1. When was the CAF founded? Why was the CAF founded?
Rhodesia’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence C aim – to explain what this was, why it occurred and people’s reactions to it B/A aim – to explain the UDI, its reasons, the reactions, and whether the right steps were taken
Recap questions....
What was the CAF?
When was the CAF founded?
Why was the CAF founded?
What were the strengths and weaknesses of the CAF?
When and where did the CAF dissolve?
Why did the CAF dissolve?

2. What do you think the UDI was. Where do you think it referred to
What do you think the UDI was? Where do you think it referred to? Why do you think it was declared?

3. It’s all in the name...
Southern Rhodesia to....

4. Create a voice-over for this clip.
On 11 November 1965 Southern Rhodesia made a unilateral declaration of independence from the United Kingdom proposed by the Rhodesian Front government led by Prime Minister Ian Smith. They clearly did this with the intention of maintaining white minority rule and multi-racialism. Britain would not have allowed this under Macmillan whilst Southern Rhodesia was still in the empire.
It is thought that Rhodesia did this as Wilson had publicly said he would not use force to stop them doing this due to British ‘kith and kin’ living in Southern Rhodesia. Wilson didn’t want to rattle relations with South Africa, who supported this UDI of Southern Rhodesia, as they were a crucial trading partner due to their geographic position. Wilson also did not believe that Smith would actually declare Rhodesia’s independence due to the international hardships it would encounter – he thought it was just a strong negotiating technique – turns out he was wrong.
Rhodesia was criticised internationally and faced economic, cultural and trade sanctions. Britain was also criticised for apparently letting independence happen despite it not following their own policy on “no independence before majority African rule”. The Commonwealth particularly criticised Britain. The Conservatives attacked Labour at home.
Create a voice-over for this clip.
You must include
What the UDI was
Why the Rhodesians felt they had to declare it
Rhodesian UDI Flag raising

5. Write your own declaration of independence.
Write a black nationalists reaction to the declaration of independence.
Write a British reaction to the declaration of independence from a journalist.

6. Rhodesian relations What sanctions were there?
Were these sanctions effective?
How would these affect Rhodesia?
How would you describe Rhodesia’s international relations?
Sanctions were enforced on Rhodesia due to their commitment to white minority rule and to try to make the Rhodesian Bush War end.
UN officials branded Ian Smith's government as an "illegal racist minority regime“ and called on member states to sever economic ties with Rhodesia, recommending sanctions on petroleum products and military hardware. In December 1966, these measures became mandatory, extending to bar the purchase of Rhodesian tobacco, chrome, copper, asbestos, sugar, meat, and hides.
In 1966 Britain decided to from an embargo on Mozambique to stop oil getting into Rhodesia. They did not want to start a war with Rhodesia though.
Some nations, such as Switzerland, and West Germany, which were not UN members, conducted business legally with Rhodesia - the latter remained the Smith government's largest trading partner in Western Europe until Japan continued to accept more Rhodesian exports than any other nation, and Iran provided oil. The Portuguese government marketed Rhodesian products as its own, via false certificates of origin and disguised trade channels. South Africa openly refused to observe the UN sanctions.  A 1971 amendment passed in the United States permitted American firms to go on importing Rhodesian chromium and nickel as normal.
Despite the poor showing of sanctions, Rhodesia found it nearly impossible to obtain diplomatic recognition abroad. In 1970, the U.S. government had made it clear that the UDI would not be recognised "under [any] circumstances". Even Smith's ideological allies in Pretoria, although sympathetic, failed to recognise the new country on an equal level.

7. What were British-Rhodesian relations like from 1966 to 1969?
In 1966 Ian Smith and Harold Wilson met on HMS Tiger in the Mediterranean after Wilson had enforced the oil embargo on Rhodesia for a few months. Britain still said one man one vote must be enforced. The Rhodesians refused to accept this and the talks broke down.
They then met in 1968 on HMS Fearless off Gibraltar, for similar reasons, and the talks again broke down.
By 1969 the Rhodesians decided they could never work with the British again. At this point they still had some minor trading ties – even the British enforced sanctions- and the British queen was officially the head of their constitution as they hoped to reach an agreement with the British government on voting. They held a referendum on whether to cut all these remaining ties. It passed with a large majority and all remaining ties were cut.

8. What were British-Rhodesian relations like?
In 1971 the British foreign secretary Douglas-Home arrived in the Rhodesian capital after leaders of neighbouring countries felt threatened with the amount of Chinese and Soviet weapons coming through their countries. Smith agreed to give greater rights to Black Africans in return for Britain accepting the new Rhodesian constitution without the queen as the head of government and with a multiracial voting system, which the neighbouring countries were also happy with. However, when the British questioned the black Rhodesians they found, unsurprisingly that none of them believed this new agreement. The National front (white settler political party in Rhodesia) refused to put it to a universal referendum. Instead a committee was appointed to investigate the public’s opinion of it. Because none of the black Rhodesians believed it this was noted as a negative perception of the agreement. Based on this white minority rule stayed.
What were British-Rhodesian relations like?

9. List the different reactions to the UDI.

10. Why did white minority rule last for so long in Rhodesia?

11. Homework – due Thursday
Read chapter and answer questions