Samora Machel provided critical help to Zimbabwe during the Second Chimurenga

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: The Struggle for Independence in Colonial Zimbabwe 1900-1980: Foreign Aid in the Second Chimurenga

  • The Mozambique government continued giving its support to the ZANLA forces and by October 1975 recruits crossing into Zimbabwe were about 1000 per week
  • On the other and ZIPRA forces were being trained in Zambia
  • Tekere and Mugabe helped by Chief Tangwena and Sister May Aquina crossed to Mozambique to go and organize the war from there
  • Mozambique had to close its border so that Rhodesia forces could not enter but the Rhodesian forces still crossed the border in pursuit raids
  • They attacked trainees in training camps and nationalists and also fought battles against the Mozambican security forces
  • Smith had assistance from troops from USA, South Africa, Britain, Hong Kong, Portugal and Ireland
  • Smith also had the advantage of having a strong air force and claimed to have a kill ratio of 14 to 1 duing the Operation Hurricane in Mutoko where approximately 1 800 peasants were killed by Selous
  • Smith soon realised that majority rule was inevitable and it had to be granted soon enough by 1975–76
  • Smith was also slowly losing South African support as it began to scale down its economic aid to Rhodesia
  • Rhodesia was now given limits on what they bought such as fuel and ammunition
  • South Africa also withdrew their equipment and forces they had provided to assist in the war and the border police which guarded the Rhodesia-Zambia border

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