Abstract: | This article compares the major factors that shaped grand strategies of liberation in Eritrea and East Timor by outlining the broad contours of the two struggles for independence, but also by considering the lesser known histories of the inner workings of domination and resistance in both countries. It shows that despite their similar predicaments under Third World colonialism, Eritrean and East Timorese grand strategies of liberation sharply diverged. Operationally surviving domestic, regional and global hostiliy while actively combating the Ethiopian military necessitated, from the Eritrean nationalists' perspective, secrecy, military discipline and independence from outside powers. These characteristics became deeply ingrained among Eritrean cadres during their struggle. For its part, waging simultaneous diplomatic, clandestine and guerrilla war - with leaders physically separated - forced the Timorese movement to become a loose, amorphous body that was also largely dependent on the outside world. Both grand strategies converged again when they aimed to 'conquer' their conquerors as the ultimate test of their victory. Notes, ref., sum. in French and Italian. [ASC Leiden abstract] |