A third battalion of the Rhodesian African Rifles is being raised.īlacks make up a sizable proportion of the 8,000‐member British South African Police, which is neither British nor South African but a national police force in Rhodesia trained for paramilitary duties. Rhodesian officers say they have complete faith in the loyalty of their black soldiers, even in a war against other blacks. Sixty percent of the Rhodesian forces are black, Including two battalions of the Rhodesian African Rifles. In that period the Rhodesian Government has raised force levels, assembled stocks of arms, ammunition and fuel and recast its defense plans. Rhodesia's ground and air forces have been fighting a sporadic war against black guerrillas, demanding control of a nation in which they outnumber whites 20 to 1, for more than a year. Yet, an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the forces involved is hardly an academic exercise, given the tension in the area. Nor do the mere numbers, with blacks far outnumbering whites in the area, reflect the military power of the various countries. For example, there is no assurance given their present economic troubles that all black African nations would partieipate in such a war. There are also many nonmilitary complexities. But there is also the possibility that South Africa will stay out of a Rhodesia war against black Africa. Much of the speculation about the size and nature of southern Africa war has been based on an assumption for which there is, at present little concrete evidence, namely that Sduth Africa will ultimately intervene on the side of Rhodesia in a general war. If southern Africa drifts into war, the conflict will involve guerrillas, regular troops, mercenarie and armed civilians who are prepared for a conflict that is likely to range from helicopter‐borne assaults to the single shot in the night through a farmhouse window.
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