The start of the 80's would see a new escalation in the war in Angola.
Operation Sceptic or Smokeshell was initiated in mid 1980 to eliminate the SWAPO command post of Chifufua.
This required driving approximately 250 km through the Southern Angolan bush to reach the group of 13 active complexes.
Paratroopers and aerial bombardment was timed in such a manner to coincide with the arriving mechanized armor.
Not everything went according to plan, but SWAPO suffered heavy losses in men and material as was becoming the norm.
SADF losses were mainly from antiaircraft guns being used in a ground role with 3-4 Ratel fighting vehicles being hit in quick succession.
Once again things on the ground proved to be far more complex than initially envisaged and a lot of intelligence was gained regarding alterations to SWAPO's tactics and their increasingly tighter integration with the Angolan conventional army and their Soviet advisers.
This growing threat would continue to escalate and result in even larger mechanized preemptive strikes in the months to follow. The largest of these being Operation Protea.
Previous posts in this series can be found at the bottom of these chapters:
The South African Border War - 1976, The end of a chapter and the beginning of a new phase.
Another interesting article, thanks @gavvet. I would be interesting to know why the guys called it "Sceptic" or "Smokeshell"?
Interesting enough, by dad was actually assigned to anti air defence on the 55mm canons in the years just before 1980. I was born 1981 so I'm glad my dad was out of the war zone before things got more intense. ;)
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simple code names
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So they basically used the first name that jumped to mind. I thought the names would have described something within the context of the situation, like a sceptic person in the South African ranks or maybe on the other side. I guess people make up all sort of stories. ;)
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Nah, I'm pretty sure the codenames are selected as randomly as possible (or at least randomly from a preset list) because they want to avoid using (even by subconscious chance) a codename the enemy can use to predict what they're really up to.
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otherwise you would not born yet ahahaha lol.. am joking.. glad your dad is got safe from that war.
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I hope this generation and those to come will learn from the sacrifices that were made to get independence and the present political status quo. More needs to be done by all to move Africa forward, we can not afford to be left behind by the rest of the World.
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I've been studying the origins of Cecil Rhode's 'Rhodesia' and how he went on to basically take the massive wealth of Africa and used it to form a highly secret 'network' (secret society) who intended to covertly dominate the world's governments for the purposes of 'making sure English men rule the world'.. He has a lot to answer for - thanks for your posts filling me in on more modern African history that I am not aware of.
I found you here today because I just launched a witness campaign for Steemit and am looking for voters who have empty vote slots who might support me. I can see you are voting for @roadscape who is now listed as inactive... I have a pretty high capacity server, plus a lot of professional experience with software/hardware - I'd really appreciate if you would consider voting for me to give me a chance to serve the community as best I can.
My witness application is here. Cheers!
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@gavvet - Sir, the power struggle between US & RUS drives the whole world into a battle zone, not only today but also in 1980s they did it... Peace did not made without a sacrifice... Battle between neighbors always ended with a millions of sad stories.... How many soldiers sacrificed their lives and how many innocents died for nothing.... After all we all are humans & the battle is happened between brothers.... :( Your article tells that story very well Sir.... Therefore, I wish to ReSteem your post.
+W+ [UpVoted & ReSteemed]
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War demands the sacrifice of the people. It gives only suffering in return.
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Very informative again. Paratroopers always behind enemy lines, doing a Great job, but indeed losses are always on both sides.
That is the bad thing of war ..... always losses
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No one won or lost. We all won and we all lost.
Simple as some people may not like, Rhodesia was handed over and Zimbabwe is now a pariah country... South Africa democratically voted for change and hence power was handed over to the majority.
All this is good but South Africa is slowly sliding down a slippery slope of hidden racism and corruption.
What I´m trying to say that the current South African government is like all African governments... Corrupt, lost and inept.
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It would be like Rhodesia in SA too, thankfully Mandela was very smart man.
As for Rhodesia, this country had probably best military units in humankind history. Rhodesian SAS and Selous scouts. Scouts especially were very effective, because of locals with bush knowledge (both white and black people), ZANLA and ZIPRA hunted their members (especially black members as "traitors") even after they got whole country.
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I wish it was slowly...
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Hope, is what's needed. We do have a self enriching leader, who will with the power of our people fall. We have great, good people in SA who will bring back the Pride of our nation... strength in unity will get us back.
