The Second Boer War, the Army (1899-1902) Flashcards
1
Q
How had Britain first come to control South Africa, and which part specifically? Who did this create tension with, and why?
A
- In 1815, Britain formally acquired Cape Colony from the Netherlands
- The Dutch colonists (the Boers) were farmers, who were fiercely independent
2
Q
How was power distributed in southern Africa in the late 19th century?
A
- Britain controlled Cape Colony and Natal
- The Transvaal and Orange Free State were Boer republics
3
Q
What happened in 1886 that shifted the balance of power in South Africa?
A
- Gold was discovered in the Transvaal, which threatened to economically shift power in the favour of the Boers
4
Q
What long-term impact did the gold rush in the Transvaal cause? How big of an impact did this have? Give 2 details.
A
- Immigrants, called ‘uitlanders’ came to the Transvaal in large numbers, most of who were from Britain
- By the mid-1890s:
- uitlanders outnumbered Boers in the Transvaal
- much of the new wealth in the Transvaal was concentrated in the hands of a few mine owners, of which a large proportion were British
5
Q
How did the government of the Transvaal respond to the shift in power away from the Boers?
A
- Kruger, the President of the Transvaal, made it so that uitlanders had to live in the Transvaal for 14 years before they could vote
6
Q
When was the Jameson raid?
A
- 1895
7
Q
Who organised the Jameson raid, and what was their aim?
A
- Cecil Rhodes
- To seize control of the Transvaal
8
Q
What happened during the Jameson raid, and how did it end?
A
- 600 armed men were led into the Transvaal by Dr Jameson
- There was a brief skirmish with Boer militia, and Jameson surrendered
9
Q
What 2 impacts did the Jameson raid have that disadvantaged the British in the Second Boer War?
A
- Kruger became convinced that war with Britain was very likely, so he purchased the best European weapons for the Transvaal
- The Transvaal and Orange Free State became united against the British threat
10
Q
What did the British government do in 1897 to try to resolve the situation in the Transvaal? Why was this a mistake?
A
- They sent the high commissioner Sir Alfred Milner to the Transvaal
- He was insistent that uitlanders should be granted full voting rights
11
Q
What 3 events directly caused the Second Boer War?
A
- In September 1899, Joseph Chamberlain (colonial secretary) sent an ultimatum demanding that uitlanders be given equal rights in the Transvaal
- On 9th October Kruger issued an ultimatum saying that Britain had 48 hours to remove all of its troops from the Transvaal border, otherwise the Boer republics would declare war against them
- The Boers declared war on 11th October 1899
12
Q
What were 4 problems the British army had at the start of the Second Boer War?
A
- The government did not want to spend much money on the army
- It was felt that there was little need for change as the army had been successful in colonial wars in the 1880s and 90s
- The Duke of Cambridge, who was commander-in-chief, was a staunch supporter of traditional practices
- The focus of the army in the decades preceding the Second Boer War was on improving standards, rather than boosting numbers
13
Q
How many troops did the Boers have, and how did this compare to the British?
A
- 50,000
- The British army had 250,000 soldiers, but roughly half were abroad
14
Q
How were the Boers organised?
A
- Adult male citizens in each district formed a commando
- They elected someone to lead them
15
Q
How well-equipped were the British? Give 2 examples.
A
- Poorly, as:
- there was a shortage of ammunition
- they had plenty of red, white and blue uniforms, but not enough khaki ones
16
Q
How well-equipped were the Boers? Give 2 examples.
A
- They had Europe’s best weapons, such as:
- German smokeless Mauser rifles
- French Creusot siege guns
17
Q
What were 3 other advantages the Boers had?
A
- They were more familiar with the terrain
- Most were skilled hunters, so they could ride and shoot well
- They had local support to provide them with supplies
18
Q
Describe 2 tactics that the Boers tended to use successfully, but British officers had not yet recognised the impact of.
A
- Fire from trench positions
- Mobility of cavalry raids
19
Q
How strong was support for the war in Britain in the years 1899-1900? Give 3 examples.
A
- Very;
- it has even been referred to as ‘khaki fever’
- half a million people cheered for the First Army Corps as it left Southampton
- many men signed up to join the army
20
Q
What did the Boers plan to do as soon as war broke out, and how successful was this?
A
- The Boers immediately decided to march on Durban in Natal, as there were no forces to stop them
- However, luckily for the British, Sir George White had arrived from India on 7th October with 10,000 troops
21
Q
What strategic mistake did the Boers make at the beginning of the war? Give a figure.
A
- Even after the arrival of Sir George White’s men, the Boers had the numerical advantage, but instead decided to lay siege to towns
- This gave the British time to reinforce; by the end of January 1900 they had 180,000 troops in South Africa
22
Q
Which 3 towns were besieged, and when?
A
- Mafeking, 13th October 1899
- Kimberley, 14th October 1899
- Ladysmith, 2nd November 1899
23
Q
What caused the siege of Ladysmith?
