Chapter 302
Chapter 302
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Fall of Rhodesia
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Rhodesia
Rhodesia's black resistance leader, Robert Mugabe, was born into a poor carpenter's family.
Even in such harsh family circumstances, Mugabe never gave up on his studies and went on to complete university.
Despite becoming a rare university graduate in Africa, he still thirsted for knowledge.
"This education isn't enough."
The intelligent and diligent Mugabe then headed to Fort Hare University in South Africa to major in education.
During this time, he joined the African National Congress, which advocated anti-colonialism, and became active in it.
"Mugabe, you've learned enough—why not teach others?"
It wasn't wrong advice.
Mugabe returned to his hometown and took up a teaching position at a teacher training college.
At this point, Mugabe was the shining success story of Rhodesia's black community—a man who had overcome adversity to become a university professor.
Mugabe himself took pride in these achievements.
But the world didn't treat this successful intellectual Mugabe kindly.
"For a black man, who do you think you are? You're out of your league."
Mugabe felt the white government's discriminatory treatment firsthand and realized this country needed fundamental change.
But how?
What could change this country?
That's when his eyes fell on a pamphlet titled *Korean-Style Democracy*.
The English translation of the book on Korean-style democracy was more than enough to light the way for Mugabe, who had been wandering lost.
"This is it."
Mugabe dove headfirst into the life of Lee Seong-jun, the proponent of Korean-style democracy.
After devouring Lee Seong-jun's biography, Mugabe found the key to transforming Rhodesia.
There was only one way.
Just like Lee Seong-jun, he needed to first organize like-minded supporters who shared the ideology of changing Rhodesia.
Mugabe actively used his position as a professor for this purpose.
He pulled aside black students who seemed sympathetic to his ideas and tested the waters.
"The state of this country is deplorable, of course. But complaining won't change a thing."
"I think so too. Complaining alone changes nothing."
Mugabe gathered these malcontents and formed an organization called the Zimbabwe Enlightenment Movement.
The name evoked educational reform, but the reality was different.
The Zimbabwe Enlightenment Movement's goal was to grow the number of sympathizers opposing the Rhodesian regime.
The Rhodesian white government had no inkling of Mugabe's activities.
"Ah, if blacks had any sense, they'd snitch to us whites."
Under the white regime, Mugabe's Zimbabwe Enlightenment Movement steadily built its strength.
After a few years, even the white authorities vaguely caught wind of Mugabe's Zimbabwe Enlightenment Movement.
"What the hell? When did these guys form this group?"
The white authorities seized on a pretext and threw Mugabe in jail, but this only boosted the black leader Mugabe's reputation.
"Mugabe! Mugabe!"
Mugabe went in and out of prison five or six times a year but never stopped the Zimbabwe Enlightenment Movement.
He even recruited sympathizers from within prison.
This gave the white regime a real headache over the Mugabe problem.
*'If we jail him, he gains supporters; if we don't, he still gains them. What are we supposed to do?'*
After much deliberation, the white government came up with a clever solution.
"Deport him!"
Mugabe was thus exiled to neighboring Mozambique.
But the white government's decision was a blunder.
Mugabe set up base in Mozambique and directed the Zimbabwe Enlightenment Movement remotely from there.
Now that he was across the border, there was little they could do.
"You think a structure where 5% of the population—whites—rules over 95% can last forever? Time is on our side."
After a few more years, Mugabe's Zimbabwe Enlightenment Movement had grown to nearly 200,000 strong.
At this point, Mugabe judged it was time to start the war.
*'No war has a 100% chance of victory. Even General Lee Seong-jun pulled off a near-gambling coup, didn't he?'*
Ahead of the uprising, Mugabe's Zimbabwe Enlightenment Movement changed its name.
"Zimbabwe Liberation Front. That sounds right."
The uprising of Mugabe's Zimbabwe Liberation Front was a terrifying challenge to the Rhodesian white regime.
The Ian Smith regime responded to Mugabe's challenge with a hardline stance, but as time passed, it realized the burden was too much.
Right away, support from South Africa—which had backed the same white regime—was dwindling, and that was a major problem.
"What? Why is the support drying up?"
"Because of those Koreans, our domestic situation has gotten urgent. Sorry."
As the situation unfolded this way, the Rhodesian white regime—uncharacteristically for white supremacists—racked its brains.
"There's only one answer. Divide and conquer."
As seen in South Africa's apartheid, if you let the enemy unite, the situation spirals out of control.
Split and fracture the enemy before that happens.
Divide and rule was the strategy Britain—Mugabe's people's former colonial master—had used to govern its empire.
The Rhodesian white regime offered a compromise to the Ndebele rebels in the north: fight as mercenaries for the whites.
"If you protect our land, we'll make you middle managers, and, well, treat you as honorary whites."
