Kwame Nkrumah's Revolutionary Warfare

HANDBOOK of REVOLUTIONARY WARFARE A Guide to the Armed Phase of the African Revolution INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHERS New York HANDBOOK of REVOLUTIONARY WARFARE A Guide to the Armed Phase of the African Revolution INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHERS New York PUBLISHER'S NOTE To The Handbook of Revolutionary Warfare was published The African Guerrilla toward the end of 1968 by Panaf Books, Ltd., London. A significant historical document, it provides basic source mate- rial for the study of the new phase of the African Revolution. Within the present decade guerrilla warfare has emerged as a new feature of the liberation movement in those areas of Southern Africa dominated by white racial minorities. Be- ginning with the launching of armed struggles in the Portu- guese colonies of Angola, Guinea Bissau and later in Mozambique, it appeared also in Southwest Africa and more recently in the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia. Other African countries have helped train and supply the guerrilla Copyright © by Kwame Nkrumah, 1968 forces, while preparations for similar movements seem to be ALL RIGHTS RESERVED under way elsewhere in Africa. First United States Edition, 1969 Although each of these liberation movements have their specific features and their own leaderships, there is present a strong tendency toward the coordination of their efforts, in face of the supra-national oppressive military role being as- sumed by the apartheid oligarchy of South Africa and the intervention of the neo-colonial powers. A formal coordinat- ing body already exists for the struggles in the Portuguese colonies and the movements in Rhodesia and South Africa are coordinated through their respective organizations. In the Handbook, President Kwame Nkrumah presents his analysis of the new stage of the African Revolution and his proposals for anti-imperialist coordination on a continental scale. Printed in the United States of America PUBLISHER'S NOTE To The Handbook of Revolutionary Warfare was published The African Guerrilla toward the end of 1968 by Panaf Books, Ltd., London. A significant historical document, it provides basic source mate- rial for the study of the new phase of the African Revolution. Within the present decade guerrilla warfare has emerged as a new feature of the liberation movement in those areas of Southern Africa dominated by white racial minorities. Be- ginning with the launching of armed struggles in the Portu- guese colonies of Angola, Guinea Bissau and later in Mozambique, it appeared also in Southwest Africa and more recently in the Union of South Africa and Rhodesia. Other African countries have helped train and supply the guerrilla Copyright © by Kwame Nkrumah, 1968 forces, while preparations for similar movements seem to be ALL RIGHTS RESERVED under way elsewhere in Africa. First United States Edition, 1969 Although each of these liberation movements have their specific features and their own leaderships, there is present a strong tendency toward the coordination of their efforts, in face of the supra-national oppressive military role being as- sumed by the apartheid oligarchy of South Africa and the intervention of the neo-colonial powers. A formal coordinat- ing body already exists for the struggles in the Portuguese colonies and the movements in Rhodesia and South Africa are coordinated through their respective organizations. In the Handbook, President Kwame Nkrumah presents his analysis of the new stage of the African Revolution and his proposals for anti-imperialist coordination on a continental scale. Printed in the United States of America AUTHOR'S NOTE This book has been written during my stay in Conakry. Previous notes I made for a manual of guerrilla warfare for African freedom fighters were left behind in Ghana when I departed for Hanoi on 21st February 1966. The manuscript was handed over to imperialist and neo- colonialist intelligence organisations by the military and police traitors. This HANDBOOK, presenting a completely new approach will, I hope, help to make possible the successful completion of the armed phase of the African revolutionary struggle for total emancipation and an All-African Union Govern- ment. The Black Power movement in the U.S.A., and the struggles of peoples of African descent in the Caribbean, South America and elsewhere, form an integral part of the African politico-military revolutionary struggle. Our victory will be their victory also, and the victory of all the revolutionary, oppressed and exploited masses of the world who are challenging the capitalist, imperialist and neo-colonialist power structure of reaction and counter-revolution. Conakry, Guinea. 