Page 604 - Le Operazioni Interforze e Multinazionali nella Storia Militare - ACTA Tomo I

604 XXXIX Congresso della CommIssIone InternazIonale dI storIa mIlItare • CIHm

Operation “Mar Verde”

Aniceto AFOnSO
David MARTELO

Background
n the context of the wider post-World War II decolonization movement, from 1963
I to 1974, in the Portuguese colony of Guinea-Bissau, an armed conflict took place
between the PAIGC (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde) and
the Portuguese armed forces. The Portuguese regime, led by Oliveira Salazar, implanted
a dictatorship since the beginning of the thirties named «Estado Novo» that fought back
the decolonization (the ‘winds of change’ in the words of Harold MacMillan) up to the
engagement on three operations theatres against the pro-independence movements in
Angola, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique. The aim of the Nationalist movements was to
achieve independence of their territories, supported by a very favourable international
environment.
Being its territory relatively small (36,544 km2) and very flat, Guinea-Bissau is lo-
cated on the western coast of Africa. The coastline is very indented, with an extensive
river network playing an important role as communication routes between the sea and
the hinterland. Along the coast, one can find a wide complex set of islands with very
favourable conditions for joint operations, with emphasis on the use of naval assets.
Guinea-Bissau, having borders with the Republic of Guinea (independent since 1958)
and Senegal (independent since 1960) enable both countries to give significant support
to the PAIGC and constituted an important sanctuary for military operations launched
against the Portuguese military forces stationed in the territory.
The assistance that these two neighbour countries were offering to the PAIGC forces
was a matter of concern to the Portuguese government and the military command of
the territory, constituting, in his operational concept, an assumed restriction, though not
completely sacrosanct. Anyway, there were express recommendations to avoid border
violations, which could happen only in extreme situations, and always in a swift manner
and as concealed as possible, so that Portugal would never be internationally blamed for
those acts. The various occasions the Portuguese forces entered neighbouring countries,
thus violating these countries borders, were due to combat actions involving the pursuit
of the PAIGC forces as a result of unforeseen incidents and were never too deep in for-
eign territory.
Whenever an operation planning required a potential or even effective border viola-
tion, the Portuguese military command chose to use Infantry and Marines units manned
by native personnel (African troops), wearing uniforms and armaments different from
those of the Portuguese Army and Navy standard issue, and, when necessary, weaponry
from Warsaw Pact countries, similar to those used by the guerrillas and the nationalist
fighters.