Rhodesian propaganda war
Encyclopedia
The Rhodesian propaganda war was an information and political warfare campaign between the ZANU/ZAPU political parties, the British Commonwealth and Ian Smith
's Rhodesian Front
(RF). Beginning in 1965, the Rhodesia
n government implemented a coordinated strategic information and public diplomacy campaign that included propaganda
, censorship
, and psychological operations to both appeal to the black majority in Rhodesia
and gain the support of the British commoners.
efforts began in October 1965, months before Ian Smith's declaration of independence through the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) from the British with the publishing and dissemination of a pamphlet titled Rhodesia's Case for Independence. Pamphlets were distributed both in Rhodesia and overseas in Britain. The goal of the pamphlet was to counter British claims that the Smith government was an illegal government that lacked legitimacy under the NIBMAR provision. The pamphlets appealed directly to the British people to “support Rhodesians in their hour of need.”
Specially printed air-letters were distributed to households in areas with high European-connected populations throughout Rhodesia, which they could post to friends and contacts abroad. The air-letters would include a pre-printed message in support of the Rhodesian government with space for the sender to include a personal note. Leaflets were prepared alleging that the British Government and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) were involved in subversive broadcasts to Rhodesia through Zambian radio waves. A number of patriotic organizations including the Rhodesian Front party and the Candour League were encouraged to write to friends overseas and explain Rhodesia's position.
In February 1966, the Rhodesian government expanded its efforts to the United States. They opened an Information Office in Washington and began disseminating bumper stickers displaying the slogan "Support Rhodesia." When both the United Nations and the US government placed sanctions
on Rhodesia, the Rhodesian Information Office continued to operate with support from front groups including “The Friends of Rhodesia” (a U.S.-based lobby closely linked to the Rhodesian Information Office) and the “American Rhodesian Association” (a U.S.-based pro-internal settlement force supported by the political Right).
The RF also engaged in black propaganda
efforts. Pamphlets purported to come from the "Tudor Rose Society for the Protection of the British Way of Life" (which was later found non-existent) but in fact prepared by the Rhodesians, were posted in England to electors. Some Royal Air Force
s personnel in Zambia received copies of a circular letter purporting to come from an organization called "the British Forces Friends of Rhodesia Association" and headed by a secret group of senior British officers. The letter warned against orders to go into action against "kith and kin in Rhodesia."
(ZANU) led by Robert Mugabe
and ZIPRA
, the military branch of the Zimbabwe African People's Union
(ZAPU) led by Joshua Nkomo
, rose up against Smith's minority government. ZANLA and ZIPRA
forces began infiltrating Rhodesia, committing acts of terrorism against white-owned farms. The Rhodesian Front received intelligence that ZANLA fighters were operating out of the Chiweshe Tribal Trust Area. Tribal trust areas were large tracts of land prescribed by law to be used and occupied exclusively by the black population of the area.
In response to the violence perpetuated by the ZANLA fighters in the Chiweshe Tribal Trust, the Rhodesian Front created protected villages
. Smith’s government attempted to relocate 45,000 people and their houses, belongings and livestock, but they were unable to mobilize. Protected villages quickly proved insufficient, forcing people to live without access to food (stores and grinding mills were closed), clean water, or toilets. Shelter was limited and as the cold season arrived, people continuously died from exposure. The Smith government asserted that these conditions were forced by the violence of the ZANLA forces, and that the lack of adequate accommodations was simply caused by their inability to build the infrastructure quickly enough.
ZANU and ZAPU united and became the “Patriotic Front”. Together they began infiltrating Rhodesia, committing acts of terrorism against Rhodesians particularly in the protected villages, with many of the forces living in these protected village as a form of cover. ZANLA and ZIPRA violence escalated to include murder, rape, abduction, torture, beatings, robberies, and cattle-maimings. This escalation in violence and subsequent civil war became known as the Rhodesian Bush War
.
. Rhodesian cameras were banned from protected villages. At the same time, propaganda was being circulated to discourage Rhodesians from talking about conditions inside of the country. Brightly-colored stickers were distributed throughout the country and posted in restaurants and bars. They consisted of a series of slogans focused around self-censorship
including:
"Your Tongue Could Pull a Trigger. Think about national security, don't talk about it." Others included "Women's Lib is One Thing, Women's Lip is Another," "What You've Said May Blow Up a Truck," and "An Open Mouth Makes a Big Target. Think about national security, don't talk about it."
