About Ian Smith
Ian Douglas Smith was a Rhodesian and later Zimbabwean politician, farmer, and fighter pilot who served as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 1964 to 1979. He was the country's first leader to be born and raised in Rhodesia, and led the predominantly white government that unilaterally declared independence from the United Kingdom in November 1965 in opposition to the demands for the implementation of majority rule as a condition for independence. His 15 years in power were defined by the country's international isolation and involvement in the Rhodesian Bush War, which pitted the Rhodesian Security Forces against the Soviet and Chinese-funded military wings of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU). After repeated talks with Britain broke down, Smith and his Cabinet unilaterally declared independence on 11 November 1965 to delay majority rule; shortly afterwards, the first phase of the war began in earnest. Smith was born to British settlers in the small town of Selukwe located in the Southern Rhodesian Midlands, four years before the colony became self-governing in 1923. Smith became deputy prime minister following the Front's December 1962 election victory, and he stepped up to the premiership after Field resigned in April 1964, two months before the first events that led to the Bush War took place.
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