Editorials Africa '65: growing pains
Africa, "the dark continent," as it has done for a decade, proved this ancient metaphor, implying mystery and other-world remoteness, was not relevant in 1965. Its people, its events, its destiny combined in a rumbling explosion into which the rest of the world was irrevocably drawn.
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
Two countries which added force to the explosion were Rhodesia and the Congo.
IN PREPARATION FOR his country's unilateral declaration of independence, UDI, Ian Smith dissolved his old parliament in April and held a general election in May, asking Rhodesian voters for a mandate to declare UDI. He got it, taking all 50 white seats in the 65 member assembly, which represents 250,000 whites and 4,000,000 Negroes—of which only 60,000 are even eligible to vote.
Next followed an exchange of notes, threats, and talks between Britain and Rhodesia, which resulted in deadlock. Backed by most Rhodesian whites who feared the loss of "the good life" when Rhodesian Negroes were given control of an independent Rhodesia, Smith declared independence on Nov. 11. Britain immediately slapped embargos on her tobacco and sugar (major crops).
However, at year's end, Smith still hoped to control power with the aid of friendly South Africa, also under apartheid. He held another trump card with his threat to isolate land-locked Zambia by cutting off its electrical power from the Kariba Dam.
BRITAIN TIGHTENED HER efforts at subduing Rhodesia without armed force by banning almost all imports, allowing no pensions, dividends or interest to be paid from Britain to anyone in Rhodesia, and forbidding bank loans.
Whether Britain can succeed quickly in its Rhodesian battle without armed force is yet to be seen. Time grows short and the anger of other independent African countries at Britain and Rhodesia increases. The country closed 1965 as a real threat for the start of further African racial and ideological revolution.
THE BLOODY SLAUGHTER of white and Negro prisoners in the Congolese war between President Kasavubu's government troops and Russian and Red Chinese-armed rebels finally ended in March with the rebels' defeat.
After five years of chaotic independence, four premiers, four civil wars, two constitutions, the Congo held its first parliamentary elections. Moise Tshombe won a dazzling victory as premier. However, his victory was squelched in October when leftist-leaning Kasavubu ousted him because he felt Tshombe was becoming too popular and feared he would try to win the presidency in the February election.
THIS GROWING DISPUTE was ended when Maj. Gen. Joseph Mobutu seized power in a bloodless coup and decreed himself as five-year head of the regime. Kasavubu was given a senate seat and Tshombe said he desired to study this new coalition government before giving approval.
A number of other African countries trod the election road this year and some found it rather crooked.
- THREE WEEKS OF post-election violence marked the November outcome of regional assembly elections in Nigeria. The opposition party accused the ruling party of rigging the elections by fraud and terror. Faced with a civil uprising, the government now works at putting a coalition government together.
- In Ghana, early in the year, Kwame Nkruma had the electorate approve a one-party constitution and dissolved the parliament, elected before Ghana's independence eight years ago, then nominated 198 Convention People's Party candidates. In June, he simply declared them all elected because of lack of opposition.
- Tanzania conducted one-party elections in October but, surprisingly, 107 of the 113 Parliamentary seats still had two contenders, competing within the party for them.
- Bechuanaland and Basutoland, two countries slated for independence next year, held elections for the first time, electing moderate-viewed leaders—Basutoland by only a two-seat majority.
- 1965 also saw the further courting of African countries by the Communists, but they seemed to find, as did Westerners, that Africans were interested in nationalism first.
- Tanzania's Nyerere continued to accept Red Chinese aid but told visiting Premier Chou En-lai in June that the country's future was still in the hands of Tanzanians.
- Burundi ruler Mwanbutsa ordered the Chinese out of the country in January after he learned that moderate Premier Ngendandumve's assassination in January was committed by men sympathetic to the Reds.
- In May, Kenya's President Kenyatta, as a slap at pro-Communist vice-president Odinga's open activities to swing Kenya to the Communist camp, rejected some Soviet arms which were on the way.