. The book drew parallels between the Chinese push for Communism in Vietnam, their success in other African countries, and their pursuit of the same goal in Rhodesia through monetary support and training of the ZANU terrorist forces. “The terrorists who have recently been shot or captured in Rhodesia were all thoroughly indoctrinated with the communist ideology. They carried the literature of Mao Tse Tung and more important, they were armed with modern automatic rifles and machine guns of communist manufacture as well as explosives, grenades and powerful bazookas. In fact, recent Australian visitors have been surprised to find that the weapons being used against Rhodesia are of the same pattern as those being used against Australians, New Zealanders and Americans in Vietnam." To make the case for Western involvement, the booklet continues: "Should Rhodesia, Mozambique and Angola succumb to communist domination, the southern coast of Africa would follow and the lifeline between the Western powers and the Far East would be cut.”
Propaganda efforts backfired when Rhodesians who voluntarily joined the opposition forces returned to their villages unharmed. According to senior members of the 1st Psychological Operations Unit, the unit was creating their propaganda based on false intelligence. The Rhodesians began to realize that the information presented in the leaflets was false and therefore began to mistrust their government.
As a final effort, PSYOP forces resorted to reporting messages from the spirits to gain credibility with rural tribes. “Mhondoro, your tribal spirit, has sent a message to say that your ancestral spirits are very dissatisfied with you. As a result of this, there has been no rain, your crops have died and there could be great famine. It is only the Government which can help you, but you have you realize your obligation to help the government also." Efforts were unsuccessful, as the source of the propaganda had already lost all credibility.
Ian Smith
Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...
's Rhodesian Front
Rhodesian Front
The Rhodesian Front was a political party in Southern Rhodesia when the country was under white minority rule. Led first by Winston Field, and, from 1964, by Ian Smith, the Rhodesian Front was the successor to the Dominion Party, which was the main opposition party in Southern Rhodesia during the...
(RF). Beginning in 1965, the Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
n government implemented a coordinated strategic information and public diplomacy campaign that included propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
, censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
, and psychological operations to both appeal to the black majority in Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
and gain the support of the British commoners.
Rhodesian Propaganda Efforts in the West
White propagandaWhite propaganda
White propaganda is propaganda which truthfully states its origin. It is the most common type of propaganda. It generally comes from an openly identified source, and is characterized by gentler methods of persuasion than black propaganda and grey propaganda...
efforts began in October 1965, months before Ian Smith's declaration of independence through the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) from the British with the publishing and dissemination of a pamphlet titled Rhodesia's Case for Independence. Pamphlets were distributed both in Rhodesia and overseas in Britain. The goal of the pamphlet was to counter British claims that the Smith government was an illegal government that lacked legitimacy under the NIBMAR provision. The pamphlets appealed directly to the British people to “support Rhodesians in their hour of need.”
Specially printed air-letters were distributed to households in areas with high European-connected populations throughout Rhodesia, which they could post to friends and contacts abroad. The air-letters would include a pre-printed message in support of the Rhodesian government with space for the sender to include a personal note. Leaflets were prepared alleging that the British Government and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) were involved in subversive broadcasts to Rhodesia through Zambian radio waves. A number of patriotic organizations including the Rhodesian Front party and the Candour League were encouraged to write to friends overseas and explain Rhodesia's position.
In February 1966, the Rhodesian government expanded its efforts to the United States. They opened an Information Office in Washington and began disseminating bumper stickers displaying the slogan "Support Rhodesia." When both the United Nations and the US government placed sanctions
Sanctions
Sanctions, plural of sanction, permission depending on context; contronym; may also refer to:Involving countries:* Economic sanctions, typically a ban on trade, possibly limited to certain sectors such as armaments, or with certain exceptions .*Trade sanctions, a type of economic sanction applied...
on Rhodesia, the Rhodesian Information Office continued to operate with support from front groups including “The Friends of Rhodesia” (a U.S.-based lobby closely linked to the Rhodesian Information Office) and the “American Rhodesian Association” (a U.S.-based pro-internal settlement force supported by the political Right).
