Boer War, South Africa 1899-1902: A Summary
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2024
- The Boer War, was fought in South Africa from 1899-1902 between the British Empire and the Boer Republics of Orange Free State and Transvaal .
Also known as the second Boer War, the Anglo-Boer War and the South Africa War.
Join my Membership Channel to get exclusive videos (& more)
/ @thehistorychap
Despite their numerical disadvantage the Boers delivered a series of devastating defeats on the British, especially at Spion Kop and during Black Week when they defeated the British 3 times in 5 days at the battles of Magersfontein, Stormberg and Colenso.
Eventually the British were to send an army of 450,000 to defeat the Boers and the President of the Boer Transvaal, Paul Kruger, fled into exile.
The Boers, however, conducted a guerrilla war for nearly two years.
The British under General Herbert Kitchener, adopted a scorched earth policy against the Boers, burning farms and crops and killing livestock, in an effort to deprive them of supplies.
Most controversially, they placed Boer civilians in camps - which were named Concentration Camps.
Limited food rations, insanitary conditions, sparse medical care and indifferent management contributed to death rates that at one stage were running at 34%.
A massive international outcry resulted into a new and improved regime in the camps but the damage was done.
In May 1902 the Boers signed a peace treaty at Vereeniging.
Within 5 years both former republics had achieved self government, and in 1910 they joined the British colonies of the Cape and Natal to form a new country - South Africa.The first Prime Minister of this new country, was the former Boer general, Louis Botha.
He was succeeded by another former commando leader, Jan Smuts.
The British were to lose over 20,000 troops - 8,000 killed by the Boers and 14,000 to disease.
The Boer war cost the government over £200m in the money of the day.
It had taken an army of 450,000 (four times the size of the British Army sent to the Crimean War) to suppress the Boer Army of about 50,000.
The Boers lost 6,000 killed in action but it was the human cost of the concentration camps that they would remember. 26,000 of their women and children died.
That resentment would give rise to the National Party and when they came to power in 1948, the establishment of Apartheid.
The Anglo-Boer War presents us with a plethora of characters who found their way into history:
Future South African Prime Ministers (Louis Botha and Jan Smuts), the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill (who was captured and escaped from the Boers), Sherlock Holmes creator (Arthur Conan Doyle), the founder of the Boy Scouts (Robert Baden-Powell) and Mahatma Ghandi.
Boer generals like Christiaan de Wet and Koos de la Rey.
Emily Hobhouse the British anti-war campaigner who exposed the conditions in the concentration camps.
Chapters:
0:00 The Boer War
2:28 The Boers
3:35 Uitlanders
6:34 War begins
9:30 Black Week
12:00 Marching to Pretoria
15:42 Boer Commandos
18:05 Concentration Camps
21:55 Britain loses Peace
26:18 The History Chap
#boerwar #secondboerwar #theanglo-boerwar#militaryhistory #britishempire
#robertbadenpowell #jansmuts #louisbotha
#winstonchurchill #emilyhobhouse
Follow me at:
www.thehistorychap.com
Instagram:bit.ly/3iySrAj
Facebook:bit.ly/37IUfkH
/ thehistorychap
My name is Chris Green ("The History Chap") and I am on a mission to share the amazing history of Britain so that we can appreciate where we have come from and why we are here.
History should not be stuffy or a long list of dates or kings & queens.
So rather than lectures or TH-cam animations, I tell stories that bring the past to life.
Just for the record, I do have a history degree and continue to have a passion for the subject I studied.
Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Chris Green Communication Ltd t/a The History Chap. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Chris Green Communication Ltd does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Chris Green Communication Ltd t/a The History Chap. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Chris Green Communication Ltd does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
I'm a 75 year old South African living in New Zealand for 22 years. I have just recommended your history program to my children for them to listen to. You have done an excellent job of research.
The younger generation of South Africans know basically nothing of this history. I am very pleased you made a strong mention of the long forgotten, Concentration Camps.
