I have believe we lost because we did very little planning and never took seriously any what-if scenerios that could arise, and did. But Somalia was winning the war until 1978,Somalia captured 90% of the Western Somalia,That was a huge victory for Barre,the things changed when cubans and russians came to the battlefield.I think the somalis fought bravely but they could not defeat 3 armies(Cuba,Ethiopia,Yemen),and these armies had the russian support. Dont forget Jimmy Carter betrayed Barre,that was a blow to Somalia. About the somali casualties,look at this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******_War http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_188.sht ml And do you know any somali books about the war in 1977? Perhaps some somali generals or soldiers wrote something about that war. Mohamed Farah Aidid wrote a book about his life and the war. He was the only somali general who was not defeated in 1977-78. Thanks you very much for you answer,it is very interesting.As I told you before,I live in Peru,I am a cuban,my father met somalis in Cuba,dont forget Cuba and Somalia were allies until 1977. I would like to talk to more somalis who fought in 1977,If you know someone who was there,we can talk here.

An interesting web about the war: http://dehai.org/archives/dehai_archive/nov-dec06/ 0275.html Instead of launching a frontal attack on the Marda Pass (Karamara), Petrov decided to attack from the northern flank and then go to the rear of the Somali line. He moved an Ethiopian division from Dire Dawa towards the line behind Jigjiga and in a carefully calculated make-believe type of vertical envelopment brought a few tanks by helicopter behind the Somali lines. Somali troops withdrew to the border. Petrov, I was told by officers who were in the area, was simply shepherding Somali troops from the air. Withdrawal continued on all fronts. Ethiopian control of the ****** was restored by March 1978. Again, Ethiopian officers who participated in the campaign say that the Russians had worked out a deal with the Somalis to withdraw peacefully, after it became apparent that they were outflanked. General Farah Aydid writes that the officer in command of the Jigjiga front had started communicating secretly with the enemy. He was planning to overthrow the Siyaad Barre government. The consequence of Siyaad Barre’s invasion of the ****** and subsequent defeat was devastating to the Somali people, and particularly the ******is. The WSLF withdrew to Somalia along with the Somali military. An estimated 400,000 to 800,000 people from the ****** flocked into Somalia creating food and grazing problems. Massive international food aid averted an imminent human disaster. One of the many mistakes Siyaad Barre made was the decision to launch the offensive on the ******. The WSLF should have been left alone to continue with protracted guerilla operations. Already they were successful in controlling most of the countryside and in curtailing freedom of movement of the Ethiopian army. Invasion of the ****** by the Somali army opened the possibility for Soviet and Cuban involvement and the ultimate destruction of the Somali army and the guerilla movement.

Hi Sr,well first I would like to know your name and position within the somali army.I am Jose from Peru.I am a student. I have few questions,perhaps you may help me. Why do you think Somalia lost the war in 1978?. Many somalis told me they won the war but they were defeated by Cuba and Russia not by Ethiopia. Do you have any idea about the somali casualties in such war? I heard it lost 3/4 of tanks and a half of Air Force. To me is an honor to talk to somali warrior.

Hi I would like to talk to you about the Ethio-Somali war in 1977.I want to write a book about the brave somali army,so I am looking for information.

A somali article about the war. http://www.laasqoray.net/view_article.php?articlei d=1972 Abdillahi Ahmed – After we won the 1977 war against Abyssinia, both the West and the East ganged up against us, and finally took away our hard won victory. Thus, they granted what we call an "artificial victory" to the Abyssinians. As you mentioned, we got close to Finfinne, but unfortunately, our victory was snatched in front of our eyes by far greater enemies of Somali Unity than the one we fought. It had a drastic experience on our moral, and had a very unhappy ending; however, in the long run the Truth will prevail.

A an article about somali army in 1978. http://www.foia.cia.gov/browse_docs.asp?doc_no=000 0276558

Siad Barre the man who tried to conquer Western Somalia.He could achieve his goal but he was betrayed by the evil(Russia,Cuba and Yemen) :mad: :mad: His biography. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siad_Barre Somebody recognizes this man.The man at the right side.

Well I have to accept something the somali army fought bravely in the Somali-Ethiopian. At Jijiga battle they fought until the last men.

Hi Mr Miskkin.I have seen that picture before.You are an intelligent man you know a picture doesnt change the result of a war,for example Saddam Hussein can show me pictures of american POW in 1991 but everybody knows that Irak lost the war,the same happens here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******_War

Very interesting the picture of the cuban soldier,but that picture doesnt change the outcome of the war.Somalia only captured 5 cuban soldiers,we captured 200 somali soldiers. I am still waiting for sources which prove that Somalia defeated Cuba and Russia in 1978.I heard the somalis have sources which prove that Somali army destroyed the cuban,russian and ethiopian army,even after that defeat Barre conquered all the Horn Of Africa. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

i have theory - i think you are the illegitimate child of Somali soldier and Abyssinian mother, I don’t know whether your conception was by force (rape) or by mutual consent between your parents. But I am of the opinion that this illegitimacy has caused you great deal of physiological pain and suffering I am not sad I am very happy because my country(Cuba)defeated Somalia in 1978. And my father and mother are cubans,you can see my profile and I am a cuban who lives in Peru. I think you feel sad because we defeated your country in 1978. Protocol when it comes to actual fighting, somalia was not defeated That is very fun many somalis dont agree with you. http://wardheernews.com/Articles_06/may_06/21_Gala ydh_Roobdoon.html http://www.******.com/Special_Report.htm At the end of it all, a massive refugee crisis existed and the Somali military, which was no match for Cuban armed troops and their Soviet puppet masters, was in shambles. http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/publish/Editor ial_29/Somalia_October_21_and_the_beginning_of_his tory_s_dark_chapter.shtml Gen. Barre lost the war after a congregation of enemy forces – Soviet, Cuban and South Yemeni troops – aided the defeated army of Ethiopia in pushing back Somali forces http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_188.sht ml I have more somali sources,if you want to see them just tell me

I dont know who you are,so I will not give you anything. If you any question about Somalia war in 1978,we can talk here.

