Boer War

Question 0

Who was this second Boer War fought between?

Answer 0

Fought between British Empire and the Boer Republic of South Africa.

Question 1

Causes of the Second Boer War? (1899-1902)

Answer 1

The British were keen on expanding there empire in Southern Africa as this region was a route to India. They didn’t want to see the Boers join the Germans. Gold discovered in 1886, if Boers gained wealth from this they would become too powerful (British view). Then Uitlanders (mainly British foreigners) denied the vote in Transvaal and the Orange Free State.

Question 2

First Phase of The Boer War (1-3) (October 1899- January 1900)

Answer 2

12th October 1899- Boers declare war on the British after the British refuse to remove troops they had placed on the Boer territory. Defeats occurred during Black Week and Spion Kop. British besieged at Ladysmith, Kimberly and Mafeking.

Question 3

Who was the commander of the British forces during the first phase?

Answer 3

General Buller

Question 4

The battle/siege of Ladysmith? (November 1899- very early)

Answer 4

Disastrous for the British- resulted in them being defeated and trapped in the town for 118 days. A telling sign of the defeats the British would encounter.

Question 5

What was Black Week? (10th-17th December 1899) and what were the results of it?

Answer 5

3 devastating defeats - Battle of Stormberg, Magersfontein and Colenso (2,776 men killed, wounded or captured). Eye opener for Britain, war wouldn’t be won easily. Many changes undertaken: better mobilisation and modernisation & military personnel. Government called for volunteers, stating dangers, many volunteered.

Question 6

Other results of Black Week?

Answer 6

Seen as one of the main factors for the emergence of newer guns within the British Army (such as machine guns later on). Mobilisation of two new divisions. Calling up of army reserves. Raising a force of mounted cavalry for better mobility. Most importantly sending volunteers from home (additional 100,000 by the end of the war)

Question 7

Battle of Spionkop? (23rd-24th January 1900)

Answer 7

1700 British troops set to attack a hill in South Africa (Spionkop). Just 1 of 4 hills on the way to Ladysmith (where countrymen had been besieged by the Boers). Only a few Boers were said to be on Spionkop. Once British reached the top they were shot down by the Boers (the British outnumbered the Boers still). Reinforcements prevented deaths rising above 332, with 563 wounded and 163 prisoners.

Question 8

Siege of Mafeking?

Answer 8

Turning point in the war. Served as a boost for British morale. Lasted 217 days and successfully stopped the Boers advancing to the Natal colonies. Well reported in Britain, promoted Robert Baden-Powell to the status of national hero. Boers, 2000 dead.

Question 9

Second Phase - February 1900- June 1900 - British Victories

Answer 9

British managed to break/relieve the sieges and capture key Boer settlements. In Feb 1900 Ladysmith and Mafeking were relieved, and Mafeking in May. By June Boer capitals Johannesburg and Pretoria taken. The British believed they had won.

Question 10

Who was the British commander during the second phase?

Answer 10

Field Marshall Lord Roberts.

Question 11

Third phase - late 1900 and throughout 1901 - Guerrilla War

Answer 11

Boers fought back with a guerrilla campaign. Boer cam anodes attacked British railways and supply lines. British reacted by destroying Boer farms, clearing Boer areas and concentration camps. British gained upper hand eventually and on May 1902 the Peace of Vereeniging was signed (Transvaal + Orange Free State became part of the British Empire)

Question 12

Who was the British commander during the third phase?

Answer 12

Field Marshall Horatio Kitchener

Question 13

What was the general thoughts on the war?

Answer 13

The majority of press, public and politicians were pro war, however some radicals took a stance against the war publicly and were unpopular (especially at the start when there wasn’t much knowledge e.g. Concentration camps)

Question 14

How was Lloyd George involved? What was his stance on the war?

Answer 14

Lloyd George was anti-war

Question 15

Paul Kruger?

Answer 15

Transvaal president. Could be seen as a victim (small farming industry against large empire). However had been buying guns from Germany (even before Jameson raid). He was told that if he went to war the British would lose. The residents were brave and would fight for independence.

Question 16

Was there much reporting during the Second Boer War?

Answer 16

Yes. There was huge public interest. Newspapers routinely deployed correspondents, such as Winston Churchill (some achieved fame through this)

Question 17

Attitudes of the newspapers during the second Bier War?