The RF also engaged in black propaganda
Black propaganda
Black propaganda is false information and material that purports to be from a source on one side of a conflict, but is actually from the opposing side. It is typically used to vilify, embarrass or misrepresent the enemy...
efforts. Pamphlets purported to come from the "Tudor Rose Society for the Protection of the British Way of Life" (which was later found non-existent) but in fact prepared by the Rhodesians, were posted in England to electors. Some Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
s personnel in Zambia received copies of a circular letter purporting to come from an organization called "the British Forces Friends of Rhodesia Association" and headed by a secret group of senior British officers. The letter warned against orders to go into action against "kith and kin in Rhodesia."
Media Censorship
As the Rhodesian government prepared for their autonomy from Britain, they began to limit foreign communication. They began with a weekly radio broadcast prepared by the Ministry of Information, the content of which was “selective and slanted reporting attempted to build up a black picture of the independent African states to the north, combined with an image of Rhodesia, South Africa and the adjacent Portuguese territories as havens of good government and fair play.“ The Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation, a statutory body, was subjected to close Government control. By the end of 1964 Rhodesia Television, an independent commercial station, was taken over by the Government.British Response
When the British became aware of the propaganda being mailed to its citizens from Rhodesia, they began a counter-campaign. The Rhodesia Political Department of the British Commonwealth Relations Office wrote a paper titled "Rhodesia: The Regime's Propaganda Machine and its Operations.” The paper outlined how in May 1964, even before their official declaration of independence, the Rhodesian Government appointed a South African propaganda specialist named Ivor Benson. Benson became a special adviser within the Ministry of Information and it was his task to develop an effective propaganda machine.Political Warfare in the Bush War
In early 1972 ZANLA, the military branch of the Zimbabwe African National UnionZimbabwe African National Union
The Zimbabwe African National Union was a militant organization that fought against the standing government in Rhodesia, formed as a split from the Zimbabwe African People's Union...
(ZANU) led by Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
and ZIPRA
ZIPRA
Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army was the armed wing of the Zimbabwe African People's Union, a political party in Rhodesia. It participated in the Second Chimurenga against white minority rule in the former Rhodesia....
, the military branch of the Zimbabwe African People's Union
Zimbabwe African People's Union
The Zimbabwe African People's Union was a militant organization and political party that fought for the national liberation of Zimbabwe from its founding in 1961 until it merged with the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front in December 1987....
(ZAPU) led by Joshua Nkomo
Joshua Nkomo
Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo was the leader and founder of the Zimbabwe African People's Union and a member of the Kalanga tribe...
, rose up against Smith's minority government. ZANLA and ZIPRA
ZIPRA
Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army was the armed wing of the Zimbabwe African People's Union, a political party in Rhodesia. It participated in the Second Chimurenga against white minority rule in the former Rhodesia....
forces began infiltrating Rhodesia, committing acts of terrorism against white-owned farms. The Rhodesian Front received intelligence that ZANLA fighters were operating out of the Chiweshe Tribal Trust Area. Tribal trust areas were large tracts of land prescribed by law to be used and occupied exclusively by the black population of the area.
In response to the violence perpetuated by the ZANLA fighters in the Chiweshe Tribal Trust, the Rhodesian Front created protected villages
Villagization
Villagization is the resettlement of people into designated villages by government or military authorities....
. Smith’s government attempted to relocate 45,000 people and their houses, belongings and livestock, but they were unable to mobilize. Protected villages quickly proved insufficient, forcing people to live without access to food (stores and grinding mills were closed), clean water, or toilets. Shelter was limited and as the cold season arrived, people continuously died from exposure. The Smith government asserted that these conditions were forced by the violence of the ZANLA forces, and that the lack of adequate accommodations was simply caused by their inability to build the infrastructure quickly enough.
ZANU and ZAPU united and became the “Patriotic Front”. Together they began infiltrating Rhodesia, committing acts of terrorism against Rhodesians particularly in the protected villages, with many of the forces living in these protected village as a form of cover. ZANLA and ZIPRA violence escalated to include murder, rape, abduction, torture, beatings, robberies, and cattle-maimings. This escalation in violence and subsequent civil war became known as the Rhodesian Bush War
Rhodesian Bush War
The Rhodesian Bush War – also known as the Second Chimurenga or the Zimbabwe War of Liberation – was a civil war which took place between July 1964 and December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia...
.