I also well remember an elderly Boer Lady telling me how they had to bury their precious polished dining room table in the earth on their farm, to prevent the British from destroying it.
The Boer Lady who told this account to me is long ago passed on.
Thank you for your good work. Erich, now living in New Zealand.
Thank you for your support.
@@TheHistoryChap what I find absolutely fantastic is how all the commanders on both sides of the conflict got their information.
We're so connected these modern days. But how on earth were they so well informed.?
Even in the earlier Khartoum expedition.
The circle has come full circle in crimea.
So depressed that the English government simply cannot stop creating a new war. Along with the cousins in America.
Hang af wie jy vra... Ons jong Afrikaaners is wel bewus van ons geskudenis, en ons is trots Afrikaans
I found this documentary one of the best I have seen.
@@5BoB as an english south african, i hope the afrikaners carry on being proud about their history and not let it die out in south africa!
The glint of gold and the sparkle of the diamond in the eye brings out the blackness in the heart.
The Brits already had the diamonds.
Sounds like the seeds of greed
Baie dankie, ons waardeer die waarheid
Thank you for watching
Thank you for a very well balanced exposition on the Anglo Boer war. I am the grandson of a British born grandfather who as a young boy was at the siege of Potchefstroom he fought fought for the Transvaal Republic captured while protecting Paul Kruger who was fleeing to Mozambique. After my G/f capture he was sent to Tuckers Island.
Thanks for watching my video & for taking the time to share your family story
At my Afrikaans High School, our headmaster was a Mr Edwards, thanks for sharing.
As an American I'd heard of the Boer War but as a child I couldn't find much about it. Thanks so much for your many episodes of this time in history, I now understand what this was all about. Much continued success with your work, I just finished watching the episode describing Thomas Jones' exploits in WW I. Thanks again
Very much an over view but I hope that it helped you.
Thanks for another great history lesson! I’ve joined your channel recently and now watch a video every night, I must say these are fascinating retellings of historical events. I’ve really enjoyed learning about the British empires exploits from the Crimean war to the boar war, keep posting and thanks for all your hard work and endeavour 👏
Thank you for your support. Glad you are enjoying.
It lead to the end of "Splendid Isolation". Much of the World outside of the Empire supported the Boers. Fun fact, Winston Churchill was captured by Italian Mercenaries. He kept that quiet.
Love your fun fact.
And escaped 👍
Not that quiet film made about his life ,young winston tells about it and his escape.
@@TheHistoryChap why did Mandela get a statue in London and not Emily hob house.
Was she considered a traitor.?
Mandela was a terrorist and was lucky not to be executed as such
...and as a Brit now living in South Africa, I can honestly say that this is the best account of the Boer War that I have ever seen..well done!
Very kind of you. Thanks.
Proud of you sir
A black week for the British army, followed by a dark cloud for allowing so many deaths in those camps. Thanks for sharing.
Concentrations camps not Britains finest hour.
"allowing so many deaths" it was orchestrated genocide.
War never changes. Even the winners of the war loose. Thank you for a good to the point summary.
Thanks for your comments.
Great summary , my great grandfather served in the Worcestershire Yeomanry in the Boer war and my home of Worcester has many links to that conflict and South Africa, so I always find this topic interesting. Thanks for posting!
My pleasure. Did you spot the picture of the memorial outside Worcester Cathedral that I used near the end of the video?
@@TheHistoryChap I shall have another look at that, when I'm in Worcester as I now understand it's context in the Boer War, thanks to your lecture....👍
Randomly found your channel, have been binge watching for the past few days. very informative and entertaining. I've learnt much about many forgotten wars and battles, many thanks.
My pleasure. I’m glad that you are enjoying my different talks.
A cracking yarn Chris, a story that fascinated me from childhood, my dear Dad took a job in SA, early 70's and I was sent to school near Jo'burg, on a school excursion we got off the bus to explore one of those Kitchener block houses, well i was hooked. Back home an elderly Boer woman sensing my interest gave me a book i can no longer recall the title, that seemed to ooze dust and khaki and the boer war has held fascination since. I hope to visit SA next year to see some of the sites mentioned in your vlog. huzzah for the history chap !! 'pip pip hooray '!!
