Black Soldiers in the Rhodesian Army
Colonialism, Professionalism, and Race
Part of African Studies
- Author: M. T. Howard, University of Oxford
- Date Published: February 2024
- availability: Available
- format: Hardback
- isbn: 9781009348447
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During Zimbabwe's war of liberation (1965–80), fought between Zimbabwean nationalists and the minority-white Rhodesian settler-colonial regime, thousands of black soldiers volunteered for and served in the Rhodesian Army. This seeming paradox has often been noted by scholars and military researchers, yet little has been heard from black Rhodesian veterans themselves. Drawing from original interviews with black Rhodesian veterans and extensive archival research, M. T. Howard tackles the question of why so many black soldiers fought steadfastly and effectively for the Rhodesian Army, demonstrating that they felt loyalty to their comrades and regiments and not the Smith regime. Howard also shows that units in which black soldiers served – particularly the Rhodesian African Rifles – were fundamental to the Rhodesian counter-insurgency campaign. Highlighting the pivotal role black Rhodesian veterans played during both the war and the tumultuous early years of independence, this is a crucial contribution to the study of Zimbabwean decolonisation.
Read more- Uses original and ground-breaking oral history research with black Rhodesian veterans
- Offers a bold argument that explains why black soldiers fought for the Rhodesian army
- Provides original insight into the role played by black Rhodesian Army veterans during the early years of Zimbabwean independence
Reviews & endorsements
'Black Soldiers is an important contribution to the burgeoning literature on violence in late-colonial Africa. It rightly insists that we give proper consideration to agency, nuance, and complexity when attempting to understand the actions and ideas of actors embroiled in the wars of decolonisation. This book must be read by anyone interested in Zimbabwe's path to independence and the wider issues of violence and the role of the military during decolonisation in Africa.' Daniel Branch, University of Warwick
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×Product details
- Date Published: February 2024
- format: Hardback
- isbn: 9781009348447
- length: 308 pages
- dimensions: 235 x 159 x 22 mm
- weight: 0.6kg
- availability: Available
Table of Contents
Contents
List of Figures
Preface
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction – The Loyalties of Colonial Soldiers
2. The Creation of Black Rhodesian Soldiers' Regimental Loyalties
3. 'The Rhodesian Army was the Best in Everything': The Professionalism of Black Rhodesian Soldiers
4. Racism and Soldierly Loyalty During the War
5. The Impact of the War Upon Soldierly Loyalties
6. 'They Just Follow the Government of the Day': The Politics of 'Apolitical' Black Rhodesian Soldiers
7. A New 'Government of the Day' Dawns: The Loyalties of 'Formers' in Zimbabwe, 1980–1981
Conclusion: The Loyalties of Professionals
References, Index.
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