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Revision as of 01:14, 21 July 2003 by Tiles (talk | contribs) (deleted POV comments)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Ian Douglas Smith (born April 8, 1919) was the Premier of the British Crown Colony of Southern Rhodesia from April 13, 1964 - November 11, 1965 and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Rhodesia from November 11, 1965 - June 1, 1979).
He was born in Selukwe and educated in Gwelo and at the Rhodes University in South Africa. He served with the RAF during WW II. He returned home to finish his degree and then bought a farm in Selukwe. He became active in politics from 1948, first with the Liberal Party, then the United Federal Party. In 1962 he was one of the founders of the Rhodesian Front Party. The party won a very slim majority in the 1962 elections and formed a government. In April 1964 Smith was appointed leader of the Rhodesian Front Party, replacing Winston Field, and thus became Premier of Southern Rhodesia.