The forgotten anniversary–and a forgotten hero:

Posted on November 15, 2011 by KG

‘.On 11 November 1965, Ian Smith, prime minister of the British colony of Rhodesia, signed his country’s unilateral declaration of independence, giving birth to a new nation that would, rather heroically, seek to maintain its way of life for the next fifteen years.
..If you want to see the Rhodesia Smith defended, you can watch a video or two on YouTube and see black soldiers (most of the Rhodesian army was black) marching on parade past mostly white civilians, including an official dressed like an 18th-century town crier; you can see the sons of productive farmers and businessmen, who made Rhodesia an economic success, shouldering rifles to defend their homes and their liberties…’  source
Video1       video2

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25 Responses to The forgotten anniversary–and a forgotten hero:

  1. Darin says:
    November 15, 2011 at 14:08

    Sad,a better title would have been Paradise Lost.

  2. oswald bastable says:
    November 15, 2011 at 14:52

    Damned if we aren’t headed in the same direction, even if by a slower path…

  3. Richard says:
    November 15, 2011 at 15:01

    There was a lot of slotting floppies with your iron in those days.

  4. mawm says:
    November 15, 2011 at 15:08

    Smith is the only politician that I can unreservedly say that I have admired.

    I have always liked Rhodesians (of all colours) and to my mind they had an army that, even with limited equipment and manpower, could not be matched in bush war and anti-infiltration skills.

    It is sad to see what was once a beautiful, friendly country become the hell hole it is now. Chalk up another one to Socialism. :evil:

    • Cadwallader says:
      November 15, 2011 at 18:11

      Ian Smith was an honest man, a bit stubborn and not a visionary but worthy of admiration. We’ll never see his like again…unfortunately.

  5. mawm says:
    November 15, 2011 at 17:12

    Kg – I came across the reference below when searching for some info on SADF involvement in Angola. I haven’t explored anything but the Angola bit yet so can’t vouch for the rest.

    http://www.rhodesia.nl/index.html

    Cheers

  6. Katie says:
    November 16, 2011 at 01:25

    Rhodesia under white control was prosperous, healthy, well-fed, and educated. Rhodesia under black control is a basket case.

    Says it all!

  7. Flashman says:
    November 16, 2011 at 03:51

    Ian Douglas Smith was a true patriot, decorated WW2 fighter pilot, an incorruptible honest man [but without an ounce of “side”] and the only politician to ever earn my unqualified admiration.

    A hard-as-nails negotiator with effete, socialist poms of the type exemplified by harold wilson and hugh bottomley , his standard rebuff to their asinine “proposals” was:
    “If my government agrees with this, you will get on an aeroplane back to London and move onto something else next week. However the Rhodesian people will have to live with the unacceptable consequences.”. Ian Smith knew full well that successive pom governments were quite relaxed about throwing Rhodesians under the bus – all the while selling arms to Nigeria waging genocidal war against Biafra and paying Danegeld comprising “other people’s money” to any mendicant African “commonwealth nation” with an outstretched begging bowl – and he made sure that they knew, he knew .

    A thoroughly down down-to-earth bloke, he used to drive himself home for lunch in a standard govt-issue grey Peugeot 404. He once gave me a spontaneous friendly wave when I caught his eye whilst the two of us were waiting at the traffic lights in Salisbury.

    Go Well Smithy.

    • mawm says:
      November 16, 2011 at 04:29

      That old Peugeot has become a legend. I believed he always stopped and greeted people on the sidewalk on the way to his car. Contrast that with the surrounded by security Murgarbage being rushed into one of many fine lomos waiting and the cavalcade being escorted by military transports fulled with troops and out-riders on bikes, etc…..just to go home for lunch.

      I guess it shows the difference between a leader and a murderous parasite..

  8. Flashman says:
    November 16, 2011 at 04:07

    Concerning things Rhodesian:

    To get a feel for the mood of the Bush War, Google or YouTube “Green Leader Raid” and listen to a recording Squadron Leader Chis Dixon [RIP] leading a flight of Rhodesian Air Force Canberras mounting a cluster munitions bombing raid on a terrorist camp outside Lusaka, Zambia. During the transmission you can also pick up the sounds of gunfire and cross-talk from the assault helicopters.

    The Canberras were equipped with the 4x20mm gun pack whilst top cover [in case the Zambians scrambled their Migs] was provided by RhAF Hawker Hunters.

  9. John H says:
    November 16, 2011 at 08:21

    What a man, what a hero KG!!
    Have you read his book Bitter Harvest? Well worth a read.

  10. kowtow says:
    November 16, 2011 at 11:01

    It always appalled me how the British media caricatured his facial features which were war injuries. A disgusting way to portray a war hero.

    But then he was white,middle class and upholding traditional anti Marxist values so he was therefor an enemy and fair game for the media and the Labour/Liberal establishment.They ,the UN etc have done another sterling job on behalf of the new African Marxist elite who have shown what a great job they can do running a country……into the ground.

  11. Darin says:
    November 16, 2011 at 23:08

    Oh thanks for that FN FAL link,reminded me it’s still on my list of guns yet to buy list :mrgreen:
    Dam,the prices have yet to go down,$400 for a kit+$500 for the reciever or $1500 for a running weapon :sad:

  12. Carol-Christian Soldier says:
    November 17, 2011 at 09:04

    thank you so much for the history–
    it is good to ‘meet’ Ian Smith–

    as to ‘under the counter’ guns–sounds like a good idea to me!
    Carol-CS