Somalia vs Ethiopia: The Cold War’s Forgotten African Front | Ogaden War (1977)

In July 1977, the Somali government attempted to galvanise cold war tensions in pursuit of a “Greater Somalia”, invading Ethiopia and annexing the Ogaden region. The resulting proxy war would play host to several major players from weapons providers to physical boots on the ground (notably Cubans in this compilation). Prior to the invasion the Somali government had significantly benefit from it’s relationship with the USSR, seeking ideological expansion in Africa at this time, and seeing promise is Somalia’s 1974 revolution. As such, the Somalis expected support for their invasion. However, the USSR, viewing the invasion as a violation of territorial integrity would shift allegiances to Ethiopia (supported by the US at this time) upsetting cold war divisions further. The conflict also triggered a severe humanitarian crisis for the region displacing roughly 600k civilians and causing famine.

This compilation presents original ITN news reports from the frontlines of the Ogaden War, showing events as they unfolded and were reported at the time.

00:00 - Intro
00:30 - Russian influence in Somalia
04:40 - Nomads displaced by war
07:30 - Fighting in the Ogaden
19:20 - Cubans in the Ogaden
29:40 - Siad Barre courts the USSR and US at the war's end

#history #militaryhistory #coldwar #coldwarhistory #communism #modernwarfare #socialism #ussr #usa #cuba #proxywars #ogadenwar #somalia #siadbarre #ethiopia #LeonidBrezhnev #jimmycarter

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