Rhodesian Fireforce: history's most lethal counterinsurgency tactic - Teaching Tactics

Fireforce was a daring tactic developed by the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Rhodesian Bush War of 1965-1980. Following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom, Rhodesia (modern-day Zimbabwe) became a heavily sanctioned pariah-state, condemned for its insistence on maintaining a system of minority rule in the face of a global wave of decolonization. A violent insurgency, supported by the Communist Bloc of the Cold War, sought to overthrow the Rhodesian government. The tiny Security Forces, chronically short on manpower and struggling to maintain an aging fleet of outdated vehicles, developed an aggressive Search&Destroy tactic to inflict devastating losses on the insurgents: Fireforce. These company-sized actions used small, unarmoured Alouette helicopters to insert 4-man teams in the path of the enemy, WWII-era C-47 transport planes to drop paratroopers directly into combat, and modified civilian aircraft to throw locally made ordnance in close support of ground forces. This almost reckless tactic proved highly effective against the militarily incapable insurgents, inflicting one of the most staggeringly lopsided casualty-counts of modern war.
This special episode of Teaching Tactics explores Rhodesia’s Fireforce. Part 1 provides a background to the conflict, counterinsurgency theory and the origins of Fireforce. Part 2 covers the organization of the elite Rhodesian Light Infantry, a unit of Fireforce experts. Part 3 will show Fireforce in action, featuring a recreation of the tactic using a detailed map animation.
Teaching Tactics by DigitalBattlefieldTours is a documentary series covering the development and application of 20th century military tactics. Teaching Tactics combines in-depth analysis with a highly visualized presentation to provide an approachable yet comprehensive guide to military tactics.
BONUS CONTENT
A paper reviewing the state of academic literature on Rhodesian counterinsurgency is available for free on Patreon:
/ 69330010
COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS
DBT has performed its due diligence in tracing the rightful claimants of the copyrighted materials used in this production. Materials whose claimants could not be contacted have been used in accordance with the ‘fair use’ principle. Rightful claimants of these materials are invited to contact DBT.
Acknowledgements:
John Frame, author of The Rhodesian Civil War (1966-1979).
IWM CT 1448
Screenshots captured in the EDEN 3D Editor from ARMA III (Bohemia Interactive).
ABRIDGED LIST OF SOURCES
Cilliers, ‘Counter-Insurgency in Rhodesia’ (1985).
Moorcraft and McLaughlin, ‘The Rhodesian War: a Military History’ (2008).
Wood, ‘Counter-Strike from the Sky’ (2009).
De Boer, ‘Rhodesia’s Approach to Counterinsurgency’, Military Review (2011).
Grant, ‘Rhodesian Light Infantryman 1961-80’ (2015).
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
04:00 Origins of Fireforce
16:05 Rhodesian Light Infantry
30:24 Fireforce in Action
42:28 Closing Remarks