Portugal Colonial Wars

Portuguese Colonial War Guerra Colonial Portuguesa
Part of the Decolonisation of Africa and the Cold War
Date February 4, 1961 – April 25, 1974 (13 years, 2 months and 3 weeks) Location Angola, Portuguese Guinea and Mozambique Result Independence of Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique and São Tomé e Principe: Portuguese military victory in Angola and Mozambique. Portugal regains full control of the territory of Angola and almost all of Mozambique by the end of the conflict (1974); maintenance of the nationalist movement's headquarters and its political bodies in neighboring countries during the war. Military stalemate or Portuguese partial defeat in Portuguese Guinea. Political, social and diplomatic erosion of the Estado Novo regime Fall of the Estado Novo regime (Carnation Revolution) Subsequent withdrawal of all Portuguese troops from Africa under the Lusaka and Alvor agreements. Territorial changes Portuguese overseas territories in Africa become independent.
Belligerents
Portugal Supported by:  South Africa  Rhodesia  Malawi	MPLA FNLA UNITA FLEC PAIGC FRELIMO Supported by:  Soviet Union  Cuba  China  United States  Zaire  Algeria  Tunisia  Tanzania  Zambia  Senegal  Guinea Congo-Brazzaville Egypt Bulgaria
Commanders and leaders
Generally: António de Oliveira Salazar Marcelo Caetano Américo Tomás Angola: Francisco da Costa Gomes Portuguese Guinea: António de Spínola Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho Mozambique: António Augusto dos Santos (1964–69) Kaúlza de Arriaga (1969–74)	Angola: Agostinho Neto José Eduardo dos Santos Lúcio Lara Holden Roberto Jonas Savimbi Portuguese Guinea: Amílcar Cabral Luís Cabral João Bernardo Vieira Domingos Ramos Pansau Na Isna Francisco Mende Mozambique: Eduardo Mondlane (1962–69) Joaquim Chissano (1962–75) Filipe Samuel Magaia (1964–66) Samora Machel (1969–75)
Strength
148,000 European Portuguese regular troops 65,000 in Angola 32,000 in Portuguese Guinea 51,000 in Mozambique	38,000–43,000 guerrillas 18,000 in Angola 10,000 in Portuguese Guinea 10–15,000 in Mozambique
Casualties and losses
8,827 killed 15,507 wounded (physical and/or psychological)	c. 30,000 total casualties in Angola c. 6,000 killed c. 4,000 wounded in Portuguese Guinea over 10,000 killed in Mozambique
Civilian casualties: 50,000 killed in Mozambique

Independence of Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique and São Tomé e Principe:

Portugal

148,000 European Portuguese regular troops

38,000–43,000 guerrillas

The Portuguese Colonial War (Portuguese: Guerra Colonial Portuguesa), also known in Portugal as the Overseas War (Guerra do Ultramar) or in the former colonies as the War of Liberation (Guerra de Libertação), was fought between Portugal's military and the emerging nationalist movements in Portugal's African colonies between 1961 and 1974. The Portuguese regime was overthrown by a military coup in 1974, and the change in government brought the conflict to an end. The war was a decisive ideological struggle in Lusophone Africa, surrounding nations, and mainland Portugal.

The prevalent Portuguese and international historical approach considers the Portuguese Colonial War as a single conflict fought in three separate theaters of operations (Angola, Portuguese Guinea, and Mozambique). However, some other approaches consider the existence of three distinct conflicts, the Angolan War of Independence, the Guinea-Bissau War of Independence, and the Mozambican War of Independence. Occasionally, the brief conflict that led to the 1961 Indian Annexation of Goa is also included.

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