The Struggle for Zimbabwe: The Chimurenga War

Description

On 21 December 1972, soon after Salisbury's Rotary Club heard Ian Smith again pronounce that Rhodesia had the 'happiest Africans in the world', a communiqué from Security Force headquarters announced a guerrilla attack on a remote farm that signalled the beginning of the decisive phase of the war. Seven years later to the day the signing of the Lancaster House agreement brought a ceasefire, a transition from the British colony of Southern Rhodesia to the independent state of Zimbabwe and the beginning of the end of ninety years of white rule. This is the definitive book on the decisive phase of the ‘struggle for Zimbabwe’ — the personalities, the military strategy, the political upheavals and historical processes which led to the election outcome announced on 4 March 1980" From its origins in the ‘scramble for Africa’ the story is traced through the days of the British South Africa Company, the self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia and Federation, the increasing African political activity in the fifties in the face of an increasingly reactionary government to the foundation of ZAPU and ZANU, the inception of the armed struggle in 1966, the course of the war and the various attempts to reach a settlement before the final ceasefire. Published to mark the first anniversary of independence, this book is an authoritative and indispensable document of analysis and record.