▁attacks ▁quickly ▁spread ▁throughout ▁almost ▁the ▁entire ▁territory ▁of ▁Guinea , ▁growing ▁in ▁intensity ▁to ▁the ▁surprise ▁of ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁who ▁considered ▁themselves ▁to ▁be ▁of ▁greater ▁military ▁force . ▁ ▁The ▁the ater ▁of ▁war ▁in ▁Guinea ▁was ▁led ▁by ▁two ▁men ▁of ▁strong ▁person ality . ▁On ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁side , ▁General ▁Ant ón io ▁Sp ín ola ▁and ▁from ▁Gu ine an ▁side ▁was ▁Am í l car ▁Cab ral ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁PA IG C . ▁With ▁the ▁dec isions ▁of ▁the ▁former , ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁forces ▁gained ▁ground ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁and ▁managed ▁to ▁maintain ▁the ▁situation ▁and ▁sometimes ▁take ▁action ▁to ▁confirm ▁the ▁positions . ▁ ▁One ▁can ▁say ▁that ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁troops ▁took ▁in ▁Guinea ▁a ▁def ensive ▁st ance ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁control ▁the ▁actions ▁of ▁the ▁PA IG C . ▁To ▁this ▁end , ▁Portugal ▁manip ulated ▁public ▁opinion ▁through ▁propag anda ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁their ▁troops , ▁which ▁prof ound ly ▁affected ▁the ▁highest ▁levels ▁of ▁the ▁hierarchy ▁of ▁the ▁party ▁of ▁Guinea . ▁However , ▁the ▁situation ▁rapidly ▁changed ▁position , ▁favor ing ▁thus ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁the ▁col ony . ▁ ▁Anti - air craft ▁miss iles ▁forced ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁troops ▁to ▁re ass ess ▁the ▁war ▁effort . ▁Marcel o ▁Ca et ano ▁fought ▁with ▁Sp in ola , ▁ex empt ing ▁him ▁from ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁governor ▁who ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁occupied ▁by ▁Bet ten court ▁Rod rig ues ▁on