A View of America from Africa: The United States in the Propaganda of ZANU and ZAPU, 1965–80

ZANU and ZAPU, the two main Zimbabwean nationalist organisations in UDI era (1965–80) Rhodesia, were made great use of propaganda to pursue their objectives. Right from the start of the Rhodesian crisis the United States figured in their output, and this only increased as American politicians became increasingly involved in trying to find a solution. This article maps out how the nationalists portrayed the USA It argues that they created an image of the superpower which they used to bolster their own ideological positions and to engage with foreign organisations which held similar views. It argues that the nationalists created an image of America as a neo-imperialist, racist state that had no place intervening in the Rhodesian crisis. The Zimbabweans were in particular able to point to the treatment of African-Americans in order to attack the US Government. This depiction appealed to both their backers in the communist bloc and to other liberation movements in places such as the Middle East. The nationalists also sought to discredit African politicians who worked with the Rhodesian state by linking them to America. What is more, accusations against the US continued right until the end of the UDI period, despite the fact that the Carter administration was sympathetic to the cause of African liberation. Ultimately, it shows that the Zimbabwean nationalists’ visions of the USA were shaped by a mixture of ideology and diplomatic necessity.