Background to the Second Boer War

Question 1

When did Britain capture Cape Colony from The Netherlands and what was the result of this?

Answer 1

• 1815
• They were now in control of Dutch colonists, Boers, who were independent farmers

Question 2

What was the Boer’s ‘Great Trek’?

Answer 2

• 1830’s 5,000 Boers were unhappy with British rule and their decision to abolish slavery
• They took part in a trek northwards, towards Natal, but after this had been annexed in 1843 by the British they settled in Orange Free State and Transvaal

Question 3

After the Boers entered Orange Free State and Transvaal, what were the issues and how did Britain try and resolve this to unite their southern African colonies with Boer republics?

Answer 3

• Boers desire for land created issues with black Africans, especially the Zulus
• In 1879 Britain took control of the Transvaal and defeated the Zulus to attempt to unite Southern African colonies with Boer republics

Question 4

What happened in the first Boer War in 1880-81?

Answer 4

• Boers wanted Transvaal to be independent
• Britain refused and this caused the Boers to defeat them at Majuba Hill
• Led to Gladstones gov recognising Orange Free State and Transvaal as self-governing nations under the suzerainty of the British Crown

Question 5

What tilted the balance of economic power in favour of the Boers?

Answer 5

• Discovery of Gold in 1886 made the Transvaal the richest nation in southern Africa
• Thousands of Boers lived in Natal and Cape Colony, and the Transvaal could now try and take over all of Southern Africa

Question 6

What was the problem of ‘utilanders’ that the Boers experienced?

Answer 6

• Transvaal lacked manpower and industry to exploit the goldmines
• As a result waves of immigrants came in (utilanders) and made their fortune
• Utilanders outnumbered the Boer inhabitants and now most of the wealth was in the hands of a few British and German mine owners

Question 7

What did President Kruger do to try and fix the problem of ‘utilanders’ in the Transvaal and what was the result?

Answer 7

• He insisted that utilanders would have to resume for 14 years in the Transvaal before applying for naturalisation
• This denial of voting rights gave the British a reason for interference

Question 8

Who was Prime Minister in 1895 and what were his interests?

Answer 8

• Lord Salisbury was Conservative Prime Minister
• His aims were to protect British interests, e.g security, India, the rest of Europe and sea lanes
• He wanted to do this by preserving peace

Question 9

Who was Colonial Secretary in 1895 and what were his interests?

Answer 9

• Joseph Chamberlain
• He wanted a more cohesive European Empire bound by economic interests and with an imperial parliament
• His aggressive defence of British interests collided with Salisburys peaceful approach

Question 10

Who was Cecil Rhodes?

Answer 10

• In 1870, at 17, he made a fortune in Cape Colony diamond mining
• He established a gold-mining company in the Transvaal and in 1890 became PM of Cape Colony
• He wanted to expand Britains African Empire but had two Boer Republics in his way

Question 11

What was the Jameson Raid?

Answer 11

December 1895
- Dr James of Rhodes’ Chartered Company entered Transvaal with 600 in hopes of seizing Johannesburg and create a utilander uprising
- After a skirmish with Boer militia, James lost and Rhodes plan had failed

Question 12

What was the result of the failed Jameson Raid?

Answer 12

• Rhodes forced to resign as PM of Cape Colony
• Transvaal (Kruger) and Orange Free State (Steyn) signed a military pact in 1897 against British threat
• Kruger purchased the best European weapons available to support the Transvaal army against Britain

Question 13

Who was Alfred Milner?

Answer 13

• High Commissioner of South Africa
• Attempted to negotiate with Kruger on the issues in South Africa
• Took a hardline view that utilanders must have full citizenship

Question 14

When and where did Milner and Kruger meet to resolve the issues in Transvaal?

Answer 14

• Bloemfontein, capital of Orange Free State on 31st May 1899

Question 15

What did Milner do during his meeting with Kruger?

Answer 15

• Walked out on the 5th June 1899 after Kruger denied giving utilanders citizenship
• Milner believed Kruger would accept Britains demands

Question 16

What did the public think about war with the Boers and what did MP’s and the press think? Were their views in line with Milner?

Answer 16

• Few britons actually wanted war
• Most MP’s and the press agreed with Milner that the Boers needed to be put in their place

Question 17

When did Chamberlain send an ultimatum and how did Kruger respond?

Answer 17

• September 1899 Chamberlain sent an ultimatum demanding full equality for British Citizens in the Transvaal
• 9th Oct Kruger gave his own ultimatum that Britain had 48 hours to withdraw all its troops from the Transvaal or they would declare war
• Boers declared war on 11th October

Question 18

What concern did Salisbury raise to the Queen once war had been commenced?

Answer 18

• He claimed that Britain did not have an army capable of meeting a second class continental power

Question 19

How many men did the British Army have at the time of the Boer War?

Answer 19

Fewer than 135,000

Question 20

What were reasons for the army not having much reform at the time of the Boer War?

Answer 20

• Government were economic minded and did not put money into the army
• Army performed generally well during colonial wars of 1880’s and 1890’s
• Duke of Cambridge, commander in chief of the army during 1856-95 and was a defender of traditional practices

Question 21

Who replaced the traditionally minded Duke of Cambridge as commander in chief, and why was this person still unable to reform the army?

Answer 21

• Lord Wolseley
• Him and young officers realised the need for reform but did not have enough money to do so

Question 22

What was the view of under-secretary of the War Office, George Wyndham on the British Army after war was declared? Was there any truth to his view?

Answer 22

• He believed that the army was more efficient than at any time since Waterloo
• This was supported as many officers had been hardened through previous success of colonial wars and responded well to innovation
• Wolesley had also greatly improved transportation of info and supplies, during war time the Admiralty were able to transport men and supplies over 6,000 miles

Question 23

What were the issues with the British Army entering the Boer War?

Answer 23

• Shortage of ammunition
• Uniforms were red, white and blue, but low amount of khaki which is vital for warfare in the vedt
• BA officers did not recognise the importance of fire from a trench positions and mobility of cavalry raids, something shown to them during the American Civil War

Question 24

Why did the Boer Army seem weak?

Answer 24

• Boers could not put more than 60,000 out in the field, total white population with women and children was only 300,000
• Boer Army was mainly a civilian militia of men aged 16-60 apart from a few artillery troops
• Men in a district were expected to form a commando which would elect officers, all men bought their own guns and horse and were supplied if they could not afford it

Question 25

What were the strengths of the Boer Army?

Answer 25

• First Boer War showed them as excellent horsemen and hunters
• They had Europes best weapon, smokeless Mauser rifles from Germany and Creusot siege guns from France
• Morale was strong, they were defending their life long culture
• Were extremely familiar with the terrain
• Boers from Natal and Cape Colony sympathised with the two republics