While many Ndebele didn't trust the whites' words, a significant number—desperate from hopeless days—fell for it.
This reversed the tide once more.
The Ndebele made up around 18% of the population.
Even a portion of that number could create a far sturdier structure than 5% oppressing 95%.
"Don't trust those pale faces!"
"But they're giving us plenty of food right now? We don't want much."
After the white regime successfully wooed the Ndebele, the war balance evened out again.
Mugabe's Zimbabwe Liberation Front controlled wastelands and slums, while the white regime held sway over cities, railroads, and fortified farms.
In this stalemate, overtures from great powers increased.
The Soviet Union was the most prominent.
"No interest in communism? We'd supply weapons and funds if you are."
Mugabe was tempted by the offer.
If it helped the resistance, he was willing to switch ideologies anytime.
Hadn't Lee Seong-jun always said it?
Substance over form.
Mugabe countered the Soviets.
"How much can you give?"
"We'll be generous. Even if we're past our prime, we're still number three."
Mugabe decided to accept aid from the communist bloc's godfather, the Soviet Union.
But when the aid arrived, it fell short of expectations.
"They talked big like they'd give a ton, but now that they have us hooked, this is it?"
"We have our own issues too."
After ousting Khrushchev, Shelpin had risen as a key power, bringing changes to the Soviet revolution-export strategy.
"Throwing money around on revolution exports won't improve the federation's situation—what's the point?"
Moscow skimped like a miser on the aid.
"It's not a small amount, so make it last."
Mugabe tried to topple the white regime with the Soviets' meager support, but Ian Smith's Rhodesian regime didn't budge easily.
"If those red blacks take Rhodesia, we'll lose all land rights. Haven't you heard them talking about land redistribution?"
"What? The rebels are commies?"
White farm owners began forming militias to defend the free world—or rather, their property.
Against the Ian Smith regime's all-out resistance, Mugabe struggled to make gains.
"Just collapse already."
Both sides exhausted themselves in the fight.
The Ian Smith regime had no backers, and Mugabe's side had only token Soviet support—no real patrons.
In this bind, even Mugabe had to consider compromise.
"Want us to mediate?"
Britain and the United States stepped in.
Under the two superpowers' mediation, Rhodesia offered a compromise recognizing blacks' "voting rights."
"Sounds plausible."
Mugabe thought so briefly.
But there was a trap.
"Whites get 60% of cabinet posts. Military and interior stay white-controlled. White privileges preserved. Okay?"
"What?"
The Zimbabwe Liberation Front rejected the deal.
"What kind of nonsense is this!"
Renewed civil war was inevitable.
Robert Mugabe pondered ways to break the deadlock.
That's when he heard about Korea's strong support for Nigeria.
"Right, Pyongyang."
After much thought, Mugabe requested aid from Korea.
The Korean government reacted coolly to Mugabe's request.
"Mugabe, who took red backing, is asking us for support?"
"If we do him this favor now, Rhodesia—no, Zimbabwe—might join our camp."
The Korean government hesitated but seized the chance to grant Mugabe a favor.
"The civil war in Rhodesia poses a serious threat to the security of our ally Mozambique."
Korea pressured the Ian Smith government, declaring it couldn't use Mozambique's ports until Rhodesia resolved the issue peacefully.
It was effectively an intervention announcement.
The only country that could counter this was the United States, but Washington had no intention of backing Rhodesia.
"If we mishandle this, blacks at home will riot."
"If we side with Rhodesia, yeah. But if we sit it out and watch, Rhodesia might fall into Korean hands, right?"
After deliberation, the U.S. declared intervention on Zimbabwe's side.
Faced with pressure from the two superpowers—Korea and the U.S.—the white regime was on the defensive.
The Ian Smith regime, which had been high-handed toward the Zimbabwe Liberation Front, did a 180.
"We'll negotiate. If we tweak the constitution a bit, we'll accept the terms."
"Why should we change it?"
The Zimbabwe Liberation Front kicked aside the white regime's negotiation offer.
They were winning by standing firm—why negotiate with the pale faces?
After a war of nerves, the white regime, unable to hold out, raised its hands.
"We'll do as you wish."
The white regime promised UN-supervised elections, plus disbanding its white army, police, and militias.
This effectively marked the end of Rhodesia, the last white-ruled nation in Africa.
The fall of Rhodesia signaled the end of long European colonialism.
Mugabe declared historic victory before his supporters.
"From this moment, the Rhodesia that oppressed us is finished. Now begins the era of Zimbabwe, ruled by free blacks!"
As he said, blacks ushered in a new era of self-rule.
Mugabe gazed ahead with shining eyes, determined to lead the new black nation of Zimbabwe vigorously.
No one yet knew what path lay ahead.