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Operation Displace
Operation Displace was a military operation by the South African Defence Force during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War. It involved maintaining the illusion that the SADF had remained in brigade strength east of Cuito Cuanavale at the end of April 1988 and the eventual withdrawal of all South African military units from south-eastern Angola during August 1988.
Following the end of fighting on 27 June 1988 around Techipa and Calueque, also known as Operation Excite/Hilti, an undeclared ceasefire came into being. The Americans under Chester Crocker, eager to prevent further fighting, negotiated a third round of talks in New York City to begin on 10 July. With Soviet assistance, the Cuban delegation returned with a less belligerent leader who proposed to the South Africans a Cuban withdrawal linked with the implementation of UN Resolution 435. This new concession came after seven years of rejecting that position. The talks ended on 13 July 1988, resulting in a document called the New York Principles which set out the negotiating points for future rounds. These included implementation of UN Resolution 435, SWA/Namibian independence and the Cuban withdrawal from Angola.
The fourth round of talks began on 22 July 1988 in Sal, Cape Verde. It lasted two days with the talks centring on the size and location of the military forces in Angola. Nothing more was achieved except a commitment to set up a Joint Monitoring Commission when the South Africans and Cubans decide to withdraw.
Round five began on 2 August 1988 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Soviets joined the meeting in an observer role. The South Africans opened the negotiations with several proposals: a ceasefire to begin on 10 August 1988, redeployment of South African and Cuban forces in Angola by 1 September 1988, implementation of UN Resolution 435 and all foreign forces leave Angola by 1 June 1989. The 1 June 1989 proposal angered the Cuban and Angolans and the talks continued discussing the first three South African proposals. With the assistance of the Soviets, the American were able to get the Cubans, Angolans and South Africans to sign the Geneva Protocol on 5 August 1988. The protocol set the following dates:
What was not agreed upon was Cuban withdrawal from Angola. This would be negotiated at another meeting in the near future. Nor were SWAPO or UNITA party to the agreement.
Combat Group 20 – Commandant Piet Nel
By the end of March 1988, it was soon realized that the SADF and UNITA would not be able to push the FAPLA/Cuban forces out of their Tumpo positions without taking serious casualties.The South African government had also ruled out an attack on Cuito Cuanavale from the west. Operation Packer thus came to an end on 30 April 1988.
82 Mechanised Brigade began to withdraw and was replaced with Battle Group 20. This battle group's objective was, with aid from UNITA, to build minefields between the Tumpo and Dala Rivers and mine other exits across the Cuito River, to prevent a further Angolan assault from Cuito Cuanavale towards Mavinga and to create the impression that the SADF were still entrenched in the area. This operation would take several months.
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Operation Displace
Operation Displace was a military operation by the South African Defence Force during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War. It involved maintaining the illusion that the SADF had remained in brigade strength east of Cuito Cuanavale at the end of April 1988 and the eventual withdrawal of all South African military units from south-eastern Angola during August 1988.
Following the end of fighting on 27 June 1988 around Techipa and Calueque, also known as Operation Excite/Hilti, an undeclared ceasefire came into being. The Americans under Chester Crocker, eager to prevent further fighting, negotiated a third round of talks in New York City to begin on 10 July. With Soviet assistance, the Cuban delegation returned with a less belligerent leader who proposed to the South Africans a Cuban withdrawal linked with the implementation of UN Resolution 435. This new concession came after seven years of rejecting that position. The talks ended on 13 July 1988, resulting in a document called the New York Principles which set out the negotiating points for future rounds. These included implementation of UN Resolution 435, SWA/Namibian independence and the Cuban withdrawal from Angola.
The fourth round of talks began on 22 July 1988 in Sal, Cape Verde. It lasted two days with the talks centring on the size and location of the military forces in Angola. Nothing more was achieved except a commitment to set up a Joint Monitoring Commission when the South Africans and Cubans decide to withdraw.
Round five began on 2 August 1988 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Soviets joined the meeting in an observer role. The South Africans opened the negotiations with several proposals: a ceasefire to begin on 10 August 1988, redeployment of South African and Cuban forces in Angola by 1 September 1988, implementation of UN Resolution 435 and all foreign forces leave Angola by 1 June 1989. The 1 June 1989 proposal angered the Cuban and Angolans and the talks continued discussing the first three South African proposals. With the assistance of the Soviets, the American were able to get the Cubans, Angolans and South Africans to sign the Geneva Protocol on 5 August 1988. The protocol set the following dates:
What was not agreed upon was Cuban withdrawal from Angola. This would be negotiated at another meeting in the near future. Nor were SWAPO or UNITA party to the agreement.
Combat Group 20 – Commandant Piet Nel
By the end of March 1988, it was soon realized that the SADF and UNITA would not be able to push the FAPLA/Cuban forces out of their Tumpo positions without taking serious casualties.The South African government had also ruled out an attack on Cuito Cuanavale from the west. Operation Packer thus came to an end on 30 April 1988.
82 Mechanised Brigade began to withdraw and was replaced with Battle Group 20. This battle group's objective was, with aid from UNITA, to build minefields between the Tumpo and Dala Rivers and mine other exits across the Cuito River, to prevent a further Angolan assault from Cuito Cuanavale towards Mavinga and to create the impression that the SADF were still entrenched in the area. This operation would take several months.