Strangely enough my dad got a job in SA in the 70's too.
That's where my fascination with the Zulu War started. th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
Thanks for bringing this forgotten war to my attention. Wonderful video - wish I could like it twice!
Very kind of you. Thanks.
Another fantastic video Chris. Delivered in your usual expert, eloquent, style.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Superb historical analysis and narration of the 2nd British-Boer War. Appreciate the candor and frank insight into the geopolitical and horrendous consequences of this conflict between colonial powers. Of course, the great powers didn’t learn from the earlier Crimean War that preceded the Boer conflict, and the horrific world wars that’ll follow in the first half of the 20th century and thereafter. Now in the this new century, we are living through new wars in Ukraine, in Syria and other smaller conflicts-reminding us that human history despite its advances in science, rule of law, diplomacy and humanitarian morality, is and will always be plagued by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse-death, famine, war and conquest. I supposed, the lesson and challenge of history is keeping these “horsemen” at bay and not letting them overwhelm human existence. Really appreciate your channel content.
I'm glad that you enjoyed this video and thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Let's try to keep the Four Horsemen at bay.
Great video today thanks Chris and I'm looking forward to seeing more of your stuff on this
Thanks Cameron.
Working on the Jameson Raid as we speak.
Aiming to release early next week.
I've watched the whole set of episodes now for a second and third time. Simply the "smoothest" history lessons. I've commented to you before, and I'll say it again. Fantastic narration, fantastic story, and fantastic classic approach to the art of Boer War history. I completely acclaim, you are the epitome of quality historical stories and scenes. Well done sir. I wish we were close by, for I would love to buy you a drink and enjoy your fabulous stories. Cheers my friend! 😊
Ed, thanks for your kind words.
Please do keep in touch by signing up for my newsletter at www.thehistorychap.com
What a fascinating story. Clearly told. Clarity of the issues. High energy presentation. Thank you.
You're very welcome
Thoroughly enjoyed, thank you again work!!!!
My pleasure. Thanks for watching
Fascinating. Shared with several friends
Thank you, I am very grateful for your support.
Check out my latest videos from the Boer War: th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
Yes I’ve been waiting for this one
Hope you enjoyed. th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
Thank you very much for the summary of the Bore War.
Grandfather Singed up to fight in the said Bore War when he was around the age of 17.
His father Constable John Blackstock managed to get his son to serve as a Grenadier Guard at Buckingham palace. Lucky for me!!!
Thanks for sharing your family story.
Just bought a chaps, grandfather's coins he was paid for being part of the Boer War. I'm in Canada & he was Canadian. Owed him the respect of understanding.
Much appreciated for your history lesson. I live near Kitchener Ontario.
Kitchener, the man would be another very interesting video
Excellent video, my friend-thank you!!
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
My great-great grandfather fought in this war in the mounted infantry. He joined up in 1900 aged about 19 or 20 and was involved in one mini battle that went on for seven hours before he was captured by the Boers. He was a prisoner for a while before he and some of his comrades were released and welcomed home. Afterwards he married and fathered three daughters and settled down to life as a shoe riveter. He was called up again as a reservist in 1914 as an 'Old Contemptible' in the BEF and briefly made Lance Corporal until a German prisoner of war escaped while he was guarding him. He was killed at the Somme during the German advance of 1918. We have one photograph of him in our family from when he was 10 years old but sadly nothing else. It's my big dream in life to find a picture of him because I'm sure that there's one out there somewhere.
Wow what a fascinating family story. I wish you well in your quest for a phtograph.
@@TheHistoryChap Thank you! Glad you enjoyed my family story, finding a picture or enhancing & CG aging our family picture will be tricky but not impossible I'm sure 😊
Sympathy for your Great Great Grandfather. How much did true wealth did Britain lose with the sacrifice of such men in these two, unnecessary (in my humble opinion) wars?
