Sanctuary Lost Volume 1

From 1963 to 1974, Portugal and its nationalist enemies fought an increasingly intense war for the independence of "Portuguese" Guinea, then a colony but now the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.  For most of the conflict, Portugal enjoyed virtually unchallenged air supremacy, and increasingly based its strategy on this advantage.  The Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa, abbreviated FAP) consequently played a crucial role in the Guinean war. Indeed, throughout the conflict, the FAP – despite the many challenges it faced – proved to be the most effective and responsive military argument against the PAIGC, which was fighting for Guinea's independence.

The air war for Guinea is unique for historians and analysts for several reasons. It was the first conflict in which a non-state irregular force deployed defensive missiles against an organised air force. Moreover, the degree to which Portugal relied on its air power was such that its effective neutralisation doomed Lisbon's military strategy in the province.  The FAP's unexpected combat losses initiated a cascade of effects that degraded in turn its own operational freedom and the effectiveness of the increasingly air-dependent surface forces, which felt that the war against the PAIGC was lost. The air war for Guinea thus represents a compelling illustration of the value – and vulnerabilities – of air power in a counter-insurgency context, as well as the negative impacts of overreliance on air supremacy.

Volume 1 of Sanctuary Lost is extensively illustrated with photographs and specially commissioned colour artworks.

 

"If you enjoy replicating aircraft from ‘dust-ups’ around the globe, Helion & Company has launched a brand-new book series exploring the Portuguese Guinea situation… Sanctuary Lost: Portugal’s Air War For Guinea 1961-1974. The first instalment is Volume 1: Outbreak and Escalation (1961-1966). Replete with period imagery, this 92-page softback begins with an historical overview of Guinea’s control by Portugal, but then quickly describes the rise of nationalist fervour and how this was countered by Portugal’s air assets (working in conjunction with ground troops)......Helion’s book offers heaps of reference in its first volume, and will arguably only provide much more with subsequent instalments on this interesting conflict." KeyModelWorld.com

"It's a fascinating account of a second-rate power with first-rate expectations trying to hold onto its distant colonies with minimal resources and assets." The Historical Miniatures Gaming Society

"This is an interesting read and a story which has been largely overlooked as the events in Angola (another Portuguese colony) and Vietnam attracted much more attention. So much history to learn and this is another good addition to the Africa @ War series of books. For aircraft modellers there is a really good mix of aircraft types involved, and with the thought of making models in Portuguese markings will I think make a very tempting theme for a 'different' collection group." Robin Buckland, Military Model Scene

"This is an informative and motivating book covering another little known Cold War/African Colonial War campaign that is a welcome addition to modelers and historian bookshelves." IPMS/USA

"The authors have done a superlative job of covering this conflict from its initial troubles up until it was a major conflict. Thanks to the use of quite a few maps, we are able to see how things progressed as the years went by." ModelingMadness.com

“Clearly written, competently researched, and thoroughly annotated, coverage neatly divides into five sections – commencing with two background chapters.” Cybermodeler

"This volume is well researched, contains excellent images and graphics, and presents extensive discussions of all aspects of the campaign." The Journal of the Air Force Historical Foundation 

"...I would recommend both for the average reader and the scientific researcher to read the book to get acquainted with the area and its conflicts."  Journal of Central and Eastern European African Studies Vol. 4 No. 1