Has anyone here ever read Ian Smith's autobiography The Great Betrayal?

not me

From Publishers Weekly
Smith, the white prime minister of Rhodesia who engineered the country's unilateral independence from Britain in 1965 and led resistance to the black majority until Zimbabwe was born of post-civil war negotiations in 1979, has written an unrepentant, heavily detailed account of his leadership. He proceeds from the posture that the black majority, significantly rooted in traditional culture, should be "gradually" brought up to "standards of Western civilization." He condemns outside countries that "arrogant[ly]" applied sanctions against Rhodesia and associates black opposition more with communism than nationalism. He claims that "our black people" had the best education, health, housing, services, etc. in Africa, not acknowledging the gap between white and black Rhodesia. He refers to black "terrorists" while downplaying the cruelties of Rhodesia's armed forces. Yet Smith makes some points. He offers inside details of negotiation, including pressure from South Africa. His title refers to the hypocrisy of the British Commonwealth, which imposed sanctions on Rhodesia while many of its other members were one-party states. And he reminds us that Zimbabwe's black-run Mugabe government has steadily flouted democracy.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1857821769/qid=1104243428/

Has anyone here ever read Ian Smith's autobiography The Great Betrayal?

No, but I'm probably one of the few people in contemporary America who can honestly say that he's been meaning to....

not me

Can you possibly get a little less obvious with your post count padding? :rolleyes:

It's on my list as well.

Has anyone here ever read Ian Smith's autobiography The Great Betrayal?

Yes, I read it 2-3 years ago. There was a bookseller in Ohio, if I'm not mistaken, that must had a bulk buy of sorts. A couple of my friends purchased it from the same gentleman, as well. I rather enjoyed the book myself, in addition to respecting Smith to a greater degree. Then again, I've always hunted down all of the Rhodesian & South African military/political tracts I can get my hands on. Did you have any particular queries on it?

I think Prodigal Son once told me he read it.

I think Prodigal Son once told me he read it.I was hoping that Prodigal would participate in the discussion. That is why I started the thread.

No, I have not read that book as of yet.