What could this man of such loyalty and commitment have gone on to achieve in his life. Treasure lost.
Both my Grandfathers survived the Great War. My Paternal Grandfather was a regular army (Black Watch) and Old Contemptible and my Maternal Grandfather was shot through the chest in 1916 but survived.
@@presterjohn4123 Thank you for your kind words. I agree sort of in the sense that war in general is very wasteful and tragic, whether it's necessary or unnecessary. I'm glad that your grandfathers made it through the war though 🥲
I know the world will tell you otherwise but we Boers are actually loving people. Don't like conflict. Just some freedom.
Superb overview! Bravo! Many thanks for this!
My pleasure
Wow. I knew almost nothing about this conflict so your narrative was really eye opening. Thanks for what you do, friend.
Thanks for watching. Glad you found it interesting.
Very moving and tragic period in British history.
Qell done Chris for telling this story
Thank you for your kind words.
Check out my very latest video:
th-cam.com/video/C-LXRavNbLU/w-d-xo.html
Do tell mate what was so tragic în the British history at that time? Not exterminating enough children? I think you mean tragic for Boer history..right?
The British were just stealing the land from the Boers who had originally stolen it from the blacks. Lots of stealing going on in South Africa at the time from both sides in the war.
@@HellStr82 tragic that they didn't blow Winston churchills arse off .
@@HellStr82 Basically. The British killed an entire generation of Boer children.
Thank you History Chap, this time period is my absolute favourite! I've got my fingers crossed for a Hlobane video or Ntombe Drift from the Anglo Zulu war🤞👌
Both are on my list...I have more ideas than time :)
@@TheHistoryChap Haha! That's great news, I'll be eagerly keeping an eye out although all your presentations are excellent. Keep it up and thanks for the reply 👍
Another great episode Chris. I really enjoy the information and especially your enthusiastic storytelling. Interesting and exciting at the same time, it draws the viewer in 100%.
That’s very kind of you. Thanks for watching my videos. Plenty more coming in 2023
Looking forward to them Chris, well done!
(
A brutal war it really was a prelude of things to come. Good video Once again
Thanks for your kind words.
th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
Another excellent job my friend oh, it is a sad fact of history that it tends to repeat itself over and over. As Hagel one fed the thing we learn from history is that we do not learn from it. A sad episode of the British Empire with the concentration camps involving the Boer population. A tragedy which has two to be repeated by the Germans and the Americans oh, we have a history to of concentration camps of which we are not proud truth. We however must acknowledge our history so that we are not doomed to repeat it but however given our current political climate I am not so sure anymore.
Excellently done and researched . Luxembourg, where I am from also has many ties to South Africa .Have been there so many times , just love the country - thanks for bringing all its history back to life. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching.
Sir thank once again for producing another gem concerning the Second Anglo-Boer War. During that conflict many Americans supported the Boer cause, and openly clamoring for war against England(Britain). I am relieved that the conflict ended when it did. Thank you Sir for sharing this brilliant video production.
There were also Americans fighting on the British side.
@@TheHistoryChap indeed there were. Thank you so much for reminding me of that fact. Well done Sir! I truly appreciate the quick review.
@@fredazcarate4818 Winston churchill being one. His mother was american.
@@freneticness6927 that fact I already knew but I thank you all the same.
Dear Sir we appreciated and are still appreciating the support given especially the moral and medical assistance America gave but-The American government and most of all President Mc Kinley refused to see a pre-arranged Afrikaner deputation in 1887 to mediate a peace conference, just like with the terrorist war and Angolan wars 1975 to 1990 against the communist world which is now affecting and will affect the 'Free World' severely in the NEAR future!
I’ve just found this channel and I’m thoroughly enjoying it! Thank you!
I used to compete in the Brickwoods Royal Navy Field Gun competition and I’d like to know more information about the Siege of Ladysmith of which the competition is in tribute to.
