Total Strategy

• Botha was determined to uphold apartheid in South Africa, therefore he set about creating ‘Total Strategy’ to tackle the onslaught
• ‘Total Strategy’ is a term with which most South Africans will be familiar - it came into common use during the era of P.W. Botha; these were his methods and strategies used to suppress any potential threat from Communism or apartheid
• Its authors portrayed it as the apartheid government's response to the perceived threat of a ‘total onslaught
• 4 main strands:

  • Reform
  • Strengthening the military/Police state
  • Military actions towards South Africa’s neighbours (e.g. Angola)
  • Western Diplomacy