A Rhodesian Historical Timeline

Start Date	End Date	Event	Place
1817		Mzilikazi, Shaka's greatest general, has to flee for his life from the wrath of Shaka. He gathers a powerful army and treks northward, eventually settling in Matabeleland, near Bulawayo. He founds the Matabele nation and becomes their king.
15 Feb 1853		Alfred Beit born at Hamburg
05 Jul 1853		Cecil John Rhodes is born in vicarage at Bishop's Stortford
1855		Dr. David Livingstone discovers the Victoria Falls
1859		Inyati Mission Station founded by Dr. Robert Moffat. This was the first permanent settlement by Europeans in Rhodesia
1868		Adam Renders discovers the Zimbabwe Ruins
1868		Death of Mzilikazi
1870		Lobengula, son of Mzilikazi, installed as king of the Matabele
1870		Rhodes emigrates to Natal on account of his health
29 Aug 1871		Lobengula signs Baines Concession
1872		Rhodes follows his brother Herbert to the new diamond diggings at Kimberley
1880		Rhodes founds the De Beers Diamond Mining Company and enters the Cape House of Assembly
14 Mar 1885		Bechuanaland Protectorate declared
30 Jul 1887		Lobengula signs treaty with Transvaal's P. Grobler
11 Feb 1888		Lobengula signs Moffat Treaty
30 Oct 1888		Lobengula signs Rudd Concession giving him the mineral rights of the territory
29 Oct 1889		British South Africa Company incorporated by Royal Charter
1890		Rhodes becomes Prime Minister of the Cape Colony at the age of 37
06 May 1890		The Pioneer Column leaves Kimberley for Macloutsie
28 Jun 1890		British South Africa Company's Pioneer Column enters Rhodesia
01 Jul 1890		180 Pioneers, 500 Police and 117 wagons reach Tuli
13 Aug 1890		The long and difficult ascent of Providential Pass begins, and at noon next day the first wagon emerges on to the plateau. The Pioneers build a fort some distance from the Pass and name it Fort Victoria
12 Sep 1890		The Column reaches the foot of Harari Hill, now Salisbury Kopje
13 Sep 1890		Hoisting of the flag and the Pioneer Column founds Fort Salisbury
01 Oct 1890		The Pioneer Corps is disbanded
15 Feb 1891		Temporary frontier with Portuguese territory established in Manicaland
08 May 1891		British Order-in-Council declares protectorates over Bechuanaland, Matabeleland and Mashonaland
12 Jun 1891		Anglo-Portuguese agreement and boundary convention signed
17 Nov 1891		Lobengula signs Lippert Concession
17 Feb 1892		Telegraph to Fort Salisbury completed
05 May 1892		Moodie's Trek sets out for Rhodesia
10 Oct 1892		Dominican Sisters open the first school for European children
1893		Jesuit Fathers open a school in Bulawayo, later transferred to Salisbury as St. George's College
1893		Moodie's Trek reaches Chipinga
18 Jul 1893		Ndebele raid Shona near Fort Victoria
03 Oct 1893		War on Matabele authorized
24 Oct 1893		Battle of Shangani - Matabele forces of 5 000 engaged and routed
01 Nov 1893		Battle of Bembezi - 7 000 Matabele defeated
03 Nov 1893		Bulawayo destroyed by fire on order of Lobengula
04 Nov 1893		British occupy Bulawayo - Union Flag and BSAC flag hoisted in Bulawayo for the first time
04 Dec 1893		Major Allan Wilson and his patrol of 33 men annihilated near Shangani River, 100 miles north of Bulawayo
1894		The death of Lobengula is presumed
03 May 1895		Territory proclaimed Rhodesia
29 Dec 1895		Jameson Raid leaves Mafeking
02 Jan 1896		Dr. Jameson surrenders near Krugersdorp in the Transvaal
02 Jan 1896		Rhodes resigns from all public offices
20 Mar 1896		Ndebele Revolt begins and 141 settlers are murdered
02 Apr 1896		The Rt. Hon. Earl Grey succeeds Dr. Jameson as Administrator of Rhodesia
14 Jun 1896		Shona Revolt begins and 103 settlers are murdered
21 Aug 1896		First of Rhodes' five Indabas with southern Ndebele rebels at the Matopos
13 Oct 1896		Submission of Matabele chiefs
1897		Municipalities of Salisbury and Bulawayo created
27 Oct 1897		Shona Revolt pronounced ended
04 Nov 1897		Railway from the south reaches Bulawayo
04 Feb 1898		Railway from Beira reached Umtali
15 May 1899		First session of Legislative Council
22 May 1899		Beira railroad reaches Salisbury
11 Oct 1899		Outbreak of Boer War - Rhodes is besieged in Kimberley
Feb 1900		Relief of Kimberley
Dec 1901		W. H. Milton is appointed Administrator of Southern Rhodesia
26 Mar 1902		Death of Cecil John Rhodes at Muizenberg
10 Apr 1902		Rhodes is buried at World's View in the Matopos
31 May 1902		End of the Boer War
06 Oct 1902		Bulawayo-Salisbury Railway is completed
19 Jun 1904		The railway to the Victoria Falls is completed
12 Sep 1904		Victoria Falls Bridge is opened
16 Jul 1906		Death of Alfred Beit
03 Jan 1913		Death of the Duke of Abercorn, President of the British South Africa Company, Sir Starr Jameson succeeds him
04 Aug 1914		Outbreak of World War I
01 Nov 1914		Mr. (later Sir) Drummond Chaplin appointed Administrator of Southern Rhodesia
13 Mar 1915		British South Africa Charter extended 10 years
26 Nov 1917		Death of Sir Starr Jameson
11 Nov 1918		End of World War I
08 Apr 1919		Ian Douglas Smith born in Selukwe, Rhodesia
30 Apr 1920		Elections for last Legislative Council under the British South Africa Company Administration
12 May 1920		Council debate and approve Responsible Government by 12 votes to 5
1921		Deputation to England regarding new constitution
Apr 1922		Delegation to Cape Town to interview South African Government in regard to terms of admission of Rhodesia into the Union of South Africa
27 Oct 1922		Referendum on whether Southern Rhodesia should join the Union or assume Responsible Government. 2,785 majority for Responsible Government
12 Sep 1923		Great Britain annexes Southern Rhodesia as a Crown Colony with J.R. Chancellor as first Governor
01 Oct 1923		Responsible Government established with Coghlan as first premier
1924		First elections to Legislative Assembly
1924		Sir Charles Coghlan becomes first Prime Minister
30 May 1924		New Legislative Assembly opens
02 Sep 1927		H.U. Moffat (a grandson of the famous missionary, Dr. Robert Moffat) succeeds Coghlan as premier after latter's death
14 Jul 1928		New Zealand vs Rhodesia Rugby Score: 44-8	Bulawayo Athletic Club, Bulawayo
31 Aug 1929		Beit Bridge opened on Limpopo
10 Oct 1930		Promulgation of the Land Apportionment Act
29 Jun 1933		Government buys British South Africa Company's mineral rights for £2 000 000
06 Jul 1933		The Hon. H. U. Moffat resigns Premiership and is succeeded by the Hon. George Mitchell
06 Sep 1933		General Election. The Hon. G. M. Huggins becomes Prime Minister
1934		Split in the Reform Party. A General Election is held and the United Party is returned with large majority. Hon. G. M. Huggins, Prime Minister
1935		Birchenough Bridge across the Sabi River is opened
1935		First State Lottery draw is held
1935		Rhodesia House, 429, Strand, London, is opened
1935		Salisbury becomes a city
1935		Trade agreement with South Africa comes into force
1937		Royal Commission under Lord Bledisloe considers question of closer association between the Rhodesias and Nyasaland
