Canada's Involvement In The Boer War
The factors we are examining appear in bold relief in the story of the Boer War. Their appearance in this poorly remembered South African adventure previews many aspects of the world conflagration that soon followed it:
* It was the quintessential example of the union of capitalism and imperialism.
*Canada’s participation allied her with gross human rights abuses and civilian deaths.
*As it was a white on white, Christian versus Christian war, it was necessary that churches and the government machinery of propaganda play a major supporting role. They did that.
*The racist assumptions underlying the conflict were deplorable. The actual treatment of Africans was far worse.
The common reaction to the Boer War by Canadians, if they recall …show more content…
The imperial expedition to South Africa was the first war in which Canadians fought overseas as Canadians. It was also arguably the most foolish. Perhaps an understanding of just how little Canada had at stake is at least part of the reason for the appearance of the Canadian antiwar factors. Our participation could have been more extensive and more costly absent the reluctance of the prime minister and the ruling party. The relatively small size of our expeditionary force reflected the desire to minimize casualties. Many of the troops were privately financed volunteers. In spite of poor British leadership, Canadian troops were far better at the kind of war they were called upon to fight than were the British. We were delighted when the British belatedly praised their …show more content…
The conflict also revealed some of the nascent Canadian antiwar factors. It settled nothing that could not have been settled without it, though it did adjust some borders in areas that were destined in any event to develop as separate countries. Canadians are fortunate that the war marked the point where the two big powers got tired of fighting one another. It was always up to them to make that decision.
Pre-War Canada and Britain: Parallel Political Struggles - Imperialism Prevails
Any understanding of the Boer War requires a bit of elementary reference to its background. Canada’s mother country was at the height of her imperial glory in the years leading up to this war. Although Canada by 1897, the year of Queen Victoria’s lavish Diamond Jubilee, was well along the road to autonomy, it is understandable that the two peoples shared a similar approach to world affairs. At least that was true of English Canadians. They eagerly bought the solemn pronouncements of their Protestant churches that every war fought by the British was a just
* It was the quintessential example of the union of capitalism and imperialism.
*Canada’s participation allied her with gross human rights abuses and civilian deaths.
*As it was a white on white, Christian versus Christian war, it was necessary that churches and the government machinery of propaganda play a major supporting role. They did that.
*The racist assumptions underlying the conflict were deplorable. The actual treatment of Africans was far worse.
The common reaction to the Boer War by Canadians, if they recall …show more content…
The imperial expedition to South Africa was the first war in which Canadians fought overseas as Canadians. It was also arguably the most foolish. Perhaps an understanding of just how little Canada had at stake is at least part of the reason for the appearance of the Canadian antiwar factors. Our participation could have been more extensive and more costly absent the reluctance of the prime minister and the ruling party. The relatively small size of our expeditionary force reflected the desire to minimize casualties. Many of the troops were privately financed volunteers. In spite of poor British leadership, Canadian troops were far better at the kind of war they were called upon to fight than were the British. We were delighted when the British belatedly praised their …show more content…
The conflict also revealed some of the nascent Canadian antiwar factors. It settled nothing that could not have been settled without it, though it did adjust some borders in areas that were destined in any event to develop as separate countries. Canadians are fortunate that the war marked the point where the two big powers got tired of fighting one another. It was always up to them to make that decision.
Pre-War Canada and Britain: Parallel Political Struggles - Imperialism Prevails
Any understanding of the Boer War requires a bit of elementary reference to its background. Canada’s mother country was at the height of her imperial glory in the years leading up to this war. Although Canada by 1897, the year of Queen Victoria’s lavish Diamond Jubilee, was well along the road to autonomy, it is understandable that the two peoples shared a similar approach to world affairs. At least that was true of English Canadians. They eagerly bought the solemn pronouncements of their Protestant churches that every war fought by the British was a just