Reporting the Boer War Flashcards
What major change had occurred in Britain that had made War Reporting far more important?
The 1870 Forester eduction act had been passed which had increased literacy within Britain and in turn meant that a lot more people were reading the news.
What had changed in regards to what newspapers were available in the UK?
The Times was no longer completely dominant and was often seen as elitist. The Daily Mail for example founded in 1896 by Alfred Harmsworth only cost one halfpenny.
How many correspondents were working in south Africa by the Summer of 1900?
There were 58 British War correspondents working in South Africa.
What newspaper did Winston Churchill right for and what major battle was he present at?
He originally wrote for the Daily Chronicle which was a Unionist Paper however, he also started to write for the Morning Post. He wrote a report of Spion Kop in which he wrote about the horrendous British defeat.
In what ways was Winston Churchill a particularly notable War Correspondent?
He tried to play a very much active almost heroic role with him taking the same ship as Buller, he also joined a scouting mission and boarded an armoured train which later derailed and led to him being captured by Boer soldiers. He later escaped and a price was put on his head.
Who was Edgar Wallace?
He was the Chief Daily Mail correspondent and in turn became on of the most popular British authors of the 20th century. He wrote the book The Unofficial dispatches of the Boer War.
Who was Lady Sarah Wilson?
She was the daughter of a wealthy aristocrat and worked very closely with Baden-Powell at the Siege of Mafeking. She wrote very pro imperialist reports which were often published in the Daily Mail.
Who was John Atkinson and what was his initial view of the war?
He believed that it was a press made war due to the Jingoistic nature of the Daily Mail and other such newspapers. The Manchester Guardian then recruited him as their South Africa Correspondent.
What theory did John Atkinson develop as the war progressed?
He came to the conclusion that imperialism was the direct result of the expanding forces of modern capitalism. He believed that mine owners such as Cecil Rhodes who wanted to monetise the Transvaal had in fact influenced the British Government into the war which lead to him being relatively pro Boer.
What was the Political Stance of the Daily Mail?
They were incredibly pro war and took an incredibly Jingoistic stance, they had over 1 million copies in circulation which was a world record at the time.
What was the Political Stance of the Manchester Guardian?
Was very much pro war being a very left leaning newspaper.
What was the political stance of the Daily Chronicle?
They were initially anti war however, due to poor sales as the war carried on they became pro-war.
What was the political stance of the Times?
They took a more balanced approach especially as the war progressed in part due to Kitchener’s use of Concentration Camps.
War did War reporters often focus on in the early stages of the war?
Reporters at the front would mainly describe the events of battles rather than providing any criticism as they feared anger from officers.
When did Correspondence initially become more hostile towards the establishment?
Many reporters viewed the failures of Black Week incredibly negatively and were angered by the fact that the war would clearly not be over by Christmas.
