COIN in Africa: The Portuguese Way of War, 1961–1974

Book Review: Counterinsurgency in Africa: The Portuguese Way of War, 1961–1974

Entry Excerpt:



--------
Read the full post and make any comments at the SWJ Blog.
This forum is a feed only and is closed to user comments.

Portugal's three wars in Africa in Angola, Mozambique and Portuguese Guinea (Guiné-Bissau today) lasted almost 13 years - longer than the USA fought in Vietnam. Yet they are among the most under-reported conflicts of the modern era.

Yes there are a few posts on SWC and at least one SWJ article - with some comments - a 2013 review of the 1977 book by John P. Cann:http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art...1%E2%80%931974

Joining a very small number of books in English soon is new one by A.J. Venter, a South African, who has several books already on wars in (Southern) Africa:

Quote:

---

As a foreign correspondent, Al Venter covered all three wars over more than a decade, spending lengthy periods in the territories while going on operations with the Portuguese army, marines and air force....

Portugal's Guerrilla Wars in Africa represents an amalgam of these efforts. At the same time, this book is not an official history, but rather a journalist's perspective of military events as viewed by somebody who has made a career of reporting on overseas wars.

---

Link to the publicity for the book launch in London next month:http://www.helion.co.uk/portugal-s-g...a-1961-74.html

(Added) From a 2009 post on "brown water" operations:

There is a different perspective on the issue, a book on the Portugese use of naval forces in their colonial wars in Africa, mainly Guinea-Bissau. The author is Jack Cann: http://www.virginia.edu/history/user/257 and the book is: The Brown Waters of Africa: Portuguese Riverine Operations, 1961-1974. St. Petersburg, Fla.: Hailer Publishing, 2007.

in my opinion; and he has been shelled (virtually and actually) from the hard right and hard left. His Wiki is interesting. I wasn't totally surprised by this snip:

Quote:

---

Venter also wrote Coloured - A Profile of Two Million South Africans (Human & Rosseau, Cape Town 1974) which served as an indictment of Pretoria's racial policies and was penned before it became fashionable to be anti-Apartheid. Unusually progressive for its time, the book highlighted the contribution of Coloured people against apartheid – some of whom went into exile or chose violent resistance. While he opposed the political system, he got on extremely well with the South African military who subsequently developed a much more realistic approach against racial discrimination.

---

That being said, his books (some 23 at Amazon US) are mostly military.

Amazon is offering PORTUGAL'S GUERRILLA WARS IN AFRICA: Lisbon's Three Wars in Angola, Mozambique and Portuguese Guinea 1961-74 at a pre-publication price of $43.73 (free shipping in US).

Mark Adams might have something to offer on Al Venter; Mark would be better informed on that than I.

Regards

Mike

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by davidbfpo

Portugal's three wars in Africa in Angola, Mozambique and Portuguese Guinea (Guin-Bissau today) lasted almost 13 years - longer than the USA fought in Vietnam. Yet they are among the most under-reported conflicts of the modern era.

Yes there are a few posts on SWC and at least one SWJ article - with some comments - a 2013 review of the 1977 book by John P. Cann:http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art...1%E2%80%931974

Joining a very small number of books in English soon is new one by A.J. Venter, a South African, who has several books already on wars in (Southern) Africa:

Link to the publicity for the book launch in London next month:http://www.helion.co.uk/portugal-s-g...a-1961-74.html

(Added) From a 2009 post on "brown water" operations:

There is a different perspective on the issue, a book on the Portugese use of naval forces in their colonial wars in Africa, mainly Guinea-Bissau. The author is Jack Cann: http://www.virginia.edu/history/user/257 and the book is: The Brown Waters of Africa: Portuguese Riverine Operations, 1961-1974. St. Petersburg, Fla.: Hailer Publishing, 2007.

---

Also this one:

Portugal's War in Angola: 1961-1974
W.A. van der Waals

http://goo.gl/fo6aHf

Spotted a 2013 book in a private library last week: The Flechas: Insurgent Hunting in Eastern Angola 1965-1974 by John P. Cann. Lots of B&W photos and the author is a SME on Portugal's colonial wars.

Link (US):http://www.amazon.com/The-Flechas-In.../dp/1909384631

Link (UK):http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flechas-Insu.../dp/1909384631

The UK publishers blurb is helpful:http://www.helion.co.uk/africaatwar-...1965-1974.html

Yes they are different; mixed reviews, but I cannot recall any books on this unit in English. The Flechas are seen by some as the model for both the Rhodesians and South Africans - using local manpower, skilled in tracking, although the flechas did not use "turned" guerillas.