Rhodesian Politics in the 20th Century UDI and the Drive Towards Freedom free essay sample

Analysis of Rhodesias unilateral declaration of independence under the government of Ian Smith. This paper deals primarily with Rhodesian (modern-day Zimbabwe) politics in the 20th century, specifically that of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) and its ideology. Issues such as the role of ZANU, Cecil Rhodes and the British invasion, and the last one hundred years of Rhodesian history are considered, particularly focusing on the countrys drive towards independence. Cecil Rhodes confrontation with the Ndebele tribe, African resistance groups and their role in fighting for freedom, and Rhodesias long history of British alliance are all discussed as subjects that help to answer the authors thesis. The main question the author tries to answer is: Was Ian Smiths government acting in good intention when declaring illegal independence from Britain? The road to freedom and development in modern day Africa has been a lengthy struggle for the continents nations. We will write a custom essay sample on Rhodesian Politics in the 20th Century: UDI and the Drive Towards Freedom or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Political negotiations, violent uprisings, and anti- European liberation movements were all employed by different African countries at various times, depending on how difficult achieving independence would be. For nations like Tanganyika, independence was obtained through less hectic means; as this countrys primary nationalist movement (Tanganyika African National Union), led by Julius Nyere, won a decisive majority in the 1958 British parliamentary election. TANUs victory coupled with the support they received from several powerful white-settler politicians resulted in independence for this nation, ultimately constructed around a fair and non-racial constitution.