Unconventional Warfare - The Unusual Tactics of the South African Defense Forces

#sadf #tactics #southafrica
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South Africa was involved in three overlapping counterinsurgencies in three decades - Even during the early years, it was obvious that WWII-era tactics were no match for large scale guerilla warfare and terrorism.
The SADF threw out old "Big Army" ideas & old equipment to develop much of the counterinsurgency doctrine still used today. Small-scale specialized forces, Intermediate caliber firearms, Fast-moving tactics.
Also known as, "Unconventional Warfare".
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[@jackdaugaard-hansen4512]

The most underrated army of the 20th century, it was proven and effective

[@josedorsaith5261]

South Africa and Rhodesia were 50 years ahead of us all in their tactics

[@truth-Hurts375]

Kak praat nie !!! Dom doos !!!

[@nunosilva7505]

@truth hurts375:vuil etter,stuk wrak

[@TheGrenadier97]

Do not forget Portugal. The three provinces they defended - Angola, Mozambique and Guiné - were almost three different wars by themselves, and they did that from another continent.

[@ibelieveinaccuracy.fact-ch5942]

Is there a leader board for the most effective armies of evil in the 20th century? Eventually apartheid died, colonialism died and people were set free……….including the white people……..

[@jeffreydupreez3052]

And today we are seen as the "pig in the fairytale"... I also have served in the SADF during 1986/87 and some military camps there after. Including in the old Soweto.... Those were the day my friend.. We thought it will never end... As the song goes on... Respected to all the guys who have paid the ultimate price.. May you rest in peace... We salute you all......😢😢

[@smokeyb7120]

I had a relief teacher for my engineering class who fought during the Rhodesian Bush War. He told us a lot about the war, and talked about how as soon as he left school all the men were made to join the army for a certain duration. There is an article on him because he was awarded the highest medal you could get back then similar to the Medal of Honor, for saving a bunch of soldiers who came under fire from RPGs and small arms while they were in a convoy. I also remember him talking about how they wouldn't land the helicopters they would hover just above the ground and they would have to jump out, and he explained that is why his knees are so bad now.

[@daviddaly1257]

The highest award for bravery was not given to a teacher. Your friend is talking rubbish. The Grand Cross of Valor was awarded to a Selous Scouts and an SAS operator both of whom were fulltime Soldiers.

[@AerialVentures]

​@daviddaly1257 maybe he was full time and was only talking about conscription in general

[@hunter5685]

Yet it made us as the S.A.D.F one of the strongest defense forces in the world. Keep in mind, we didn't fight just one country in the Angolan border war. We fought against 3 countries and we still walked out with the littlest casualties. We fought Russia, Cuba, Angola S.W.A.P.O. at the same time. Not to mention the other operations that we as the 2nd best unit has done in other countries. The best was the V.F. 1st Then there was the 32BN 2nd. Then the rest. I am glad to say that I served with one of the best units there was. I will always defend and keep the brotherhood's loyalty to each other alive. Sgt Nortje. 32BN Bravo.

[@Fruitloopz13]

Did you know a C.Marinkowitz? He was 32BN around that time? Unfortunately he's passed away now but he told me some great stories. All respect to those who served.

[@thewanderer6637]

We also monitored Chinese and East Germans. Muito respeito a você e ao seu Batalhão. Tive a honra de lutar com vocês às vezes. Saudação!

[@Libra67jtc]

We were formidable. I had first hand experience.

[@warren6899]

From South Africa I was conscripted into service 1974, served 2 years between Rundu & Bagani... this presentation (so far, because it is by no means complete), is by far, the best portrayal of that war. Every other presentation I've ever watched is falsely skewed to make it seem the communist SWAPO Cuban backed where somhow in control, and actually the victors.....Let's be utterly clear we thrashed the life out of them completely. It would be very relevant to do a presentation on the paraat-heid of our men.... it was phenomenal To 7 SAI and all the rest

[@thewanderer6637]

TENACUTER!!

[@salty-006_7]

My uncle served in the SADF and was in Operation Protea. We as children had to look under our desks in classrooms to check for limpit mines in the 1980's. There was always a chart on the walls showing the different types of landmines used.

[@user-bm6xu1mi8l]

Shucks, you just gave me flash backs when you said look for mines under the table and the different mines and guns on the placards... Wow.. that's many moons ago hey.. cadets were still a thing too back then..

