Boer War - Phase 1 - Depth

Question 1

What is Phase 1 known as?

Answer 1

The Boer Offensive

Question 2

Explain the initial situation

Answer 2

Britian should’ve been ready for the Boer offensive after provoking the Boers for so long but were instead unforgivingly unready

Sieges spaced out locations to keep army apart along the border as they avoided Boer territory. They were difficult to supply

Boer offensive: sieges in an attempt to force surrender through civilians. Attempt to pressure the government. They dont want to kill the people but strategically force political reaction.

Boers first strike a day after declaring war on the 12th October at Kraaipan. Britian suffer many defeats. Many soldiers were captured and treated as prisoners of war in camps

Question 3

Phase 1 timeline

Answer 3

Kimberley
Mafeking
Ladysmith

Black Week

Battle of Spion Kop

Question 4

When is the siege of Kimberley

Answer 4

14 October 1899
15 February 1900
124 days

Question 5

Describe the events at Kimberley

Answer 5

West of Cape Colony
Boers surround British town
Want to create moral heartache - not much danger or suffering
Bombarded by long tom from 4 miles away
When smoke of long tom was spotted by the lookout on the watchtower, a 15 second warning was given for citizens to take cover

Food, morale, medical shortage

Huge mining town
Cecil Rhodes there at the time, paid off Boers for his own supplies

Embarrassing for empire - lowered morale

Falls without much resistance

Question 6

Siege of Kimberley stats

Answer 6

4000 Boers hemmed in 500 soldiers and 50,000 citizens too big for actual capturing

Question 7

When is the siege of Mafeking?

Answer 7

16 October 1899
17 May 1900
217 days

Inside Transvaal on border
Mining town with gold and many uitlanders

Mafeking resistance

Colonel Robert Baden-Powell: apart of the troops who was stationed on the border of South Africa and he is in Mafeking. He organises the resistance force of civilians as one of the only soldiers there.

He built fake cannons and noise traps. They also found an old naval gun from 1770 from a warehouse and they fired makeshift cannonballs and shells back at the Boers. Comical against the ‘Long Tom.’

Colonel Baden-Powell repels many Boer attacks with civilian resistance - trains many men to be competent with weapons.

Boers attempt to capture Mafeking since it is in their territory

Question 8

How does journalism impact Mafeking?

Answer 8

Daily Mail journalist, Lady Sarah Wilson, spins very favourable tales of Baden-Powell. She turns him into a warrior who defends Mafeking by himself. Because of this exageration, he becomes an absolute icon in Britian - merchandise with his face on everywhere. Becomes war legend. The good journalism makes Britian think that Mafeking is doing well, and made it less of a priority which made it take even longer.

Question 9

When is the siege of Ladysmith?

Answer 9

2 November 1899
28 February 1900
118 days

Question 10

Explain the events at Ladysmith

Answer 10

Netal, formerly Zululand
Far into region

Logistical nightmare due to mountainous terrian and rivers and lack of harbour - borders Transvaal = long route of trekking all the way around
Only one way in and out

Boers easily shut it off from supply

In genuine and dire danger

Boers easily get supplies from surrounding areas

Full of Boer spies

Sir George White does everything in his power to defend Ladysmith

Starvation, lack of medical supplies

Question 11

How does journalism impact Ladysmith?

Answer 11

Dysmal - morale at rock bottom