A bitter harvest that is still in the process of being reaped.
|
I purchased this book following the death of Ian Smith. I had read a number of obituaries in the British press, some of which were more sympathetic to the man than others. I was curious to learn more about the so-called "Great Betrayal" of the title. I was already familiar with "the dreadful aftermath" as Zimbabwe is rarely out of the news these days.
Like many Rhodesians, Ian Smith interrupted his studies in 1939 to leave the safety of Southern Africa to fight for Britain in the Second World War. Smith explains that Rhodesia did more to help Britain than any other colony and it is clear that this was central to his sense of betrayal by post-war British governments - in particular the Labour government of Harold Wilson.
He reminisces about a Rhodesia where the white minority were `more British than the British.' Independently-minded, patriotic, courageous and family-orientated with a frontier-style `can-do' attitude. It was a society increasingly out of step with the mother country's soppy, soft-leftism and `progressive' politics. To Smith and the Rhodesians it seemed that the West had become decadent and no longer had the will to stand up to Communism. Rhodesia, along with South Africa was right on the front line in this battle and, as Smith explains here, the Rhodesians saw themselves as fighting not just for their own existence, but for the survival of Western Christian civilisation itself. He argues that the black majority were simply not yet ready to take over the reigns of power in the way the British wanted and were not politically aware enough to resist the lure of the Soviet sponsored infiltrators and agitators who were pouring down the African continent and into Rhodesia. Smith claims he wanted evolution not revolution and that, in time, majority rule was desirable but not at the cost of ruining one of the most prosperous and peaceful societies in Southern Africa by sacrificing it to Communism.
Britain's Labour Party disagreed and dared Smith to do his worst. Smith declared UDI, and sanctions - and a bitter civil war against Marxist insurgents followed. The Rhodesians gave a good account of themselves and, even though under sanctions, fought on for many years. The withdrawl of South African support [ a further betrayal according to Smith] made the situation untenable - leading to the 1980 elections when Mugabe's Marxist Zanu-PF swept to power. Ian Smith had the satisfaction of seeing many of the predictions he made in this book come true, but it is the sense of betrayal and treachery that leaves the strongest impression on the mind of the reader of this book.
|
|
|
United States | 
United Kingdom | 
Canada