Paper short abstract:

In July 1960, the foundations of colonial Zimbabwe were shaken to the core. A large influx of white refugees from the Congo followed by violent unrest in African townships served warning to the European population that the continuation of their privileged position could not be taken for granted.

Paper long abstract:

This paper explores the manner in which the winds of change became gusts in colonial Zimbabwe. The paper suggests that the independence of the Congo and the chaos that ensued soon thereafter had a transformative impact on Zimbabwean society. The paper explores the manner in which the changing regional context shaped political discourse and actions in Zimbabwe's capital, Salisbury, and second city, Bulawayo.

Across a two-week period in July, several thousand whites fled the Congo and transited through these two urban centers. Zimbabwe's European community mobilized to support the refugees, donating clothing, money, and time for refugee relief. These efforts kindled a sense of community mobilization that would later be relied upon to support the Unilateral Declaration of Independence and the continuation of the isolated Rhodesian regime. The presence of these European refugees also lent credence to rumors of atrocities committed against whites by the African population of the Congo.

At the end of the month, the two cities that had hosted most of these refugees, Salisbury and Bulawayo, experienced several instances of violence in their respective African townships. The violence followed a number of attempts by the authorities to disrupt the primary African opposition, the National Democratic Party. The paper argues that this domestic unrest was inspired by, and entangled with, a larger body of regional unrest, particularly events taking place in the Congo.

The concise time period facilitates efforts to illuminate the lingering impact of regional trends on the political discourse prevalent in Zimbabwe's urban centers.