Angolan independence movements had been in existence for well over a decade now, and Angola had continuously been seeking independence. In 1974 a coup d'etat in Portugal destabilized the political situation, also in the colonies.

Many historians believe that just the colonial empire which it would destroy, was perhaps the reason for this revolution. Portugal was virtually drained of educated workforce and neither the economic situation nor the political situation was good.

By November 1975, the agreed date of Angolan independence, Angola was in chaos. The battle was about holding Luanda on 11. November, as the party which did, could legally declare Angola free from colonialism. The only effect of this was that Portugal had no central government to which it could relinquish control and they were unsure what to do. At last, they announced independence to the people of Angola. MPLA soon announced the establishment of a government in Luanda and called the area people's Republic of Angola. UNITA and FNLA had lost the battle for Luanda, but did not fret. Only one month later, they declared The democratic People's Republic of Angola with a capital city in Huambo. Although these states in practice had the same legitimacy, the rest of the world only recognized (although yet unofficially) MPLA's state. This was mainly due to UNITA's bonds to Apartheid South Africa.

By 1976, FNLA was defeated and UNITA's support from South Africa had decreased. MPLA had the military control of the area and was recognized as the government of Angola by the UN, Portugal and over eighty other nations.