Talk:Jan Breytenbach

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Military history: Biography / African

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Untitled

I move that the external link "Bulelani Ngcuka and his Apartheid Soldiers" be removed. While it is the only link with negative comments regarding Jan Breytenbach, it is a personal interpretation of the facts regarding Breytenbach's history in the South African Defence Force. As for Breytenbach's involvement in the "Eco & Golf Reserve", http://www.environment.co.za/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=189 is a much more balanced and informative piece. No signature!!!!!

The article is certainly not balanced at all, neither the links. Let's judge Jan Breytenbach from what he wrote in his book "Buffalo Soldiers", published in 2002, 8 years after Apartheid South Africa had ended.

The Base of the Namibian liberation movement SWAPO was flattened at Cassinga in 1978 during an airborn assault operation by apartheid South Africa's 44 Parachute Brigade. Roughly 1000 refugees and freedom fighters were massacred. Comment Breytenbach "I was privileged to be the commander" (page 117). Cassinga Day is now a public holiday in Namibia.

About African freedom fighters generally "Swapo Gangs" (page 192) "terrorists" (meaning Frelimo Government Soldiers) (page 117)

About the illegal invasion of Angola by Apartheid South Africa in 1975 (codename operation Savannah) "Operation Savannah was a brilliant operation" (page 123)

About killing an Angolan Government Brigade Commander "To our satisfaction he was blown up"

About the Terror-Battalion 32. Buffalo, mainly comprising Angolan mercenaries, that on many occasion invaded Southern Angola and largely destroyed the infrastucture there "It was an honour for me to have commanded such men" (Foreword to Buffalo Soldiers)

Breytenbach went even further, as Peter Stiff reported in his Book "Silent War". Disregarding the orders of the Government of South Africa he stayed longer with his Buffalo soldiers in Angola. When asked by the regional Commander Viljoen, he lied, that he did not get the Telex.

The same happened in Zambia. He carried out cross border raids into the so called Lekker Hoekie in Zambia without the approval of his commanders. The same applied to the destruction of a vital bridge in Angola, disapproved by Pretoria, however Breytenbach ordered the destruction of the bridge anyway.

-- 168.167.72.102 (talk) 20:04, 22 October 2008 (UTC)[reply]

And you call your approach balanced? --41.151.33.56 (talk) 09:19, 16 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Breytenbach was a professional soldier, carrying out orders to the best of his ability. Like Nelson, he occasionally chose to interpret orders creatively. 32 Battalion was very professional and effective, and as a result the subject of much hostile and false propaganda - which you obviously believed. Of course he would be satisfied when enemy were "blown up" - Americans were also happy when bin Laden was assassinated. Cassinga was a military camp, and any enemy located there would be legitimate targets. There were no civilian refugees there.Royalcourtier (talk) 07:31, 17 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Political views

What exactly is meant by the statement that "so with his brother opting for a more left-wing approach, this influential family effectively covered the political spectrum"? That implies that as a professional soldier he is right wing!Royalcourtier (talk) 07:19, 17 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Contest opposing versions of the event in the press

The expression "contest opposing versions of the event in the press" is rather euphemistic. It would be better to say that "he continues to defend the professionalism of the military operation against inaccurate politically-motivated criticism".203.80.61.102 (talk) 00:06, 4 September 2017 (UTC)[reply]

External links modified

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