The 2nd Boer War Flashcards
When was the 2nd Boer War?
1899 - 1902
What did George Wyndham declare at the start of the 2nd Boer War?
that the army was more efficient than at any time since the battle of waterloo in 1815.
On 1st December 1899 what did the number of British soldiers in South Africa rise to?
27,000 to 84,000
Problems the British faced in The Second Boer War?
- inland transport as the Boers found it easy to block/ cut the tracks - option was now ox-wagons + horses
- the british army did not know the Boer terrain
- some Boers had experience fighting Zulu’s and British + most were skilled hunters + could shoot
- The Boers had friends on almost every farm - could live off the land
Main problem for the British in the Boer war?
- outdated tactical approach, british infantry suffered losses in frontal attacks + neither cavalry nor artillery came up to expectations
When did the Boers surround Ladysmith and how many?
35,000 surrounded it in November 1899
What was Sir George White criticised for in regards to his defense of Ladysmith?
He left much of the defense to junior officers + only the northern sector heavily fortified
When did the Boers make their one attack on Ladysmith and what section did they attack?
6th January 1900, attacking the weaker south side
Who led the British response to the Boers siegers?
Sir Redvers Buller
When was the black week?
10th - 17th December 1899
What were the defeats during the Black Week?
Stormberg, Magersfontein, Colenso + Spion Kop
How was Stormberg a failure?
- British infantry were exposed to Boer fire + their own artillery fire
- Casualities light but 500 left behind/ taken prisoner
How was Magersfontein a failure?
- supposed to advance along railway but blocked by Boers who were at the bottom rather than the top which the British expected
- 11th December - British attack but had not scouted properly + in darker soldiers blundered into wire and tin cans strung by Boers
- Pinned in daylight, exposed to sun + enemy fire - Methuen withdrew with 200 dead
When was the siege of Collenso?
15th December 1899
How many British died at Collenso and how many Boers?
British - 143
Boers - 8
Why did Collenso fail?
- lack of knowledge of terrain + poor planning as soldiers were sent across the river Tugela in wrong places
- artillery battery mistakenly dropped within rifle range
- Buller called off assault even though the Brits occupied Collenso - in confusion while they withdrew some were taken prisoner
How many British died at Spion Kop and why?
243 - they thought they’d taken the hilltop but morning mist cleared and they were exposed to the Boers firing from higher ground
When did the British pull out of Spion Kop?
24th Jan 1900
Who replaced Buller after the Black Week?
Lord Roberts as commander-in-chief and Kitchener in second command
When was Ladysmith relieved from the 118 day siege and how?
28th February 1900 - Roberts and Kitchener used pontoon bridges + artillery bombardment to cross the Tugela river
When was Kimberley relieved from the 124 day siege and how?
15th February 1900 - Roberts took personal command + set off with 40,000 men and used superior numbers to push the Boers back until the cavalry fought through
How did the sieges benefit the British in the Boer War?
- Boers were skilled in being fast, striking quickly then dissapearing, so sieges meant they had to risk attacks against British artillery if they refused to surrender
- sieges gave british time to reinforce
How many British and colonial soldiers were in South Africa by the end of January 1900?
180,000
What had Buller served as in Egypt?
Head of intelligence
How did Buller’s attitude lead to a failure during the Black Week?
He was over-confident + gave journalists the impression the war would be short against the ‘amateur’ Boers - therefore conducted the battles in a haphazard fashion
Why did the British lack any intelligence during the Boer War?
- shortage of horses + cavalry soldiers for scouting
- a lack of decent maps made the failure of the main collums Buller sent North in November 1899 much larger
- Buller refused to use colonial horsemen to scout
How was Buller inefficient as a commander?
- his indecision
- failure to communicate his plans clearly to his subordianates
- ordered frontal attacks only days after considering them pointless
- refusal to use colonial horsemen to scout
- over-confidence
How did Buller improve after stepping down after Black Week?
- seemingly learnt from mistakes in obtaining better intelligence + using cavalry after winning at Bergandal
How did Roberts improve the war for the British?
- issued fresh instructions - frontal assaults avoided + better to outflank + got cavalry to scout territory
- ordered repairs to railway, which bought supplies quickly and gave Boers little time to regroup
Why was Roberts forced to halt at Bloemfontein?
An outbreak of Typhoid that almost killed 1000 men
When did Roberts hand command over to Kitchener?
November 1900
Who did Roberts higher as Chief Scout?
Burham - which meant better intelligence + knowing where they fought meant British could slip through or arround Boers positions
How did Roberts know his enemies?
Knew the Boers were thin on ground + could pick lightly defended territory to advance into
What policy did Roberts + Kitchener use that turned the war into one of attrition?
The Scorched Earth Policy
What was the consequence of the Scorched Earth Policy during the 2nd Boer War?
- thousands of displaced civilians who as refugees were escorted by British soldiers into concentration camps
Why did the British put the Boers in concentration camps?
- to ‘save’ them from starvation
- stop them giving aid to the Boer soldiers
- persuade Boer men to stop fighting
What was the death count of those in concentration camps by the end of the war?
1 in 4 died of disease, 28,000 died - 22,000 of them children
What did Kitchener claim the camps were?
Humanitarian
What do critics suggest about the Boer concentration camps?
- inadequette administration produced the humanitarian disaster
- OR camp policy was diliberate neglect, British soldiers were reluctant to enter fearing disease
What were Blockhouses?
Kitchener set up a ‘segmenting’ of the countryside with blockhouses (small forts of 8 soldiers) to seal off sections then send in infantry + cavalry to clear out the Boers section by section
Disadvantage of the Blockhouses?
They used up most of Kitchener’s men, leaving only a small force for offensive operations
How many blockhouses were there?
8000
Which battle had a significant effect on public opinion?
Spion Kop
What job did Churchill have during the 2nd Boer War?
War corresponder for the Morning Post
What did Churchill believe about the 2nd Boer War?
- that it was just as he believed in the British Empire
- writings were uncensored but generally supportive
- believed the british would win
General public opinion during the Second Boer War?
- photos would create a more dispirating impact as they showed only the atrocities
- low opinion during black week, up again at relief at Maffiking then down again
- both pro-army + anti-war songs
- grudging respect for the Boers
- most british press backed the war
What Relief gained support in the public opinion?
Maffiking
Who founded the Stop the War Committee and when?
What else did he do?
W.T Stead in 1899,
- in 1902 lead a scathing attack on the plight of the children in the camps + accused British of killing them by ‘having their food’ - shifted public opinions again
What were the attitudes of the government against the war?
Conservatives in favour of the war
Liberals were split
What trust did Emily Hobhouse found in September 1900?
South African Women and Children distress fund
What did Emily Hobhouse find that proved the British were selectively feeding the Boers?
- expected to need to bring comforts but people needed food
- food ration inadequete -no meat given to women and children whose men were fighting
- no vegetables + no milk to children who were suffering from malnutrition
Who did Hobhouse send a letter to that reached them in June 1901?
the Distress Fund Committee
What the reaction to the Hobhouse report?
- publiched in liberal papers such as the Manchester Guardian
- Government sent an inquiry led by Millicent Fawcett but Hobhouse was not asked to join
- Fawcett committee corrobated Hobhouse’s and public reaction was one of shock
- Government acted + responsibility for camps was taken away from the army + passed to civillian administration
By the end of war what had the death rate of the camps dropped to?
2%
What did the 2nd Boer War provoke debate about?
The British Empire itself - some questioned Britain’s right to rule other people without consent + supported the Boers
Liberalists argued the money spent on the war should be spent on improving lives in Britain
