2nd Half

Question 1

The mahdi

Answer 1

Myhammad Ahmad 1881, Capitalised on Sudanese resentment about egyptian taxes and authority, attack on slave trade left gap in traditional society by removing local leaders who might have provided opposition. Destroyed william hicks

Question 2

Gladstones concerns and policies

Answer 2

Had to evacuate egyptian garrisons in Sudan bc egypt couldnt fund continuing cost of attempting to keep order in province. no strategic or economic interests main economic basis was slave trade bad. mahdi gladstone worried about long expensive campaign.

Question 3

Gordons mission

Answer 3

1884-45 perhaps his intention was to to generate enough publicity to change gov policy from evac to interv.or orders were imposible to realise without adequate reinforcement. Instead of focus on withdrawing garrison in Khartoum, spent early time in the city wiring plans to hand over to anti mahdist power. Refused to withdrawal by river, said still ppl to be evacuated,needed dispatch operation. Arranged for journal copies smugggled. Gladstone murderer of gordon

Question 4

Desire for conquest of sudan 1898

Answer 4

Lord salisbury: french had controls of headwaters of nile, fear of rising pan-Islamic nationalist movement. 1896 italians beat mahdist forces in Battle of Adowa, time right to assert force. expedition start at dongola and carefully go down nile ensuring supply lines stayed intact

Question 5

Fear of French occupation

Answer 5

1890 British said nile valley was its sphere of influence. more sudan presence would impede french expansion and protect amount of water to irrigate the cotton fields in egypt. french wanted to link djibouti w niger and blue nile. France aware of naval superiority and own dreyfus affair said they could have fashoda

Question 6

Role of kitchener

Answer 6

Campaigns equipped with most modern weapons amd light guagw railways and gunboats. Initial objective was dongola but salisbury happy to change to say take back all sudan due to wiping out of mahdist garrison at ferkeh in 1896. successful victory at atabara. Memorial service for gordon, opened casket didnt want pilgrimage, decapitated head

Question 7

Significance of Battle of Omdurman

Answer 7

2 September 1898, ‘our desire to extirpate from the earth one of the vilest despotisms ever seen’ . careful advance and maxim gun meant this was achieved. mahdist 10,000 dead 13,000 prisoners 5000 wounded. British forces 47 dead and 382 wounded. Winston Churcill The River War 1899 condemn atrocities