David, thanks for requesting. It is on my list (especially as my old father-in-law competed in the Field Gun competition at the Royal Tournament.
I am so glad that you have this on your list. As a former sailor who served in the Navy I have an avid interest in all aspects of naval history especially the landing of ships guns.
Thank you so much for the nice explanation
Glad you found it helpful
Great history lesson, thank you very much my friend. May GOD bless you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for your support.
Thanks for posting this. My Great Grand Father was the last President of the NZ Boer War Veterans Association when they wound up in the early 1970's. He served in the Colonial Light Horse and Bushmanland Borderers irregulars.
I bet he had some stories to tell.
Great summary! Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it!
th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
Great episode!
I am South African and farm in the Free State...😃
I love history and find the perralels between the battles during the first part af the Boer War and the 1st WW (western front) interisting!
Maybe you can look at that in one of your episodes!
Anyway I like you chanel
Glad you are enjoying. Trying to give a balanced view of events but accept that I am probably not totally neutral. Thanks for the video suggestion.
Hi Chris,
I think your videos are really fantastic. I really like your repeated showings of maps & personalities' photos, as this greatly helps with their retention in one's memory.
I will put forth a video subject request! I really would be interested to learn more about the clash between Zulus and Boers mentioned in your overview. I had not realized this occured simultaneously during the 2nd Anglo-Boer War.
Best wishes and thanks again,
Alexander
Many thanks Alexander.
I will add your request to my ever-growing list!
Please do subscribe (& hit the bell icon when you do) so you don't miss my next video.
Thank you, this is a great summary..
Thanks. Video about the very first battle - Talana Hill - being released today (Friday)
Good job 👍
Just watch “ Boer War “ yesterday
But with your ; Summary made me clear
Keep Up The Good Job 😁😃👍👍💪🏻💪🏻🙏🏻
Glad I was able to make things clearer. Thanks for watching.
Excellent video as usual, Chris. The main gateway into St.Stephen's Green Park in Dublin is a monument to the Irish Regiments who served in S.Africa. The more anti British element in Dublin refer to it as, the Traitor's Gate. However, the Irish Regiments served with great valour and distinction.
Thanks for sharing that information, Rob.
Best wishes,
Chris
th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
The Boer war history and battles are fascinating, and this channel does a great job of educating - thank you. I realise that this war, set in Victorian times, and distant South Africa seems romantic to many. For us however, the death in concentration camps of 13-15% of the Boer Republic's civilian population (mostly children), the rape and brutal treatment of our women and the scorched earth policy of burning farms and killing livestock was a war crime which Britain never acknowledged, much less apologised for. Most Boer descendants don't hold this dark history against living Brittons, but we can also never forget, also because of how it affected our people's destiny. I'm currently observing Britain being invaded by illegal immigrants and what those invaders are doing to British culture, woman and children and I wonder how these clear injustices against the weak and defenseless are again allowed by the British people.
I disagree with your last comment completely. As for was not forgetting, I hope that they can accept black Africans, not forgetting about oppression during apartheid.
Thank you so much...❤
My pleasure. Thanks for watching. Please make sure you have subscribed to my YT channel.
Brilliant Chris, my grandfather fought in the Boar war with the Lincoln’s at the relief of Ladysmith.
Thank you for your kind words. th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
That was very interesting thank you again
Glad you enjoyed my video, thanks
Great stuff 👍
Thank you.
Brilliant video mate amazing for my A level modern history revision 👍
I'm glad I was able to be of help.
Outstanding history lesson. Thank you.
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
Yes. Very good. Educational and very exciting. I am never disappointed.
Very kind of you.
Excellent video
Brilliant summary
Very kind of you, thanks.
The Boer War fascinates me. I cannot get enough!
