Foreign Intervention in Africa chronicles the foreign political and military interventions in Africa from 1956 to 2010, during the periods of decolonisation and the Cold War, as well as during the periods of state collapse and the 'global war on terror'. In the first two periods, the most significant intervention was extra-continental. The USA, the Soviet Union, China, Cuba and the former colonial powers entangled themselves in countless African conflicts. During the period of state collapse, the most consequential interventions were intra-continental. African governments, sometimes assisted by powers outside the continent, supported warlords, dictators and dissident movements in neighbouring countries and fought for control of their neighbours' resources. The global war on terror, like the Cold War, increased foreign military presence on the African continent and generated external support for repressive governments. In each of these cases, external interests altered the dynamics of Africa's internal struggles, escalating local conflicts into larger conflagrations, with devastating effects on African peoples.
• Comprehensive, accessible and clearly written • Focuses on all regions of the continent • Helps readers understand the historical root of Africa's current problems
Contents
Foreword William Minter; Acknowledgments; Illustrations list; Abbreviations; Introduction; 1. Nationalism, decolonization, and the Cold War (1945–1991); 2. Egypt and Algeria: radical nationalism, nonalignment, and external intervention in North Africa (1952–1973); 3. The Congo crisis (1960–1965); 4. War and decolonization in Portugal's African empire (1961–1975); 5. White minority rule in Southern Africa (1960–1990); 6. Conflict in the Horn (1952–1993); 7. France's private African domain (1947–1991); 8. From the Cold War to the War on Terror (1991–2010); Conclusion; Index.
Reviews
Advance praise: 'This book is a meticulously researched study that brings together a vast body of literature in a clear and accessible way and is written by one of the leading scholars of her generation. Above all else it underscores how critical foreign intervention has been in shaping the arc of recent history throughout the continent.' Allen Isaacman, Regents Professor, University of Minnesota
Advance praise: 'Foreign Intervention in Africa, Elizabeth Schmidt's survey of external meddling in the internal affairs of African countries from the era of decolonization and the Cold War to the present period of the 'war against terror' is a masterpiece. It provides to both academics and the general public a comprehensive and very readable account of foreign interventions and their mostly negative consequences for the target nations. It also offers a new and fascinating analysis of intracontinental intervention by governments seeking to take advantage of state collapse in a neighboring country to loot its natural resources.' Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
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