The Communist Challenge to Africa

Book excerpt: The nineteen sixties and seventies have been troubled times for Africa. The West's rush to decolonize left an open door for the world's new colonizing super-power - Russia. When Russia and, to a lesser extent China, moved through that door, the stage was set for the chaos and bloodshed that has become part and parcel of life on the continent. Ian Greig, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Research Institute in London and author of the authoritative The assault on the West has taken a close look at the pattern of events that has emerged in Africa and makes it plain that foreign Communism is using the "liberation" of Africa as a stepping stone to its self-proclaimed goal of world domination. South Africa, South West Africa and Rhodesia are clearly obstacles on the way to this goal - obstacles that Moscow would very much like removed. The conclusions drawn by the author are not pleasant, but they must be faced.