The Portuguese Colonial War, known in Portugal as the Overseas War - Guerra do Ultramar known as the Angolan, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambican War of Independence, was a 13-year-long conflict fought between Portugal's military and the emerging national movements in Portugal's African colonies between 1961 and 1974 in Angola, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique.
I have always been fascinated by Portuguese culture and history, and once (in the 1980s) I had a lot of friends there - philatelists. Everything has disappeared, philately too, there are no new collectors and stamps have become unfashionable and worthless.
I had around 100 letters sent to the S.P.M. In Poland, where I live, no one knows the history of the S.P.M. nor the history of the Portuguese colonies. S.P.M. means “Serviço Postal Militar” (Military Postal Service).
In August 1961 the "aerogram" was finally approved. It should have a maximum mass of 3 grams and consist of 2 or 4 parts, but in such a way that its dimensions cannot exceed the maximum limits of 15 = 05 mm and the minimum limits of 100 x 70 mm. "Aerogram" was exempt from all shipping costs and airfares. The recipient's military address should include only the name and rank of the soldier and the SPM of his unit. [ J.Aparício, "Serviço Postal Militar - Na Guerra do Ultramar (1961-1974)", the site of Veterans of the Guerra do Ultramar].
The letters have has historical, not material, value. Thanks to these letters I became interested in the history of the Portuguese in Africa, I learned difficult words like Nambuangongo. On 10 July, the Portuguese forces initiate its first major operation of the conflict, this being Operation Viriato (Viriathus), aimed at re-conquering the town of Nambuangongo, in the Dembos forest, which had been proclaimed by the Union of Peoples of Angola (a political party and former militant organisation that fought for Angolan independence) as its capital. In their advance, the three military units suffer 75 casualties, including 21 dead.
Paulo de Carvalho-Nambuangongo, meu Amor
não viste nada nesse dia longo longo
a cabeça cortada
e a flor bombardeada
não tu não viste nada em Nambuangongo
Falavas de Hiroxima tu que nunca viste
em cada homem um morto que não morre.
Sim nós sabemos Hiroxima é triste
mas ouve em Nambuangongo existe
em cada homem um rio que não corre.
Em Nambuangongo o tempo cabe num minuto
em Nambuangongo a gente lembra a gente esquece
em Nambuangongo olhei a morte e fiquei nu. Tu
não sabes mas eu digo-te: dói muito.
Em Nambuangongo há gente que apodrece.
Em Nambuangongo a gente pensa que não volta
cada carta é um adeus em cada carta se morre
cada carta é um silêncio e uma revolta.
Em Lisboa na mesma isto é a vida corre.
E em Nambuangongo a gente pensa que não volta.
É justo que me fales de Hiroxima.
Porém tu nada sabes deste tempo longo longo
tempo exactamente em cima
do nosso tempo. Ai tempo onde a palavra vida rima
com a palavra morte em Nambuangongo.
When visiting Lisbon, everyone must see the Torre de Belem, and next to it is the Overseas War Museum, which most of them have no idea about...
I feel sorry for the boys who didn't come back from Africa. Dictators make decisions and people die. Unfortunately, no one learns from history.
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