Van der Waals, retired from the South African Defense Force, served in Angola at the South African Consulate General from April 1970 through December 1973, giving him first-hand knowledge of Portugal's struggle to contain the revolutionary impulse in Angola. In this analysis of the Angolan conflict, covering the period between 1961 and the military coup in 1974, he offers background on the early history of Angola and its ethnic groups, economic issues, and geography. There is special attention paid to the three revolutionary groups involved in the war. The book contains color and b&w historical photos. It was first published by Ashanti Publishing Ltd. in 1993. Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)