The Rhodesian Bush War, this war turned Rhodesia, from the most successful states, to Zimbabwe, one of, if not the worse African state. Many of you may have not of heard of this war, some of you may have heard of Rhodesia, Dylan Roof had it’s flag on his jacket. Where to start? Oh I should mention, Rhodesia is a favorite for white supremacist and stormfags. I’m not a stormfag, so let’s get this steam rolling, trigger warning lets go. Lets give you war junkies a fix. Now this war was difficult for me, because I needed to research this more, everything was biased. So after much ado, I’m here trying to be objective. If someone knows more than me and I get things s, please tell me so I may correct myself.
In the early 1960s, Rhodesia was a very successful African country. However, there was political unrest in the country. It was no secret that the government was supporting apartheid. What is apartheid? Apartheid is legal segregation, like Jim Crows laws in the US, what South Africa did, and what Israel does right now. Rhodesia was also very successful in the realm of capitalism. I should let you all know, I am writing this in class while wearing my gorka with my hood on, but I am digressing. There was much political turmoil in Rhodesia from the black majority, many of these nationalist, as well as many were communist. The government was able suppress much of the early discourse. A common misconception is that blacks were subjected to extreme racism and this was the factor that led to the war; however, while some social services were segregated, voting was colorblind and the white-run government did provide health, education, and housing services to blacks. The nationalists went to war over white rule and land dispossession.
Many of these groups from January to September 1962 alone, 33 bombings were carried out, in addition to 27 acts of attempted sabotage on communications. In that same period, nationalists were implicated in arson targeting 18 schools and 10 churches. The government soon implemented policies bringing the death sentence to those convicted of terrorism.
Okay, so enough politics, lets get this war starting. There were many groups wanting political power, there was one that was trained in communist states and well funded by those same communist nations as well. One of these groups was called ZANU, or Zimbabwe African National Union, had a military wing called,Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army or ZANILA. When ZANU lost against a Rhodesian Front on July 1964, ZANILA forces assassinated a Rhodesian Front official and the war begins. However, with that said, until 1972, containing the guerrillas was little more than a police action.
The first battle, the Battle of Sinoia, was a fighting with police forces with ZANU and ZANILA forces fought on 28 April 1966. It was actually just 7 rebels against the Rhodesian Police forces in Sinoia, or modern day Chinhoyi. The rebels eventually ran out of ammo and were killed by police, while the police took no causalities.
On 4 July 1964 ZANU insurgents ambushed and murdered a white foreman from Silverstreams Wattle Company, Pieter Johan Andries Oberholzer. The killing made the government step up its efforts and went to arrest ZANU leaders. With many prominent ZANU leaders in prison, militants began attacking Rhodesian officials and civilians.
On 11 November 1965, Britain enacted sanctions on Rhodesia passed the Unilateral Declaration of Independence. This hurt Rhodesia since many UN nations endorsed the sanctions. Rhodesia was unable to receive modern equipment, but was able to get through this by getting some of their equipment from South Africa, smuggling, domestic production, as well as taking equipment from killed militants.
Until the end of the 60s, Rhodesian police forces were still able to quell uprisings and militants crossing the border and terrorizing the country. Was this war about racism? A lot of Africans fought with government forces, a lot of international volunteers helped fight with the Rhodesian government against the communist militants. Why did many say this war was about racism? Because they think it was the whites hating the blacks, when it was actually both whites and blacks attempting to keep their way of life.
Rhodesian forces were quite successful in suppressing rebel activity until the latter months of 1971, the black nationalist factions united and formed a coalition which became known as the Joint Guerrilla Alliance to Overthrow the Government. On 21 December 1972 a few militants attacked Altena Farm. They caused much damaged, and only injured the owner’s daughter. Rhodesia's political and military position appeared to be a strong one. Nationalist guerrillas had been unable to make serious military inroads against Rhodesia.
Rhodesian forces were quite successful in suppressing rebel activity until the latter months of 1971, the black nationalist factions united and formed a coalition which became known as the Joint Guerrilla Alliance to Overthrow the Government. On 21 December 1972 a few militants attacked Altena Farm. They caused much damaged, and only injured the owner’s daughter. Rhodesia's political and military position appeared to be a strong one. Nationalist guerrillas had been unable to make serious military inroads against Rhodesia.
Later on, when more and more militants entered the country or took arms against the government recreating guerilla warfare tactics, the government rounded up many villages and put them in protected villages, much like the US did in Vietnam to limit militant influence on the locals. However, the militants called the villages as concentration camps. 27 July 1974, Operation Overload, this operation resulted in the movement about 50,000 people into twenty-one protected villages in the Chiweshe Tribal Trust Land. The movement resulted in the deaths of a few of the people being moved.
However, from 1974 to 75, Portuguese rules in Mozambique collapse. It was apperant to the Rhodesian government that it was no longer possible to sustain the white minority rule forever. Even the South African government saw this in their own country. On August 5, 1976 ZANILA forces crossed into Rhodesia. These militants attacked a military base, and killed four soldiers in a mortar attacks. In retaliation, the Rhodesians started Operation Eland, send 84 commandos across the border to Nyadzonya in Mozambique on August 6, 1976. The commandos killed over 1,028, even though official Rhodesian figures claimed 330 enemy combatants.
Another operation conducted by Rhodesian forces was Operation Dingo located in Chimoio and Tembue, Mozambique. 200 Rhodesian forces went against 10,000 guerrillas/trainees. Rhodesian forces had the advantage of using their Air Force. It was pretty ****** up, but brilliant tactics. The Rhodesian sent an airliner to confuse air warnings and brought out militants. What happened afterwards, combat planes came afterwards and killed many militants. Only 8 Rhodesians were casualties, in contrast of at lease 8,000 militant casualties.
There were terrorist bombings and attacks that many black and white people were killed or wounded by militants. Two of the most horrendous acts were the bombing of Salisbury Woolsworths bombing, which 11 people, both black and white, were killed by ZANILA forces. The second incident was Air Rhodesia Flight 825. On September 3, 1978 a group of ZANILA militants fired a Strela 2 Shoulder fire SAM. The plane was shot down, and of the 56 on board, 38 died in the crash, 10 more were massacred when the militants arrived, only 8 survived. Actually, I’m lying there was another incident similar to the Air Rhodesia Flight 825, because on 2 February 1979, Air Rhodesia Flight 827, when it took off, it could not reach the altitude ceiling of shoulder SAMs. All 59 in the plane died as a result.
Okay, so I’m going to have to cut this short, but after two more operations, both Rhodesian success, and both being called Operation Uric and Miracle. Politics now, let’s be clear, even Margaret Thatcher support the Rhodesian government but she was force to push them to stop the fighting. The US and even South Africa urged Rhodesia to stop and give majority rule. Rhodesia was very successful, very progressive even by their standards. Women’s right, and colorblind elections, however, the push for majority rule was great, and eventually after much negotiations and talks, when the black majority came into control, they renamed the country Zimbabwe, and was officially recognized by the international community. And you want to know what happened after the whites lost control? It. ******.Up. The economy crashed, whites were murdered or rape, the country fell into hard times, and it still remains this way. Rhodesia did not go out with a bang but a whimper. Also, I’m not condoning Rhodesia, they did ****** up things, the militants did ****** up things, there were no right or wrong like in most wars.
