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The Question of Rhodesia
Collection StructureFiring Line broadcast records > Episode guide > The Question of Rhodesia
Item Title The Question of Rhodesia
Guest Smith, Ian Douglas (1919-)
Host Buckley, William F., Jr. (1925-2008)
Date CreatedMarch 15, 1974
Description

This was only the second appearance of Mr. Smith on television. Mr. Buckley begins by reminding us that in 1965 Rhodesia had requested independence of Great Britain, and Britain had said no, on the grounds that Mr. Smith's government represented only 5 per cent of the population. "Whereupon at 11:15 A.M. on November 11, 1965, the government issued a Unilateral Declaration of Independence, the UDI, the second such declaration by a former colony in Britain's history--the first being our very own, which was signed before the word 'unilateral' was invented." As of this taping, Rhodesia remained a pariah nation, beleaguered by external sanctions and internal terrorism. An informative discussion of the history of colonialism in Africa, the current state of Rhodesia's economy, and the scene in nearby countries such as Mozambique and Zambia. One sample, on the subject of introducing democracy: IS: "The American people basically have always lived under this system. Now, we're dealing with people who say, 'But we don't understand this thing that the white man has brought here. We live under the tribal system. We're quite happy, we're peaceful. Why don't you leave us alone?' What do you say to them? 'You can't be left alone and peaceful. Whether you like it or not, you must come in and play a part with us'? It's not an easy question."

Technical note: This program is black and white.

Language(s)
Country of Origin
Place RecordedSalisbury, Rhodesia
DimensionsDuration: 60 minutes
FormatMoving Image
Medium television programs
Aspect Ratio
4:3
Color
black and white
Soundtrack
sound
Hoover IDProgram S0133
Record Number80040.375
NotesVideo available through Amazon.
RightsCopyright held by Stanford University. This copy is provided for educational and research purposes only. No publication, further reproduction, or reuse of copies, beyond fair use, may be made without the express written permission of the Hoover Institution Library & Archives on behalf of Stanford University.
  • Hoover ID: 80040.375
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