[@andrevdv1171]

Glad too see that the South Africans are being recognised as the first to develop the MRAP. Thanks

[@1200gsbmw1]

@@andrevdv1171 Rhodesian were first

[@duktrilfromsouthafrica]

My father’s best friend spent more than 60 days in the Angolan warzone once. He was leading a group of 24 locals. They fought hand and knees. Stayed in the bush for months on end and did recon missions. Once they had to walk 80km in the night in order to save 3 reccies who got compromised. They made it there- and went into battle. As the war was called off, he was reaching another village held by terrorists. He told his leadership that he didnt go all that way for nothing- and they proceeded to clear the town of ters. The stories ive heard are ruthless. Bodies hanging from the fronts of cars etc. The ters were inhumane.

[@protectorpods6607]

Fought in both Angola and Namibia with the SADF, was interesting times.

[@ToastSoon4808]

You refer to "PNLA" from the sound of it. There was no such group. When the fighting against the Portugeuse began there were three groups -- FNLA (Chinese support), MPLA (Russian support) and Unita (pro western). SWAPO decided on an "armend" struggle and killed locals. When SA got involved to protect the villagers SWAPO retreated into Angola and established their bases there - the reason why SA would cross the border was to destroy the bases. Unita was fighting against the "unity government" who had set up a defence force referred to as FAPLA. Thus SA fought against SWAPO, UNITA against FAPLA and the Cubans interfered which escalated the whole issue. FAPLA had Russian advisors and weapons, East European pilots for the Mig's and Cuban forces. SA supported UNITA with hardware - mostly artillery.

[@AlexM-oq5el]

I believe he said PLAN, the People's Liberation Army of Namibia

[@ToastSoon4808]

@@AlexM-oq5el can be.....but there was a "FAPLA" shortly after the MPLA/remainder of the FNLA came to power and they were still fighting with UNITA......followed by PLAN and now AAF. Anways my apologies.

[@panaroid9636]

He definitely said PLAN, SWAPO‘s armed wing I believe

[@panaroid9636]

You are over explaining, they are just reviewing the counter insurgensy tactics not the whole war, and its a cool video

[@ToastSoon4808]

@@panaroid9636 PLAN was the People Liberation Army Namibia - the "politicial arm". SWAPO started the armed insurgency which led to the war. What is the issue of "overexplaining" - if you have it wrong it needs to be corrected not true?. Dont be paranoid about it.

[@pierremarqua2564]

Still one of the best life experiences i have ever had. Ops Medic in the townships of Jozie. 92.

[@TjakaErasmus]

I was there. Riemvasmaak 1981. Omega 1982.

[@robinholland2990]

I'm a veteran of the conflict myself...my take is that we were very heavily disciplined throughout training and beyond..we were very fit as well however the discipline is what made us effective as a fighting force..we all knew our place and role and worked as a unit..for me that's the story in a nutshell and it kept casualties low...

[@RocRocket-cl3vc]

Thx. And yet we still remain silent on secrets 44 yrs later. That is called trustworthy. Unlike what we see today.

[@TheGrenadier97]

I'm currently reading about Portugal' defense of the Ultramar, a militarily successful and relatively monumental struggle by this tiny nation to protect its three whole different provinces from another continent. They were betrayed by the politicians in 1974, but undefeated in the field. The reason i mention Portugal is that it shared the same trouble South Africa and Rhodesia had: international treachery.

[@georgeg9147]

I would love to read a book detailing the involvement, on both sides, of the Jews and to what extent they played a part in all this collectively as a group.

[@josedorsaith5261]

Knew a man who served in the Koevoet during the Bush War. His stories about the brutality of the foreign communists against local villages were unsettling

[@Simon_Nzioki]

Most of the so called communists fighters didn't even know who Karl Marx was because majority of them were poor villagers who couldn't read and write, in fact the recruitment strategies of ZANU and ZAPU in Zimbabwe, SWAPO in Namibia and UNITA in Mozambique was mostly ethnical and native rights argument to win the hearts and minds. People try to twist the Southern African conflicts to seem as communist puppets against the free world but the truth will always be, it was freedom fighters under the commintern umbrella vs invaders trying to sustain apartheid states.

[@ibelieveinaccuracy.fact-ch5942]

Did he tell you about the brutality of the white forces against defenceless Africans?

[@Simon_Nzioki]

This is nonsensical, because SWAPO, and MPLA fighters were actually those same poor villagers who preferred to die than leave under oppression

[@pieterwillembotha6719]

@@ibelieveinaccuracy.fact-ch5942 you mean against insurgents?