21 Mar 1939		Publication of the Bledisloe Report respecting amalgamation of the Rhodesias
14 Apr 1939		Huggins' United Party again carries general election
24 May 1939		Otto Beit Bridge over the Zambezi River at Chirundu is opened
03 Sep 1939		Outbreak of World War II
1940		Army camps were established in Salisbury, Bulawayo and Umtali for initial and advanced training. During the 1939-45 war, Southern Rhodesia contributed, on a pro rata population basis, more fighting men than any other Commonwealth country
24 May 1940		First Empire Training School for the Royal Air Force is opened at Salisbury
1942		Southern Rhodesia Military Forces come under Union of South Africa Command
18 Oct 1944		Establishment of Central African Council
08 May 1945		Surrender of all German Forces in Europe
15 Aug 1945		Japan surrenders. End of World War II
25 Apr 1946		Huggins' United Party wins general election in which Liberal Party shows major gains
07 Apr 1947		Royal visit to Southern Rhodesia. The Royal Family arrive by air in Salisbury and King George VI opens the second session of the Sixth Parliament
30 Apr 1947		Parliament agrees to purchase the Rhodesia Railways for £30 million
15 Sep 1948		Sir Godfrey Huggins' United Party again wins general election, in which Ian Smith enters Legislative Assembly
Feb 1949		Preliminary conference at the Victoria Falls between representatives of the Southern Rhodesia Government and unofficial representatives of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland on the federation of the three territories
27 Jul 1949		New Zealand vs Rhodesia Rugby Score: 8-10	Hartsfield, Bulawayo
30 Jul 1949		New Zealand vs Rhodesia Rugby Score: 3-3	Old Hararian's Ground, Salisbury
12 Mar 1951		100 young Rhodesians depart for the Far East to form a squadron of the Malayan Scouts
06 Feb 1952		Death of King George VI
08 Feb 1952		Princess Elizabeth proclaimed Queen
18 Jun 1952		The White Paper on the proposed federation of the Rhodesias and Nyasaland is tabled in the Legislative Assembly
29 Sep 1952		Lake McIlwaine near Salisbury is opened
Jan 1953		The Prime Minister, Sir Godfrey Huggins, attends the final conference on federation in London
09 Apr 1953		European voters ratify federation in general referendum. 25,560 voted for, and 14,729 voted against
03 Jul 1953		Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother opened the Central African Rhodes Centenary Exhibition at Bulawayo
07 Sep 1953		Sir Godfrey Huggins resigns his Premiership and is succeeded by Mr. R. S. Garfield Todd
15 Dec 1953		General Election for the First Federal Assembly was won by the Federal Party with Sir Godfrey Huggins as Prime Minister
27 Jan 1954		The General Election for Southern Rhodesia's eighth Parliament is won by the United Rhodesia Party. R. S. Garfield Todd, Prime Minister
03 Feb 1954		First session of the first Parliament of the Federation opened
01 Apr 1954		Sir Gilbert Rennie, formerly Governor of Northern Rhodesia, becomes the first Federal High Commissioner in the United Kingdom
01 Mar 1955		The Federal Government announces its decision to proceed with the construction of the Kariba hydro-electric power project, and in August the river diversion works are started
01 Aug 1955		The new railway line to Lourenco Marques, through the Lowveld, s opened
03 Mar 1956		Mr. Winston Field is elected leader of a new political party, the Dominion Party, at a meeting in Salisbury
01 Jun 1956		The first day of official civil operations at Salisbury's new international airport
31 Oct 1956		Roy Welensky succeeds Huggins (now Lord Malvern) as federal prime minister
06 Jun 1957		Mr. Winston Field wins the Mrewa by-election and becomes Leader of the Opposition in the Federal Parliament
12 Sep 1957		Founding of African National Congress
1958		Dr. Hastings Banda returns to Nyasaland after an absence of 40 years and assumes leadership of African National Congress party
18 Feb 1958		Edgar Whitehead replaces Todd as Southern Rhodesian prime minister after cabinet revolt. Sir Edgar forms Cabinet and stands for Parliament in by-election at Hillside (Bulawayo) but is defeated by Dominion Party opponent
05 Jun 1958		Rhodesia Party merges with Federal Party to form United Federal Party . Whitehead retained as prime minister after UFP barely carries general election (17 seats to 13 for the Dominion Party)
1959		Troops and police from Southern Rhodesia sent to assist local security forces. Dr. Banda and principal lieutenants arrested and sent to Southern Rhodesia for detention
1959		Widespread riots and disturbances break out in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, being particularly serious in Nyasaland where plot to murder Governor and top officials is revealed
25 Feb 1959		Security Branch in Southern Rhodesia arrests African Congress leaders and nips planned rising in bud. In Northern Rhodesia the Governor, Sir Arthur Benson, bans the A.N.C.
1960		Monckton Commission appointed to consider future of the Federation, and visits all three territories. It is boycotted by the African nationalists in the two northern territories. The Commission recommends that individual territories be given the right of secession
01 Jan 1960		Formation of National Democratic Party
17 May 1960		Kariba Dam formally opened by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
29 Jun 1960		New Zealand vs A Rhodesian XV Rugby Score: 13-9	Kitwe Ground, Kitwe, Northern Rhodesia
02 Jul 1960		New Zealand vs Rhodesia Rugby Score: 29-14	Glamis Park, Salisbury
19 Jul 1960		Arrest of National Democratic Party leaders leads to bloody rioting
Dec 1960		Federal Review Conference assembles at Lancaster House, London, under chairmanship of British Prime Minister, Mr. Harold McMillan. African nationalist leaders of three territories walk out on opening day. Conference adjourns for Christmas break and is not resumed
1961		New Constitution granted to Northern Rhodesia which aggravates relations between Federal and British Governments
Feb 1961		Conference to review Southern Rhodesia's Constitution opens in Salisbury with British Commonwealth Secretary, Mr. Duncan Sandys, as chairman. Conference agrees on removal of reservations in return for Declaration of Rights and appointment of Constitutional Council. Parliament to be enlarged from 30 to 65 members and Africans to be given representation through "B" Roll. African Nationalist militants start civil disturbances
26 Jul 1961		New constitutional proposals approved in referendum by 41,940 votes to 21,836
18 Sep 1961		Dag Hammarskjold, Secretary-General of the UN, was killed in a suspicious plane crash in Northern Rhodesia. He was flying to negotiate a cease-fire in the Congo. Hammarskjold was the son of a former Swedish prime minister. In 1953, he was elected to the top UN post and in 1957 was reelected. During his second term, he initiated and directed the United Nation's vigorous role in the Belgian Congo.
