5 . ▁ ▁South ▁Africa ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁war ▁effort ▁against ▁Japan , ▁supp lying ▁men ▁and ▁man ning ▁ships ▁in ▁naval ▁engag ements ▁against ▁the ▁Japanese . ▁ ▁Alt ogether , ▁ 3 3 4 , 0 0 0 ▁men ▁volunte ered ▁for ▁full - time ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Army ▁during ▁W W II , ▁including ▁some ▁ 2 1 1 , 0 0 0 ▁whites , ▁ 7 7 , 0 0 0 ▁black s ▁and ▁ 4 6 , 0 0 0 ▁" col oured s " ▁and ▁A si ans ), ▁with ▁nearly ▁ 9 , 0 0 0 ▁killed ▁in ▁action . ▁ ▁Modern ▁conflicts ▁involving ▁South ▁Africa ' s ▁pre domin antly ▁Af rik an er ▁government ▁ra ged ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁its ▁controvers ial ▁apart heid ▁policy , ▁led ▁by ▁Um kh onto ▁we ▁S iz we , ▁military ▁wing ▁of ▁the ▁African ▁National ▁Congress , ▁and ▁the ▁Az an ian ▁People ' s ▁Liber ation ▁Army , ▁which ▁received ▁training ▁and ▁arm ament ▁from ▁commun ist ▁states ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁and ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁China . ▁The ▁related ▁South ▁African ▁Border ▁War ▁broke ▁out ▁when ▁the ▁South ▁West ▁African ▁People ' s ▁Organ ization ▁( SW AP O ) ▁began ▁its ▁struggle ▁to ▁free ▁Nam ib ia ▁from ▁South ▁African ▁rule . ▁South ▁Africa ▁fought ▁a ▁long ▁and ▁bitter ▁campaign ▁against ▁SW AP O ▁and ▁its ▁Ang olan ▁al lies ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁to