Consolidation And Expansion In Africa 1890-1914 Flashcards
What policy did Britain have up until the Boer war
Britain maintained a policy of splendid isolation trusting its dominant navy to maintain its status and empire. The Navy was assumed capable of defeating any naval force that challenged it so the empire was considered safe. The army however was regarded as of secondary importance. Two alliances had emerged in the late nineteenth century. Germany made an alliance with Austria-Hungary in 1870 which was joined by Italy in 1882. This alliance was promptly countered by military agreements between France and Russia in 1892 followed by an alliance between them in 1894. This left Britain in an uneasy position where they were left vulnerable to the ambitions of both alliances. Britain had conflicted with these countries over colonies in Africa. Britain’s clashes with France in North Africa which had culminated in the Fashoda incident had been peacefully resolved.
How did Germany challenge Britain
Germany under its ambitious Kaiser Wilhelm II also challenged Britain in its new colonies. The kaiser sent a telegram of support to the Transvaal following the Jameson raid and supplied the Boers with weapons during the 1899-1902 war. He also established warm relations with the Ottoman Empire as a means to better access Africa, the Persian gulf and Indias trade markets.
How did Britain abandoned their policy of splendid isolation
They signed an entente cordiale (friendly alliance) with the french in 1904. They did not however provide much security since it ranged Britain against the triple alliance and left its relationship with Russia open. The cost of defending its naval supremacy was a furious race with Germany which intensified from 1906. Russia had suffered a humiliating defeat against Japan which shattered Russian naval power. Britain, Russia and France came together in a triple entente in 1907. This settled Britain’s main imperial concerns by declaring the Persian gulf a neutral zone and recognising Afghanistan as a British sphere of influence.
What did agitation from the naval race lead to
This agitation spread to the colonies. A special imperial conference on defence was held in 1909 and the formation of a dominion fleet considered. Britain accepted that it was no longer in a position to maintain a two power standard whereby it could match the two next strongest naval powers instead it settled for a 60% margin over Germany but by 1912 this even looked ambitious. All attempts to come to an agreement with the Germans failed and in July 1912 Britain withdrew the Navy from the Mediterranean in order to redeploy it in the North Sea. By 1914 Britain appeared to be refocusing away from the empire to the defence of Britain in Europe.
What were the causes of the Boer war
Rhodes’ overriding aim in S.A politics was to bring the Boer republics into a S.A federation in which the British at the cape would be the dominant partner. His ambition steamed partly from irritation at the damage which the high tariffs imposed by the Boers were causing to trade and partly from the hostility to Paul Kruger. Both Rhodes and chamberlain were worried that Britain’s dominance was threatened this resulted in the Jameson raid. Alfred Milner encouraged the British to pursue a vigorous policy while Kruger’s success reflected the Boers strong nationalist sentiment and resentment of British interference. To make matters worse an Englishman was shot by a Transvaal policeman which prompted Uitlander outrage. At the Bloemfontein conference Milner demanded that the Transvaal grant voting rights to the Uitlanders Kruger refused. Both sides began to mobilise their troops. In Oct 1899 Kruger issued an ultimatum demanding a British withdrawal from the borders of the Boer republics war broke out when the British stood firm
What were the consequences of the Boer war
General kitchener deployed a ‘scorched earth’ policy which involved incinerating Boer farms and livestock. Boer families and black Africans were interned in conc camps and suffered horrendous conditions. The war shook Britain’s confidence as an imperial power it had been anticipated that the conflict would last 3-4 months involving 75k troops and cost no more than 10mil. Instead it dragged on for the best part of 3 years involved 400k troops and cost 230mil. The war saw 22k British military killed and 6k Boers killed. The war showed the vulnerability of Britain’s imperial control and perhaps made it more aware of its inability to inflict its will on other peoples without a cost. Britain had to call on troops from other parts of the empire to maintain the fight. In S.A the British weren’t able to rely on their long vaunted sea power. The wars shortcomings dictated the drive for national efficiency and dampened the jingoism that had characterised the 1890s. The concluding treaty of Vereeniging of may 1902 granted the Boers 3mil compensation in order to restore and restock their farms. The transvaal was promised self governing status in 1906.