09 Dec 1961		National Democratic Party banned
18 Dec 1961		Zimbabwe African People's Union founded
1962		New Constitutions granted to Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland which ensure the return of African nationalist governments
16 Mar 1962		British Government creates new office of Central African Affairs, headed by Mr. R. A. Butler, Home Secretary, to look after Federation and constituent territories
16 Mar 1962		Sir Roy Welensky resigns to hold General Election to obtain new mandate on future of Federation. Official opposition, Rhodesian Front (formerly Dominion Party), decides not to contest election
27 Apr 1962		General Election results in U.F.P. controlling 54 out of 59 seats in Federal Assembly
May 1962		Mr. R. A. Butler visits Federation and indicates that Nyasaland will be allowed to secede
Jun 1962		Team of advisors to investigate consequences of Federal break-up
20 Sep 1962		Zimbabwe African People's Union banned
Nov 1962		New Nyasaland constitutional talks held in London. Territory to be granted self-government without delay
Dec 1962		Officially announced that Nyasaland will be allowed to secede. British decision is bitterly attacked by Sir Roy Welensky, who charges Britain with "bad faith"
14 Dec 1962		Rhodesian Front wins Southern Rhodesian election, Winston Field becomes prime minister. Rhodesian Front gains 35 seats to U.F.P.'s 29, and Central Africa Party (left wing) eliminated
Mar 1963		Federal, Northern Rhodesian and Southern Rhodesian Governments invited to London to prepare agenda for conference on future of federation
26 Mar 1963		Kaunda demands that Northern Rhodesia be given right to secede
29 Mar 1963		British Government announces that any territory will have right to secede
Jun 1963		Federal break-up conference held at Victoria Falls with all governments represented
08 Aug 1963		Zimbabwe African National Union founded, Communist-trained saboteurs are arrested
10 Aug 1963		People's Caretaker Council formed as ZAPU front
27 Sep 1963		Order-in-Council signed by Queen detailing functions to be handed back to territorial governments
10 Dec 1963		Federal Parliament meets and is prorogued for last time by Acting Governor-General, Sir Humphrey Gibbs
12 Dec 1963		British Order-in-Council published detailing arrangements for liquidating the Federation
31 Dec 1963		Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland officially dissolved
01 Jan 1964		Mr. Evan Campbell, C.B.E., appointed Rhodesian High Commissioner in London
01 Jan 1964		Southern Rhodesian Government launches drive to stamp out intimidation in African townships
13 Apr 1964		Ian Smith (Minister of the Treasury) displaces Winston Field a prime minister
16 Apr 1964		Government detains Joshua Nkomo
May 1964		Dr. W. Alexander, Speaker of the Legislature Assembly dies. He is succeeded in July by Mr. A. R. W. Stumbles, M.P. for Avondale
26 Aug 1964		Government bans ZANU, PCC, and African Daily News and declares Highfield an emergency area. Sithole and Mugabe detained
Oct 1964		By-elections held in Arundel and Avondale constituencies. Sir Roy Welensky, Rhodesia Party leader, is defeated at Arundel by Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. C. W. Dupont, and Rhodesian Front candidate wins Avondale. Both are Front gains from Rhodesia Party
Oct 1964		Rhodesian Chiefs hold indaba at Domboshawa, near Salisbury, and vote unanimously in favour of independence. Indaba is boycotted by British Government
Oct 1964		Southern Rhodesia to be henceforth known as "Rhodesia"
24 Oct 1964		Northern Rhodesia becomes independent as Zambia
05 Nov 1964		Public referendum by European voters endorses independence. Votes in favour 58,176, votes against 6,101. Overall percentage poll, 61,6 per cent, of which 89,1 per cent, votes "yes"
Dec 1964		Sir Roy Welensky announces his retirement from Rhodesian politics and resigns as leader of the Rhodesia Party
Feb 1965		British Secretary for Commonwealth Relations, Mr. A. G. Bottomley, and the Lord Chancellor, Lord Gardiner, visit Rhodesia to discuss independence issue with all sections of the population. Mr. Bottomley stresses that while the British Government favoured a peaceful
Apr 1965		Prime Minister announces General Election with a view to securing a two-thirds majority in Parliament. On Nomination Day 22 Rhodesian Front members are returned unopposed
07 May 1965		Country goes to the polls. Result is a clean sweep of all the 28 "A" Roll seats contested in favour of the Rhodesian Front. Rhodesia Party secures majority of "B" Roll seats. An African member, Mr. Gondo, is appointed Leader of the Opposition
31 May 1965		United Peoples Party founded
Jun 1965		Rhodesia Party is dissolved
09 Jun 1965		Official opening of the First Session of the 11th Parliament of Rhodesia. In the Speech from the Throne, the Governor, Sir Humphrey Gibbs, said that the Government's return to power at the General Election with a greatly increased majority was a mandate for it to lead Rhodesia to full independence. Referring to the economy, the Governor said that it was poised for an even higher rate of growth than that achieved in 1964
16 Jun 1965		Mr. Campbell, C.B.E., relinquishes his appointment as Rhodesian High Commissioner in London, and is succeeded by Brigadier A. Skeen, O.B.E.
21 Jul 1965		Mr. Gledwyn Hughes, Minister of State for Commonwealth Affairs, arrived in Rhodesia to have personal talks with Mr. Smith concerning negotiations on Independence
27 Jul 1965		Mr. Gledwyn Hughes leaves to report progress to Mr. Bottomley with specific proposals on the Independence issue from Mr. Smith
08 Oct 1965		London talks break down. Independence based on 1961 Constitution not acceptable to Britain
17 Oct 1965		The Prime Minister, Mr. Smith, returns from London. Mr. Wilson proposed a Commonwealth Prime Minister's mission to be sent to Rhodesia in a bid to solve Rhodesian independence crisis
20 Oct 1965		Mr. Smith proposes Independence on 1961 Constitution and offers treaty to guarantee undertaking not to vary it after Independence
26 Oct 1965		Harold Wilson and Mr. Bottomley visits Salisbury to discuss independence
30 Oct 1965		Royal Commission proposed to find a solution to Rhodesian problem to consist of Chief Justice of Rhodesia as Chairman and two other persons, one appointed by Rhodesian Government and one by British Government. Mr. Wilson leaves
11 Nov 1965		Press censorship imposed
11 Nov 1965		Unilateral Declaration of Independence issued under 1965 Constitution. This new Constitution being based on the 1961 Constitution, amended as necessary to suit a fully independent Sovereign State
16 Nov 1965		British Government passes Southern Rhodesian Enabling Act permitting Orders in Council to make provision to amend, revoke or add to any of the provisions of the 1961 Constitution and also to apply sanctions against Rhodesia
17 Nov 1965		Mr. C. W. Dupont appointed as Acting Officer Administering the Government
25 Nov 1965		British Parliament approves sanctions imposed by Orders in Council on 16th November
03 Dec 1965		British Government suspends Governor and Directors of Reserve Bank of Rhodesia and seized Rhodesian reserves in Great Britain.
