Depth Topic 3: Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) Flashcards
(73 cards)
How has land warfare weaponry evolved since the Crimean War?
Following the Crimean War, breech-loading artillery was introduced into the British Army thanks to William Armstrong’s invention of cannon that could be loaded from the rear end of the weapon to reduce the complication present with muzzle-loading artillery. Artillery could also be fired at longer ranges since the British’s exploits in the Crimea, and more sophisticated mortar cannons were utilised instead by the British. The traditional red jackets worn by the British were replaced due to visibility and therefore exposure, making soldiers more susceptible to snipers, and camouflage took its place, which allowed them to easily conceal themselves. Additionally, cavalry charges ceased due to the introduction of machine guns to the battlefield, which could decimate cavalry lines coming towards the opposition’s infantry.
Why should there have been few issues with supply and intelligence during this war?
The railways in the region occupied by the Boers were under British control due to Cecil Rhodes creating them as part of his wider exploits, meaning that supplies successful reaching the tip of Cape Colony (now South Africa) thanks to Britain’s naval supremacy could be transported along the railway network to its desired destination. Therefore, the supply of ammunition, weaponry and other provisions appeared to be on no concern for the British forces being deployed in this region. The matter of gathering and successfully utilising intelligence should have also been easy to achieve as General Buller, who was given command of British forces in Southern Africa, was a trained intelligence officer and therefore should have understood the significance of good intelligence. There were also plenty of British citizens living in the area the Boers established their two republics to acquire information from to help assess the best strategies to win against the opposition.
To what extent was the British Army well-prepared for the challenges of the Second Anglo-Boer War?
What was ‘the Great Trek’ and how did it complicate issues in Southern Africa?
Following the French Wars, a treaty was made known as the Conference of Vienna whereby the British Empire acquired Cape Colony from the Dutch in 1815 because the nation allied with France during a period of the conflict. As British citizens began to enter the region, the Dutch settlers who had resided there since the 1600s began to migrate further and further north be build their colonies, known as Transvaal and Orange Free State. However, the Boers’ new land was officially British territory won in the Anglo-Zulu War, which complicated matters and British influence here in Southern Africa and suppressed the movement of the population.
Why did the British express a keen interest in the Boer territory?
The reason given by the British government to justify their involvement in the Boer territory was that they were protecting the ‘Uitlanders’ as they were referred to by the Boers, from the tyranny of the leaders of Transvaal and Orange Free State due to laws being passed that restricted franchise for ‘Uitlanders’. However, following the discovery of gold in the region and South Africa quickly becoming the single biggest gold producer in the world, the British began to insert themselves into the rapidly expanding industry as the Boers required British technology to extract the gold, which Transvaalers saw as threatening.
Assess the roles of Lord Salisbury, Joseph Chamberlain, Cecil Rhodes and Paul Kruger in the polo if al prelude to war
Explain the importance of the discovery of gold and the Uitlander franchise in the escalating tensions between the Boers and the British
How far can it be argued that the British aimed to avoid war with the Boers?
Outline the key leaders of the British Army during the Boer War
General Buller (October - December 1899)
Field Marshal Lord Roberts (January - December 1900)
General Kitchener (January 1901 - May 902)
Outline the number of troops possessed by the British Army during the Boer War
Buller - 30,000 initially
Lord Roberts arrived in South Africa along with 180,000 men at his disposal
Over the course of the war, some half a million men served in South Africa
Outline the weaponry possessed by the British Army during the Boer War
Lee Metford rifle
Breech-loading pom-pom artillery guns
A number of Maxim machine guns
Outline the battle strategy of the British Army during the Boer War
General Buller - frontal assault (caused huge problems due to Boer machine guns)
Rovers and Kitchener made big and rapid changes with the introduction of mounted infantry with autonomy (individual initiative), scorched earth policy and concentration camps
Outline the war objective of the British Army during the Boer War
The British wanted to defeat the Boers and create a unified South Africa under the British Empire with former Boer territories.
Outline the key leaders of the Boers during the Boer War
Piet Cronjé - Phase One and Two
Louis Botha in overall command after Perry’s Jacobis Joubert
Christian’s de Wet - Phase Three
Outline the number of troops possessed by the Boers during the Boer War
Never more than 70,000, comprised of ordinary citizens including women and children
Outline the weaponry possessed by the Boers during the Boer War
Mauser rifles
Maxim machine guns
French pom-poms and 2 long-toms (long range artillery used in siege warfare)
Outline the battle strategy of the Boers during the Boer War
Maximised use of the land as an advantage over the British by hiding using bushes and always using upper ground)
After Phase Two when the British went on the offensive in the Battle of Paardeberg, the Boers realised they could not continue with open warfare so initiated commando warfare by shrinking back into the Veldt (land) and using individual initiative to harass and snipe the British soldiers (same characteristics of guerrilla warfare from French Wars)
Outline the war objective of the Boers during the Boer War
The Boers wanted to prolong the war as much as possible in the hope of securing a favourable treaty as they knew their defeat was inevitable when facing the largest Empire of the time. This was initially in aid of defending their independence as they believed the British were attempting to strip the two colonies of their autonomy.
Explain the early career of General Redvers Buller
General Buller had previously won a Victoria Cross during the Zulu Wars by stepping in to kill a Zulu threatening to kill his fellow soldier. Buller had an illustrious career before the Boer War having mostly fought in colonial wars against enemies with less advanced weaponry and was able to contend with opposing forces.
State the battles fought under the command of General Redvers Buller during the Boer War
Black Week (Colenso, Magersfontein, Stormberg) and the Battle of Spion Kop
Explain the leadership style of General Redvers Buller during the Boer War
Buller took a great deal of care of his soldiers’ welfare, but was a poor strategist and was 60 years old at the start of the Second Boer War. He was also overweight, a poor decision maker (ponderous) and self-indulgent (alcohol - specifically champagne) as well as a ‘fumbler and a ditherer’. His fellow officer referred to him as a “superb Major, a mediocre Colonel and an abysmally poor General”, asserting that he was incapable of carrying that much responsibility as he rose through the ranks.
Explain the tactics used by General Redvers Buller in battle during the Boer War
Buller decided on frontal assault against the Boers, which involved charging at the opposition, but was quickly met with problems. The Boers possessed Maxim machine guns supplied to them by the German, meaning that British soldiers were rapidly shot and killed when running straight at the Boer line, yet General Buller remained certain that frontal assault would prove successful.
Explain the impact and legacy of General Redvers Buller
General Buller’s abysmal failure provoked Lord Roberts to come out of retirement to rectify his mistakes, as well as the 180,000 troops sent to South Africa to turn the tide of the war back in the British’s favour. Buller was ordered to report to his successors and was subordinated rather than being sent home in disgrace, ruining hid reputably, illustrious military prior to the Second Boer War. Unfortunately, the legacy he curated with the winning of the highly sought after Victoria Cross cam crashing down as his failures in the Boer War highlighted his ineptitude as a leader and his inability to win a war against an enemy that was able to match his own.
Why were the Boers able to siege the British towns?
All three towns that were besieged by the Boers were on the border of their territory, lending them easier access, and were surprise attacks, meaning that the British were unaware of where the Boers would attack and unprepared to adequately defend and counter the Boers. Additionally, Buller only had 30,000 men at his disposal so he could not stretch his forces to contend with Boer forces, meaning that the could not push back the opposition and lift the sieges in their current state.
