The Boer War Flashcards
Reporting
The Second Boer war was the first war since the advent of mass literacy, mass readership eager to read the cheap newspapers.
In the summer of 1900, there were 58 newspaper correspondents operating in South Africa
Winston Churchill reported for The Daily Chronicle (unionist paper that was forced to become pro war due to poor sales) and the Morning Post
He was determined to be seen as a hero through his role of War correspondent- sailed on the same ship as Buller, taken by Boers.
Some anti imperialist papers such as The Manchester Guardian, John Hobson was its South Africa correspondent who was anti capitalist
The press became bored with the war as it entered its guerilla phase - most war correspondents returned home to write their memoirs
Correspondents became more hostile after the events of Black Week that confirmed the war would not be over by Christmas.
News of the relief of Mafeking in 1900 caused street parties and huge celebration
Emily Hobhouse revealed the concentration camps in the Manchester Guardian
The British Gov were forced to take action to avoid negative publicity
They appointed an all female commission to investigate the concentration camps
