I would like to know where you get your facts and data from cause some of it do not correlate, as an ex conscript during this period I can tell you our mothers were well aware that we were bleeding and dying some even encouraged it, there was no greater honor in some South African "Boere" household than to have a son die on the border, we were indoctrinated with a mantra - Vir Volk, God en Vaderland (translated - For our nation, God and our country).
We were always aware that border duty was no walk in the park, you 110% aware you can die at any time, you are constantly reminded about it by your friends and fellow combatants dying.
I remember standing at Ruacana Falls and looking out across the river towards Angola and that the earth seemed to shivering like the skin of somebody with goosebumps, and ground shining like a new coin in the distance, and that was the number of Cuban forces that were amassing on the Angolan side, it was a sea of armored vehicles.
Perhaps later, but during Savannah '75 '76 everything was supposedly hush hush... Some parents of the captured soldiers didn't even know their sons were at the border, let alone fighting Cubans in Angola.
Conscription for every white male had not yet been introduced.
I'm going to go watch Dunkirk now. I spoke to someone on facebook who fought in this war you are talking about. He said war is nothing like the way it is portrayed in movies. I am from Pretoria. How long have you been Steeming?