[@Simon_Nzioki]

@@pieterwillembotha6719 insurgents whose cause of war is justifiable unlike SADF

[@christineehlers1132]

Ignore my name served in Angola 86-87 served the 2 year conscription from 7SAI to Angola. Moduler

[@theunssnyman6310]

Thank you for the accurate content, we do appreciate it. Boere groete!

[@ReformedVicar]

Thank you for this accurate documentary

[@Jay-Leigh863]

He quite correctly referred to PLAN which was the military wing of SWAPO. Holden Robertos FNLA were defeated in trying to take Luanda from the MPLA. The remnants of FNLA fled south where they were grouped under the SADF and became 32 Battalion. Savimbis UNITA had fought, along with FNLA and MPLA against the Portuguese. With the Communist coup in Portugal the Portuguese withdraw from all their colonies and the liberation armies then turned on each other. MPLA was Soviet backed, FNLA was US backed and no one backed Savimbi, who was also anti South Africa. The Cubans then were then sent in by the Soviets and by invite of the MPLA to help them against the FNLA and UNITA. The US and other African countries requested South African involvement. All went well until the final battle where Luanda would fall into FNLA hands but on the morning planned for the attack Roberto overslept and arrived some four hours too late and despite the US and SA advisors counseling him to call off the attack he chose to go it alone. SA withdrew their military force and the US withdrew their advisors. Roberto attacked, was defeated and he himself was executed by firing squad. The MPLA were sympathetic to SWAPO and allowed them to set up training and operations bases in Angola. This led to the regular operations inside Angola by the SADF. UNITA in the meanwhile came under immense attack by the newly formed Angolan army FAPLA with Cuban assistance and Soviet advisors and equipment. UNITA then became a South African ally until the ANC took over in South Africa. Short history of a long conflict that started when I was a child but in which I also fought as a South African.

[@Fruitloopz13]

Thanks for that summary. I recently read a book called 1 Recce by Alexander Strachan where he covers alot of these details. Im a bit confused about the relationship between FNLA and UNITA and the SADF.. seems like they were pretty confused about it too😅 there's one story where they couldn't land a chopper with Jonas Savimbi on board anywhere near 32BN because the ex FNLA troops would have had an issue. Yet they were both SADF allies. Could you clarify a bit if you're able? Thanks.

[@RudiVandeReep]

It's called the" silent war " fir reason , the experienced combat , and the facts of reality of the conflict of the minority of those whom actually fought ,....their. memories thereof shall never be known as , committing to never speak about is highly honoured and respected .

[@francoisdutoit6206]

The Forgotten War

[@Fruitloopz13]

It should really be remembered. I encourage everyone to visit the war museum near Zoo lake in Johannesburg. I was there on Saturday and it really doesn't get enough visitors.

[@shawnflynn1713]

Absolutely amazing. Great production and very thought out.❤

[@thewanderer6637]

Thank you kindly for this. I've been in Angola for 5 long years. Komeshu Nonyati 🍻

[@CatMask556]

I love the informational videos you guys have been making.

[@larrylandmine6429]

Great work mane really puts in perspective the amount of strategy it took to form the correct pieces for the puzzle. The pattern 84 is great btw. One rig for all my 30 cal semi autos. Doing the lords work mane.

[@jak4032]

Nice work.

[@momleon]

At the height of the offensive, Sa only had about 5000 troops in the operational areas, compared to about 15000 Cuban Russian and Angolan troops

[@Apoc_Bone_Daddy]

God i love you guys fr. Memories of back in the /k/ board when I first heard of ya and bought them almonds Tbh. Y'all definitely became my favorite milsurp shop ngl Anyway, great video as always

[@matthew1882]

The local civilians really got the worst of both worlds. They were treated with disdain, cruelty, and indifference by the Security Forces and were intimidated, brutalized and often murdered by the guerrillas. This was especially true in the Rhodesian War were the rival liberation factions fought each other as much as the government. Hundreds of Namibian civilians were also killed or disfigured by indiscriminately lain landmines.

[@anon2034]

4:19 Where can we find the three volumes?

[@cl0udbr3ak]

Thank you. Proudly ro have served in the SADF.

[@georgeg9147]

You mean to tell me they had no bases with McDonald's, volleyball and massage parlors???? 😂😂😂

[@glennllewellyn7369]

Counter Insurgencies? Commies mate. Commies.

