He was born on 8th April 1919, in Selukwe, Zimbabwe. He started his Commerce studies at Rhodes University of South Africa in 1938, but interrupted them during the Second World War and joined the Air Force of Southern Rhodesia. He took part in the conflict, but a plane accident returned him to South Africa where he finished his studies. Later he returned to Selukwe to manage a farm.

In 1948 he was elected member of the Southern Rhodesia Assembly. He was a co-founder of the Federal Party and created the Rhodesia and Nyasaland Federation in 1953. In 1962 when the majority of his party backed an increase of representatives from the black population in Parliament, he left the party and created the Rhodesian Front, which gained the support of all those that defended white supremacy.

In 1962 the white vote brought the Rhodesian Front to power under Ian Smith's mandate, which unilaterally declared independence in 1965 and 5 years later broke all ties with Great Britain. The new republic was expelled from the Commonwealth and United Nations imposed economic sanctions.

At the start of the 70s, the black guerilla activity increased. The economy suffered due to the amount of public funds the government had to assign to the army, and there was an important exodus of the white population to Botswana and South Africa.

The increasingly militant nationalist organisations began their guerilla activities against white power in 1966. In 1976 they were able to form an alliance to negotiate access to power for the black majority, which was materialised in 1980 with the first "free and fair" elections that would bring the current president Robert Mugabe to power. On 18th April 1980, Rhodesia legally achieved independence under the name of Zimbabwe, 90 years after British colonisation.

Smith then took up electoral representation for the white minority, taking part in parliament until 1987. Later differences with the new government obliged him to live in Cape Town (South Africa) where he died in 2007.

He wrote The great betrayal , a very explicit book and later Bitter harvest .

Sources:

Biographic profile on the website Biographies and lives

Wikipedia

More information:

Video with statements from Ian Douglas Smith

Books by Ian Douglas Smith on Google Books