The role of Cape Verdeans in war mobilization and war prevention in Portugal's African empire, 1955-1965

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Periodical article

Title:	The role of Cape Verdeans in war mobilization and war prevention in Portugal's African empire, 1955-1965
Author:	Keese, Alexander
Year:	2007
Periodical:	International Journal of African Historical Studies
Volume:	40
Issue:	3
Pages:	497-511
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Portugal Guinea-Bissau
Subjects:	colonial territories Cape Verdeans immigrants national liberation struggles
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/40034040
Abstract:	The number of Cape Verdean settlers in Portugal's African provinces demonstrates that Cape Verdeans had the potential to become an important political force. This paper examines the extent to which Cape Verdeans became intermediaries of revolution when the Portuguese colonial empire entered into the phase of wars of liberation in 1961. Their access to Western education and to the privileges of 'civilizados' when living outside of the islands, made them likely candidates to take prominent roles in efforts to organize serious opposition to colonialism, if they were so inclined. Using archival documents and other sources to analyse the activities of Cape Verdeans in the prewar and war period of the 1950s and 1960s, the paper shows that Cape Verdeans in Guinea-Bissau were pleased to see the Portuguese defeated by armed opposition, but there is no indication they would actually support rebel fighters. During the liberation efforts in Senegal, São Tomé and Angola, Cape Verdean settlers were just bystanders. Notes, ref. [ASC Leiden abstract]