[@Chris-bz3vw]

Where did you get your info?

[@gerterasmus2810]

He he it was safer than its now in sa

[@TheRaedwolf]

I served proudly in the SADF until 1994. After the country was given to the communists we where defending the country against, I resigned. Had some of my best times serving.

[@badlt5897]

Would you go back to fix your homeland?

[@mr.mmonstermania4576]

I agree....I also left in 1994 when the so called veterans was included in the SANDF....we as instructors, mainly NCO had to train members with senior officer ranks for the various opponents and the new goverment. That was an impossible task...

[@Fruitloopz13]

I met a guy at the museum Airshow recently who has been serving since then. Can't get promoted due to his skin colour

[@mzanziman9150]

Hi from south Africa, they dont teach us these things here, yes apartheid was bad, the soldiers and such were cool though

[@Fruitloopz13]

They definitely won't teach you about this at school because the ANC choose what information to give you. The border war wasn't about apartheid. You should read more about it..alot of good books out there. "An unpopular war" by JH Thompson comes to mind

[@mariusbuys5355]

How in the world did you get hold of those booklets is what I want to know?

[@ojsimpsonofficial]

🐐’s

[@JohnDoe-ew8gt]

hehe he said "infranfry" at 0:55

[@johanstruwig3815]

Close enough, infantry not offended.

[@ivanstrydom8417]

Superb video sir. Baie dankie.

[@ianhinrichsendrummer2113]

Long hair like that?? Not when I was there.

[@JOATMOFA]

SWAPO, not PLAN ... 1984 - 1986, 53BN, Ondangwa.

[@thepiratepenguin4465]

Since you are familiar with South Africa & South African culture. Which State in your opinion would be the most suited for South Africans to move to when immigrating to the US.

[@johanstruwig3815]

Brakpan

[@thepiratepenguin4465]

@@johanstruwig3815 Lol.

[@Fruitloopz13]

As a South African the southern states appeal to me. I think it's a fairly similar culture to ours

[@paulmcmenamin205]

Today's SA army is f@#$# beyond repair.

[@Jazzman-bj9fq]

Lots of stuff in Kommandostore out of stock or in stock sizes for men without muscle :/

[@thespartaman]

what is this soundtrack bru

[@KommandoStore]

haircuts for men

[@jameskps]

Sterkte

[@BoiStudio]

You sell your stuff quite expensive, it’s good stuff but it’s like 10 times more expensive than getting from South Africa, your pattern 83 is like 200 dollars, got mine for 750 rand, a fraction of the price.

[@ariskiaznor7673]

it was dutile had effective coin stratefy when yo didn't had support when insurgent ennjoy popular support this is why sadf lose the war in the end lol

[@butchh11]

What is that clown suit you have on ?

[@gravedigger9313]

It was hell. Savage soldiering. I did 2 years of hell

[@user-ww7kv2td2d]

Sorry, you had to go through that. It was a useless and stuped war

[@christianbgood2910]

It was tough, but not so bad if you made the best of it. The 'Snorre' were arseholes but would keep you alive if you paid attention. You know the deal. Pity the politicians effed things up turning our sacrifices into wasted time.

[@user-bh2zc9wb2k]

​@@christianbgood2910Howzit Christian...I was a doggy too ...in 77 and stationed at Pienaarsrivier..patrol dogs.Lots of arseholes running the camp then...pisscats like sgts van Coller ;Botha and a redheaded sgt (fat) whose name I cannot recall...There was so much sadism going on at the farm that we (tactics) were reincorporated into the main dog unit at Voortrekkerhoogte...this after the local farmers reported the abuse.Shortly thereafter I went over to the Navy and it was run by far more rational and intelligent officers.Whilst in the Navy I was shown an article about the doggies RSM who had been found guilty of stealing our tactical units dogfood and our rations as well.Years later on a Navy camp where they were now giving us campers marine training or trying to...I ran into this arsehole RSM ...and guess what?Instead of going to DB he had transferred to the Navy and had been commissioned as a 2bar looting which is the equivalent of an army captain.He was as thick as pigshit...his name was van Niekerk...I told him his fortune in front of all of his staff..and after him trying to intimidate me physically...and me challenging him back..he started shouting.."arrest this man" and losing the plot altogether in a way totally unbecoming of a naval officer and exposing him for what he really was.Unfortunately for him I had just that very morning been. discharged 5:05 from Wynberg military hospitals ward 11 ( for the crazies) and had been exempted from further military service and therefore was not deemed responsible for my insubordination.