Restricted media
The Rhodesian government again employed tactics of censorshipCensorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
. Rhodesian cameras were banned from protected villages. At the same time, propaganda was being circulated to discourage Rhodesians from talking about conditions inside of the country. Brightly-colored stickers were distributed throughout the country and posted in restaurants and bars. They consisted of a series of slogans focused around self-censorship
Self-censorship
Self-censorship is the act of censoring or classifying one's own work , out of fear of, or deference to, the sensibilities of others, without overt pressure from any specific party or institution of authority...
including:
"Your Tongue Could Pull a Trigger. Think about national security, don't talk about it." Others included "Women's Lib is One Thing, Women's Lip is Another," "What You've Said May Blow Up a Truck," and "An Open Mouth Makes a Big Target. Think about national security, don't talk about it."
Propaganda
In an effort to make the facts known to the outside world, particularly the West, the Rhodesian Government published a series of booklets offering photographic evidence of the terrorist methods used by Patriotic Front military forces:Massacre of the Innocents
A pamphlet released by the Rhodesian Ministry of Information proclaims the strength of the RF security forces and the benefits of the protected villages. “Today, many thousands have taken grateful refuge in protected villages or live in communities protected by the security forces and the para-military wing of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.” It states that the terrorists are scared of the RF, and therefore are pursuing “soft targets”. The piece goes on to reiterate criticism of the British government for not providing support. “Tragically, the villagers are dying in a war they do not want, waged to further a political creed they do not understand or care about.”Red for Danger
The Rhodesian Ministry of Information published a booklet titled "Red for Danger". Hundreds of thousands of copies were dispatched to many different countries and it ranked as a best seller. It identifies ZANU and ZAPU political parties as cover organizations for Communist expansion and was an attempt to elicit the help of Western countries actively pursuing containmentContainment
Containment was a United States policy using military, economic, and diplomatic strategies to stall the spread of communism, enhance America’s security and influence abroad, and prevent a "domino effect". A component of the Cold War, this policy was a response to a series of moves by the Soviet...
. The book drew parallels between the Chinese push for Communism in Vietnam, their success in other African countries, and their pursuit of the same goal in Rhodesia through monetary support and training of the ZANU terrorist forces. “The terrorists who have recently been shot or captured in Rhodesia were all thoroughly indoctrinated with the communist ideology. They carried the literature of Mao Tse Tung and more important, they were armed with modern automatic rifles and machine guns of communist manufacture as well as explosives, grenades and powerful bazookas. In fact, recent Australian visitors have been surprised to find that the weapons being used against Rhodesia are of the same pattern as those being used against Australians, New Zealanders and Americans in Vietnam." To make the case for Western involvement, the booklet continues: "Should Rhodesia, Mozambique and Angola succumb to communist domination, the southern coast of Africa would follow and the lifeline between the Western powers and the Far East would be cut.”
Anatomy of Terror
Anatomy of Terror was a booklet published by the Rhodesian Ministry of Information and circulated by the Rhodesian information office in Washington, D.C. The booklet offers a short summary of the crimes perpetrated by "Communist-trained thugs" followed by a "Chronological Sequence of Terror" which details brutal attacks committed against black Rhodesians from December 1972 to May 1974 and corresponding photographs.Propaganda: Operation Split-Shot
As the war progressed and the Rhodesian government's control diminished, the 1st Psychological Operations Unit of the RF implemented "Operation Split-Shot." Leaflets were distributed to engender fear among the Rhodesian population. The campaign was focused around the theme of "Terror and death is the way of the communist terrorists in Rhodesia." Leaflets depicted ZANLA/ZIPRA recruiters forcing black Rhodesians into training camps, raping women in front of their children, spreading sexually-transmitted diseases, and killing defenseless civilians. These leaflets also depicted military recruits being mistreated and killed by opposition forces.Propaganda efforts backfired when Rhodesians who voluntarily joined the opposition forces returned to their villages unharmed. According to senior members of the 1st Psychological Operations Unit, the unit was creating their propaganda based on false intelligence. The Rhodesians began to realize that the information presented in the leaflets was false and therefore began to mistrust their government.
As a final effort, PSYOP forces resorted to reporting messages from the spirits to gain credibility with rural tribes. “Mhondoro, your tribal spirit, has sent a message to say that your ancestral spirits are very dissatisfied with you. As a result of this, there has been no rain, your crops have died and there could be great famine. It is only the Government which can help you, but you have you realize your obligation to help the government also." Efforts were unsuccessful, as the source of the propaganda had already lost all credibility.