Rhodesian Bush War

From 1964 to 1979 African nationalist guerrillas defeated the white minority regime of Rhodesia, producing the independent state of Zimbabwe in 1980.

Overview

Ian Smith unilateral declaration of independence in 1965 locked a few percent of the population into power over the African majority. ZAPU under Joshua Nkomo and ZANU under Robert Mugabe fought from Zambian and, after 1975, Mozambican bases, with ZANU mobilizing the peasantry through Maoist-style political commissars. Rhodesian forces, skilled in pseudo-operations and cross-border raids, could clear ground but never win legitimacy, and the war spread to the villages and the economy. The 1979 Lancaster House agreement ended the fighting and set elections, which Mugabe won. Independence came in April 1980. The war killed tens of thousands and left unresolved land questions that exploded two decades later.