How intense was the segregation of blacks from whites? What was white and black culture like? How large of a role did the military play in civilian life? Was there a draft? Did Blacks serve in the minority government's military?
Last but not least: How chaotic were the final months of minority rule? How did whites leave the country, and to where did they flee?
Thanks in advance. I look forward to any answers I can find.
I know I'm not a historian and feel free to delete me mods. My parents (black/coloured) grew up in Rhodesia. I grew up in Zimbabwe (briefly) I can answer some of that, it's not expert knowledge I'm claiming here.
The segregation was more or less like what it was in South Africa. Though considerably less violent and severe. Different residential zones for blacks, whites and coloureds with different schooling and services. There were limited opportunities and things a person could do. Blacks could do gardening and manual labour for example. Mining. The best one could hope for was a trade like car mechanic or driver. Women could be nurses and teachers but only in schools of their own race.
There was a draft during the war yes. And yes blacks served Ian Smith's military. That was the law. Of course many people ran off to join ZIPRA and ZANLA and live as rebels, or ran away and emigrated themselves if they were able. But quite a lot didn't and had to join the army. Then too was the social pressure, if everybody in your community was drafted and you ran, that caused consequences. Who did what caused family rifts years after independence in black and coloured families. The vast overwhelming majority of coloureds fought with Smiths forces btw.
Most of the white Rhodesians did not leave after Lancaster house agreement and independence. Britain and more or less garuanteed their safety with whole 'willing buyer/willing seller' thing and the vast majority stayed. There were no violent reprisals against whites in new Zimbabwe at first. The segregation laws may have crumbled and schools and services and job opportunities were opened up but of course the whites still held the wealth and land and power so it was king of an economic segregation, a continuation of the status quo in all but name. Of those who DID leave. They went mostly to Britain and to South Africa (still under apartheid then). Most of the white exodus happened around 2000, 20 years later.
Read the Wiki article on Ian Smith or Robert Mugabe, they both detail the brief history of the UDI and the war and the independence deal.