Rhodesian Bush War Phtotographs

[Alfacentori]

In the late 1980s, Reagan invited Mugabe to the White House and hailed him as a hero. Then in 1994 Mad Bob was Knighted by the Queen. Has the world gone mad? This happened after he killed tens of thousands of Matabeles in 1980 because they disagreed with him. What about the Queen! He was murdering Rhodesians (who were in fact mostly of British descent), blowing up shopping centers, and shooting down civilian aircraft.

Just mind boggling.

True, once he was in they had no choice but to work with him as best as was possible, and there was no way a former 'colonial' power like Britian would criticise an 'African' leader in those days.

Welcome to the Politically Correct world, Britain also had its own problems with the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the Falklands at the time.

His purge of the Matabele, many of whom had worked with the Rhodesian Govt was quietly ignored for the most part. Now 7 million people in Zimbabwe will require food aid this year, out of a population of 12 million and only a few thousand of the white population remain.

And leaders like Thugabe will blame colonialism etc for all the problems of Africa, theres progress for you.

Alfa

[rhodtpr]

In the late 1980s, Reagan invited Mugabe to the White House and hailed him as a hero. Then in 1994 Mad Bob was Knighted by the Queen. Has the world gone mad? This happened after he killed tens of thousands of Matabeles in 1980 because they disagreed with him. What about the Queen! He was murdering Rhodesians (who were in fact mostly of British descent), blowing up shopping centers, and shooting down civilian aircraft.

Just mind boggling.

Sorry Dude...but it was Joshua Nkomo's ZIPRA forces who downed the two Air Rhodesia/Zimbabwe Viscount civilian aircraft Hunyani and Umniati.

Mugabe and ZANLA had nothing to do with it.

[rhodtpr]

I still do not understand how Rhodesia managed to stay for afloat for so long. Being attacked by the enemies from all sides of the border except the South African one. At the same time they had a prosperous country with the best living conditions on the continent. Ian D. Smith is a legend.

I will posit a theory here...subject to revision by any who care to add to it:

the SAS - whom I believe were the most influential organization in both the civilian, military and political sphere in post World War II Sub-Saharen Africa.

[vulcanxm603]

I still do not understand how Rhodesia managed to stay for afloat for so long. Being attacked by the enemies from all sides of the border except the South African one. At the same time they had a prosperous country with the best living conditions on the continent. Ian D. Smith is a legend.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that everyone practically knew everyone else and they were prepared to stay to make the country work. Also you did not have to be scared of the police or the army or a knock on the door at 2am in the morning. Thugs did not roam the streets and take the law into their own hands, nor try to take over the farms.

[KrasotkaJS]

Sorry Dude...but it was Joshua Nkomo's ZIPRA forces who downed the two Air Rhodesia/Zimbabwe Viscount civilian aircraft Hunyani and Umniati.

Mugabe and ZANLA had nothing to do with it.

I am not a dude.


ZANLA and ZIPRA, whats the difference? I don't have a reason to believe Nkomo would do a better job. He was just as corrupt and violent as Mad Bob. Ian Smith should have come down with an iron fist against the nationalists and thrown them into the Zambezi river.

Oh well, it is easy to sit here and give advice. Rhodesia was a nation that deserved to exist and prosper, but the world destroyed it. People like Ian Smith don't come around very often, it would be nice to have a leader like him!

[vulcanxm603]

I am not a dude.


ZANLA and ZIPRA, whats the difference? I don't have a reason to believe Nkomo would do a better job. He was just as corrupt and violent as Mad Bob. Ian Smith should have come down with an iron fist against the nationalists and thrown them into the Zambezi river.

Oh well, it is easy to sit here and give advice. Rhodesia was a nation that deserved to exist and prosper, but the world destroyed it. People like Ian Smith don't come around very often, it would be nice to have a leader like him!

