The Second Boer War 1899 - 1902 Flashcards
Who were the Boers?
Descendants of first Europeans to settle in SA in 17th century
In 19th century, which 2 colonies did the British establish and which did the Boers hold?
- GBR: Cape Colony and Natal
- Boers: Orange Free State and Transvaal
When was the first Boer War, why did it happen and what was its result?
- 1880 to 81
- Boers resented British intrusion and wanted to recover their independence following defeat of Zulus and Pedis
- 1881 Pretoria peace deal and London convention in 1884 leaving the Boers in control of Transvaal
Uitlanders:
Mostly English-speaking immigrants looking for gold and diamond following the discovery of it in 1880s
What tensions were there in Transvaal prior to the Second Boer War?
- Uitlanders had outnumbered African speakers by 1890s and had majority of the new wealth
- Refused uitlanders voting rights
- Distrust between Transvaal president Kruger and British high commissioner Alfred Milner (passionate imperialist)
What action did the British take against the refusal of voting rights for uitlanders?
1895 –> Jameson Raid by Cape Colony
Describe the events of the Jameson Raid:
- 29 Dec 1895 –> Dr Jameson (key figure in Rhodes’ Chartered Company) led 600 men into Transvaal
- Failed when raiders were tracked by Boers and surrendered after a skirmish
What were 2 immediate consequences of the Jameson Raid?
- Resignation of Cecil Rhodes as PM of Cape Colony
- Unification of Boers under Kruger (1897 –> military pact between Orange Free State and Transvaal)
After the Jameson Raid, what did both sides do?
- May 1899 –> Conference at Bloemfontein
- Milner demanded Transvaal legislate to give uitlanders the vote
- Kruger rejected demand and Milner walked out
- British refused
What did Chamberlain (Colonial Secretary) do following the conference and what did Kruger do in response?
- Sep –> Sent ultimatum demanding full equality for British citizens resident in Transvaal
- 9 Oct –> Kruger Ultimatum: 48 hrs for British to withdraw their troops otherwise war would be declared
Because the British refused when did war begin and with what event?
- 11 Oct 1899
- Boers attacked Cape Colony and Natal
Initially how many soldiers were in the British army and around what fraction were overseas?
- 250,000
- Around half were overseas (small army left)
What other issues were there with the British army? (4)
- Gov did not want to spend money on reform
- Shortage of khaki uniform, only unsuitable red uniforms
- Some auxiliary corps were understaffed
- Shortage of ammunition
What other uniform did many of the officers wear and why?
- Khaki
- It was less conspicuous than their traditional bright red uniform (learnt after fighting in Africa and India)
What class did most lower-rank soliders come from, specifically what region and why?
- Working class
- Disproportionate amount from Scotland and Ireland
- Joining army offered an escape from poverty and unemployment
Who were the 3 generals who commanded during the Second Boer War in order and were each experienced?
- General Buller
- Lord Roberts
- Lord Kitchener
- All were experienced
Initially, in the war, how many Boers were there compared to the British and how did this change by Dec 1899?
- Boers: 50,000
- British: 27,000
- By Dec 1899 –> 84000 British soldiers
How did the British send reinforcements?
By sea to port of Cape Town
Compare the use of transport to move supplies between Boers and British and how was one limited:
- Boers planned to use ox-wagons and horses
- British planned to use railways, as they were unaware of Boer territory and could easily be blocked by Boers
In what other way did the British plan to use railways and what did they set up in order to do this?
- Invade Orange Free State and Transvaal
- Set up Department of Military Railways
- Specialist unit of railway engineers to repair and extend rail network
In the latter stages of war, what was Kitchener’s main objectives using railways?
- Fortifying stations
- Using armoured trains
Armoured trains:
Metal shielded truck in front of steam locomotive to detonate enemy mines left on track
Give 2 cons of Boer Army:
- Less than 60,000 men
- Essentially a civilian militia
What was the Boers’ most effective fighting unit and what were these?
- Commandos
- Unit of skilled guerrilla fighters
- Elected officers who knew the country
Did the Boers have external support?
- Yes
- Afrikaans speakers in Natal and Cape Colony sympathised w/ them
- Germany backed them
- In general, external support was limited because countries were reluctant to risk Britain’s enmity
What did the British lack significantly when compared to Boers?
- Local knowledge, as resident Boers were also unwilling to help
- Generals pored over inaccurate maps instead
What was the main issue with British tactics and how was this the case?
- Outdated
- Sent infantry, cavalry and artillery
- Infantry fought in lines, firing rifle volleys and are finally scattered by cavalry
- However, Boers used siege warfare
How did the British expect to win against the Boers?
Outnumber them
Which 3 towns were besieged, when (in order) and which was most crucial?
- Mafeking (13 Oct 1899)
- Kimberley (14 Oct)
- Ladysmith (2 Nov) –> Most crucial
How many Boers surrounded Ladysmith and how did British commander White defend this?
