# Operation Snoopy

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snoopy
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> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|1978 Rhodesian attack in the Rhodesian Bush War}}
{{one source|date=August 2018}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Operation Snoopy
| partof            = [Rhodesian Bush War](/source/Rhodesian_Bush_War)
| image             = {{Location map many |Mozambique
| width = 300
| float = centre
| label = Chimoio
  | pos = right
  | marksize = 8
  | lat_deg = -19.116389
  | lon_deg = 33.483333
}}
| caption           = 
| place             = [Chimoio](/source/Chimoio), [Mozambique](/source/People's_Republic_of_Mozambique)
| date              = 20 September 1978
| result            = Rhodesian victory
| status            = 
| combatant1        = {{flag|Rhodesia}}
| combatant2        = {{flagicon image|Flag of ZANU-PF.svg}} [ZANLA](/source/ZANLA)<br />22px|border [FRELIMO](/source/FRELIMO)
| commander1        = {{flagicon|Rhodesia}} [Ian Smith](/source/Ian_Smith)
| commander2        = {{flagicon image|Flag of ZANU-PF.svg}} [Robert Mugabe](/source/Robert_Mugabe)<br />{{flagicon|Mozambique|1975}} Unknown
| units1            = {{flagicon image|Rhodesian Army Flag.svg|23px}}[Rhodesian Army](/source/Rhodesian_Army)
* [RLI](/source/Rhodesian_Light_Infantry)
* [SAS](/source/Rhodesian_SAS)
{{flagicon image|Air Force Ensign of Rhodesia (1970–1979).svg|23px}} [RhAF](/source/Rhodesian_Air_Force)
| units2            = Unknown
| strength1         = Unknown
| strength2         = {{flagicon image|Flag of ZANU-PF.svg}} [ZANLA](/source/ZANLA):<br />unknown<br />{{flag|Mozambique|1975}}:<br />9 T-54/55 tanks<br />4 BTR-152 APCs
| casualties1       = 2 killed
| casualties2       = {{flagicon image|Flag of ZANU-PF.svg}}:<br />Several hundred killed<br />{{flagicon|Mozambique|1975}}:<br />unknown<br />3 APCs destroyed
}}
{{Campaignbox Rhodesian Bush War}}

'''Operation Snoopy''' was an operation launched by Rhodesia in response to [Air Rhodesia Flight 825](/source/Air_Rhodesia_Flight_825) being shot down by a communist backed insurgent group, the [ZIPRA](/source/ZIPRA). The operation took place in [Mozambique](/source/Mozambique), where many of the ZANLA's camps were located, particularly in the area in and around [Chimoio](/source/Chimoio).<ref name="Harvnb">{{Harvnb|Moorcraft|McLaughlin|2008|pp=140–143}}</ref>

==Background==
After the [Vickers Viscount](/source/Vickers_Viscount) passenger plane was shot down by the communist-backed insurgents, many [Rhodesia](/source/Rhodesia)ns clamoured for a massive retaliatory strike against terrorist targets in [Zambia](/source/Zambia), where a large number of the insurgents were based. However, the first external target hit by the [Rhodesian Security Forces](/source/Rhodesian_Security_Forces) after the Viscount shootdown was the prominent cluster of [ZANLA](/source/ZANLA) bases around [Chimoio](/source/Chimoio), in [Mozambique](/source/Mozambique).<ref name="Harvnb"/>

==Operation==
The Rhodesians destroyed the ZANLA's camps in and around the town of Chimoio through a combination of ground operations and air strikes by the [Rhodesian Air Force](/source/Rhodesian_Air_Force). In total, the security forces attacked and destroyed twenty-five insurgent camps. The camps were spread over a 33 km2 area, which was approximately 70&nbsp;km from the Rhodesian border.

During the operation, Mozambique sent armoured vehicles to the ZANLA's aid in the form of nine [Soviet](/source/Soviet)-made [T-54](/source/T-54%2F55) tanks and four Soviet [BTR-152](/source/BTR-152) armoured personnel carriers. However, the Mozambicans were easily sent into a rout by the elite units of the [Rhodesian Security Forces](/source/Rhodesian_Security_Forces), which managed to destroy one of the Mozambicans' armoured vehicles and kill an unknown number of Mozambicans.

Hawker Hunter fighter-bombers from the [RhAF](/source/Rhodesian_Air_Force) destroyed another two Mozambican [armoured personnel carriers](/source/armoured_personnel_carriers). According to official Rhodesian figures, "several hundred" guerrillas killed during Operation Snoopy, and the security forces lost only two troopers. One of them was the SAS trooper Steve Donnelly, who was accidentally killed by a [friendly](/source/friendly_fire) air strike involving a [Golf Bomb](/source/Golf_Bomb).

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite book
|title=The Rhodesian War: A Military History
|last1=Moorcraft
|first1=Paul L
|author-link1=Paul Moorcraft
|last2=McLaughlin
|first2=Peter
|author-link2=Peter McLaughlin
|date=April 2008
|orig-year=1982
|location=Barnsley
|publisher=[Pen and Sword Books](/source/Pen_and_Sword_Books)
|isbn=978-1-84415-694-8}}

{{coord missing|Mozambique}}

Snoopy

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Operation Snoopy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snoopy) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snoopy?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.