[cyborg]

The British wanted to give more landholding rights to black farmers (which the white farmers were not willing to give), and they did not agree with the terms of commonwealth. Ian Smith, although controversial, I probably would have sided more with him than the black marxists like Mugabe. I think Smith realized he was not going to win, and then tried to be diplomatic. People who are under systematic (I hate to use this term!) but... disenfranchisement? no matter what the good that may have come out of it, are hell bent on revenge. Although not every black Rhodesian was against Ian Smith as many fought in his army as Selous Scouts and spies. I am not sure what many of the white farmers expected after years of land grabbing and underpaying laborers. Of course Rhodesia would tumble into a mess because educating blacks was not high on the list, and to turn over a first world African country to the undereducated masses oh well... Too bad. Africans were not really prepared for independence as well as many British holdings in the West Indies.

Same situation with South Africa. South Africa though has way more problems than Rhodesia-Zim, too many different tribal interests, the ANC vs. Inkatha vs. the twelve other dominant tribes in SA.