A
- General White had retreated to Ladysmith after a British defeat against the Boers under General Penn-Symons
- Ladysmith was then surrounded by Boers, who bombarded it with siege guns
- This led to the Battle of Modderspruit
24
Q
What were the results of the Battle of Modderspruit?
A
- The British lost, so White was then trapped in Ladysmith
- The British had 140 casualties, and over 1000 wounded
25
How did Mafeking end up under siege?
- Colonel Robert Baden-Powell had raised 1200 local men in Mafeking
- However, 7000 Boers under Piet Cronje attacked Mafeking, and surrounded it
26
How did Cape Colony become involved in the war, and what was done about this?
- In November 1899, the Boers crossed into Cape Colony
- The government was neutral, but roughly 10,000 Cape Dutch joined the commandos
- This eventually caused martial law to be declared in the most dissatisfied districts
27
What impact did the sieges have in Britain?
- It had a massively negative impact on morale, as the success of the Boers was unexpected
28
When did the first reinforcements arrive in South Africa, and who were they led by?
- November
- General Sir Redvers Buller (commander-in-chief of the forces in South Africa)
29
What did Buller decide to do after his arrival in South Africa, and why?
- He decided to relieve the sieged towns
- He had originally wanted to launch an offensive along the railways to Pretoria, capital of the Transvaal, but he did not do this as it would be unpopular politically
30
How did Buller attempt to relieve the sieged towns, and what did his attempt end up being called, and why?
- He split his force into 3 groups to relieve Stormberg, Kimberley and Mafeking, and Ladysmith
- Black Week, as it led to a series of defeats
31
When was Black Week?
- 10-17 December 1899
32
How did Buller split his forces, and who led each group?
- Methuen led a force of 10,000 men
- Gatacre led 3,000 men
- Buller led the main force of 20,000 men
33
Who led the force that was meant to relieve Kimberley and Mafeking, and how were they defeated? At what cost?
- Methuen
- He launched an attack at Magersfontein (a hill)
- The Boers were entrenched on the lower slopes of the hill
- The British were pinned down by accurate Boer fire and were exposed to the scorching sun
- He withdrew, after losing 200 men
34
Who led the effort to relieve Stormberg, what happened, and what was the outcome?
- Gatacre
- British infantry were exposed to Boer fire and their own artillery
- They retreated, but 500 were taken prisoner
35
Who was in charge of relieving Ladysmith, and how did they try to do this?
- Buller
- He tried to cross the Tugela River at Colenso
36
What happened at Colenso? Give 4 details.
- Officers sent troops to cross the river in the wrong places towards Boer fire due to their lack of knowledge about the local geography and accurate maps
- Artillery was deployed within rifle range, and its gunners were shot down
- Buller called off the assault, which led to confusion so while some withdrew, more were taken prisoner
- There were 1400 casualties (only 8 Boers had died)
37
What 2 impacts did Black Week have on the British public?
- There was an outcry due to the number of defeats, casualties and the ongoing sieges and the generals' inability to deal with them
- There was a shock to public confidence
38
What were 4 impacts of Black Week?
- There was a large recruitment drive, especially for horsemen
- The deficiency of mounted infantry and cavalry was addressed
- The ineffectiveness of traditional tactics was reviewed
- Over-reliance on railways was countered by using more armoured trains
39
What was a positive impact of Black Week?
- It caused a surge in recruitment, even in Australia, Canada and New Zealand
40
What did Buller do after the defeat at Colenso, and what did this cause?
- Buller signalled to White using a heliograph to surrender, but White refused
- This was the final straw for the government, who demoted Buller
41
Who replaced Buller and when did they arrive in South Africa?
- Lord Roberts and his second-in-command, Lord Kitchener
- January 1900
42
How did Roberts decide to fight the Boers?
- Like Buller, he decided to relieve the besieged garrisons
43
What other battle took place at the Tugela River, and whose idea was it?
- Battle of Spion Kop
- Buller
44
When was the Battle of Spion Kop, and what happened?
- Late January 1900
- British infantry occupied what they thought was the high ground, but when the mist cleared they realised they were exposed to Boer fire from higher ground
- Poor communication lead to some of the men being told to defend Spion Kop, while others withdrew
- 1350 casualties
45
When were Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking relieved, and by who?
- Kimberley: Sir John French on 15th February 1900
- Ladysmith: Buller on 28th February 1900
- Mafeking: Colonel Mahon on 17th May 1900
46
Which siege had particularly captured the public's imagination, and why?
- The siege of Mafeking due to the ingenious tactics of Baden-Powell, such as fake landmines and dummy guns, which made him a national hero as he tied up almost 20% of the Boers in Mafeking
47
What were 2 reasons why the relief of Mafeking took place considerably after Ladysmith and Kimberley were freed?
- Roberts was forced to delay for 6 weeks due to:
- a lack of supplies
- typhoid outbreak
48
How did Roberts win the war? Give 3 details.
- He continued his advance north
- He captured Johannesburg on 31st May and Pretoria on 5th June
- Presidents Steyn (Orange Free State) and Kruger had fled abroad by the end of the summer, and both territories were annexed
49
What did Roberts do after the Orange Free State and Transvaal were annexed, and why?
