▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁The ▁conflict ▁es cal ated ▁into ▁major ▁conventional ▁war fare ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ; ▁between ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁South ▁African , ▁Cub an , ▁and ▁Ang olan ▁arm ies ▁fought ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Cu ito ▁Cu an av ale : ▁Africa ' s ▁largest ▁single ▁eng agement ▁since ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁An ▁Ang olan ▁War ▁of ▁Independ ence ▁( 1 9 6 1 – 1 9 7 4 ), ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁bro ader ▁Portuguese ▁Col onial ▁War ▁in ▁Africa , ▁ ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁Ang olan ▁Civil ▁War ▁( 1 9 7 4 – 2 0 0 2 ). ▁Similarly , ▁the ▁Moz amb ican ▁War ▁of ▁Independ ence ▁( 1 9 6 4 – 1 9 7 4 ) ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁Moz amb ican ▁Civil ▁War ▁( 1 9 7 5 – 1 9 9 2 ). ▁The ▁Rh odes ian ▁Bush ▁War ▁( 1 9 6 6 - 1 9 7 9 ) ▁saw ▁the ▁conserv ative ▁white ▁minor ity ▁government ▁in ▁Rh odes ia ▁( Z imb ab we ) ▁to pp led ▁by ▁national ist ▁gu err illas . ▁ ▁The ▁South ▁African ▁Def ence ▁Force ▁built ▁nuclear ▁weapons ▁and ▁is ▁alleg ed ▁to ▁have ▁tested ▁one ▁off ▁its ▁coast ▁( f acing ▁the ▁South ▁P ole ▁near ▁Ant arct ica ) ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁what ▁has ▁become ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁V ela ▁Inc ident .