The Death of Gordon +Causes of reconquest in Sudan Flashcards
What sort of imperialist was General Gordon?
How was his sanity regarded by peers?
Despite his reputation why did Gladstone chose him to lead the evacuation?
What did Gordon want gov’t to do instead of evacuate Sudan?
Who did he attempt to hand power over to instead of focusing on evacuation?
-General Gordon was a typical ‘man on the spot’ imperialist.
-He was regarded as half mad and had spent most of his career on the fringes of the empire.
-Gladstone chose him to lead the evacuation despite his reputation because he had a good understanding of Sudan.
-Much evidence suggests that Gordon was trying to generate enough publicity to change government policy to intervene rather than evacuate.
-Gordon focused on handing over power to an anti-Mahdist popular figure rather than organising a military evacuation and asking for more troops.
Why did Gordon not flee as the Mahdi drew closer to Karthoum?
Who did Gordon have contempt for?
Why was their a large campaign to rescue Gordon in Britain?
What was smuggled out of Karthoum for publication as things got worse?
Was a rescue operation ever organised?
When did the Mahdi break through fortifications?
What was done with Gordon?
-When the Mahdi drew closer to Gordon in Khartoum, Gordon remained there as there were still people to be evacuated from outlying areas, necessitating a relief operation.
-Gordon was prepared for the worst and had contempt for politicians, especially Baring, who he blamed for the problems.
-The siege of Khartoum was followed in the British press and there was a loud campaign for a rescue operation.
-Copies of Gordon’s diaries were smuggled out of Khartoum for publication as things got worse.
-Gladstone did eventually organise one but it arrived two days too late.
-The Mahdi broke through the fortifications on the 26th of January and killed the entire garrison(1885).
-Gordon’s head was decapitated to be presented to the Mahdi as a prize.
Who did the public blame for Gordon’s death? What was he referred to as following this?
Which person of huge noteriety also criticised him?
How did this affect the general election of 1885?
Did Gordon succeed in trying to prevent a withdrawal from Sudan?
What decision makers in power did the loss of Khartoum have an impact on?
What did Gordon become after death?
-The public blamed Gladstone and he went from being the GOM (Grand old man) to MOG (Murderer of Gordon)..
-He was criticised by Queen Victoria.
-Gladstone’s liberals lost seats in the 1885 general election.
-If Gordon had been trying to prevent a withdrawal from Sudan, he failed. Gladstone’s cabinet was divided over many things but everyone agreed that evacuation was necessary.
-The loss of Khartoum had an impact on imperial decision makers like General Kitchener.
-Gordon’s last stand made him into an imperial hero: a national day of mourning was declared and books, paintings, busts and statues were made of or about it.
When did Lord Salisbury order a campaign into Sudan? What was this to secure?
What type of imperialist was Salisbury? Why was he determined to expand the empire?
What nation was Britain most interested in regarding Africa during this period?
What was policy in Sudan driven by the fear of?
Who led the 1896 campaign?
How was he instructed to act in Sudan?
-PM Lord Salisbury ordered a campaign in Sudan to secure the source of the Nile in 1896.
-Salisbury was a ‘new imperialist’ who was determined to expand the empire for geopolitical reasons.
-Africa had not yet been carved up and British interests were best served by Egypt only.
-Policy in Sudan was driven by a fear of France controlling the river Nile and of the destabilisation of Egypt by radical Islam in the Sudan.
-The 1896 campaign was led by Lord Kitchener to deal with the threats from France and the Mahdi.
-Kitchener was instructed to act with caution.
What did Britain declare the entire Nile Valley to be in order to ward off rivals?
What did France intend to link with its port in Djibouti?
What did Britain intend to link with its colonies in East Africa?
-Britain declared the entire Nile Valley to be its ‘sphere of influence’ .
-France intended to link French West Africa to its port in Djibouti from West to East.
-Britain intended to link its South Africa and East colonies from north to south.