- 35000 Boers (outnumbering British)
- Set up defensive perimeter
Why did the Boers’ numerical superiority not last long?
Were bogged down in siege warfare
How did the British respond to the sieges and who was this led by?
- Black Week (10 - 17 Dec) w/ successive defeats
- General Buller
- Dispatched relief columns to besieged towns and others that would be taken by Boers
How did Buller split his forces, what were the numbers and which towns were focused on?
3 groups:
- Gatcre w/ 3000 men, recapturing Stormberg
- Methuen w/ 10,000 men, relieving Kimberley and Mafeking
- Buller w/ 20,000 troops, relieving Ladysmith
Describe the defeat at Stormberg:
- 10 Dec 1899 –> Arrived on train, retreated after being exposed to Boer rifle fire, more than 500 left behind and taken prisoner
- 11 Dec –> Expected Boers to be on the top of Magersfontein hill, but were on lower slope
- They did not scout properly, which meant that when they attacked, they blundered into wire and tin cans set up by Boers as warning
- Light casualties of 200 men
Describe the defeat at Colenso:
- 15 Dec 1899 –> Tried to cross Tugela River to reach Ladysmith but sent troops them across in wrong places due to lack of awareness of local geography
- Into heavy Boer fire
- Buller called off assault even though Colenso had been occupied
- Soldiers were confused–> some withdrew, some taken prisoner
- British: 143, Boers: 8 deaths despite 21000 British forces v 8000 Boers
Describe the defeat at Spion Kop:
- Jan 1900 –> British finally crossed Tugela River
- General Warren attacked Boers at Spion Kop
- Infantry took what they thought was top of hill but as morning mist cleared, found that they were exposed to Boers firing from higher ground
- Poor communications again
- Heavy losses (1350)
Why is it that the Boers were successful in the sieges? (12)
- Unimaginative British command
- Superior marksmanship
- Strong morale
- Used local farmsteads for shelter and support
- No uniform
- Vast geographical area meant it was tough to control
- Small groups (commandos)
- Prepared defensive positions
- Local support of Boer sympathisers in Cape Colony and Natal
- Armed w/ modern European weaponry –> Mauser rifles (smokeless), Creusot siege guns
- Familiar w/ terrain
- Struck quickly then vanished before arrival of reinforcements
In what way did the sieges help the British? (3)
- Boer troops were held up in the sieges
- Gave British time to reinforce –> By Jan 1900, 180,000 British and colonial troops in SA
- Prompted drive in recruitment after people saw sieges
What did Buller signal that determined his fate and what actually happened?
- Signalled by heliograph to White that he had better surrender
- White declined, holding out for another 10.5 weeks
- Buller was sacked
Give one example to show Buller’s experience and what was his initial plan when he came to command?
- Won Victoria Cross in 1879 during Zulu Wars
- Wanted to attack Boers in Transvaal but had to abandon this as towns had already been besieged
What were 2 key failures of Buller’s tactics, however how could one of these be considered not his fault?
- Indecisive
- Did not communicate clearly w/ subordinates
- Failed to use scouting effectively
- Shortage of horses and cavalry to do this
Who was appointed following Buller, when and what happened to Buller?
- Jan 1900 –> Lord Roberts
- Given subordinate role in Natal
Who was Roberts’ second-in-command?
Kitchener
What was Roberts’ plan and orders when he arrived in South Africa? (5)
- Set about lifting sieges
- Capturing capital of Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, to show Boers they could not win
- Avoid frontal assaults, instead outflank Boers
- Wanted cavalry and mounted infantry to scout territory and chase Boers
- Ordered repairs to damaged railways
Outflank:
Advance quickly around sides of enemy force
In what ways did the British army change its approach following Black Week? (2)
- Recruitment drive for able-bodied young men, especially horsemen (for better intelligence)
- Using more armoured trains rather than railways
What was the first action that Roberts took?
14 Feb 1900 –> Relief of Ladysmith
What happened at the relief of Ladysmith and was it successful?
- Used pontoon bridges to cross the Tugela and artillery bombardment
- Forced Boers to withdraw
- 28 February 1900 –> 118 day siege ended
When was Kimberley relieved and how many Boers and British were there?
- Began on 10 Feb
- 15 Feb 1900 –> Lifted 124 day siege
- Boers: 7500 men, British: 40,000
When did Roberts capture Bloemfontein?
13 March 1900
Describe the events of the relief of Mafeking:
- Began on 12 May
- 17 May 1900 –> Lifted 217 day siege
- Under Colonel Mahon
- Boers: 7000, British: 1200 men
- Boers hoped to starve Mafeking into surrender and tried an assault but were defeated
Following the relief of Mafeking, what towns were taken by British?
- 31 May –> Johannesburg
- 5 Jun –> Pretoria
By the end of summer 1900, what had happened to Orange Free State and Transvaal?
