anglo boer war
Anglo-Boer War
As the name indicates, the Anglo-Boer War was fought between British and the Boers. The war broke out on 11 October 1899 and ended on 31 May 1902. To the British it was a war mainly fought to begin their rule in South Africa, while to the Boer it was a defensive war.
The Anglo-Boer War began with British territory being invaded by the Boers at four points: in the east into Natal, in the north-west of the Transvaal towards Mafikeng, in the south-west towards Kimberley, and across the Orange river into the Eastern Cape. The invasion routes were directed at railway lines which would be used to bring British troops towards the Boer Republics. In spite of their initial victories over the British, the tide began to turn against the Boers in February 1900. Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State, fell to the British on 13 March 1900. On 5 June 1900 British forces also invaded Pretoria, the capital of the South Africa. Some of the British now mistakenly believed that the war would soon be over.
This was, however, far from true. The Boers adopted a guerrilla style of fighting from September 1900. This proved to be to their advantage because the small Boer commandos were much more mobile than the large British divisions. In the months that followed, the British counteracted this with a concentration camp system. It became very difficult for the Boers in the field to evade the British. The countryside was spoiled and as a result provisions were scarce. The conditions in the concentration camps were a cause for great concern. These things finally persuaded the Boers to negotiate peace. Although attempts at peace were made as early as March 1900, nothing was achieved before 1902.
Early in April 1902 it was accepted that discussions between the Boer Governments and Lord Kitchener, Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in South Africa, should take place. The British government in London flatly rejected the Boer’s conditions for peace and presented their
As the name indicates, the Anglo-Boer War was fought between British and the Boers. The war broke out on 11 October 1899 and ended on 31 May 1902. To the British it was a war mainly fought to begin their rule in South Africa, while to the Boer it was a defensive war.
The Anglo-Boer War began with British territory being invaded by the Boers at four points: in the east into Natal, in the north-west of the Transvaal towards Mafikeng, in the south-west towards Kimberley, and across the Orange river into the Eastern Cape. The invasion routes were directed at railway lines which would be used to bring British troops towards the Boer Republics. In spite of their initial victories over the British, the tide began to turn against the Boers in February 1900. Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State, fell to the British on 13 March 1900. On 5 June 1900 British forces also invaded Pretoria, the capital of the South Africa. Some of the British now mistakenly believed that the war would soon be over.
This was, however, far from true. The Boers adopted a guerrilla style of fighting from September 1900. This proved to be to their advantage because the small Boer commandos were much more mobile than the large British divisions. In the months that followed, the British counteracted this with a concentration camp system. It became very difficult for the Boers in the field to evade the British. The countryside was spoiled and as a result provisions were scarce. The conditions in the concentration camps were a cause for great concern. These things finally persuaded the Boers to negotiate peace. Although attempts at peace were made as early as March 1900, nothing was achieved before 1902.
Early in April 1902 it was accepted that discussions between the Boer Governments and Lord Kitchener, Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in South Africa, should take place. The British government in London flatly rejected the Boer’s conditions for peace and presented their