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THE OPTION BY THE SWORD

These pictures are from the book "A opção pela espada”(Option by the sword), by p.a. marangoni. Narration of his anti communist fight,from the Brazilian Air Force, through the French ForeignLegion, Portuguese colonial wars in Mozambique, civil war in Angola, the guerrillas againstFrelimo in Mozambique, Rhodesian special forces and finally ending his days of fighting in theSpanish Legion.

Book "A opção pela espada"( the option by the sword) Free download(Portuguese) in:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/22892612/a-opcao-pela-espada

The beginning of the mission: military pilot in Brazilian Air Force, from 1968 to 1971Angola-Accident with Auster FNLA plane in Carmona, Angola, 1975

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A Opcao Pela Espada-pictures & Maps

Portuguese colonial war pics and maps,angolan civil war,Quifangondo battle map,Mozambique,Renamo,Rho desian Special Forces.Fotos e mapas da guerra colonial portuguesa,guerra civi... (More) Portuguese colonial war pics and maps,angolan civil war,Quifangondo battle map,Mozambique,Renamo,Rho desian Special Forces.Fotos e mapas da guerra colonial portuguesa,guerra civil em Angola,Moçambique,renamo, forças especiais,legião estrangeira.
Summary of the book "A opção pela espada" - Translated from the portuguese, may contain errors.
During the early seventies I had two policy options open to me, and they were clearly opposed. I chose the one that best represented the lifestyle I had inherited from my ancestors, who had helped gain the freedom of democracy, and of building a civilisation that gave opportunity for all, in terms of their ability to work freely and not the forced leveling of the desirable but utopian socialism system that was starting to take over the world. I realised that my version of civilisation was under full attack by an enemy, and I was not going to wait for him to arrive on the shores of my own Country?
Why not fight him wherever he was? With the strength of my youth, I opted for the fight, and I chose the sword.
Our planet was in full Cold War confrontation mode involving the super powers of the day, the USA, China and the USSR. Their Hypocrisy and secret wars between each other had spread to dozens of apparently local wars that were taking place around the world and we had to watch while they meddled in other country's internal affairs.
Utopianism, naive optimism, historical ignorance of other people, made the Kennedy administration stumble at every step in the name of self-determination, based on a concept of anti colonial paternalistic and inconsequential, forgetting that the U.S. were also the result of colonial domination.
In search of African support in the Cold War, the most powerful nation on earth decided to join forces with allied countries encouraging barbaric terrorism against the white settler, especially in Angola, where the Portuguese colony lived in peace and progressed slowly but steady, with no other prey that characterised colonial nations.
The Portuguese have always lived with their backs turn to Europe, almost been thrown overboard by the ubiquitous and unique neighbour, Spain. They were more African than European in their adventurous life, which led them to build an empire. A proud Prime Minister Salazar, with deep historical notion of Portugal role in the world, responded with force when confronted with the massacres of Holden Roberto's UPA in northern Angola, regaining the territory in a few months, a remarkable feat of arms, due to the distance of events and the few resources they had.
In Africa, the West and the Soviets were faced with an apparent victory of the USSR, often facilitated by the mistaken interventions of Kennedy. Therefore the Portuguese colonial war spread on three fronts, involving Guinea, Angola and Mozambique. Western values were being threatened and so it was in this theater of war that I became involved, without thinking about the incongruities policies. I was willing to fight the real battle, to destroy the enemy where he was and to occupy his positions. I wanted to defend my country Brazil, by stopping him in Africa!
At 23 years old I was a military pilot and parachutist. However, I soon realised that if I wanted survive in this world I would have to learn to fight with my feet on the ground as a member of the infantry. With this in mind I took up the challenge and in the years that followed I surpassed my wildest dreams.
I went from being in the Brazilian Air Force to French Foreign Legion, from Instructor of Physical Education to commander of militia's in the colonial war in Mozambique, from pilot's observation to a Group Armored commander in the civil war in Angola. From guerrilla fighter to instructor of commandos in Rhodesia. From information agent in Spain to "reactionary writer" in Portugal.
From escaping traps while pursued as a dangerous outlaw, once again I became a Legionnaire, this time on the island of Fuerteventura, on the s (Less)

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Category:	Books - Non-fiction > History
Rating:	(1 Rating)
Upload Date:	11/22/2009
Copyright:	Attribution Non-commercial
Tags:	War mercenaries mozambique angola Rhodesia Special Forces foreign legion (more tags) War mercenaries mozambique angola Rhodesia Special Forces foreign legion renamo quifangondo battle tercio spanish legion p.a.marangoni guerra colonial portuguesa mercenarios war photos fnla colonial wars panhard 90 war pics quifangondo (fewer)