Zimbabwe nationalism origins

Cecil Rhodes/British South African Company (2)

given charter to exploit South Africa’s resources

white people immigrated from Europe and forced the Zimbabweans to work (apartheid state)

1908 White Agricultural Policy

white people set up farms and built cities for themselves and forced the Ndebele and Shona to work for them

Shona groups (3)

not unified in 1 kingdom

paid tribute to the Ndebele

personified Ndebele as barbarian and Britain had to “rescue” the Shona

Ndebele Kingdom (2)

small group of newcomers

King Lobengula signed away their land to the British

rudd concession

King Lobengula of the Ndebele bought guns from the Portuguese and signed away Shona and Ndebele land

1912 land bank

distributed land to white settlers, land wasn’t available to black settlers

first chimurenga (1896-1898) (4)

Shona and Ndebele rose up against white settlers

caused by British land occupation, forced labor in farms and mines, forced taxes on land, locusts, cattle plague

result: Shona and Ndebele defeated, leaders captured and executed

defeated bc lack of unity, interior weapons, weren’t trained

WWI (2)

by 1914 25,000 white settlers dominated under BSAC

white settlers were excited about WWI → 40% of white men volunteered

referendum

direct vote from voters on a policy

1930 land apportionment act (3)

51% of best land or Rhodesians (10% population)

49% of worst land for Zimbabweans (“reserves”)

land division caused extensive overfarming (as reserves were overcrowded) resulting in sever ecological damage and famine

1951 land husbandry act (4)

divided the communally owned land into individually owned plots

only adult males and widows could own land

forced others to work in towns and white commercial farms

led to poverty and poor living conditions

Zimbabweans Great Depression (3)

forced to grow cash crops

overuse of land lead to famine

forced to pay export taxes and if you didn’t you had to work 23 days on road construction

Rhodesians Great Depression (3)

thrived during depression

allowed to make money from mineral rights

maize control ordinance: restricted the output of maize produced by Zimbabweans to help white farmers compete

1939 blendisole commission (4)

Britain investigates the issue of combining three colonies (Greater Rhodesia)

united Southern Rhodesia, Nyasaland, and Northern Rhodesia

supported by white settlers bc more copper and prevented political organizing

not supported by Zimbabweans bc it would lead to the extension of racial segregation to the north

godfrey huggins (2)

Rhodesian prime minister

very racist proponent of minority rule

WWII (6)

empire training scheme: British commonwealth and white settlers trained to become allied airman →doubled white population

British propaganda used to entice Africans to “volunteer” → hypocrisy leads to African nationalism and political resistance

worldwide disapproval of racism and greater awareness of human rights, Britain and US support for self-determination

Zimbabweans hoped war end meant end of colonization and white domination

Rhodesians thought they would get sympathy/support for supplying troops and wouldn’t have to decolonize

created economic boom: growth of white commerical farming and manufacturing industries led to need for labor

1959 unlawful organizations act

banned Black political organiations

1960 wind of change speech (3)

change is coming to Africa

Zimbabweans will rule Africa, not Europeans → gain support during Cold War

UK prime minister gave this speech in South Africa

Southern Rhodesian African National Congress

formed in 1934 but only appealed to the educated elite

central African federation (3)

union of Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia, and Nyasaland

Rhodesians anted to create an economically powerful, white controlled state → fueled by election of conservative gov

encouraged white immigration and strengthened white hold on power

welfare association sand independent African churches

voting rights for Africans, educational and social reforms

industrial and commercial workers’ union (ICU)

improved working conditions for Zimbabweans

challenges of early nationalist movements (2)

organizations were regional and cautious/conservative

failed to gain mass followings and only appealed to the educated elite

factors hindering development of black political organizations (4)

Zimbabweans could only live in reserves of land owned by Rhodesians

hard to facilitate political activity in these rural areas

poor education standards deprived black workers

segregationist and repressive policies o the gov

cold war impacts (3)

black soldiers fought with some equality alongside whites and couldn’t revert back to their segregated status

caused the removal of SRANC and many strikes

colonial affairs became secondary to USSR threats → SR became more segregated

SRANC

led by Joshua Nkomo, non-raialism and right of all, support in urban and rural areas

NDP

led by Joshua Nkomo, more active resistance

ZAPU and ZANU struggle _______________ their effectiveness

reduced

breakup of CAF (4)

previous opposition caused the ZANC to form in Northern Rhodesia

Britain feared protests would lead to armed resistance and thought African-led gov’s would solve problems

British commission declared that each colony had the right to secede

Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland did but Southern Rhodesia couldn’t bc it had a white minority gov

UDI (3)

Ian Smith declared Southern Rhodesia an independent nation

never officially recognized by other countries

tipping point: Zimbabweans realized Smith wasn’t open to negotiation so they turned to violence

Rhodesian Front (2)

right wing and racist political party

formed due to increasing protests and acts of resistance

ZAPU leader

Joshua Nkomo

ZAPU supporters (2)

Shona and urban workers in the east

ZAPU army

ZIPRA

ZAPU communist country

USSR

ZANU leaders

Ndabaningi Sithole then Robert Mugabe

ZANU supporters (2)

Ndebele and rural peasantry in the west

ZANU army

ZANLA

ZANU communist country

China

ZANU maoist techniques (2)

created strong powerbase around the peasants so countryside control was impossible

heavily politicized and started attacking white farmsteads

operation hurricane (2)

Rhodesian plan to strike guerilla bases in Zambia and Mozambique and close the border with Zambia

opposed bc it left no room for negotiation and alienated Zambia, which would destabilize the whole region

protected villages

alienated the real population so much that they joined the resistance