Jan Smuts - An Influential Figure Who Shaped 20th Century World History

Explore the life and legacy of General Jan Smuts, a visionary leader whose impact extended far beyond South Africa, significantly shaping the course of world history. This documentary delves deep into the paradox of Smuts, a real genius and global visionary in a divided world.
Recognised by two of the world's leading historians, Smuts was central to the vision for a new world order that emerged from the League of Nations and the United Nations. Keith Breckenridge, an Economic History Professor, notes that "few actually understand how key Smuts is in the crafting of the world systems that emerge outside of South Africa."
Winston Churchill described him as "one of the most enlightened, courageous, and noble-minded men of the 20th century... a man who fought for his country but thought for the whole world." Watch this video to discover more about this influential figure in African and global history.
"No politician in England for many a day has combined his sweep, his detachment and his subtlety" Manchester Guardian.
"This was a great leader, he was a man who knew his story, he was a man who was a brilliant intellectual." Ken Gillings - Military Historian
"Even the great thought he was great" Alan Paton
"It was a great philosophical vision that he had that the whole is more important than the solitary or the individual." Allister Sparks - Author and Political Commentator
"Once more General Smuts has revealed himself as a statesman with an international mind. He is one of the comparatively few great men in international politics." South Wales Argus.
Explore the complex life and legacy of Jan Smuts whose global politics and philosophy left an indelible mark on the 20th century. His story peels back the paradoxical layers of a great South African statesman who envisioned a unified world through his concept of a League of Nations, but was not able to unify his own nation; who was a staunch defender of freedom but whose policies often contradicted the very ideals he cherished; was both a war hero and a peacemaker and a proponent of unity in international forums while his own nation grappled with deep-seated racial divisions.
Unpacking the Legacy of Smuts:
Warrior and Peacemaker: From the battlefields of the Boer War to the negotiation tables of the World Wars, witness Smuts' journey from a military strategist to a pioneering statesman who was instrumental in forming the League of Nations and the United Nations.
Philosophical Insights and Contradictions: Delve into Smuts' philosophy of holism, which anticipated ecological science but also mirrored the contradictions of his time, struggling to apply these ideals universally, especially within the fraught landscape of his homeland.
Domestic Controversies and International Acclaim: Smuts' international acclaim as a visionary contrasted sharply with his contentious domestic policies, which ultimately sowed the seeds of apartheid, alienating segments of his own society.
Documentary Features:
Exclusive Interviews and Expert Analyses: Featuring historians, political analysts, and those who knew Smuts personally, providing a rounded portrayal of his character and impact.
Rare Archival Footage and Dramatised Scenes: From the rugged terrains of South Africa to the hallowed halls of global diplomacy, re-enactments and genuine clips bring Smuts' era to life.
CHAPTERS
1. Intro 00:00:22
2. Draft preamble to the United Nations Charter 00:28:46
3. Jan Smuts farm at Doornkloof now Smuts House Museum, Irene 00:01:46
4. Early farm life 00:04:53
5. Parents Katarina and Jacobus Smuts 00:05:55
6. Graduates from the University of Cape Town 00:08:27
7. Smuts as Chancellor of UCT 00:08:42
8. Inaugurated as Chancellor of Cambridge University 00:09:04
9. Philosophy of holism 00:09:45
10. Allister Sparks on Smut's philosophical vision 00:10:58
11. Dr Oshadi Mangena on holism 00:11:51
12. The Jameson Raid 00:12:53
13. Kruger, President Steyn, Smuts and Lord Milner meet 00:13:24
14. Anglo Boer War 00:13:47
15. Lord Kitchener's scorched earth policy 00:16:33
16. British concentration camps 00:16:54
17. Emily Hobhouse 00:17:08
18. Vereeniging Peace Treaty 00:18:58
19 Steve Biko 00:23:17
20. Union of South Africa formed 00:24:35
21. Keith Breckenridge Economic History Professor 00:25:09
22. ANC formed 00:26:38
23. Native Land Act & Urban Areas Bill 00:26:50
24. Ghandi 00:28:31
25. WW1 00:32:08
26. German East Africa Campaign 00:33:02
27. Imperial War Conference 00:33:42
28. Concept of dominions 00:34:04
29. League of Nations 00:35:19
30. Smuts as Prime Minister 00:36:07
31. Creation of National Party 00:37:00
32. Rand Rebellion 00:37:20
33. United Party Coalition 00:39:00
34. Hertzog's Native Bills 00:40:08
35. United Nations 00:42:11
36. WW2 00:43:20
37. Smuts Prime Minister of South Africa
38. Imperial War Cabinet 00:47:14
39. Military Museum History 00:48:07
40. Visit of British royal family 00:52:41
41. Malan as Prime Minister
42. Voortrekker Monument
43. Death of Smuts