30th July 1968. AUTHOR'S NOTE This book has been written during my stay in Conakry. Previous notes I made for a manual of guerrilla warfare for African freedom fighters were left behind in Ghana when I departed for Hanoi on 21st February 1966. The manuscript was handed over to imperialist and neo- colonialist intelligence organisations by the military and police traitors. This HANDBOOK, presenting a completely new approach will, I hope, help to make possible the successful completion of the armed phase of the African revolutionary struggle for total emancipation and an All-African Union Govern- ment. The Black Power movement in the U.S.A., and the struggles of peoples of African descent in the Caribbean, South America and elsewhere, form an integral part of the African politico-military revolutionary struggle. Our victory will be their victory also, and the victory of all the revolutionary, oppressed and exploited masses of the world who are challenging the capitalist, imperialist and neo-colonialist power structure of reaction and counter-revolution. Conakry, Guinea. 30th July 1968. RULES OF DISCIPLINE 1. Obey orders in all your actions. 2. Do not take a single needle or piece of thread from the masses. 3. Turn in everything captured. 4. Speak politely. 5. Pay fairly for what you buy. 6. Return everything you borrow. 7. Pay for anything you damage. 8. Do not hit or swear at people. 9. Do not damage crops. 10. Do not take liberties with women. 11. Do not ill-treat captives. 12. Keep your eyes and ears open. 13. Know the enemy within. 14. Always guide and protect the children. 15. Always be the servant of the people. RULES OF DISCIPLINE 1. Obey orders in all your actions. 2. Do not take a single needle or piece of thread from the masses. 3. Turn in everything captured. 4. Speak politely. 5. Pay fairly for what you buy. 6. Return everything you borrow. 7. Pay for anything you damage. 8. Do not hit or swear at people. 9. Do not damage crops. 10. Do not take liberties with women. 11. Do not ill-treat captives. 12. Keep your eyes and ears open. 13. Know the enemy within. 14. Always guide and protect the children. 15. Always be the servant of the people. CONTENTS PAGE BOOK ONE—KNOW THE ENEMY 1 PREFACE CHAPTER ONE THE WORLD STRATEGY OF I MPERIALISM 1 Know the enemy—Collective imperialism— Sham independence—Neo-colonialism—The struggle against neo-colonialism—Propa- ganda and psychological warfare—Foreign military preparedness—The need for Pan- African organisation. CHAPTER TWO OUR OBJECTIVES 24 Nationalism — Pan-Africanism — Socialism —The present stage of the liberation struggle —Accumulated experience of the African people's unity movement—Sham independence and the unity movement—African people's wars and imperialist escalation— The Organisation of African Unity—Some essential features of the enemy's offensive— The need for self-critical objective diagnosis. CONTENTS PAGE BOOK ONE—KNOW THE ENEMY 1 PREFACE CHAPTER ONE THE WORLD STRATEGY OF I MPERIALISM 1 Know the enemy—Collective imperialism— Sham independence—Neo-colonialism—The struggle against neo-colonialism—Propa- ganda and psychological warfare—Foreign military preparedness—The need for Pan- African organisation. CHAPTER TWO OUR OBJECTIVES 24 Nationalism — Pan-Africanism — Socialism —The present stage of the liberation struggle —Accumulated experience of the African people's unity movement—Sham independence and the unity movement—African people's wars and imperialist escalation— The Organisation of African Unity—Some essential features of the enemy's offensive— The need for self-critical objective diagnosis. BOOK TWO—STRATEGY, TACTICS AND workers' movement and revolutionary strat- TECHNIQUES egy—The role of students—The nationalist bourgeoisie—Revolutionary outsiders—The PAGE PREFACE 42 role of women—Women in enemy-held zones —Women in the bases and liberated areas— CHAPTER ONE The training of women. ORGANISATION FOR REVOLU- PAGE TIONARY WARFARE D. PROPAGANDA 95 A. THE MILITARY BALANCE 43 Propaganda to subvert the enemy—Propa- Liberated areas—Zones under enemy control ganda addressed to the people—Suggestions — Contested zones — Retarding factors — for propaganda items. High command—The need for co-ordinated revolutionary action. CHAPTER TWO B. POLITICO-MILITARY ORGANISATION 56 BASIC PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES The All-African People's Revolutionary Party OF GUERRILLA WARFARE (AAPRP) and the All-African Committee for Political Co-ordination (AACPC)—The A. ORGANISATION OF A GUERRILLA All-African People's Revolutionary Army ARMY 103 (AAPRA) — AAPRA headquarters — The Recruitment — Information — Operations AACPC and our revolutionary strategy— —Sabotage — Instruction — Armament — The army corps—AAPRA's structure and Provisions — Health — Propaganda — Vol- strategy—Equipment and composition of the unteers — Communications — Guerrilla units armed forces—Recruitment—General princi- — Guerrilla unit

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