The End of the War

Clearing out parade - I unfortunately did not attend as I was in "visiting" the MP's for AWOL - Girlfriend's hmm

On our way home

The bushwar ended in 1989, the war did not end due to one force defeating the other on the battlefield. This was however a proven factor during the Operations of Modular, Hooper and Packer that the Cuban and Russian backed FAPLA troops could not defeat the SADF on the battlefield. This was learnt by paying a high casualty cost during these operations.

This realisation and with the help of global political bullying, both sides realised that a negotiated settlement was the only solution. The events leading up to the end of this campaign in this theatre can be illustrated below:

- The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, this lead to the collapse of the Soviet Union, Communism, and the collapse of support for this war for Angola and Cuba.

- Pressure from the UN for SA to accept UN Resolution 435.

- Both parties were tired of war and conflict and the ever escalating nature of this conflict made both sides realise that raising the military stakes was going to be prohibitivley expensive in lives and cost.

- The Joint Monitoring Commision was established in 1984 to monitor the SADF and SWAPO as a precursor to peace.

The Ruacana Protocol

Cuban/ SWAPO forces were decisively checked on 26-27 June 1988 at the Battle of Techipa Following this battle, after the battles around Cuito Cuanavale, Soviet/ Cuba/ Angola were convinced that further military confrontation with the SADF would not succeed.

At Ruacana, South West Africa, on 22 August 1988 military representatives of South Africa, the South West African Territory Force and a combined Cuban/ Angolan delegation signed a formal agreement which provided for the cessation of hostilities between the two parties. The agreement also provided for the establishment of the proposed Joint Military Monitoring Commission (JMMC). In a statement issued after the signing of the agreement it was announced that the JMMC would meet daily with effect from 30 August 1988.

The next round of discussions began in Congo Brazzaville on 24 August1988. The accepted agreement was eventually known as the Brazzaville Protocol.

 Clearing out parade back in Bethlehem.

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