Why were the sides in the Nigerian Civil War so weird? (Short Animated Documentary)

Summary by Krater

This video examines why foreign powers took contradictory sides during the Nigerian Civil War, exploring the motivations behind the support given to Nigeria and the breakaway region of Biafra by the UK, USA, USSR, France, China, and Israel.

From the video

Answers: Why did the Nigerian Civil War have such weird sides?

• Nigerian Civil War
• Biafra secession
• Cold War foreign intervention
• Oil interests in Nigeria
• Geopolitics of post-colonial Africa

What it concludes

• Britain supported the Nigerian government primarily to protect its oil interests and investments.
• The USA provided tacit approval to Britain and avoided direct involvement to prevent expanding Soviet influence in Africa.
• The USSR supplied planes and aid to Nigeria to gain political and economic influence and outmaneuver Britain and the US.
• France, China, and Israel supported Biafra largely for geopolitical, economic, and regional strategic reasons rather than moral ones.