16 Dec 1965		Wilson appeals to U.N.O. for support to end "rebellion" in Rhodesia. He rules out use of force and accepts responsibility for dealing with the matter
17 Dec 1965		Wilson, having received U.N.O. support, declares oil embargo against Rhodesia and starts oil airlift to Zambia. Rhodesia bans oil exports to Zambia
28 Dec 1965		Petrol rationing introduced in Rhodesia
02 Jan 1966		The Prime Minister, Mr. Smith, offers to restore flow of petrol and oil to Zambia quite unconditionally, subject to acceptable arrangements for payment
14 Jan 1966		Lagos Commonwealth Prime Minister's Conference. Wilson accepts that use of force cannot be precluded
31 Jan 1966		Wilson imposes total embargo on all trade with Rhodesia
18 Feb 1966		His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, Mr. Clifford Dupont, assents to the Constitution (Ratification) Bill which had previously been passed by Parliament by more than a two-thirds majority. The 1965 Constitution therefore becomes Law
10 Apr 1966		Security Council agrees that Britain should use force to prevent oil flowing to Rhodesia via Beira
27 Apr 1966		British Prime Minister announces informal talks at official level with Rhodesia
28 Apr 1966		ZANLA combatants engage Rhodesian Security Forces at battle of Sinoia
16 May 1966		European farmer and wife murdered by terrorists
19 Sep 1966		Royal Air Force units withdrawn from Zambia. Oil airlift ended
02 Dec 1966		Harold Wilson and Ian Smith meet off Gibraltar on board H.M.S. Tiger in "Tiger Talks"
05 Dec 1966		Rhodesian Government accept Wilson's proposals as a basis for a new Constitution, but reject those concerning the return to so-called legality by handing over powers to the Governor, and renouncing its Independence
16 Dec 1966		On the illegal application of the British Government, the United Nations unlawfully vote for Selected Mandatory Sanctions, including oil, against Rhodesia
20 Dec 1966		The British Prime Minister states in their House of Commons that Rhodesia will not be granted Independence before African Majority rule
09 Mar 1967		Five-man Constitutional Commission headed by Mr. W. R. Whaley sworn in by the Officer Administering the Government
14 Jun 1967		British Prime Minister sends Lord Alport, ex-British High Commissioner to the defunct Federation, to Rhodesia to see if the 18-month deadlock can be broken
26 Jul 1967		Mr. Wilson announces a new initiative on Rhodesia, which amounted to discovering whether the Tiger constitutional proposals should be re-negotiated through Sir Humphrey Gibbs, by correspondence
09 Nov 1967		Mr. Thompson and Rhodesian Prime Minister have four-hour secret personal discussions
24 Feb 1968		Sir Alec Douglas-Home visits Rhodesia
03 Mar 1968		Rhodesia's' Appeal Court dismissed the appeal of three Africans convicted of brutal murder, as it had been decided that the Rhodesian Government was the de facto Government, and there was no right of Appeal to the Privy Council, under the 1965 Constitution. The Queen reprieves the three Africans under sentence of death that night, and commutes death sentences to one of life imprisonment
04 Mar 1968		Mr. Justice Fieldsend resigns as a Judge of the High Court in protest against recent happenings
05 Mar 1968		Application to the Appellate Division of the High Court following the Queen's reprieve. Application dismissed
06 Mar 1968		Three African murderers hanged in accordance with the Law. Rhodesian Government issues statement on the execution
31 Mar 1968		Francistown Radio closed
06 Apr 1968		Censorship in Rhodesia lifted
10 Apr 1968		Whaley Commission Report published
11 Apr 1968		Mr. J. M. Greenfield appointed Judge of the High Court in terms of the 1965 Constitution
09 May 1968		Sir Frederick Crawford, Resident Director of Anglo-American Corporation, has his passport impounded by British Government on a visit to London
29 May 1968		United Nations votes comprehensive mandatory sanctions
18 Jun 1968		House of Lords defeats sanctions order passed by House of Commons
04 Jul 1968		Mr. W. J. Harper, Minister of Internal Affairs, resigns his post at the request of the Prime Minister
09 Aug 1968		High Court refuses to accept order from Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
13 Aug 1968		Mr. Justice Dendy Young resigns as a Judge of the High Court
28 Aug 1968		Abel Muzorewa made UMC Bishop of Rhodesia
13 Sep 1968		The Appellate Division of the High Court of Rhodesia ruled that the Government was now in its opinion the de jure Government
30 Sep 1968		Bechuanaland becomes independent as Republic of Botswana
10 Oct 1968	13 Oct 1968	Talks between Mr. Smith, Prime Minister of Rhodesia, and Mr. Wilson, Prime Minister of Great Britain, aboard H.M.S. Fearless
04 Nov 1968		Talks begin in Salisbury between Mr. Thompson and Mr. Smith
11 Nov 1968		New (green and white) flag raised in Rhodesia
18 Nov 1968		Mr. Thompson's mission ends in failure. Rhodesia's rejection of the proposals based on Fearless talks announced
Jan 1969		Rhodesia attacked at Commonwealth Conference in London
12 Jan 1969		Four hundred demonstrators attack Rhodesia House and South Africa House
13 Feb 1969		The Rev. Ndabaningi Sithole, leader of the banned Zimbabwe African National Union, is sentenced to six years' imprisonment in Salisbury for plotting to assassinate Mr. Ian Smith and two members of the Rhodesian Cabinet
16 Mar 1969		Mr. Winston Field, C.M.G., M.B.E., the first Rhodesian Front Party Prime Minister, dies in Salisbury
19 May 1969		Mr. Ian Smith said that the "intractable British attitude" had ended hopes of a negotiated settlement of the independence dispute. He announces that proposals for a new constitution were to be published in a White Paper on 20th May, which would be voted on at a referendum on 20th June. The referendum would also decide whether Rhodesia should assume Republican status
20 Jun 1969		European electorate votes in favour of a Republic in referendum. Eighty-one per cent, of the votes cast were in favour of becoming a Republic and 72,5 per cent were in favour of adopting the Constitutional proposals put forward by the Rhodesian Government
24 Jun 1969		Mr. Clifford Dupont, the Officer Administering the Government, opens the last session of the Rhodesian Parliament
24 Jun 1969		Sir Humphrey Gibbs resigns as governor
09 Jul 1969		Sir Humphrey Gibbs is appointed a member of the Privy Council and promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order
14 Jul 1969		Rhodesia House in London, and the British Residual Mission in Salisbury, both close
17 Nov 1969		The Constitutional Bill is passed by the Rhodesian Parliament
29 Nov 1969		New constitution becomes law. Mr. Clifford Dupont, Officer Administering the Government, signs the new constitution
19 Dec 1969		The University College of Rhodesia decides that it will award its own degrees and not those of the University of London
17 Feb 1970		Decimal currency is introduced into Rhodesia
02 Mar 1970		New Constitution comes into effect (including Land Tenure Act)
02 Mar 1970		Rhodesia declared a republic. Parliament is dissolved
17 Mar 1970		Great Britain and the United States of America both use their United Nations veto to avoid complete sanctions against Rhodesia being made mandatory
17 Mar 1970		United States Consulate closes down
10 Apr 1970		Rhodesian Front sweeps European seats in general election
16 Apr 1970		Clifford Dupont sworn in as first President
28 May 1970		First Senators sworn in
28 May 1970		Rhodesia's first Republican Parliament is opened by the President
21 Jul 1970		New Zealand vs Rhodesia Rugby Score; 27-14	Rhodesian Police Ground, Salisbury
08 May 1971		Death of Lord Malvern (G. Huggins)
14 May 1971		Petrol rationing, in force since 1965, ends
30 Jun 1971		Britain's special envoy, Lord Goodman, arrives for talks with Rhodesian officials
07 Jul 1971		Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Co. Ltd. announces that at least $20,000,000 will be invested in a nickel copper mine, concentrator and smelter in the Shangani area
15 Nov 1971		Sir Alec Douglas-Home arrives in Salisbury to discuss settlement proposals
