Henry Kissinger, desperate to salvage his reputation after Vietnam, saw an opportunity in the Angolan civil war. He ignored Africa experts and pushed the US into a conflict it knew nothing about.
Kissinger allied with South Africa and Zaire to defeat Angola’s rebels, but they enjoyed popular support and Cuban aid. Kissinger misjudged the situation and lost, leading to a long and bloody war.
Kissinger’s attempt to bring peace to Rhodesia also failed. He lacked understanding of the Black liberation movements and their leaders, like Robert Mugabe, who became a controversial figure in Africa.
Kissinger’s 1969 paper for the Nixon administration revealed his narrow-minded view of Africa, believing white rule would persist. This perspective fueled the administration’s policies in southern Africa.
Kissinger arrogantly believed he could control Africa but instead left a legacy of war, chaos, and instability. He failed to grasp the complex realities of the continent and its people.
Kissinger’s willingness to work with apartheid South Africa and Zaire’s dictator further solidified his image as being too comfortable with racist regimes.
Kissinger dismissed the expertise of State Department officials, calling them “missionaries” and “do-gooders.” This arrogance contributed to his misjudgments in Africa.
The Angolan war raged for years, killing hundreds of thousands and leaving a deep scar on the nation. The rebels Kissinger opposed eventually won.
Kissinger did not anticipate Cuba’s military intervention in Angola, which significantly altered the course of the war and ultimately led to his defeat.
Robert Mugabe, who Kissinger dismissed, became a powerful and controversial figure in Zimbabwe after white rule ended.
After his failures in Angola and Rhodesia, Kissinger largely avoided Africa. His legacy on the continent remains deeply problematic.
Kissinger’s policies in Africa were detrimental to US interests and contributed to instability and conflict in the region.
Kissinger’s fundamental misunderstanding of African politics and liberation movements led to his disastrous interventions in Angola and Rhodesia.
