Book Review The Great Betrayal by Ian Smith

 Ian Smith was the Prime Minister of Rhodesia during the war of liberation known as Chimurenga. He was the man who broke ties with United Kingdom in 1965 under UDI. To some he is a hero and and a vanguard against communism and barbarism. To others he was vicious racist whose hands drip with blood. So it is fair to say he was and still is a controversial figure. To this day, his name is still alive and well amongst both black Zimbabweans and ex-Rhodies. The ruling government Zanu pf continues to blame all the failings on Smith and the Rhodesians whilst some of the younger Zimbabweans feel Smith was right all along and was a prophet who predicted the disaster that black rule would bring. 

Smith seems to have been right about a lot of things but his prophecy about a 1000 year Rhodesia was not fulfilled. After the war that lasted from about 1966 to 1979, Zimbabwe was born and Mugabe and his comrades did not waste time in getting their hands bloody and their pockets full of ill gotten wealth. Gukurahundi, the Ndebele genocide was just the beginning of Zimbabwe's troubles, followed by droughts, corruption scandals, economic downturn, costly military adventures in the Congo, stolen elections, chasing away white farmers and finally millions of Zimbabweans escaping poverty and hunger into South Africa and all over the world. So history has vindicated Ian Smith and he had the last laugh. 

Luckily for historians, Smith wrote his biography The Great Betrayal in 1997. I read it and thoroughly enjoyed the book. The young Ian Smith is a sport enthusiast, a lover of all things British, a brave war pilot who narrowly survived World War 2, a statesman and a politician. He reminds me a lot of Eddard Star from Game of Thrones, an honorable man, perhaps too honorable for his own good. Despite his valiant efforts, Rhodesia was destroyed by communist thugs and many good men died in vain trying to prevent the inevitable black rule. 

Enoch Powell once said that all political careers end in failure. And this is true for Ian Smith. When all its said and done Smith failed to keep Rhodesia alive. After reading his autobiography I had a few thoughts and questions:

Why didnt Ian Smith hang Mugabe when he had the chance? Ian Smith had Mugabe arrested and jailed for eleven years. Why did he not eliminate him when he had the opportunity? Was he afraid of the international community? All of Africa and the world was against Smith and Rhodesia. Offing Mugabe and his other leaders wouldn't have made any difference.

Why didn't Smith just agree to democratic rule and avoided an unneccesary war? To me it seemed, Ian Smith was a relic of a bygone era. He failed to see the changing winds and adapt to it. Smith wanted his cake and wanted to eat it too. He wanted to enjoy the fruits of cheap black labour and deny the black majority full participation in Rhodesian life. The days of colonialism were over and black rule was inevitable. Smith was merely delaying the inevitable and swimming against the tide. If he had granted self rule much earlier like in Northern Rhodesia, many lives could have been saved and the post colonial anti-white sentiments could have been avoided.

Why didn't Ian Smith try to join the Union of South Africa? Okay, that wasnt realistic nor was the offer made but that would have been a better outcome than Mugabe's regime. Rhodesians had been offered the option to join South Africa in 1923 and foolishly said no. Many ex-Rhodies wound up in South Africa anyways so they should have joined South Africa when they had the chance.  

Why didnt Ian Smith try to create a tiny Rhodesian ethnostate? Ian Smith could have tried to create a mini-Rhodesia just like Orania and Western Cape are trying to do today. White Rhodesians only numbered a maximum of 300 000. They did not need to control the whole country. All they needed was a region or province. A three state solution could have been fair. A separate state for Ndebeles in Matabeleland, a state for Shonas and a state for Rhodesians. 

Nevertheless, it is a waste of time to engage in should have, could have games. The past is the past and what's done is done. Rhodesia was a miracle. A handful of gutsy white men created a civilisation out of wilderness in less than a century. It wasnt perfect but it was good enough. There were positives and negatives to colonialism and I feel the positives outweigh the negatives.

Unfortunately, Ian Smith will be remembered as the man who failed Rhodesia despite giving it his all. His autobiography ultimately lays the blame on United Kingdom and South Africa. But when it's all said and done the fault lies at the foot of the Rhodesians. United Kingdom and South Africa were looking out for the own interests and did not owe Rhodesia anything. Perhaps, Rhodesia needed a ruthless Pinochet or Francisco Franco to keep the communist rabble at bay. Maybe Ian Smith was too honorable and too nice of a man to deal with Mugabe and his gang.

With that being said, get a copy of The Great Betrayal. It is a fascinating read though it is a tragedy that makes one sad upon finishing it. 

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Betrayal-Memoirs-Douglas-Smith/dp/1857821769