17 Nov 1971		U.S. President Richard Nixon signs bill containing "Byrd Amendment"
24 Nov 1971		Ian Smith and Sir Alec Douglas Home sign Anglo-Rhodesian Settlement Proposals
16 Dec 1971		African National Council formed
11 Jan 1972		Pearce Commission under Lord Pearce arrives in Rhodesia to carry out a test of acceptability in terms of the settlement proposals
13 Jan 1972		Commissioners of the Pearce Commission commence their enquiries in the seven provinces
19 Jan 1972		Violence erupts in the African township of Harare in Salisbury and in Gwelo and Umtali African townships
11 Mar 1972		The whole Pearce Commission leaves Rhodesia
23 May 1972		Pearce Commission's Report published in London. The Prime Minister broadcasts to the nation on the report of the Pearce Commission, who found that the proposals were not acceptable to the people of Rhodesia as a whole
31 May 1972		The U.S. Senate votes against reimposing an embargo on Rhodesian chrome
06 Jun 1972		An underground explosion and cave-in at Wankie Colliery's No. 2 shaft claims 427 victims
22 Aug 1972		The Rhodesian team is barred from participating in the Munich Olympics
31 Oct 1972		The Rhodesia Party is formally launched
21 Dec 1972		Altena Farm in the Centenary area, attacked by ZANLA terrorists wounding an 8-year-old girl, marking beginning of new stage of large scale terrorist war in north-east
09 Jan 1973		Rhodesia closes border with Zambia , pending the assurance that Zambia will not harbour terrorists
01 Feb 1973		Zambia closes its border with Rhodesia
04 Feb 1973		As a result of messages received, Rhodesia opens its border with Zambia, though Zambia's side remains closed
09 Feb 1973		A Rhodesian angler is killed on the Zambezi by machine-gun fire from the Zambian Army
14 Apr 1973		Air Rhodesia acquires three Boeing 707 jet aircraft from an undisclosed source
15 May 1973		Zambian troops open fire on a group of tourists at Victoria Falls from across the gorge, killing two Canadian girls and wounding an American man
22 May 1973		Britain and the U.S.A. veto a United Nations Security Council resolution to extend sanctions against Rhodesia
17 Jun 1973		Five R.C. Bishops stated in a resolution that they would not comply with some of the provisions of the amendment to the Land Tenure Act and the African Affairs Act
23 Jun 1973		Members of the British Foreign Office visit Rhodesia and have talks with Rhodesian officials and Bishop Muzorewa, in order to report back to the British Foreign Secretary
05 Jul 1973		A heavily armed gang of terrorists abducted 295 African pupils and staff members of St. Alberts Mission in the north-eastern border area. All but eight of those abducted were very shortly rescued
03 Aug 1973		About 150 African students demonstrated against low wages paid to African workers at the University of Rhodesia
07 Aug 1973		On a recommendation by a disciplinary committee that six students should be expelled, and eight suspended for their activities, rioting African students stoned buildings on the campus. The Principal called for police protection, and as a result 155 students were arrested
01 Feb 1974		Petrol rationing comes into force
17 Apr 1974		Government offers cash awards for information leading to the death or capture of terrorists
25 Apr 1974		Portuguese government falls in coup d'etat; new government pledges independence for African colonies
19 Jun 1974		New York Office of Air Rhodesia closed, U.S. Treasury order issued under sanctions regulations making it impossible to continue operations
31 Jul 1974		The Rhodesian Front win all 50 European seats in the General Election
27 Aug 1974		The Rhodesian National Anthem played for the first time at the opening of Parliament
15 Sep 1974		Direct railway link to South Africa opened through Beit Bridge
18 Sep 1974		The Rutenga-Beit Bridge rail link is completed and officially opened by the Prime Minister
02 Oct 1974		Z.A.N.U. offices in Lusaka blown up by a bomb and destroyed
16 Oct 1974		Bishop Muzorewa stated in a circular that he had been cheated into signing the undertaking he signed on 17th August
08 Nov 1974		The Sanctions Order against Rhodesia, signed by the British Government for the tenth time
11 Nov 1974		The Prime Minister in a broadcast to the Nation stated that as a result of recent developments in other countries there was a possibility of a settlement
11 Nov 1974		Two ministers in Government, Mr. Howman and Mr. Lance Smith retired
14 Nov 1974		The weekly Roman Catholic publication Moto permanently banned
06 Dec 1974		Cabora Bassa gates fixed and lake begins to fill
08 Dec 1974		Leaders of ZANU, ZAPU, and FROLIZI announce acceptance of ANC as "umbrella" organization with Muzorewa as head
11 Dec 1974		Ian Smith announces agreement with nationalists for cease-fire, release of political prisoners, and plan for new constitutional conference
12 Dec 1974		The South African Prime Minister stated the S.A. Police will be withdrawn from Rhodesia once it is clear that terrorism has ended
25 Dec 1974		The British Foreign Secretary stated he will meet Rhodesian African leaders in Lusaka, during his African tour next month
1975		Marxist-oriented FRELIMO assumed power in Mozambique and its independence made it easier for the guerrillas to attack Rhodesia
10 Jan 1975		Release of detainees halted as terrorist incursions increase
06 Feb 1975		McIntosh, the sanctions spy serving a 14-year sentence, escaped from jail
06 Feb 1975		Rhodesian Prime Minister and leaders of the A.N.C. meet for two hours
25 Feb 1975		Portuguese Frontier Police handed Mclntosh back to Rhodesian Police
05 Mar 1975		Rev. Ndabaningi Sithole detained on the grounds of plotting to assassinate certain opponents
15 Mar 1975		Rhodesian Prime Minister and senior Ministers go to South Africa for talks
18 Mar 1975		Rhodesia's Diplomatic Mission in Lisbon told to leave by 30th April
19 Mar 1975		Herbert Chitepo and his bodyguard killed by a land-mine in Lusaka
03 Apr 1975		Special Court reviewing Sithole's detention found it was fully warranted
06 Apr 1975		Acting on the request of Bishop Muzorewa and supported by the S.A. Government and other African Heads of State, Sithole was released from detention in order to attend the O.A.U. meeting in Tanzania
27 May 1975		Rhodesian Prime Minister issued an ultimatum to the A.N.C.- get to the Conference table or Government will turn to other groups
02 Jun 1975		Thirteen people killed and 28 injured when police opened fire on a crowd of 5,000 Africans in Highfields who were rival nationalist factions
05 Jun 1975		Number of arrests made on allegations of recruiting for terrorist training
07 Jun 1975		Bishop Muzorewa returns to Salisbury
15 Jun 1975		Meeting between Prime Minister and A.N.C. ended in deadlock over venue for a Constitutional Conference
25 Jun 1975		Minister for Information and five other Rhodesian M.P.s visited President Kaunda in Lusaka over the weekend
25 Jun 1975		Mozambique becomes independent with Samora Machel as President
25 Jun 1975		Opening of Parliament
29 Jun 1975		The Prime Minister and Mr. Ennals had a 90-minute talk together on the settlement issue
08 Jul 1975		Rhodesian government announces set-up of anti-terrorist campaign after failure of cease-fire
09 Jul 1975		Government sets up a Commission to investigate racial discrimination
25 Jul 1975		Curfew put on 500-km strip down the Eastern border
06 Aug 1975		Curfew imposed along the Botswana border
13 Aug 1975		Government confirmed that a Constitutional Conference would be held in South African Railway's coaches on the Victoria Falls Bridge. Conference will be subject to an agreement made in Pretoria between the Rhodesian Government and the A.N.C. representative, and subscribed to by other heads of State
25 Aug 1975		Conference opened at the Victoria Falls Bridge, attended by President Kaunda and Mr. Vorster
28 Aug 1975		Government is to introduce a national registration for all residents irrespective of race
03 Sep 1975		Rev. Ndabaningi Sithole announced an external wing of the A.N.C. to be formed called the Zimbabwe Liberation Council (Z.L.C.)