ZANLA - armed wing of ZANU - Chinese & Korean backed. Based in Mozambique during the Rhodesian war.
ZIPRA - armed wing of ZAPU - Russian backed. Based in Zambia during the Rhodesian war.
Both parties were origonally based in Zambia but due to fall outs between them, ZANU moved to Mozambique after FRELIMO took the country over.
Also most of ZANLAs men were from Mashonaland and ZIPRAs men from Matabeleland.

[GETSOME]

I am not a dude.


ZANLA and ZIPRA, whats the difference? I don't have a reason to believe Nkomo would do a better job. He was just as corrupt and violent as Mad Bob. Ian Smith should have come down with an iron fist against the nationalists and thrown them into the Zambezi river.

Oh well, it is easy to sit here and give advice. Rhodesia was a nation that deserved to exist and prosper, but the world destroyed it. People like Ian Smith don't come around very often, it would be nice to have a leader like him!

Under white rule.Africa will always belong and be run by the black man.

[Tempest II]

Prosperity in Rhodesia was for the few. It was achieved by the systematic exploitation of the majority. Business was "successful" bacause labour cost nothing. Unfortunately Mugabe has not done his people/race any good - he has just given ammunition to "the oppostion".

There is a good read here on how "Rhodesia prospered" http://newzim.proboards86.com/index....&thread=135873 !

Here is another article: http://www.jstor.org/pss/1166594?cookieSet=1

[JTF60]

This thread has been a wealth of information for me, and I can say i am appaled at the treatment that Rhodesia received from the rest of the world. And after reading a recent article in Soldier of Fortune about the CIA and Jimmy Carter's possible hand in bringing Mugabe to power it is just horrible to even contemplate.

Thanks you for shareing your personal accounts and photos in here with all of us.

[KrasotkaJS]

[Pidyon Shevuyim]

I highly suggest buying The Saints dvd that Msasa has.

[KrasotkaJS]

Prosperity in Rhodesia was for the few. It was achieved by the systematic exploitation of the majority. Business was "successful" bacause labour cost nothing. Unfortunately Mugabe has not done his people/race any good - he has just given ammunition to "the oppostion".

There is a good read here on how "Rhodesia prospered" http://newzim.proboards86.com/index....&thread=135873 !

Here is another article: http://www.jstor.org/pss/1166594?cookieSet=1

In 1900 the African population of Rhodesia was 300,000. By 2008 it was 12 million with 3 million refugees living outside! This is a huge level of population growth in a relatively short time. Of course back then, many Africans could've survived with tiny farms. They would not handle the demand for food, water and other things with such a population growth. The only answer was commercial farming, which Africans never could do. Rhodesia was relatively well off. The moment the White farmers left, it became a hungry nation.

[KrasotkaJS]

I highly suggest buying The Saints dvd that Msasa has.

I want to buy the book Selous Scouts: Top Secret War, but it is expensive and hard to find.

[Tempest II]

In 1900 the African population of Rhodesia was 300,000. By 2008 it was 12 million with 3 million refugees living outside! This is a huge level of population growth in a relatively short time. Of course back then, many Africans could've survived with tiny farms. They would not handle the demand for food, water and other things with such a population growth. The only answer was commercial farming, which Africans never could do. Rhodesia was relatively well off. The moment the White farmers left, it became a hungry nation.

The census in 1904 showed nearly 1m "rural" Africans. i.e. excluding the ones in the mines, farms and urban centers. See here: http://archive.lib.msu.edu/DMC/Afric...z004002008.pdf

Lower figures are quoted for political reasons. ... ... Don't get me wrong, I am not defending Mugabe at all.

I agree with you on the need for commerciallisation/specialisation and a move away from subsistance.

[GGP]

Tempest, there is no such thing as 'no cost of labour'. In fact the labour cost was relatively high. Typically many manufacturing and industrial operations in Rhodesia employed about 50% more labour than a contemporary European /USA outfit to cater for inefficiency and relatively low tech infrastructure. We had the labour resource, if there wasn't this resource we would have had to invest in better automation to produce output.