ABSTRACT
Soviet policy during the Angolan war was strongly influenced by the military roles played by South Africa and Zaire. Angola was the litmus test for determining the evolution of black majority rule in southern Africa. The South Africans envisioned an upsurge of guerrilla activity in Namibia, Zimbabwe-Rhodesia and South Africa itself and they believed that the Soviets were establishing a base of operations in Angola from which they could extend their influence over southern African affairs. Soviet involvement in Angola was aimed at creating a string of Marxist states across south-central Africa and isolating the non-Marxist governments of Zaire and Zarribia, which had engaged in "dialogue" with South Africa and opposed the Movimento Popular de Libertacao de Angola (MPLA). South African interference in Angola had a decisive impact on the Soviet provision of arms to the MPLA. The Soviet Union was gravely concerned about the Zairian role in Angola.