04 Sep 1975		Split appears in the A.N.C. between members of the former Z.A.N.U. and Z.A.P.U.
10 Dec 1975		J.J. Wrathall succeeds Dupont as president
15 Dec 1975		Ian Smith and Joshua Nkomo begin weekly talks in Salisbury
03 Mar 1976		Mozambique closes its borders to Rhodesia
19 Mar 1976		Smith-Nkomo talks break down
26 Apr 1976		Government publishes regulations increasing censorship
27 Apr 1976		Ian Smith announces addition of government chiefs to his cabinet
09 Aug 1976		Raid on Nyadzonya terrorist base by Rhodesian forces in Frelimo disguise. Over 1200 ZANLA killed
19 Sep 1976		Ian Smith and U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger meet in Pretoria
24 Sep 1976		Ian Smith announces willingness to bring about African majority rule within two years
09 Oct 1976		Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe (ZANU and ZAPU) announce formation of Patriotic Front. The military forces of the two also combined to form ZIPA
14 Oct 1976	14 Dec 1976	All-Party Geneva Conference on Rhodesia held. This was a mediation effort involving US secretary of state Henry Kissinger and John Vorster. Kissinger practiced "'lying to both sides'" and failed. A commitment from Smith to majority rule was obtained
09 Dec 1976		Geneva Conference adjourns for holidays, never to reopen
29 Dec 1976		Government chiefs found Zimbabwe United People's Organization
1977		197 Rhodesians were killed in action and close to 11,000 emigrated
18 Mar 1977		U.S. President Jimmy Carter signs repeal of "Byrd Agreement"
Apr 1977	Dec 1978	The Anglo-American mediation effort carried out by Britain's foreign secretary David Owen and US secretary of state Cyrus Vance failed
01 Apr 1977		Amendments to Land Tenure Act lift some colour bar laws
13 Apr 1977		British Foreign Secretary David Owen presents Anglo-American constitutional proposals to Ian Smith in Cape Town
16 Apr 1977		David Owen consults with Ian Smith in Salisbury, becoming first British cabinet-level official to visit Rhodesia in six years
18 Apr 1977		Emergency Rhodesian Front convention endorses principle of eventual majority rule
29 Apr 1977		Ian Smith expels hard-line opponents from the Rhodesian Front
16 May 1977		President Kaunda announces that Zambia is "in a state of war" with Rhodesia
27 May 1977		UN Security Council tightens mandatory sanctions
04 Jul 1977		Rhodesian Action Party formed
05 Jul 1977		General meeting of OAU endorses Patriotic Front as sole representative of people of Zimbabwe
31 Aug 1977		Rhodesian Front sweeps European seats in general election
01 Sep 1977		British Foreign Secretary Owen and U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance announce proposals acknowledging that the Patriotic Front must play a leadership role in any future government, and that armed forces of an in dependant Zimbabwe should be based upon ZANLA and ZIPRA forces
24 Sep 1977		Frontline President's group endorses Anglo-American plan
28 Sep 1977		Britain presents Anglo-American proposals to UN Security Council
23 Nov 1977	24 Nov 1977	Rhodesian Security Forces mount major raids into Mozambique. Massive air and ground strike on Chimoio and Tembue terrorist bases. Over 2,000 ZANLA killed for 1 Rhodesian killed and 8 wounded
24 Nov 1977		Ian Smith announces conditional acceptance of "one man, one vote" principle
02 Dec 1977		Ian Smith opens new round of internal negotiations with Abel Muzorewa, Ndabaningi Sithole and Jeremiah Chirau
07 Dec 1977		Zambia announces withdrawal of support for Anglo-American plan
06 Feb 1978		Abel Muzorewa, Ndabaningi Sithole and Jeremiah Chirau reject Anglo-American plan
03 Mar 1978		Ian Smith, Abel Muzorewa, Ndabaningi Sithole and Jeremiah Chirau sign internal settlement agreement; agreement is immediately denounced by leaders of both the Patriotic Front and the Frontline States. Black majority rule (one person, one vote) was granted but interests of the whites were protected
21 Mar 1978		Rhodesia officially governed by an Executive Council, with Ian Smith, Abel Muzorewa, Ndabaningi Sithole and Jeremiah Chirau alternating chairmanship.
