Total Onslaught, Total Strategy

• The new Prime Minister (P. W. Botha) felt there were increasing issues within South Africa, with the main one being the Communist problem
• Botha referred to threats to the apartheid regime from both at home and abroad as Total Onslaught - ensuring that he referred to these threats as predominantly communist ones to secure support from the West
• State of Apartheid regime up to 1978: Going well?

  • Apartheid had been able to defend itself against an increasing number of opponents throughout the 1970s – both internal and external
  • They had support from Western nations due to the Cold War
  • Vorster’s election success after the Soweto Uprising indicated sustained support for the regime from whites in South Africa
• State of Apartheid regime up to 1978: Not Going Well?

  • Vorster was forced to resign – Muldergate Scandal
  • Buffer states were now ruled by blacks (Angola, Mozambique and Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), so they no longer offered protection from other anti-apartheid African countries
  • Sanction pressure internationally was increasing
  • Potential internal uprisings were looking more likely as well