Ian Smith

Ian Smith (8 April 1919 – 20 November 2007) was a Rhodesian politician, farmer, and fighter pilot who served as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 1964 to 1979. Born and raised in Rhodesia, Smith led the predominantly white government that declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1965. He remained Prime Minister during the country's 14 years of international isolation and oversaw Rhodesia's security forces during the Bush War. Smith's leadership and refusal to implement black majority rule made him a highly controversial figure. He was born to British immigrants in Selukwe, Southern Rhodesia.