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Stanford Chiwanga, [email protected] 

THE Zimbabwean War of Liberation, also known as the Second Chimurenga, was a brutal conflict fought between 1964 and 1979. Pitting the well-equipped Rhodesian Security Forces (RSF) against the guerrilla fighters of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA), the war exposed a stark disparity in weaponry. Yet, the guerrillas, through a combination of tactics, resourcefulness, and external support, managed to overcome these limitations and achieve victory.

Early in the war, the guerrillas’ weaponry was a hodgepodge of captured rifles, hunting shotguns, and aging World War II surplus like the Lee-Enfield rifle, wrote Terence Ranger in the book “Air Force Operations in the Rhodesian War”. These weapons, while familiar to many rural fighters, were unreliable and lacked the firepower of the RSF’s automatic rifles. 

However, the situation improved as the war progressed. Support from sympathetic nations like China, the Soviet Union, and Eastern Bloc countries provided a crucial advantage. Guerrillas began receiving more modern and standardised weaponry, including the iconic AK-47 assault rifle. The AK-47’s reliability, simplicity, and firepower proved to be a significant upgrade. Additionally, weapons like the RPD light machine gun and RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade launcher provided greater offensive capabilities. 

RPGs proved effective against armoured vehicles and fortified positions, a vulnerability of the RSF. However, these weapons also had limitations. Ammunition was often scarce, forcing the guerrillas to rely on captured supplies and practice strict fire discipline (Lancaster, 2002). Additionally, the maintenance and repair of these complex weapons posed a challenge in the harsh bush environment.

To overcome these limitations, the guerrillas displayed remarkable resourcefulness. They established clandestine workshops to repair and maintain captured weapons (Moorcraft, 2008). Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) became a potent tool, utilising readily available materials to inflict significant casualties on the RSF (Cilliers, 2008). These tactics, coupled with superior knowledge of the terrain, allowed them to maximise the effectiveness of their often-limited weaponry.

The guerrilla weaponry offered several advantages. The AK-47’s effectiveness in close-quarter combat suited the guerrillas’ hit-and-run tactics. Additionally, the lighter weight of these weapons allowed for greater mobility in the rugged terrain. However, limitations remained. The guerrillas lacked the heavy weaponry and airpower necessary for sustained conventional warfare. Ammunition shortages were a constant concern, forcing them to rely on captured supplies and meticulous conservation (Lancaster, Ian, The Rhodesian Crisis: A Study in Commonwealth Failure, 1975).

The guerrillas compensated for their limitations through innovative tactics and training. They employed surprise attacks, ambushes, and sabotage to inflict casualties on the RSF. Emphasis was placed on camouflage, field craft, and marksmanship. Training camps established in neighbouring countries like Mozambique and Zambia provided essential instruction in guerrilla warfare. ZANLA and ZIPRA excelled at these tactics, inflicting significant damage on the RSF infrastructure and morale. Furthermore, their use of civilian clothing blurred the lines between combatant and civilian, further complicating identification and engagement. This tactic, however, raised ethical concerns, as some scholars like Terence Ranger point out (Ranger, 2010).

Female fighters, often overlooked, played a crucial role in the war effort. They served as combatants, scouts, and suppliers, their familiarity with the local terrain proving invaluable (Ndlovu-Gatsheni, Sabelo, Women in the Liberation Struggle in Zimbabwe, 2013). Furthermore, the guerrillas cultivated support among the rural populace, who provided them with intelligence, food, and safe havens. This “hearts and minds” strategy further eroded the legitimacy of the RSF in the eyes of the local population.

Away from the battlefield, international sanctions imposed on the Rhodesian government due to its discriminatory policies had a significant impact on the RSF’s ability to acquire sophisticated weaponry. However, the RSF managed to maintain a technological edge through black-market arms deals and domestic production. In contrast, the support provided by socialist countries like the Soviet Union and China to the Zimbabwean liberation movements was crucial in equipping the guerrillas (Williams, Geoffrey, The Scramble for Africa: Politics and Economics on a Continent, 1987).