Jul 1978		At Khartoum, OAU Council of Ministers denounced the internal settlement and praised the Patriotic Front
03 Sep 1978		ZIPRA terrorists shoot down a civilian commuter Air Rhodesia plane (the Hunyani) near Kariba with a SAM-7 missile. Eighteen of the 56 passengers and crew survived the resulting crash, but 10 of them were almost immediately callously murdered by ZAPU terrorists
09 Sep 1978		Memorial service held by the Very Rev. John da Costa, Anglican Dean of Salisbury in the Anglican Cathedral of St. Mary and All Saints. His sermon titled, "The Silence is Deafening", accused the world of ignoring atrocities against Rhodesian civilians
19 Oct 1978		The legendary "Green Leader" raid on terrorist camps in Zambia, while the Rhodesian Air Force completely controlled Zambian air space. The series of raids carried out resulted in 1,600 ZIPRA dead for the loss of one Rhodesian soldier
20 Dec 1978		The war was into its thirteenth year. In 1978, 13,000 whites had emigrated and 2,450 guerrillas, 282 Rhodesian troops, 3,406 black civilians, and 173 white non-combatants lost their lives. The civil war cost Rhodesia one million dollars each day and whites emigrated at a rate of 1,000 per month
02 Jan 1979		Government announces plan for new constitution to implement conditions agreed to in Internal Settlement
30 Jan 1979		European electorate approves referendum on new constitution
12 Feb 1979		ZIPRA terrorists shoot down a second Air Rhodesia civilian commuter plane (the Umniati) killing all 59 people on board outright
21 Feb 1979		UN Human Rights Commission rejects the Internal settlement
28 Feb 1979		Ian Smith dissolves Rhodesian Parliament, officially ending 88 years of white rule
14 Apr 1979		SAS raid on Nkomo's headquarters in Lusaka
17 Apr 1979		First general elections in which Africans vote for government officials are held, and 64 percent of African electorate cast votes; Rhodesian Front wins all 28 seats reserved for Europeans, while UANC under Abel Muzorewa wins 51 of 72 seats elected by African voters: Sithole and Chirau refuse to recognize results as official
01 May 1979		Smith hands the office of prime minister to Muzorewa but the whites retain the key points in the civil service, government and in the army. International diplomatic recognition of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia, as it was now called, did not take place
03 May 1979		Conservatives win the elections in Great Britain. Margaret Thatcher wants to be rid of the Rhodesian problem. The Conservative Manifestation had said that if Rhodesia met certain principles then it would be recognized by Britain
20 May 1979		Zimbabwe Rhodesia declared an independent republic
25 May 1979		OAU announces its opposition to Muzorewa's government and lifting of sanctions
28 May 1979		Abel Muzorewa sworn in as first African prime minister
01 Jul 1979		At Canberra, the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, startles Thatcher by announcing that Australia was against any leniency towards Smith and Muzorewa and that they are in agreement with the Front-line states
01 Aug 1979		Commonwealth Conference in Lusaka opens. A compromise plan is agreed. Britain receives a mandate to mediate
14 Aug 1979		Britain extends invitations to Muzorewa government and the Patriotic Front
01 Sep 1979		The Rhodesian Green and White flag lowered for the last time, to be replaced by a new Zimbabwe-Rhodesia flag the next day
05 Sep 1979		Operation Uric starts, external raids on ZANLA and Frelimo bases in Mozambique
07 Sep 1979	09 Sep 1979	At Non-aligned Movement summit meeting in Cuba, Patriotic Front members are coerced into going to London. Patriotic Front say that they will only negotiate with the British
10 Sep 1979		Britain convenes Lancaster House Conference under chairmanship of British Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington; government of Zimbabwe Rhodesia delegation led by Muzorewa and Ian Smith, and Patriotic Front delegation led by Mugabe and Nkomo. Carrington's agenda constituted first agreeing on a constitution, followed by transitional arrangements and new elections, and finally the cease-fire plan
10 Sep 1979		Lord Carrington delivered his opening address and presented his outline of the constitution as the basis for negotiations and maintained that constitutional issue must be solved first. Patriotic Front put forward its own agenda
12 Sep 1979		Smith caused the first split in the Rhodesian side by supporting the Patriotic Front agenda (he wanted to see the entire deal)
14 Sep 1979		Patriotic Front presented its constitutional proposals; Carrington said that only British proposals could be negotiated
18 Sep 1979		Carrington decided to hold bilateral meetings (and the practice of first negotiating with Rhodesian commenced)
19 Sep 1979	21 Sep 1979	Ian Smith argued that white safeguards must not be diluted. Carrington presented the Salisbury delegation with numbers (twenty out of 100 seats would be reserved for the whites and seventy votes would be necessary to amend the constitution). The Salisbury delegation accepted the offer
02 Oct 1979		The negotiations between the British and the Patriotic Front became heated. Mugabe and Nkomo gave their first joint press conference and accused the British of complicity with Rhodesia
03 Oct 1979	09 Oct 1979	Carrington delivered his first deadline: He wanted an answer by the eight. Muzorewa accepted but the Patriotic Front refused and offered to move on to the next item. Carrington rejected the offer and extended the deadline
11 Oct 1979		Carrington decided to seek support from the presidents of the Front-line states and the Commonwealth
15 Oct 1979		So as to break the deadlock, Carrington used, for the first time, a 'second-class solution' tool. This tool would have meant recognizing Rhodesia. To make the threat more credible, he suspended the Patriotic Front from the negotiations. This resulted in the secretary-general of the Commonwealth, Shridath Ramphal, scolding Carrington. Britain became more accommodating
15 Oct 1979	18 Oct 1979	The United States offered economic support to Zimbabwe which was of crucial importance (i.e., compensation for land)
16 Oct 1979		Patriotic Front started to back down and said that they would join the negotiations as soon as the issue of compensation for land was solved
18 Oct 1979		Patriotic Front announced that "there will not be need to revert to the discussion on the constitution" provided that they were satisfied with the transitional arrangements
22 Oct 1979		Carrington presented the British proposals on the transition period: It was to last for two months and a British governor was to direct the country, through the existing bureaucracy and the security forces, as well as supervise the elections. The plan was equally unwelcome to all sides
26 Oct 1979		Patriotic Front denounced Carrington's "dictatorial attitude;" they were particularly angry at the fact that the British were going to be using the Rhodesian bureaucracy and security forces which they believed would not be impartial. They wanted UN and Patriotic Front forces to be used
28 Oct 1979		Prime Minister Muzorewa agreed to step down after a night of prayer
01 Nov 1979		Patriotic Front threatened to leave the negotiations but, without support from the Front-line states, they did not seem credible
02 Nov 1979		Britain wanted an answer by the fifth. The date was important because that week the British Parliament would debate the continuation of sanctions imposed on Rhodesia
05 Nov 1979		Muzorewa said that they had accepted the British proposals. Patriotic Front was not forthcoming
07 Nov 1979		Britain introduced into its Parliament a bill that would have started the motion of bringing Rhodesia back under British authority; the Patriotic Front was furious. Carrington placed a deadline for the next day
08 Nov 1979		Carrington rebuked the Patriotic Front for not providing an answer. The Patriotic Front said it was a misunderstanding and that they had met President Kaunda of Zambia who had flown to London to help break the deadlock. Ian Smith accepted 'defeat' and said "'the time has come to tell our people back home that to continue the fight would now be sterile, even counter-productive.'"
10 Nov 1979		Britain agreed to set up a Commonwealth force and gave more time and increased the transition time by a couple of weeks
13 Nov 1979		Carrington offered the Patriotic Front a face-saver by recognizing the equality of the forces in the conflict
14 Nov 1979		Carrington and Mugabe discussed areas of agreement and disagreement
15 Nov 1979		Patriotic Front accepted the transition plan
16 Nov 1979		Britain presented its cease-fire plan which called for the cessation of movement of troops (bases for the Rhodesian troops; assembly points for the guerrillas), and coming under the command of the British governor
16 Nov 1979	19 Nov 1979	Zambia's few remaining links to the outside world were bombed by Rhodesian troops but President Kaunda did not retaliate
19 Nov 1979		The Patriotic Front counter-proposals demanded a substantial Commonwealth presence and the disbandment of certain Rhodesian units
22 Nov 1979		Britain presented ultimatums (demanding a reply by November 26th) which resulted in Mugabe remarking that Lord Carrington "could 'go to hell.'"