[@jaqueslandman1011]

2 jaar van hel? Jy klink soos een van daai takhaar moffies wat nie die punch kon vat. Regte fokken poefter. Jy drink seker castle light en dra g- strings en praat met n fyn stemmetjie. Fokken kont.

[@johanstruwig3815]

I wore the green infantry beret with pride for 2 years; I won't call it hell, just hard. Unfortunately it was also senseless and futile.

[@TimSerras]

All (MPLA, FNLA and UNITA) not to mention Frelimo and PAIGC in Mozambique and Guinea Bissau against the Portuguese since 1961, yet the Portuguese held on, without much difficulty until 1975, when a Portuguese military coup changed all that. The Portuguese left, Rhodesia lasted only four years more, even with strong SA support and South Africa invaded Angola thinking it would be “a piece of cake “. Wrong! Turns out Soviet backed Cuba turns what was once a guerrilla war into a full conventional war. South Africans did well but that wasn’t enough. Cuba didn’t give a damn if cubans died by the hundreds, not to mention angolan civilians. But to South Africans to loose a few dozen men in foreign soil was unacceptable.

[@Leec_1972]

Incorrect. SA only began major interdiction incursions into Angola after the Cuban/ Soviets arrived and their support for SWAPO started to become apparent. Until then they were relatively small-scale incursions only to interdict SWAPO terrorists and there was no intention to engage FAPLA. In fact the biggest factor that caused the SADF to increase its activity in Angola was driven by the US who wanted SA to act as a proxy against Soviet/ Cuban influence in the region. Before then it was a policing action. By the mid-Eighties SA was fully involved in major conventional battles with Soviet/ Cuban backed FAPLA.

[@TimSerras]

@@Leec_1972 As if South Africans would invade Angola with American request. SA invaded because they feared Communist Angola and rightly so. What SA never thought was America’s coward attitude when the shit hit the fan. Instead of supporting SA against a much superior enemy, the US backed down leaving SA alone, and SA did what it had to do. Create a buffer zone in Angola to stop Fapla/Cubans advance. South Africa had to fight a defensive war because it could not tolerate loosing so many men in combat against an enemy that couldn’t give a damn if they lost hundreds of their own.

[@Leec_1972]

​@@TimSerras Do me a favour., As an ex-SADF soldier I think you need to go and actually do a bit of research before stating your version of history. SA initially started as a police action with my unit 1 Parachute Bn) attached to the SAPS on the border to fend of incursions by SWAPO. At a diplomatic level SA was approached by the US to increase our military activity due to the surge in Soviet bloc assistance. As for SA fighting a "defensive war" are you stoned? Do you know how far into Angola SADF forces advanced? A defensive war where we had a permanant presence in Angola and attacked them wherever we found them? Stpped their advances at Cuito Canevale dead in its tracks in the largest conventuonal battle globally since WW2 thus halting Soviet aspirations to over run UNITA strongholds which comprised virtually the entire southeast Angola? Do me a favour Fred. Go do some actual research, this is not your airsoft club. I'm older and grumpy and don't like people that act like they have knowledge when they actually do not.

[@Leec_1972]

I'll add to the above, you are correct in that the US abandoned us under Carterand during the Reagan years. We were however at that time committed and I can assure you we were noty desparately fighting a "defensive war" as I said before which you apparantly ignored we kicked their arses all over Angola sans air superiority. So much so that the liberal "international community" kept getting their knickers all knotted up over it.

[@TimSerras]

@@Leec_1972 One has to hear both sides of the story. I never doubted SA’s fighting superiority over the combined Fapla/Cuban forces. I emphasised that SA could not afford loosing so many men (most white South Africans) if they engaged a full scale conventional war against a much superior force because they had a limitless amount of Soviet military hardware. The more you fought, the more the USSR poured men and weapons into Angola. Without US support, SA had to create a buffer zone inside Angola and use Angolans (Three two bat) plus its own army to stop the commies. As to you being in the SADF, I understand your frustration with the mostly liberal arseholes in this modern world. It hurts to see your country in the hands of those you so brilliantly fought against for nothing.

[@joegagnon2268]

Kind of look like tracers but it's just bad video

[@user-st3uf9pl8t]

All your footage is not unconventional

[@Leec_1972]

That is the footage that is available. The entire conflict was unconventional until closer the end.

[@danielvalen1507]

nice