The Second Boer War, 1899-1902 Flashcards

1
Q

What were the names of the two Boer Republics?

A

The Transvaal and the Orange Free State

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

When did Britain go to war against the Boers (for the 2nd time)?

A

1899

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Where had men and officers gained experience before the 2nd Boer War?

A

In Colonial Wars

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What were 3 problems in the army’s preparation for the 2nd Boer War?

A

Ammunition shortage
Understaffed departments
Intelligence work was inadequate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How many men were in the Boer Army in 1899?

A

<60,000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What was any adult male Boer citizen expected to join?

A

A Commando unit (with their own weapon and horse)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

When was the first Boer War?

A

1880-81

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What rifle did the Boers use?

A

the Mauser rifle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Who established a base at Ladysmith in October 1899?

A

Sir White

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

who was besieged in Mafeking with 1200 men?

A

Colonel Baden-Powell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How many Boers besieged Mafeking?

A

7000 Boers besieged Mafeking

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

When was the diamond-mining town of Kimberley besieged?

A

November 1899
(by 7500 Boers)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How many Boers besieged Kimberley?

A

7500

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Who arrived in Cape Town at the end of October 1899?

A

General Sir Redvers Buller

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Who led each of the 3 detachments of Buller’s army?

A

General Lord Methuen
General Gatacre
General Sir Redvers Buller

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

How many men did Lord Methuen take to attempt to relieve Mafeking and Kimberly?

A

20,000 men

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How many men did Buller’s main force have - heading to relieve Ladysmith?

A

30,000 men

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

When did Methuen win two small but costly battles at Belmont and Graspan? On his way to relieve Kimberley and Mafeking

A

Belmont - 23rd November 1899
Graspan - 25th November 1899

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

When was Methuen defeated and where?

A

Methuen was defeated at Modder River on the 28th November 1899

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

When was Black Week?

A

10-15th December 1899

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What happened on December 10th 1899?

A

General Gatacre lost more than 700 men trying to take Stormberg railway junction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What happened on December 11th 1899?

A

Lord Methuen suffered 900 casualties at Magersfontein. He also failed to relieve Kimberley as this was postponed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What happened on December 15th 1899?

A

Buller tried to cross the Tugela river at Colenso - he faced 8000 Boers and had 21,000 men yet his force suffered 1400 casualties to only 8 Boer casualties

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

How many men were in the British Army in South Africa in December 1899?

A

84,000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Who replaced Buller as commander in 1900?

A

Lord Roberts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Who was appointed as Lord Roberts Chief of Staff in 1900?

A

Lord Kitchener

27
Q

How many troops were in the British Army in South Africa in January 1900?

A

180,000

28
Q

What are two parts of Lord Roberts’ tactical guidelines?

A
  • That careful reconnaissance would occur before any attacks
  • that frontal attacks would be avoided, with the use of cover encouraged instead
29
Q

When did Roberts relieve Kimberley?

A

15th February 1900

30
Q

Who was captured at Paardeberg on the 27th February?

A

Boer General Cronje

31
Q

When did Buller relieve Ladysmith?

A

28th February 1900

32
Q

When did Roberts capture Bloemfontain?

A

13th March 1900

33
Q

When did Roberts capture Pretoria?

A

5th June 1900

34
Q

When was Mafeking relieved?

A

18th May 1900

35
Q

How long had Mafeking been sieged in total?

A

217

36
Q

When was the Orange Free State annexed?

A

May 28th 1900

37
Q

When did Roberts capture Johannesburg?

A

31st May 1900

38
Q

When was Kitchener appointed as Roberts’ successor?

A

November 1900

39
Q

Who was president of the Transvaal Republic? What did he do once the British advanced on the Transvaal in August 1900?

A

President Kruger was president.
He fled to Europe.

40
Q

How long did Boers keep fighting as guerrillas for?

A

2 years

41
Q

How did the British respond to the Boers’ guerrilla warfare?

A

Building blockhouses
Destroying farms, confiscating food
Concentration camps

42
Q

When did the last of the Boers surrender?

A

May 1902

43
Q

What is the name of the treaty which ended the Boer war?

A

The Treaty of Vereeniging

44
Q

How many British troops died in the war?

A

22,000

45
Q

How many Boer civilians died in the war?

A

20,000

46
Q

What were the terms of the treaty of Vereeniging?(3)

A

Ended the existence of the Transvaal and Orange Free State (absorbed into the British Empire)
Boers were given £3 million compensation
The Boers were promised self-government.

47
Q

When did the promise of self-government come true for the Boers?

A

1910, when the Union of South Africa was established.

48
Q

How many concentration camps were there?

A

45 camps

49
Q

How many women and children died in the concentration camps?

A

over 20,000 (1 in 4)

50
Q

How many fortified blockhouses were built?

A

8000

51
Q

How many Boer soldiers died during the war?

A

7000

52
Q

How many of the British soldiers that died were caused by conflict?

A

7/22,000 died in conflict, the rest died of disease

53
Q

How much did the Boer war cost the British?

A

£217 million

54
Q

What was ‘khaki fever’?

A

in 1899-1900 khaki fever was popular support for the war including celebrations, men volunteering and voting in the ‘khaki election’

55
Q

Did the press support the war?

A

yes

56
Q

Why was Winston Churchill in South Africa?

A

He was war correspondent for the ‘morning post’

57
Q

Did the press like Buller or Roberts more?

A

Roberts as he made an effort to butter them up

58
Q

Who were the main 3 opposition to the Boer War?

A

Individuals who opposed imperialism such as critics and socialist journals
Radical Liberal opposition (Lloyd George)
Irish Nationalists

59
Q

When did Emily Hobhouse start a fund to provide aid and supplies to Boer families?

A

in 1900

60
Q

When did Hobhouse arrive in South Africa?

A

December 1900

61
Q

When did Hobhouse submit a report to the government?

A

June 1901

62
Q

What did Emily Hobhouse reveal about the conditions of the concentration camps? (4)

A

They lived in overcrowded tents
Food rations were scarce and malnourishment was common
Water supply was scarce
Insanitary conditions caused frequent typhoid outbreaks

63
Q

When did Kitchener say Boer families should no longer be moved to camps?

A

December 1901 (this was tactical as well as a response to the Fawcett commission)

64
Q

What was the Fawcett commission introduced as a response to?

A

The Hobhouse Report