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Nice article I hope you don't mind me asking, I just wrote a post about South Africa would you give it a read. If your interested in what I wrote and think you could elaborate on it I would like to know you thoughts. Here's the link to the article - https://steemit.com/south-africa/@nc-mgtow/wealth-of-south-africa-is-32-of-the-total-value-of-the-usa Thanks for your time.
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Thank you gavvet. It's always interesting to read about the wars in southern Africa.
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Operation Smokeshell was the first time that SADF deployed the Bike Squad operationally as forward scouts and tracking units to lead the armoured convoy through the bush. As we were fast and mobile on adapted Honda XR500s we could review the terrain and lead the convoy as well as eyeball the enemy positions at speed and get out of trouble fast.
We (Bike Squad) took no losses at all in Operation Smokeshell.
I distinctly remember sitting on a hill overlooking Luanda with the B25 radio bolted to the bike antenna high in the trees tuned to the BBC while Pik Botha SA foreign affairs minister ensured the world that we were not in Angola… as the bombs fell on the city.
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In these days war is too much dangerous for both countries it's 2017 not 1980 or 1970
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Again - great update! I love getting your little bits of African history.
Always a learning experience since our US schools care little about Africa and more about our self-centered political agendas.
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Very well said, agree with you!
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Great post ...
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Very interesting topic and history here.
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In these days war is too much dangerous for both countries it's 2017 not 1980 or 1970
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Great post and very well articulated. Everyone looses in a war with no real benefit to mankind and serious post war repercussions which are so hard and sorrowful to deal with. Upvoted and following u as always.
Regards Nainaz
#thealliance
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Another Text :p
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Excellent post thanks for sharing!!!
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Excelentt we learn something new everyday. I'm from Africa, didn't know about this. Thanks for sharing!! Very well said, agree with you! @gavvet
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Thanks for sharing, we people can learn more history from this post!
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Interesting and informative as always, and unfortunately underreported. Thank you for taking the time to post and educate. I read your posts and learn of things that very sadly I had never known before.
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whoa interesting
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@gavvet,
Ratel is one of the greatest invention that brought by South African military to the world! During the hard time they could brought this amazing military vehicle to the battle ground! Yeah it used to kill neighbors and foreigners who helped neighbors to start this stupid war! But it has proven what South African can do! So, this is a great historical series of lessons to entire world! Thanks for sharing such useful content with us!
Cheers~
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Я хуею! Это чисто русский комментарий, - удивляться нечему!
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Wow nice history of war
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Another fearful war history. I hate war.
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Another fearful war history. I hate war.
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this @gavvet so famous in my place .. good post
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War is bad for both of countries.
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Great history is angola. thanks for sharing.
Upvote Resteem
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One day we will leave the days of war behind.
Just started following you.
x
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Congratulations @gavvet, this post is the most rewarded post (based on pending payouts) in the last 12 hours written by a Superhero or Legend account holder (accounts hold greater than 100 Mega Vests). The total number of posts by Superhero and Legend account holders during this period was 18 and the total pending payments to posts in these categories was $1031.17. To see the full list of highest paid posts across all accounts categories, click here.
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Hello @gavvet
I love history a lot. The steemit community network provides a platform where other steemians come to acknowledge the views of writers in the community. And this article is quite fascinating
For every independence war is inevitable. Any reason to this. Many African nations had to fight for independence in one form or the other. Hope the masses of South Africa would learn from this. War had never never yield anything good.
Thanks for sharing through .nicely written.
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Hello @gavvet
I love history a lot. The steemit community network provides a platform where other steemians come to acknowledge the views of writers in the community. And this article is quite fascinating
For every independence war is inevitable. Any reason to this. Many African nations had to fight for independence in one form or the other. Hope the masses of South Africa would learn from this. War had never never yield anything good.
Thanks for sharing through .nicely written.
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awesome article.. I think In this war soviet helped fidel castro with weapos and money to take his army over oceans to fight with Angolan conventional army??? is that right..I read it long time ago. lol :3)
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Interesting post!
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Interesting article.
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really nice info
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War are just a product of hatred. I just wish love can reign supremely. This world would be a better place. Please kindly follow back
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Voted for a witness
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whoa interesting
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pretty good article. Thanks @gavvet
i wish your success.
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Keep writing..nice reading you
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Wow I love this article. 😀Upvoted and followed. Please follow back and upvote my posts that you find interesting. Gracias 😀. @nathanieloamhen
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we learn something new everyday. I'm from Africa, didn't know about this.
Thanks for sharing :-)
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