Second Boer War: Sept 1900 to May 1902 Flashcards
By Sept 1900, what was the situation like?
1900 brits to control both Boer republics
- 20K boers still remained
What were Boer tactics like?
Boer commandos were sent to home districts to call upon local support and those who had personal knowledge of terrain
- ordered to act against brits whenever ( strike fast and hard)
- disorganised pattern of scattered engagements
What were blockhouses?
Kitchener built 8k fortified blockhouses, each housing 6-8 soldiers and were eventually linked via barbed wire fences
- British troops could conduct a series of sweeps across the areas to trap enemy
- maintained communication through telephone and telegraph cable
What were raid columns?
mounted raid columns to rapidly follow and harass Boer, hoping to delay them or cut off and escape
- armoured trains to deliver rapid reaction forces
What was the ‘scorched earth’ tactic?
Before leaving south Africa, Roberts initiated policy of burning arms thought to be giving support to commandos
- Kitchener continued this policy, targeting everything that could give sustenance
- poisoned wells, salted field and destroyed crops
How were concentration camps utilised?
set up as refugee camps for families forced to quit their homes
- bad because in the short term, it freed Boer men from their responsibility for their families
Conditions in concentration camps?
disastrous
- inadequate food, poor shelter, bad hygiene and sanitation
- shortage of medical facilities + overcrowding (led to diseases like measles)
Over 20K Boer women and children died in 40 camps
Criticism of concentration camps:
1901, Radical liberals led by David Lloyd George denounced concentration camps whilst other described them as a military necessity
Why did Henry Campbell-Bannerman not support radicals initially?
saw it his duty to support govt during war and radical liberals only made up 1/3 of liberal MPs
Emily Hobhouse’s description of camp conditions in June 1901 created international outcry and Bannerman attacks the method
Fawcett commission: what was it?
Kitchener’s detailed report confirmed death rates at camps, thus govt appointed all woman commission headed by Millicent Fawcett
- conducted their own tour of camps and confirmed all Hobhouse had said
-Nov 1901, Chamberlin ordered Milner to ensure all possible measures were taken to reduce death rates
By 1902 had the death rate dropped or not?
dropped to 2% for only white inmates ( damage to reputation had been done)
Change in policy post Fawcett commission:
Dec 1901, Kitchener instructed all column commanders to not bring in women and children when they cleared the country
- handicapped guerrillas who had to care for desperate families
Why was the crimea described as a white man’s war?
Boers and British alike feared consequences of a mass militarisation of black population
- as conflict continued, British increasingly recruited black men as scouts or auxiliaries
1902, 30K had served in the British army
End of the Crimean war:
War ended with treaty of Vereeniging 31 May 1902
- Boer commandos pledged allegiance to Britain and recognised its annexation of two republics
- Boers gave 3 million pounds for reconstruction
- Britain agreed to restore Boer self-government
Cost of the war:
60k lives taken (12k Brits with 7.8 in battle)
100K wounded
7K Boers killed, over 20K dead and 12k Africans dead
450K british and colonial troop + £217 million
