During the 1970s and 1980s, Africa was nearing the end of its long and difficult road to liberation from colonial rule. Across the continent, dozens of nations fought for independence, often at great cost. These decades were marked by bloodshed and protracted conflict. In Angola, the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) was formed, while in Mozambique, the Liberation Front (FRELIMO) took shape. These movements sought to break free from Portuguese domination, as Portugal remained heavily dependent on its colonies for economic support. Despite Lisbon’s resistance, the African liberation movements ultimately succeeded: Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, and others gained their independence.
South Africa faced a different struggle, however: Apartheid. This system of racial segregation endured into the 1990s, despite determined opposition from the African National Congress (ANC), led by Nelson Mandela, and mounting pressure from the international community.
Although many African nations achieved independence during this period, the process of decolonization was not fully complete by the 1980s. Eritrea gained independence in 1993, and South Sudan only became a sovereign state in 2011.