25 Nov 1979		Following a meeting with the Front-line Presidents at Dar es Salaam, Nkomo and Mugabe declared that they had their backing but in private, the Presidents urged greater accommodation
26 Nov 1979		Muzorewa's delegation embraced the British proposals but the Patriotic Front took their time
06 Dec 1979		Patriotic Front gave partial acceptance but demanded more time and more assembly points
07 Dec 1979		Queen Elizabeth appoints Lord Soames as governor and the Zimbabwe bill on the granting of a status of republic was published angering the Patriotic Front in the process
11 Dec 1979		The Rhodesian Parliament dissolved itself
12 Dec 1979		1979 Zimbabwe Rhodesia House of Assembly votes to return country to colonial status; later that day Lord Soames arrives in Salisbury to take office, officially marking end of UDI
13 Dec 1979		Sanctions on Rhodesia were lifted (and further angered the Patriotic Front who believed that the British were acting rashly)
14 Dec 1979		Carrington demanded firm reply which caused the Patriotic Front to express their hostility: "Thatcher can jump in the Thames;" "The answer, Lord Carrington, is No . . . No . . . No . . .;" and "Carrington can go to hell". President Machel stepped in and supposedly had a message delivered to Mugabe to accept or "he would be welcomed back to Mozambique and given a beach villa where he could write his memoirs."
17 Dec 1979		The Patriotic Front signed the cease-fire agreement
21 Dec 1979		The final agreement was signed by all parties on the 102nd day of the conference
29 Dec 1979		Cease-fire takes effect, ZANLA and ZIPRA terrorists begin to gather at 16 assembly points throughout rural areas; Rhodesian security forces assemble at their bases
01 Jan 1980		Seven guerrillas were killed in a clash with Zimbabwe-Rhodesian forces 60 miles north of Salisbury
04 Jan 1980		By the deadline, 18,500 Patriot Front guerrillas had reported to assembly points around Zimbabwe-Rhodesia
09 Jan 1980		First direct links with outside world were re-established with the arrival of a passenger airline flight from Lusaka, Zambia
13 Jan 1980		Joshua Nkomo returns to Zimbabwe-Rhodesia after three years of exile. 100,000 greeted him
14 Jan 1980		Ten black parties registered for the elections. Nkomo registered ZAPU under the name of Patriotic Front
18 Jan 1980		The state of emergency was extended until July
21 Jan 1980		First group of refugees (1,000) returned from Botswana
22 Jan 1980		Lord Soames, British governor, accused Mugabe's ZANU and outgoing Prime Minister Muzorewa's irregular troops of truce violations
26 Jan 1980		The withdrawal of 26 South African contingents guarding links from South Africa to Zimbabwe-Rhodesia was announced
27 Jan 1980		Robert Mugabe returns after more than four years in exile, more than 200,000 greeted him
02 Feb 1980		UNSC adopted a resolution calling upon Great Britain to insure fair elections for a black majority government took place
10 Feb 1980		Mugabe escaped assassination as a bomb blew off behind his car amid growing political violence
14 Feb 1980		Whites voted. Ian Smith's Rhodesian Front won all 20 seats reserved for the whites
25 Feb 1980		The process of readmitting refugees was halted until after the election. A symbolic step toward creating an integrated force took place when a contingent of ZAPU's guerrillas started manoeuvres with the regular army
27 Feb 1980	29 Feb 1980	General elections in which 94 percent of the African electorate casts votes; ZANU wins overwhelming victory with 63 percent of the African vote and 57 of 80 parliamentary seats; ZAPU receives 24 percent of the vote and wins 20 seats
02 Mar 1980		A Commonwealth observation team concluded that the election had been free and fair. Other observers pointed to wide-scale intimidation by Mugabe's ZANU
03 Mar 1980		Lord Soames and Zimbabwe-Rhodesian officials went on television to urge the population to remain calm after it was clear that Mugabe would win. Soames had by this time sorted out his differences with Mugabe and allowed his intimidation of voters to go unchallenged. The withdrawal of Commonwealth peacekeeping forces began
04 Mar 1980		Robert Mugabe's ZANU won the elections for a new black government in Zimbabwe-Rhodesia. ZANU obtained 62.9% of the popular vote which meant 57 of the 80 seats reserved for blacks in the 100-member parliament; Nkomo received 24.1% (20 seats); and Muzorewa got 8.2% (3 seats). In Mugabe's public announcements, he appeared moderate
05 Mar 1980		Mugabe agrees to form a coalition government, but appoints only four ZAPU party members, including Joshua Nkomo as minister of home affairs, to ministerial posts
05 Mar 1980		ZANU guerrillas started training with the regular army
11 Mar 1980		Prime Minister-elect Mugabe presented a list of his Cabinet appointments to Lord Soames. Two whites were given portfolios. Mugabe kept for himself the post of defence minister; Nkomo was given the post of home affairs (i.e., control of the police). There was one woman in the Cabinet
13 Mar 1980		Mugabe promised changes to enable more blacks to enter the civil service. Nkomo would also oversee immigration. The government announced that it would respect all old debts, as long as they were not for arms purchases
15 Apr 1980		Britain proclaimed that it would give Zimbabwe $165 million between 1981-83 partly to train black civil servants and the Zimbabwean army
15 Apr 1980		Lt. Gen. Walls was appointed to head the new Zimbabwean army
17 Apr 1980		The US was the first country to open an embassy
17 Apr 1980		Zimbabwe-Rhodesia officially became the independent nation of Zimbabwe
18 Apr 1980		Republic of Zimbabwe declared
19 Apr 1980		The 21 ministers were sworn in
20 Apr 1980		The government's first official action was issuing the budget which gave priority to helping poor blacks
30 May 1980		Prime Minister Mugabe asked for more British military training personnel to help integrate the armies into the new national army. Mozambique and Zimbabwe "exchanged pledges of assistance in security matters"
27 Jun 1980		Zimbabwe closed South Africa's diplomatic mission in Salisbury
17 Jul 1980		Lt. Gen. Peter Walls, the white chief of Zimbabwe's joint Military High Command, announced that he intended to leave his post as of July 29 because "'it's the overcoming of the problems which has made me feel that it is okay for me to retire now.'"
23 Jul 1980		The Parliament renewed for six months the state of emergency first introduced by the white Rhodesian government in 1964
25 Aug 1980		Zimbabwe became the 153rd member of the UN
27 Aug 1980		In New York City, Prime Minister Mugabe praised President Carter for his role in settling the civil war
31 Aug 1980		Ian Smith urged the whites to remain and made favourable comments about the majority-rule government
30 Sep 1980		Emigration had risen in August to its highest level since 1978
10 Nov 1980	11 Nov 1980	Near Bulawayo, the country's second largest city, where more than 3,000 former guerrilla soldiers from both factions had been resettled, at least 43 persons were killed and 300 injured in the most violent fighting between the rival guerrilla factions since independence
13 Oct 2002		Sir Garfield Todd (93) prime minister 1953-1958 died after suffering a stroke

Many Thanks to Richard Allport and Hugh Bomford for their contributions
Created by Ed Goldberg Dec 2003 egoli@telus.net