also

• South African Border War
• Angolan Civil War
• South West African Territorial Force
• South West African Police
• Koevoet

References

External links

• Onwar Armed Conflict Events Data: Namibian War of Independence 1966–1988
• CIA, the World Factbook: Namibia