- Presidents of both territories had fled abroad
- Both territories were annexed by Britain
When did Roberts hand command to Kitchener?
Nov 1900
After this point, what kind of war had it become and why?
- War of attrition (‘scorched earth policy’)
- Boer guerrillas were very determined
Who started the ‘scorched earth policy’ and what is it?
- Roberts
- Sweep Boer areas systematically, destroying anything of use to an enemy eg food, livestock
What were the effects of ‘scorched earth policy’?
Produced thousands of displaced civilians who were escorted by British soldiers and kept in concentration camps
What were the conditions in the concentration camps?
- Overcrowding
- Virtually non-existent medical care
- Erratic food supplies
- Rising death rate
What was the aim of concentration camps? (3)
- Save locals from starvation
- Stop them from helping Boers
- Persuade Boer men to stop fighting
By Sep 1901, how many people were there in how many camps?
35 camps w/ 110,000 people
By the end of the war how many of camp internees had died from disease?
1 in 4
What did Kitchener enforce to isolate Boer resistance and why?
- Segmented countryside by wire and blockhouses
- Army could seal off sections then send in mounted infantry/cavalry to clear out any Boers
Blockhouses:
Small forts for up to 8 soldiers
How many blockhouses and barbed wire was used?
- 8000 blockhouses
- 4000 miles of barbed wire
What was one disadvantage of using blockhouses?
This task alongside the protection for railways meant there was only a small force remaining for offensive operations
Where and when was the last skirmish of the war?
- Apr 1902 –> Rooiwal in Transvaal
What treaty was signed between Kitchener and the Boer leaders and when?
31 May 1902 –> Treaty of Vereeniging
Which event had an especially significant impact on the public at home and why?
- Spion Kop
- Photographs of lines of dead British soldiers (heavy casualties in this defeat)
- Critical of Buller
At the time, who was Winston Churchill and what were his reports like?
- War correspondent for
- Uncensored reports
- Generally supportive
- Lively journalism
What was the reaction to the Relief of Mafeking?
Optimistic and triumphant mood
What was popular culture like and give an example to show this?
- Patriotic and pro-army
- Boer War songs eg Goodbye Dolly Gray
Compare public opinion about the war in the early stages and nearing the end:
Initially very pro-war eg Daily Mail and Daily Express but later they became less supportive, as they began to question the way the war was conducted
Give one statistic to show the popularity of newspapers:
By 1900, daily circulation of Daily Mail nearly 1 mil
Give one example of an individual who pinpointed the horrors of concentration camps and the impact of this:
- W T Stead
- Founded Stop the War Committee in 1899
- Wrote reports about the ‘cold-blooded policy’
- Began to shift public attitudes w/ growing unease
During the Boer War, which two parties were governing the UK and what were their stance on war?
- Conservatives and Liberals
- Conservatives were by and large in favour
- Liberals were split
Give 2 things Emily Hobhouse did before her contribution to the Hobhouse Report:
- 1899 –> Joined South African Conciliation Committe, a grp campaigning for peace and spoje against war at protest meetings
- Sep 1900 –> Founded South African Women and Children Distress Fund to collect money for Boer families
Who offered to help Hobhouse when she left for South Africa?
Sir Alfred Milner
What camp did Hobhouse go to and what did she do?
- Bloemfontein
- Packed railway wagon w/ medicine, blankets equipment
Describe the conditions at the Bloemfontein camp:
- Inadequate food ration
- Cramped conditions
- Unsanitary conditions
Why did Hobhouse return to Britain?
- After visting other camps, she returned to Bloemfontein to find situation worse
- No-one in authority listened to her pleas
Who did Hobhouse report to, who else did it reach and when?
- Distress Fund Committee
- Reached British gov in Jun 1901
What was the reaction to her report from government but what was one positive?
- Hostile
- Extracts were published in liberal newspapers
As a result of the circulation of the report, what did the British government do and what was found?
- Sent committee of inquiry to SA (Fawcett Committee)
- When camps were inspected, the report was corroborated
What was the impact of the findings in Britain?
- Public was shocked and demanded action
- Responsibility for camps was taken from army to civilian adminstration
- As a result, camp death rate had fallen to less than 2%, which was less than rate in Glasgow
What were some long-term impacts of the Boer War on both South Africa and Britain? (5)
- English is made official language
- £3 mil to Boers to rebuild farms
- £222 mil cost to Britain
- Tariff reform
- Social reforms
How was tariff reform an indirect consequence of the war?
It arose because of the debate of how the borrowing costs of war would be paid for
Who resigned as a result of the controversy of tariff reform and what kind of government did this lead to?
- 1905 –> Balfour’s resignation
- Led to eventual Liberal majority gov
How did the Boer War lead to social reforms and give examples of these reforms?
- National efficiency movement, which drew on the issues of fitness in recruitment for war
- Education Act 1902, NI scheme 1911
How was the war financed?
- Tax on refined sugar
- Levy of 1 shilling on imported coal
