The history of Cuban cooperation in the independence struggles of Angola and Guinea Bissau dates back to 1965 and consisted mainly in the preparation of officials, sending of instructors and material aid.

After what was called the Claveles Revolution in Portugal, weakened by the economic situation and the worn out war, the country´s colonial empire disintegrated.

Guinea Bissau achieved its independence in September of 1974 and a year later, others followed like Mozambique, Cape Verde and Sao Tomas.

But in Angola´s case, the most extensive and rich of the Portuguese colonies, the situation was different due to the intervention of the US government through its alliance with racist South Africa whose troops were used to invade Angola.

 
In October of 1975, Zaire´s army and mercenary forces reinforced with South African weapons and military advisors entered through the north to the proximities of Luanda.

 
Through the south, South African armored groups quickly advanced to stop Angola´s independence on November 11th.

Barely 480 Cuban military instructors arrived to Angola weeks before in response to the request of President Agostinho Netto, also president of the Angolan People´s Liberation Movement, MPLA, who asked Cuba for cooperation in training the battalions that would become the new independent State´s army.

For the first time, in that far African nation, the blood of Cuban and Angolan soldiers united in the struggle to free the nation.

Cuban, then in coordination with President Netto, decided to send special Interior Ministry forces and regular Armed Forces units transported by sea and air to complete the combative disposition in order to face the apartheid aggression in Angola.

 
Cuban troops, sons and daughters of the glorious Rebel Army, entered in combat some 10 000 kilometers away, against the South African army considered the largest in the continent, and Zaire, the most powerful and well armed European and US puppet.

 
Operation Carlota was key name of the most just, prolonged, massive and successful Cuban internationalist military campaign which lasted until May 25th, 1991.

On that date, the last 500 Cuban internationalist troops returned home, after demonstrating their solidarity spirit and capacity of a small socialist nation to mobilize for the independence of other nations.

 
President Netto declared the birth of the People´s Republic of Angola during a massive activity in Luanda on that November 11th, 1975.