Military Wiki

This is a list of wars involving South Africa. since the foundation of the Union of South Africa on 31 May 1910.

Conflict South Africa
and allies
Opponents Results Prime Minister
or President
South African
losses
Union of South Africa (1910–1961)
World War I
(1914–1918)
Flag of France French Third Republic
Flag of the United Kingdom British Empire
  • South Africa Flag 1912-1928 Union of South Africa
  • Flag of Australia Australia
  • Canadian Red Ensign 1868-1921 Canada
  • Flag of New Zealand New Zealand
  • British Raj Red Ensign British Raj

Flag of Russia Russian Empire
Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned Kingdom of Italy
US flag 48 stars United States
State Flag of Serbia (1882-1918) Kingdom of Serbia
Merchant flag of Japan (1870) Empire of Japan
Flag of Belgium (civil) Belgium
State flag of Greece (1863–1924;1935–73) Kingdom of Greece
Flag of Romania Kingdom of Romania
Flag of Portugal Portugal
Flag of Brazil Brazil

Flag of the German Empire German Empire Flag of Austria-Hungary 1869-1918 Austria-Hungary
Ottoman Flag Ottoman Empire
Flag of Bulgaria Kingdom of Bulgaria
South African Republic South African Republic
Victory
  • End of the German, Russian, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian empires
  • Formation of new countries in Europe and the Middle East
  • Transfer of German colonies and regions of the former Ottoman Empire to other powers
  • Establishment of the League of Nations.
  • South Africa captured German South West Africa, gained official League of Nations mandate in 1919.
  • Maritz Rebellion crushed.
Louis Botha
9,477 dead
World War II
(1939–1945)
Flag of the Soviet Union 1923 Soviet Union
US flag 48 stars United States
Flag of the United Kingdom British Empire
  • Flag of South Africa 1928-1994 Union of South Africa
  • Flag of Australia Australia
  • Canadian Red Ensign 1868-1921 Canada
  • Flag of New Zealand New Zealand
  • British Raj Red Ensign British Raj

Flag of the Republic of China Taiwan
Flag of France France
Flag of Poland Poland
Yugoslav Partisans flag 1945 Democratic Federal Yugoslavia
State flag of Greece (1863–1924;1935–73) Kingdom of Greece
Flag of Denmark Denmark
Flag of Norway Norway
Flag of the Netherlands Netherlands
Flag of Belgium (civil) Belgium
Flag of Luxembourg Luxembourg
Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia
Flag of Brazil (1889-1960) Brazil
Flag of Mexico Mexico
Ethiopian Empire Ethiopia
North Vietnam Viet Minh

Flag of German Reich (1935–1945) Nazi Germany
Merchant flag of Japan (1870) Empire of Japan
Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned Kingdom of Italy
Flag of Hungary (1920–1946) Kingdom of Hungary (1920–46)
Flag of Romania Kingdom of Romania
Flag of Bulgaria Kingdom of Bulgaria
Flag of France Vichy France
Flag of Manchukuo Manchukuo
Flag of the Mengjiang Mengjiang
Flag of the Republic of China Wang Jingwei regime
India Azad Hind
Flag of Thailand Thailand
Old Flag Of Vietnam Empire of Vietnam
Flag of the State of Burma (1943-45) State of Burma
Victory
Jan Smuts
6,840 dead
1,841 missing
14,589 prisoners
Korean War
(1950–1953)
Flag of South Korea South Korea
Flag of the United Nations United Nations
US flag 48 stars United States
Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Flag of North Korea North Korea
Flag of the People's Republic of China China
Flag of the Soviet Union 1923 Soviet Union
Ceasefire
D.F. Malan
34 dead[1]
9 prisoners
Republic of South Africa (1961–1994)
Rhodesian Bush War
(1965–1974)[2]
Flag of Rhodesia Rhodesia
Flag of South Africa 1928-1994 South Africa
Flag of ZANU-PF ZANU
Mozambique FRELIMO
Zimbabwe African People's Union flag ZIPRA
African National Congress Flag ANC
Withdrawal (1974)
  • Lancaster House Agreement, internationally-recognised independence for the Zimbabwe.
B. J. Vorster
Unknown
Mozambican Civil War
(1979–1985)[3]
Mz renamo1 RENAMO
Flag of South Africa 1928-1994 South Africa
Mozambique FRELIMO Non-aggression pact (Nkomati Accord)
  • ANC partially expelled from Mozambique.[3]
P. W. Botha
Unknown
Angolan Bush War
(1966–1989)[4]
Flag of South Africa 1928-1994 South Africa
Flag of UNITA UNITA
Bandeira da FNLA FNLA
Flag of Zaire Zaire
Bandeira do MPLA MPLA
Flag of Cuba Cuba
Flag of South-West Africa People's Organisation SWAPO
African National Congress Flag ANC
Stalemate
  • Three Powers Accord
  • Withdrawal of foreign forces from Angola.
  • Namibian independence from South African rule.
1,791 dead[5]
Post-Apartheid (from 1994)
Intervention in Lesotho
(1998)
Flag of South Africa South Africa
Flag of Lesotho (1987-2006) Lesotho
Lesotho LDF rebels Victory
  • Suspected coup d'état in Lesotho quelled.
Nelson Mandela
10 dead[6]
Séléka Rebellion
(2012–2013)
Flag of South Africa South Africa
Flag of the Central African Republic Central African Republic
Central African Republic Séléka Coalition Retreat[7]
Jacob Zuma
13 dead[8]
M23 Rebellion
(2013)
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo DR Congo
Flag of South Africa South Africa
Flag of Tanzania Tanzania
Flag of Malawi Malawi
Democratic Republic of the Congo March 23 Movement Victory
  • M23 rebels surrender, disarm and demobilize after being pushed back near Rwanda, truce signed.
None

Notes[]

  1. "Casualties of Korean War" (in Korean). Ministry of National Defense of Republic of Korea. Archived from the original on 2013-01-20. Retrieved 14 February 2007.
  2. The Rhodesian Bush War lasted until 1979, but South Africa withdrew in December 1974 after failed peace talks. [1]
  3. 3.0 3.1 War and Society: The Militarisation of South Africa, edited by Jacklyn Cock and Laurie Nathan, pp.104-115
  4. Note: South Africa was already involved in Angola in 1966, but heavy involvement started in 1975 with Operation Savannah.
  5. https://sites.google.com/site/sabushwarsite/interesting
  6. http://www.orbat.com/site/history/volume3/30/SADCLesotho1998-2000.pdf
  7. City Press - ‘We ran out of ammo’, 31 March 2013
  8. Politicsweb - Our troops killed hundreds in CAR - SANDF, Brigadier General Xolani Mabanga, 09 April 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
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