Dictators, war + Revolutions HT51020A Dr Erica Wald The South African War

South African War in Figures 2 years, 8 months 450,000 British and empire troops 22,000 British casualties 34,000 Boer casualties (civilian & combatant) Roughly 20,000 African deaths

Combatants Britain Boer republics British, British Commonwealth and Empire forces Boer republics Orange Free State Transvaal

The South African War What were the causes of the war? Introduction Background Origins of the crisis Long term Immediate War Aftermath What were the causes of the war? Why did Britain go to war with the Boer republics? Was this an imperial war?

Key Figures Joseph Chamberlain, Secretary of State for Colonies Sir Alfred Milner, High Commissioner for South Africa Lord Salisbury, British (Conservative) Prime Minister Cecil Rhodes, Prime Minister of the Cape Colony Paul Kruger, President of the Transvaal General Jan Smuts Lord Kitchner Emily Hobhouse Cecil Rhodes

Background 1795 - British seize Cape from Dutch East India Company 1815 – Peace Settlement in Europe- Cape Colony to remain in British control 1820 – Arrival of British settlers

The Great Trek

Importance of South Africa to empire Location Route to India Ports & trade Economic boom Diamonds & gold British immigrants Imperial power South African confederation

First South African War, 1880-1 Followed British annexation of Transvaal Boer opposition led by Paul Kruger Gladstone sought to establish a South African confederation George Colley’s military blunders Armistice & peace – March 1881

Gold & Uitlanders 1886- gold discovered on Witwatersrand 1898- Transvaal = largest single producer of gold in the world Uitlanders= British labourers & mine workers Cultural gap with Boer Badly treated by Kruger

Men on the Spot: Cecil Rhodes Drive to open up and establish settlements north of Limpopo River British South Africa Company Pioneer Column, 1890 No gold found The Rhodes Colossus

Immediate Causes Jameson Raid (29 December 1895- 2 January 1896) Afrikaaner resentment Kruger plans for war South African League established for Uitlander concerns Sir Alfred Milner & the breakdown of the Bloemfontein talks Sir Leander Starr Jameson

War, 1899-1902 Two phases Guerrilla War, -to 1902 Boer Offensive, October- December 1899 British Offensive, January-September 1900 Guerrilla War, -to 1902 The Devonshire Regiment in action near Ladysmith

Boer Offensive, October-December 1899 Invasion of Cape Colony & Natal Siege of Mafeking & Ladysmith Black Week, December 1899 Magersfontein, Stormberg, Colenso Boers using long cannon during siege of Mafeking

Awareness of Empire Popular Imperialism British press coverage Khaki Election, 1900 Commonwealth & empire involvement

British Offensive, January-September 1900 New Strategy under Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchner Reinforcements Relief of Ladysmith, Kimberley & Mafeking Typhoid

Popular Imperialism Celebrating the Relief of Ladysmith, Columbia Street, Vancouver, BC, 1900 From the Market Harborough Advertiser, March 1900

Guerrilla War Boer woman with her dead child, photographed by Emily Hobhouse Boer guerrilla commandos

Vereeniging Peace Treaty, May 1902 60 Boer representatives meet British Concede surrender of independence of republics in return for promise of eventual self-government & ‘delay’ in extending franchise to Africans