Plenty more videos on my channel about battles in the Boer war
I shall explore your channel properly. 👍
Just as a matter of interest...General Sir George Pomeroy Colley was the elder brother of my great-grandmother. My own name (Colin) was derived from that family name over generations (my mother's second name was Colley). Family lore has it that one of my great-aunts perished on the Titanic disaster.🤷♂
thanks for explaining a part of our history that we didn't learn about in our school, i started my education in 1959 up to 1970 and it was almost all about our glorious past, in fact i do remember once celebrating empire day. i thank my secondary school history teacher Geoff Barret for instilling in me the interest i still have in our historical past, both good or bad. i came here from your corporal jack jones video. thanks.
Thanks for watching & I'm glad that you enjoyed it.
What ‘good’?
Brilliantly researched and presented.
Pronunciation Uitlander pronounced 8lander
Thank you for watching
Another very, enjoyable, video my friend...
My pleasure. Thanks for your continuing support.
I only vaguely remember him, he died when I was very young, but my great Grandfather served with the Argyles in the Boer War. I wish i could have talked with him about his war.
What stories he could have told.
Another interesting video!
Thank you. Do you remember that there was a board in the clubhouse of GRC naming all their rowers who served in this war?
Really enjoyed your presentation
Thanks, Gary.
th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
Great summary!
Thanks.
Yes, there is so much going on in that war in its different phases. The British should have learned so much more from that war with mistakes that were repeated a few years later in Flanders. Thank you for posting the video.
My pleasure.
As a great-grandson of Jan Smuts and an Anglophile, my compliments on a well researched and balanced Boer War summary. I have subscribed and look forward with anticipation to the videos to came. Thank you for an absorbing half-hour,
Very kind of you. Thanks for your support. You might also like to sign up for my free newsletter and history timeline at my website (www.thehistorychap.com)
@@TheHistoryChap Done!
Well. That taught me a thing or two. Such an interesting history of that "war".
Glad you learnt a thing or two. Not sure many people know much about it.
Great vid thanks, looking forward to future instalments. I seem to remember reading somewhere that Buller was nicknamed "Reverse" by his troops because of his inability to make decisions lol.
Davy, Buller was indeed nicknamed Reverse due to his backwards-forwards campaign in Natal.
Think the next instalment will be starting at the beginning with the Jameson Raid.
th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
@@TheHistoryChap As usual with your high standards you bring history to life with these high quality brilliant documentaries. I think the foreign volunteers who served with the Boers deserve a segment to themselves in particular the Irish Brigade. The title of this unit is misleading because it was not exclusively Irish and numerically not a brigade. Obviously it had Irish,Irish-Americans and some Germans. It was commanded by Colonel John Blake an Irish-American who was a former US Calvaryman and veteran of the Indian wars including the campaign against Geronimo. His 2nd in command was Major John McBride an Irish nationalist who would later be executed in 1916 for taking part in the Easter Rebellion in Dublin. A lot of it's Irish members had worked in the South African mines and they put these demolition skills to great effect by blowing up bridges and railways during the guerilla phase of the conflict and slowing the British advance. They played a major role in providing a rearguard for the Boer withdrawal from Natal in 1900. The Boers affectionately referred to them as "The Wrecker Corp". Ironically it would sometimes find itself fighting against Irish regiments in the British Army. There is an excellent book about this unit titled "McBrides Brigade-Irish Commandos in the Anglo-Boer War" by Donal P. McCraken. After the war Colonel Blake wrote a memoir "A Westpointer With the Boers". I think it is difficult to obtain. The highest ranking foreigner killed with the Boers was a French officer who was a veteran of the French colonial wars and Franco-Prussian War. He had previously served with the French Foreign Legion. He was given full military honours by the British and interned in South Africa. When the armoured train that Winston Churchill was travelling in was ambushed by the Boers in November 1899 the soldiers providing the escort were from the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and Durham Light Infantry and some Navy personnel manning an artillery piece. Check out the movie "Young Winston" which depicts this event. I always find the Battle of Spion Kop so interesting due to the personalities that were there : Winston Churchill as a war correspondent for the "Morning Post",Gandhi as a stretcher bearer, the Boer General Louis Botha and future first PM of South Africa in 1910. Also Sir Charles Warren who was blamed for the high British casualties. This is not the first time history has been unkind to him. In British Army circles he was alway's referred to as "that damn policeman " due to the fact when he was Commissioner of Police in London in 1888 his department was blamed for poor and inept detective work during the infamous Jack the Ripper murders. Due to Lancashire regiments taking heavy casualties the stand in Anfield at Liverpool Football Club is known as the "Kop". Due to the bravery of Irish regiments a new Irish regiment was formed which was the Irish Guards in April 1900. There is a fantastic painting titled "My Brave Irish(Queen Victoria's words) which shows an Irish regiment storming a Boer position. It was painted by R.C. Woodville who had brought many famous scenes from Britains colonial wars to life. Once again the documentaries you provide are of sterling quality. Wishing you success in all your endeavours that you embark upon.
