Which groups supported the MPLA during Angola’s independence struggle?

During Angola’s struggle for independence, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Agostinho Neto, received support from several international and domestic entities:

• International Allies: The MPLA drew significant foreign support from the Soviet Union and Cuba, the latter of which provided substantial military forces to defend the movement.123
• Political Organizations: The movement was founded in 1956 with the assistance of the clandestine Portuguese Communist Party.14
• Domestic Base: Within Angola, the MPLA was particularly popular in the capital city of Luanda and among some rural Mbundu populations.14

While the MPLA sought to lead the independence movement, its hegemony was contested by other groups, specifically the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA) and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), which were supported by different international powers, including the United States, China, and South Africa.125