The Rhodesia Crisis

Question 1

South African Independence (1961)

Answer 1

• South Africa rejected black majority rule and left the Commonwealth
• Moved towards a strict apartheid system with white minority rule over the black majority

Question 2

Modern Rhodesia

Answer 2

• 1964: Northern Rhodesia became independent Zambia and Nyasaland became independent Malawi
• Remaining south of Rhodesia became modern Rhodesia
• Rhodesia did NOT gain independence due to their refusal to replace apartheid with democracy

Question 3

Rhodesian Unilateral Declaration of Independence (1965)

Answer 3

• 1965: Ian Smith (PM of the white minority gov) issued a Unilateral Declaration of Independence for Rhodesia without accepting black majority democratic rule
• Government was declaring independence with the intention of establishing a segregated country like South Africa

Question 4

Wilson’s Response to Rhodesian Independence

Answer 4

• Smith’s action was a direct challenge to Wilson’s government
• Wilson hoped to resolve the matter within a few weeks instead of months through oil sanctions or a negotiated settlement

Question 5

The HMS Tiger Conference (1966)

Answer 5

• Wilson and Smith met off the coast of Gibraltar on the HMS Tiger
• During the conference, progress seemed to be made
• Smith rejected everything he had said once he got back to Rhodesia

Question 6

British Oil Sanctions (1967)

Answer 6

• Britain imposed oil sanctions on Rhodesia to pressure white minority to accept black democratic majority rule
• Sanctions failed, easy for Rhodesia government to get oil supplies through Mozambique as it was a Portuguese colony
• Rhodesia was also still able to trade with South Africa

Question 7

The HMS Fearless Conference (1968)

Answer 7

• Continued talks between Wilson and Smith
• At this point, Smith felt stronger rather than weaker
• Smith believed he could rely on support from right-wing Conservatives, all he had to do was wait for Britain to give in
• Wilson’s diplomacy failed to get him anywhere in Rhodesia
• Rhodesian Crisis made Britain look weak
• Also upset the Commonwealth nations and left-wing Labour

Question 8

The Lancaster House Agreement (1979)

Answer 8

• Robert Mugabe led black African majority when resisting the white minority
• Conflict was named the ‘Bush War’ or the ‘Zimbabwe War of Independence’
• Conflict ended with the Lancaster House Agreement in 1979
• Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) eventually became a dictatorship under Robert Mugabe from 1980-2017