Difference between revisions of "Mozambique"
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By the early 20th century, however, the Portuguese government labored towards greater control over its colonial overseas possessions and did not renew the companies' concessions. In the 1950s, the status of Mozambique changed from colony to overseas province, and in the early 1970s it became a non-sovereign state. Despite the Portuguese policy of assimilation and a greater degree of administrative automony, however, the push for universal African independence reached the nation in the early 1960s. This manifested primarily in the ''Frente de Libertação de Moçambique'' or FRELIMO (Liberation front of Mozambique), a Marxist-Leninist political party which organized an armed guerilla movement to wrest control away from the Portuguese. From 1964 until 1974, European and African units of the Portuguese Armed Forces effectively held the guerilla army at bay, despite FRELIMO's support from both the [[USSR]] and [[China|Communist China]]. The Colonial War (which Portugal was fighting concurrently in [[Angola]] and [[Guinea-Bissau|Portuguese Guinea]] as well) eventually took its toll on the European nation, and in April 1974 when a military junta wrested control of the government from the nation's ''Estado Novo'' regime, liberation for the province was not away. On 25 June 1975, Mozambique became independent. | By the early 20th century, however, the Portuguese government labored towards greater control over its colonial overseas possessions and did not renew the companies' concessions. In the 1950s, the status of Mozambique changed from colony to overseas province, and in the early 1970s it became a non-sovereign state. Despite the Portuguese policy of assimilation and a greater degree of administrative automony, however, the push for universal African independence reached the nation in the early 1960s. This manifested primarily in the ''Frente de Libertação de Moçambique'' or FRELIMO (Liberation front of Mozambique), a Marxist-Leninist political party which organized an armed guerilla movement to wrest control away from the Portuguese. From 1964 until 1974, European and African units of the Portuguese Armed Forces effectively held the guerilla army at bay, despite FRELIMO's support from both the [[USSR]] and [[China|Communist China]]. The Colonial War (which Portugal was fighting concurrently in [[Angola]] and [[Guinea-Bissau|Portuguese Guinea]] as well) eventually took its toll on the European nation, and in April 1974 when a military junta wrested control of the government from the nation's ''Estado Novo'' regime, liberation for the province was not away. On 25 June 1975, Mozambique became independent. | ||
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| + | The new government, under the leadership of Samora Machel, would lend its assistance to a number of other revolutionary insurgent movements, notably the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) operating in [[Rhodesia]], and the African National Congress (ANC) from [[South Africa]]. In turn, the governments of Rhodesia and South Africa sponsored and supported an anti-Communist paramilitary movement called ''Resistência Nacional Moçambicana'' or RENAMO. Founded in 1975, RENAMO guerillas would wage a continuous civil war against the government of Mozambique from 1977 until 1992, when peace talks and movements towards a multi-party political system based on capitalism sponsored by the country's new president Joaquim Chissano brought an end to hostilities. With more than 1.7 million people displaced during the ten year civil war, it took nearly three years for the majority of these people to be repatriated. | ||
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| + | Mozambique's armed forces are called the ''Forças Armadas de Defesa de Moçambique'' or FADM, comprising the Land Forces, Air Force, and Navy, with just over 11,000 active duty personnel. | ||
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| + | == Camouflage Patterns of Mozambique == | ||
[[File:mozambique1.jpg|200px]] | [[File:mozambique1.jpg|200px]] | ||
Revision as of 17:08, 28 January 2011
Ths nation is today known as the Republic of Mozambique (República de Moçambique). Migrations of Bantu-speaking people from the 1st through 5th centuries CE populated most of the region, establishing agricultural communities in the interior, and societies based on fishing towards the coast. In later years, the arrival of Arab traders brought an abundance of new products, technologies and ideas, and a desire for gold and slaves. From around 1500, Portuguese merchants began arriving in Mozambique, establishing small trading settlements and forts along the coast and displacing many of the Arab coastal establishments. Expanding their influence to the interior, the Portuguese encountered Arab resistance around 1698 and retreated south, where they were forced to compete with British and French trading interests. Nevertheless, Portugal solidified its hold on the Overseas Province of Mozambique by shifting much of the administrative duties over to large, private companies. With British financing, these companies established ports, roads, and railroads to the interior and neighboring countries, mostly with incredibly cheap or forced local labor.
By the early 20th century, however, the Portuguese government labored towards greater control over its colonial overseas possessions and did not renew the companies' concessions. In the 1950s, the status of Mozambique changed from colony to overseas province, and in the early 1970s it became a non-sovereign state. Despite the Portuguese policy of assimilation and a greater degree of administrative automony, however, the push for universal African independence reached the nation in the early 1960s. This manifested primarily in the Frente de Libertação de Moçambique or FRELIMO (Liberation front of Mozambique), a Marxist-Leninist political party which organized an armed guerilla movement to wrest control away from the Portuguese. From 1964 until 1974, European and African units of the Portuguese Armed Forces effectively held the guerilla army at bay, despite FRELIMO's support from both the USSR and Communist China. The Colonial War (which Portugal was fighting concurrently in Angola and Portuguese Guinea as well) eventually took its toll on the European nation, and in April 1974 when a military junta wrested control of the government from the nation's Estado Novo regime, liberation for the province was not away. On 25 June 1975, Mozambique became independent.
The new government, under the leadership of Samora Machel, would lend its assistance to a number of other revolutionary insurgent movements, notably the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) operating in Rhodesia, and the African National Congress (ANC) from South Africa. In turn, the governments of Rhodesia and South Africa sponsored and supported an anti-Communist paramilitary movement called Resistência Nacional Moçambicana or RENAMO. Founded in 1975, RENAMO guerillas would wage a continuous civil war against the government of Mozambique from 1977 until 1992, when peace talks and movements towards a multi-party political system based on capitalism sponsored by the country's new president Joaquim Chissano brought an end to hostilities. With more than 1.7 million people displaced during the ten year civil war, it took nearly three years for the majority of these people to be repatriated.
Mozambique's armed forces are called the Forças Armadas de Defesa de Moçambique or FADM, comprising the Land Forces, Air Force, and Navy, with just over 11,000 active duty personnel.
Camouflage Patterns of Mozambique
