In Search of Enemies - A CIA Story - John Stockwell

11
Propaganda and
Politics
Politically the war was complicated, with a strange conglomeration
of bedfellows. The FNLA and UNIT A were supported at one
time by the United States, China, Rumania, North Korea, France,
Israel, West Germany, Senegal, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Tanzania,
and South Africa. The MPLA was supported by the Soviet Union,
Cuba, East Germany, Algeria, Guinea, and several Eastern European
countries. Throughout the war there was a constant sorting out
and dozens of countries eventually shifted their support to the
MPLA. On October 24, the Chinese withdrew from the Angola war,
their advisors packing and leaving, holding a press conference at
Ndjili Airport as they left.
France was intrigued by the smell of Angolan oil and Zairian
minerals, and predisposed to involvement in Angola by its long
history of meddling in the affairs of young African countries.• Like
*More than any European power France has remained active in the affairs of newly
independent African countries. French army units have been garrisoned in Niger,