- In November 1900 he set sail for England and left Kitchener in charge
- There were some small pockets of Boer resistance left to deal with
50
What were 3 of Buller's shortcomings?
- He was hesitant when committing to attacks, which proved to be a big problem at Colenso, or when he told White to surrender
- He failed to gather enough information before attacks, such as accurate maps, which was another problem
- He did not want to build up numbers from reserves, which was an even bigger problem as there was a lack of cavalry soldiers for scouting
51
What was Buller nicknamed by the press?
- Sir Reverse
52
What were 3 positive aspects of Buller's leadership?
- He had experience in South Africa as he had fought in the Zulu War (which he even won a Victoria Cross for) and the First Boer War
- He introduced more effective techniques such as:
- co-ordinating infantry attacks with a 'creeping' artillery barrage
- encouraging soldiers to make better use of natural cover
53
What 3 changes did Roberts make after arriving in South Africa?
- He issued new tactical guidelines
- He appointed Frederick Burnham as chief scout, who knew Africa well and had previously fought in colonial wars
- He used cavalry and mounted infantry to chase the Boers
54
Give 3 examples of new tactical guidelines issued by Roberts.
- Careful reconnaissance before attacks
- Avoiding frontal attacks in mass formations, and outflank the Boers instead
- Using more cover (infantry and artillery)
55
How would Roberts use the intelligence he gathered, and how was this successful?
- He would choose lightly defended territory to advance into
- This meant that when the British occupied Boer towns (or cities such as Bloemfontein), there was hardly any fighting
56
What 2 issues did Roberts leave behind?
- Boer commandos were still attacking the British, and they would strike hard and fast before withdrawing again
- This led to a series of scattered attacks
- Whenever the British left an area, they would lose their authority there as well
57
How long did it take to deal with the guerrilla warfare started by the Boers?
- September 1900 - May 1902
58
How did Kitchener deal with the remaining Boer resistance? Give 4 details.
- He built 8000 fortified blockhouses, each with up to 8 soldiers
- These were connected with over 4000 miles of barbed wire fences, which split the veldt into small areas
- British troops would then do 'sweeps' to trap the Boers
- Some of the larger sweeping columns were supported by mounted raiding columns
59
In what particular way was Kitchener's policy of doing sweeps advanced? Give 3 examples.
- Use of technology
- Telegraphs, telephones and armoured trains were all used
60
What policy had Roberts started that was continued by Kitchener? Why had Roberts started this policy?
- Scorched earth policy (destroying property and crops, salting fields and poisoning wells)
- Roberts wanted to destroy everything that would be of use to Boer guerrillas
61
What was an effect of the scorched earth policy?
- Displaced women, children and the elderly were 'concentrated' in refugee camps
62
What was another reason why concentration camps were created? How effective was this?
- Some thought it would convince Boer men to stop fighting
- It actually reduced their responsibilities, and stiffened resistance
63
How many Boers were being held in concentration camps in early 1901 compared to late 1901?
- March: 35,000
- September: 110,000
64
What issue was there in concentration camps? Give 2 details.
- Running them was a low priority, so administration was very poor
- This led to a lack of food, hygiene, medicine and shelter
- Overcrowding led to diseases such as measles and typhoid
65
What was the death rate in concentration camps? How many of those who had died were children?
- 25%
- Of the 28,000 dead, 22,000 were children
66
How did Kitchener respond to criticism of the concentration camps, and how could he do this?
- He argued that it was actually more humane than leaving the inmates to fend for themselves
- The British did not a have intentional policy of extermination, but the situation was caused by neglect
67
What example was there of cruelty in the concentration camps?
- Rations were given out selectively; women and children whose male family members were fighting were not given meat
68
Even after the Fawcett Commission, what manipulative decision did Kitchener make?
- He gave orders for women and children to be left on the farms
- This meant guerrillas had to look after their families once more
69
To what extent were black South Africans involved in the Second Boer War? Was this expected? Give a figure.
- Both the Boers and the British feared arming the black population due to the Zulu War (1879)
- However, as the war progressed, Britain recruited black men to scout, and carry out other auxiliary tasks
- By 1902 30,000 black people had served in the British army
70
How else were black South Africans affected by the Second Boer War? Give a figure.
- An unknown number were removed from Boer areas and put in separate concentration camps
- Over 12,000 died
71
How did the war officially end, and when?
- Treaty of Vereeninging
- 31st May 1902
72
What were 3 outcomes of the Treaty of Vereeninging?
- The Boers recognised Britain's annexation of both republics
- Britain gave the Boers £3 million to rebuild
- They also promised to restore self-government for the Boers as soon as possible
73
What were 3 advantages Kitchener's leadership had for the British?
- He created a transport system relying on wagons so soldiers were no longer dependent on railways
- In the later stages of the war he fortified stations and used armoured trains to stop the Boers from attacking railways
- His method of conducting sweeps made most Boers give in during 1901, with only some continuing to resist in 1902
