During Zimbabwe's war of liberation (1965–80), fought between Zimbabwean nationalists and the minority-white Rhodesian settler-colonial regime, thousands of black soldiers volunteered for and served in the Rhodesian Army. This seeming paradox has often been noted by scholars and military researchers, yet little has been heard from black Rhodesian veterans themselves. Drawing from original interviews with black Rhodesian veterans and extensive archival research, M. T. Howard tackles the question of why so many black soldiers fought steadfastly and effectively for the Rhodesian Army, demonstrating that they felt loyalty to their comrades and regiments and not the Smith regime. Howard also shows that units in which black soldiers served – particularly the Rhodesian African Rifles – were fundamental to the Rhodesian counter-insurgency campaign. Highlighting the pivotal role black Rhodesian veterans played during both the war and the tumultuous early years of independence, this is a crucial contribution to the study of Zimbabwean decolonisation.

‘Black Soldiers is an important contribution to the burgeoning literature on violence in late-colonial Africa.  It rightly insists that we give proper consideration to agency, nuance, and complexity when attempting to understand the actions and ideas of actors embroiled in the wars of decolonisation.  This book must be read by anyone interested in Zimbabwe's path to independence and the wider issues of violence and the role of the military during decolonisation in Africa.'

Daniel Branch - University of Warwick