Let me say this:If someone can prove me that Somalia defeated Cuba and Russia,I will leave this forum at once. I give my word to everybody in this forum,prove my mistake and you will never see me again. But if you can not prove that I am wrong,well I will stay here long time.

Well I have many sources which say Cuba lost 400 men and your source is propaganda of WSLF and we defeated WSLF too. Well I dont care how many cubans died in 1978,the reality is Cuba and Russia won the Somalia-Ethiopia war. It's only with American support that Spain was defeated and this resulted in the US occupying you like the Spanish before them, Yes American helped us to defeat Spain. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish-American_War The American forces were aided in Cuba by the pro-independence rebels led by General Calixto García. The Spanish forces at Guantánamo were so isolated by Marines and Cuban forces that they did not know that Santiago was under siege, and their forces in the northern part of the province could not break through Cuban lines. This was not true of the Escario relief column from Manzanillo,[34] which fought its way past determined Cuban resistance but arrived too late to participate in the siege. And about Mad Mullah he was defeated in 1920 lol why are you comparing the British Empire - the only Hyperpower in world History - with 19th century Spain I am not comparing anything I just say England defeated Somalia in 1920. I think everybody can defeat Somalia:England,Italy,Ethiopia,France,Cuba,Russia, Portugal ,Yemen.

Hi Deputy,well you can ignore me but you can not ignore the truth and it is that Somalia lost the ****** War in 1978. You can not change that.

Yes We lost the 10 years war,but we won the 1895-98 war. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish-American_War The American forces were aided in Cuba by the pro-independence rebels led by General Calixto García. We defeated Spain in 1898 but Somalia was defeated by England in 1920 and Somalia failed to achieve its indenpendence.

I dont care Guantanamo,I care Somalia and Somalia defeat in 1978. This is a topic about Somalia defeat in 1978 not about Cuba and the reality is Cuba and Russia defeated Somalia in 1978,that is all. You can not change that I can not change that God can not change that So you have to accept the reality,Russia and Cuba defeated Somalia in 1978. Even if I were to accept your POV, the fact still remains that it was colonial era "treaty" in which natives are robbed and then forced to put pen to paper. All such treaties no longer hold in the rest of the world. Why do they still hold for your country? I dont care that I am very happy because We destroyed the dreams of a nation.I feel so proud of that. Well let me say something:if someone here can prove me that Somalia won the war of 1977-78,defeating Cuba,Russia and Ethiopia,I will leave this forum at once. But I think that I will wait for 1.000.000 years Well But I dont want to discuss with you,my girlfriend is somali,so I like Somalia.

Dashike It turns out we were no match for Soviets + Cubans + Yemenis + Libyans + ... (with a combined population of hundreds of millions). No country would be able to withstand such an attack by an enemy 20 times its size Well that is a somali problem,that is not a cuban problem,the reality is:Russia,Cuba,Ethiopia and Yemen defeated Somalia in 1978,period and nobody can change that. Dashike I now know why: Cuban defeatism Well the somalis dont think that,Siad Barre was very sad when we crushed his army and his dream in 1978. And about Guatanamo,Cuba got its independende in 1898,the cuban guerrillas with american help defeated Spain http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish-American_War The Spanish forces at Guantánamo were so isolated by Marines and Cuban forces that they did not know that Santiago was under siege, and their forces in the northern part of the province could not break through Cuban lines. This was not true of the Escario relief column from Manzanillo,[34] which fought its way past determined Cuban resistance but arrived too late to participate in the siege Well Somalia tried to get its independence in 1920 but the poor Mad Mullah was defeated by England. But that defeat was the begining of the somali disaster in Jijiga in 1978 When Cuba and Russia broke the somali army and the somali spirit.

Earlier this month, in a brutally populist application of sharia law, a 13-year old girl was stoned to death in the southern Somali city of Kismayu for alleged adultery in a stadium packed with 1,000 spectators I can not believe this,the somalis killed an innocent girl and everybody is happy in Somalia,everybody agrees with this violence. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: Sorry but I can not understand this violence against an innocent girl. Somalis are strong and brave with weak people,they killed and raped weak people but when they see an army like: Cubans and Russians in 1978,everybody knows what happens. Somalia must be punish for this crime. This girl was an innocent girl,she didnt do anything wrong,we must blame the killer Sheik Aweys,he is strong with weak a girl but when he saw our tanks in 1978 he ran like a coward. And nobody in this forum says something against this crime. Alah has mercy of the somali soul. Because I will never forgive this crime.

Thanks you. Now I am looking for somali books about the Ethio-somali war in 1978. Do you know any book?

A video about the war in 1977. http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=2PSa6VXRGnk :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

May you talk to me in english,nobody speaks somali in this world.

Horn of Africa May you show me your sources about Ethio-Somali war in 1978.

I dont want to insult Somalia that is not my intention,I just want to show why Somalia lost the war,that is all. Perhaps Horn of African doesnt like what I do,because he doesnt want you know what happened in 1978.

Why this charater should be banned? Who are you? I am presenting my point of view if you dont agree with it show me your proofs that I am wrong. I am not insulting Somalia I just put the truth about what happened in 1978. If you dont agree show me your sources.