There were other notable events in Africa's year. Gambia became the 37th African country to receive independence from Britain. More than 10 conferences and meetings were held by the countries, ranging from Afro-Asian unity meetings, where nothing was agreed upon, to a formation meeting of 14 French-speaking countries aimed at creation of a moderate center of gravity for the continent's politics.
THUS, AFRICA 1965 WAS in motion—and it seemed to move in a basic direction, at times uncertain and confused, sometimes clear and decisive, toward greater nationalism and world importance.
Before his death this year, Albert Schweitzer sensed this movement when he compared his early medical days in Africa to today's for colleague Dr. Fergus Pope: "Africans had confidence in the white man in those days. Today, they want to be independent..."
— Rosalie Jenkins
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The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man's foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher.
We were thinking...
Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not; it is the first lesson that ought to be learned; and however early a man's training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly.
2
—Thomas Henry Huxley
Daily Kansan
Wednesday, January 5, 1966
WHILE THE REST OF THE BOYS ARE OFF FOR A WILD WEEK-END,
WORTHAL ALWAYS BARRICADES HIMSELF ON THE THIRD FLOOR
IN ORDER TO DEVOTE ALL HIS TIME TO HIS MUSIC,/
Space race orbits
Newspapers across the nation last year devoted considerable portions of their front pages to two important topics-space and the military. Space achievements and military activities have dominated the headlines.
Eight years ago, Oct. 4, 1957, the Russians placed a small Sputnik in orbit and the Space Age was born. Since then the progress has been fantastic.
Significant space accomplishments last year included:
FEB. 20: Ranger VIII sent back pictures from the Moon.
MAR. 18: Co-pilot Alexi Leonov made the first "walk" in space from the Soviet launched Voskhod II.
MAR. 23: U.S. space flight No. 7, Virgil Grissom and John Young became the first U.S. two-man crew when they made three orbits in Molly Brown.
MAR. 24: Ranger IX broadcast TV pictures direct from moon.
APR. 6: Successful launch of NASA Early Bird satellite.
JUNE 4: Defense Department announced decision to give high priority to Air Force Manned Orbiting Laboratory program.
JUNE 7: Astronauts Edward H. White and James A. McDivitt returned from four days in space. White walked in space, using propulsion gun. 62 orbits.
JULY 15: Mariner 4 flew within 6,000 miles of Mars and sent back photographs of it.
AUG. 21: Gemini 5 roared into space with Charles Conrad and Gordon Cooper for 7 days and 22 hours.
NOV. 17: U.S. reported 330 U.S. space vehicles and rocket parts circling the earth as of June 30.
DEC. 5: Gemini 7, with Frank Borman and James Lovell aboard, soared into orbit hoping to establish new time record in space—14 days, mission accomplished. The two astronauts recorded another space "first" when they kept a rendezvous with astronauts Schirra and Stafford in space.
Officials have expressed optimism that the United States has at last caught up with the Soviet Union in manned flights.
AND WHILE MEN were busy attempting to conquer space in 1965, they were plagued with the most difficult problem of all—how to get along with their fellow men.
The most important military event of the year was the war between India and Pakistan. The United States provided weapons for both countries, but, when the threat of a world war spread, stopped supplies to both nations.
VIET NAM WAS the cause of many important military decisions last year. In December, 1964, U.S. forces in Viet Nam numbered about 23,000. Now, one year later, that figure has increased to nearly 168,000 with an expected buildup of 200,000 by early this year.
Last year was a year of decision in Viet Nam. The decision was announced to bomb North Viet Nam. Following this came the order for U.S. troops to stop functioning as advisers and enter into combat.
One of the biggest developments in military history was recorded with the organization of the 1st Cavalry division. Ground warfare received tremendous mobility with the formation of the air cavalry unit with its 428 helicopters and 6 transport planes.
The decision in July by President Johnson to expand military manpower caused the highest number of draft calls in 12 years.
The 49 billion dollar defense budget for the fiscal year, beginning in July, has been increased by about 4 billion and will probably be increased again.
WITH THE INCREASES in manpower and the budget came decreases in obsolete bases and military units.
— Robert J. Rollins