Answer 17

Most newspapers were supportive (only the Manchester Guardian opposed the war throughout). Circulation of anti-war newspapers declined. The Daily Mail by 1899 was the best selling newspaper and was enthusiastic about the war. It’s circulation rose during key event such as the relief of Mafeking.

Question 18

War correspondents view of the war?

Answer 18

Most correspondents on the ground in South Africa were supportive, however many still reported British defeats. E.g Spionkop and Black week. War correspondents were un-critical generally- some would put out false info such as saying the Boers were heartless etc

Question 19

The army and the press?

Answer 19

The Boer war was the first to have an official British army censor. General Buller had a negative view of the press and didn’t cooperate. Field Marshall Roberts tried to help the press hoping for a good public image. Lord Kitchener felt that the press needed to be controlled and introduced more censorship.

Question 20

The nature of the conflict and British tactics 1900-1902?

Answer 20

In 1900 Britain declared they won the war, but the Boers guerrilla campaign continued. To prevent this Kitchener launched a Scorched Earth Policy; ransacking/burning farms. Eventually Blockhouses were established across Boer areas to secure the territory.

Question 21

Concentration Camps (mainly during the guerrilla phase)

Answer 21

Boer woman + South Africans from Boer regions in concentration camps. Poor organisation/ lack of supplies/ poor medical provisions meant spread of disease and hunger. Overcrowding (top camps 140’000). 34% death in white camps. Black Africans housed separately and given less food. 20000 boers and 12000 black died by end of war.

Question 22

Emily Hobhouse’s Reforms

Answer 22

She visited a concentration camp (Bloemfontein- Jan 1901) and wrote to her brother (Manchester Guardian journalist) about the appalling conditions. Letters first spread to MPs then published. Many MPs were outraged.

Question 23

What was Henry Campbell Bannerman’s view on the conditions exposed by Hobhouse?

Answer 23

The Liberal leader, who had previously been supportive of the war effort, made a famous speech condemning the British use of concentration camps and the scorched earth policy as ‘methods of barbarism’.

Question 24

The Fawcett Commission?

Answer 24

Millicent Fawcett (leading campaigner for woman’s suffrage) was asked by the government to go to South Africa to report on conditions in the camps after Hobhouse’s reports. She confirmed the reports and recommended rations, hygiene and medical care be improved + camps run by civilians not the military authorities. Death rates fell to 6.9% and eventually 2%.

Question 25

The Boer War and support for the British Empire

Answer 25

Patriotic and pro-Empire songs and poems produced. Baden Powell established the Scout movement in 1907 which promoted patriotic values.

Question 26

Criticisms of Britain’s Imperial Role

Answer 26

Many opponents criticised the motivation, saying it was to benefit rich business men (gold mines) e.g. Cecil Rhodes. JA Hobson (correspondent for the Manchester Guardian) wrote a successful book (Imperialism- The Study)criticising the British Empire serving the narrow elite of arms manufacturers , international financiers while most still lived in poverty.

Question 27

What is National Efficiency?

Answer 27

Refers to how Britain was losing its position as the world’s leading power.

Question 28

National efficiency and the Boer War

Answer 28

Britain struggled to win the Boer War, making some people worry its national efficiency was declining. Recruitment problems due to poor health and physical conditions showed Britain was struggling (1-3 volunteers turned away). The worry was that poverty and the resulting poor physical conditions would leave Britain unable to defend its empire.

Question 29

How did the army reforms occur after the Boer War?

Answer 29

The defeats of the British prompted Lord Salisbury (Conservative Prime Minister- 1902) to ask Lord Esher to recommend ways to organise the army. Later Richard Burten Haldane, Secretary of State for War under the liberal government made further reforms.

Question 30

Esher reforms?

Answer 30

Improvements of army organisation through better defined roles. Improved training and professionalism through the introduction of new drill books and a new military training base at Salisbury Plain + officer training in Camberley. New and improved weaponry introduced, such as new Lee Enfield Rifle.

Question 31

How did Social Reforms occur after the Boer War?

Answer 31

The national efficiency debate contributed to the Liberal’s decision pursue an ambitious an ambitious programme of social reforms, increasing state involvement in health and welfare.

Question 32

Liberal Reforms 1906-14

Answer 32

Free School Meals Act 1906- for the poorest children. The National Insurance Act 1911 - compulsory for the poorest workers in industry’s most likely to be unemployed to participate. Measures were also taken to prevent exploitation of workers and provide medical checks for school children.