Umkhonto we Sizwe: The ANC’s Armed Struggle

by Thula Simpson

The armed struggle waged by the ANC’s military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), was the longest sustained insurgency in South African history. This book offers the first full account of the rebellion in its entirety, from its early days in the 1950s to the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as South African president in 1994.
Vast in scope, this story traverses every corner of South Africa and extends throughout southern Africa, where MK’s largest campaigns and heaviest engagements occurred, as well as to the solidarity networks that the rebellion mobilised around the world.
Drawing principally from previously unpublished writings and testimonies by the men and women who fought the armed struggle, this book recreates the drama, heroism and tragedy of their experiences. It tells the story of leaders like Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Joe Slovo and Chris Hani, whose reputations were forged in the crucible of the armed struggle, but it is also a tale of martyrs such as Looksmart Ngudle, Ashley Kriel and Phila Ndwandwe, as well as of MK cadres such as Leonard Nkosi and Glory Sedibe, who would ultimately turn against the ANC and collaborate with the state in hunting down their former comrades.
Written in a fresh, immediate style, Umkhonto we Sizwe is an honest account of the armed struggle and a fascinating chronicle of events that changed South African history.

Genres: History, South Africa, Africa

1097 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 1, 2016

Reviews

[Barry Sierer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not written in a way that one might expect for a history book. Thula Simpson’s work provides a comprehensive account of the operations (both the successes and all too frequent failures) of Umkhonto We Sizwe (also known as MK), the military wing of the African National Congress, against the South African government from 1960 to 1994.

He does this by writing short paragraphs which illuminate the details of each particular operation and the details of relevant operational meetings between the MK Commanders. The paragraphs are not necessarily well organized which can lead to confusion when hopping from one description another. While the stories are often action-packed, there is little analysis of tactics or operational phases to speak of.

What this book DOES provide is a very down to earth look at an insurgency waged against one of the most formidable security services the world as ever seen without any of the “revolutionary” hyperbole. This may not be a great book through which to examine South African history (the scope is too narrow), but it would be an excellent choice for those examining guerilla war from the perspective of the guerilla.

[Bongani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has definitely sparked an interest in the part of history of our country.
To complement it, I intend getting the following books.
1 Jacob Dlamini's Askari
2. Stanley Manong's If We Must Die
3. Paul Trewhela's Inside Quatro.

[JL · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book consists of very little comment and narrative from the author and is mainly a meticulous, chronological, factual account of events spanning approximately 40 years. Whilst this approach by the author makes it a long, and at times laborious read, it is this aspect which lends authenticity to the book. It relays the story of MK in an unbiased, extremely well-researched and easily digestible manner. Well worth the time spent reading it.

[Rafael · Rating 2 out of 5]

An incredible collection of anecdotes but I was bitterly disappointed that no further insights or commentary was added by the author.

[Zakithi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hard but a worthwhile read. The more books you read about the history of the ANC the more you realize how the same things have been happening over and over again.

[Dan O'Meara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting, but well worth reading.
Rather than a linear account of the history of MK, Simpson has chosen to view each chronological phase of the history of the armed struggle (or at least, the ANC's contribution to it), through short snippets based on the accounts of the participants from both sides (MK and the regime). I found this irritating at first, but soon began to appreciate the strengths of this form of narrative.
What emerges is an overwhelming impression of little victories and big defeats (the latter far outweighing the former) for MK, but which, by the end of the 198os - and when coupled with massive popular internal resistance - left the apartheid regime with very little room to manoeuvre.
Simpson pulls no punches in his account of screw ups, disorganisation, often ill-discipline and courage. Nobody can come away from reading this book (not even an ANC partisan at the time such as myself) impressed by the military capacity of MK. Yet the tenacious courage of its cadres shines through, despite many accounts of cowardice.
The strength of Simpon's approach is that he never editorialises Readers are left to form their own opinions and draw their own conclusions.
An invaluable book for anyone interested in the struggle to bring down one of the most vile regimes of the 20th century.