New Africa Book of the Day - 19 July 2014

Bush War Rhodesia 1966-1980, by Peter Baxter

Release Date: July 19, 2014
Publisher: Helion and Company

It has been over three decades since the Union Jack was lowered on the colony of Rhodesia, but the bitter and divisive civil war that preceded it has continued to endure as a textbook counterinsurgency campaign fought between a mobile, motivated and highly trained Rhodesian security establishment and two constituted liberations movements motivated, resourced and inspired by the ideals of communist revolution in the third world.

A complicated historical process of occupation and colonization set the tone as early as the late 1890s for what would at some point be an inevitable struggle for domination of this small, landlocked nation set in the southern tropics of Africa. The story of the Rhodesian War, or the Zimbabwean Liberation Struggle, is not only an epic of superb military achievement, and revolutionary zeal and fervor, but is the tale of the incompatibility of the races in southern Africa, a clash of politics and ideals and, perhaps more importantly, the ongoing ramifications of the past upon the present, and the social and political scars that a war of such emotional underpinnings as the Rhodesian conflict has had on the modern psyche of Zimbabwe.

The Rhodesian War was fought with finely tuned intelligence-gathering and -analysis techniques combined with a fluid and mobile armed response. The practitioners of both have justifiably been celebrated in countless histories, memoirs and campaign analyses, but what has never been attempted has been a concise, balanced and explanatory overview of the war, the military mechanisms and the social and political foundations that defined the crisis. This book does all of that. The Rhodesian War is explained in digestible detail and in a manner that will allow enthusiasts of the elements of that struggle - the iconic exploits of the Rhodesian Light Infantry, the SAS, the Selous Scouts, the Rhodesian African Rifles, the Rhodesia Regiment, among other well-known fighting units - to embrace the wider picture in order to place the various episodes in context

Peter Baxter is author of Biafra: The Nigerian Civil War 1967-1970 (2014), MAU MAU: The Kenyan Emergency 1952-60 (2012), France in Centrafrique: From Bokassa and Operation Barracude to the Days of EUFOR (Kindle edition, 2012), Somalia: US Intervention, 1992-1994 (2012), and other works about recent African military history.

About Sub-Saharan Monitor

This Week's Africa Holidays - Mozambique, Madagascar & Djibouti

This week three African countries celebrate their independence days -- Mozambique yesterday (June 25), Madagascar today (June 26) and Djibouti tomorrow (June 27).

Mozambique
Located in southeastern Africa (where it borders several countries:  Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, with Madagascar across the Mozambique Channel to its southeast.)

Mozambique gained its independence from Portugal in 1975, only to descend into civil war two years later, a conflict that was not ended until 1992. With the advent of a multiparty system, the country became a democracy and has been politically stable for the past two decades. The country's population (as of 2011) is about 24 million.

In his holiday message to the people of Mozambique, U.S. Secretary of State noted his personal ties to the country. (His wife, Teresa, was born and raised in the country.) Said Kerry:

Mozambique is a longstanding partner of the United States. Together, our countries are working to ensure peace, progress, and shared prosperity for all. We are especially proud of our joint efforts to strengthen democracy, promote economic growth, and combat the scourge of wildlife trafficking and other transnational crimes.

Madagascar

The Republic of Madagascar (formerly known as the Malagasy Republic) is located on the fourth-largest island in the world, off the east coast of the African continent in the Indian Ocean. It gained independence from France in 1960 and its 2012 population was about 22 million.

The Malagasy people first arrived from Borneo sometime between 350 BCE and 500 CE. Anthropologists believe this makes Madagascar one of the last land masses to be settled by humans.

Secretary of State Kerry said in a congratulatory independence day message to the people of Madagascar:

This year’s anniversary carries special significance as the first since Madagascar’s return to democratic rule.

We encourage the newly elected government to show its commitment to the Malagasy people by governing with transparency and respect for human rights and the rule of law. In times of crisis, we worked with you to advance the health and well-being of all your citizens. Now, in times of hope and opportunity, we look forward to deepening our partnership for peace and shared prosperity.

Djibouti
The smallest country by land area in Africa, Djibouti occupies a total area of just 8,958 square miles (23,200 square kilometers). It borders Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia and is the home of the only U.S. military base in sub-Saharan Africa, Camp Lemonnier.

First known during the colonial era as French Somaliland, it became the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas in 1967, ten years before Djibouti became independent of France in 1977. Its current population is about 811,000.

To celebrate independence day, shopkeepers decorate their premises with the national colors (blue, green, and white) and the red star of the Djiboutian flag. The people also mark the day with parades, fireworks, concerts, and dances.

This year, at least one foreign dignitary is visiting Djibouti to commemorate the holiday:

Somalia’s Parliament Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari has started a three-day official visit to Djibouti where he will meet members of the government and Members of the Parliament.

Speaker Jawari accompanied by MPs from Somalia Federal Parliament has received a cordial welcome at Djibouti’s International Airport on Tuesday afternoon where he spoke to the local media.