African Navies: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives

Description

This edited volume focuses on aspects of the understudied theme of African sea-power, including African navies and the engagement of non-African navies with the continent. Africa possesses 48,000 kilometers of coastline, comprising 38 out of 54 of the continent’s states and several strategic choke points for international shipping, such as the Suez Canal, the Gulf of Aden and the Cape of Good Hope. Nevertheless, post-colonial Africa’s small navies and their relations with the navies of external powers have not received much scholarly attention. Focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa, this collection attempts to address this neglect and stimulate further research by offering original chapters related to historical and contemporary themes around Africa’s navies. The historical chapters cover the origin of the Tanzanian, Ethiopian, Nigerian and Ghana navies during the era of decolonization and the Cold War, the asymmetrical naval campaign fought during the Nigerian Civil War (1967-70), and the activities of the Soviet Navy in supporting African states and movements fighting lingering colonialism and white supremacy during the 1970s and 1980s. Focusing on the contemporary situation, other chapters discuss the engagement of the Indian Navy with Africa, the potential role of the Angolan and Mozambican navies in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the transformation and development of the post-apartheid South African Navy, and the challenges and capabilities of African navies in the early twenty-first century. The book concludes by discussing the question of whether African coastal countries need navies. This book will be of much interest to students of naval power, strategic studies, African politics and International Relations. Chapters 1, 2, 6 and 8 of this book are available for free in Open Access at www.taylorfrancis.com. It has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license. Cover Endorsement Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Contributors Acknowledgements Introduction Africa’s Naval History: An Overview North Africa: The Southern Mediterranean Rim East Africa and the Indian Ocean The Atlantic Coast: West, West Central, and Southwest Africa Colonial Africa and Navies Decolonization, the Cold War, and Modern African Navies The Book Notes 1 Sailing On Cold War Tides: The Founding of the Tanzania Naval Command Introduction The Onset of Decolonization (1945–61) A New Maritime Force? The Scramble for the Tanzanian Navy Chinese Effort, Tanzanian Benefit Coda Acknowledgments Notes 2 A Forgotten Fleet: The Imperial Ethiopian Navy, 1953–1974 Introduction Background Information 1953–1958: Early Developments and the Department of Marine Desta and the Imperial Ethiopian Navy Personnel: Growth and Discontent State-Sponsored Nationalism Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes 3 The Origins of the Nigerian and Ghana Navies (C.1930–1960) Introduction Nigeria Marine (1894–1914) Interwar Period and Second World War Decolonization: Nigeria Decolonization: Ghana Conclusion Notes 4 A Comparative Study of the Nigerian and Biafran Navies During the Nigerian Civil War (1967–70) Introduction The Nigerian Navy in Historical Perspective The Nigerian Navy During the Civil War The Biafran Navy in the Civil War The Biafran Attempt to Retake Bonny, September 1967 Battle of Onne, April 1968 Battle of Bille, April 1968 Conclusion Notes 5 The Cold War Soviet Navy in Sub-Saharan African Waters: From the Republic of Guinea to Angola and Mozambique Introduction The Soviet Navy and West Africa The Soviet Navy and Southern Africa The Development of an Angolan Navy Conclusion Notes 6 India’s Ocean: Indian Maritime Diplomacy in the African Maritime Domain Introduction A Brief Note On India’s Rise India’s Strategic Thinking Historic Links With Africa and Strategic Motivations Indian Maritime Diplomacy in Africa The Indian Ocean Islands The East African Littoral West Africa Regional Fora Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes 7 A New Navy for a New South Africa?: Historical Background and Context, Developments and Challenges, 1994–2019 Introduction Historical Background A Quarter Century of Naval History: A Review of the Main Events, 1994–2019 Transformation Operation Copper Naval Diplomacy Concluding Perspectives Notes 8 Non-South African SADC Navies and Maritime Security in the Post-Cold War Era: Angola and Mozambique Introduction The Significance of Angola and Mozambique and a Brief Literature Survey of the State of SADC and African Maritime Security The Navy in Angola and Mozambique: Capabilities and Challenges Angola Mozambique Conclusion: Lessons and Way Forward to Improve SADC Navies Acknowledgments Notes 9 African Navies in the Twenty-First Century Introduction Africa’s Maritime Security Challenges Capabilities and Limitations of African Navies Foreign Navies and Africa Conclusion Notes Conclusion: Are African Navies Necessary? Notes Bibliography Index