@@johnroche7541 What a wonderfully informative comment… Thank you for posting it, John; a wealth of fascinating historical detail there!
@@the5thmusketeer215 Thank you for taking the time to post a nice comment. Cheers.
@@johnroche7541 “Credit where credit’s due.” 🤝 You’re very welcome, John…
One of the things that I love about such excellent TH-cam Channels as this one, is the wealth of fascinating & apposite commentary that is offered by its most appreciative & well informed followers. One can often learn almost as much from the Comments Section of any given video, as the very well researched & presented video itself provides… All too often, however… it’s an equally lamentable observation, that some of the best & most profitable Subscriber offerings - some of them gathered from many, often obscure & little known sources - & painstakingly written at some considerable length… regrettably, go almost completely or even *entirely* unacknowledged at times, with not so much as a single “upvote” of appreciation, let alone a simple, courteous, “Thank You” to the person who took the trouble to share his or her valuable knowledge & well informed insight on the subject…
In that respect, I’m reminded somewhat of the famous lament uttered by the late, great Actor, Rutger Hauer - in his poignant portrayal of the dying “Replicant”, “Roy Batty” - as his short but incandescent life comes to an end at the conclusion of the Sci-Fi Movie Classic, “Blade Runner”:
“I've seen things you people wouldn't believe... Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion... I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain... Time to die.”
That’s really what erudite Channels like this one are all about (an amalgam of not just the video content itself, but also the *pooled* wealth of knowledge provided by those who take the trouble to comment on them - often providing obscure & little known ancestral anecdotes, for example - because they share a passionate interest in the subject at hand…). Indeed, that is what the telling & retelling of History **should always be** about: To painstakingly gather, sift, store & preserve - what would otherwise be forever lost & discarded along the way, during that relentless Forward March of Time “that waits for no Man…..” & upon which the temporal footsteps & achievements of our Ancestors are often blithely overwritten by our own clumsy footsteps, just as ours shall all soon be expunged by those who come after us… which - in the case of Today’s most Pig-ignorant, Historically revisionist, utterly selfish, irredeemably Narcissistic & aptly named “Post-Truth Generation” - will, ironically (in view of the overall thrust of my comments here…) NOT be a bad thing at all, except in so far as THE BIGGEST SCREW-UPS in History SHOULD have their unfathomably IMBECILIC beliefs & ideologies IMMORTALISED FOR ALL POSTERITY, in the hope that future Generations will not - even by accident - emulate one iota of their wilful ignorance, manifest insanity, breathtaking stupidity, & boundless degeneracy… 🤦🏻♂️
And since what started as a sober, intellectual commentary on the importance of preserving our History (& politely & courteously thanking & acknowledging those who assist us in doing so… 🤝) is in danger of turning into a further unrestrained rant concerning the insufferable Vandals, Luddites & “Safe Space” dwelling Troglodytes who make up what is, without a doubt, the DUMBEST Generation to have ever walked upon God’s Green Earth, I’ll simply end my comment here, John, by thanking you once again for your more restrained & invaluable contribution to this Comments Section… 😉 With Sincere Best Wishes ~ 🙋🏻♂️ LOUIS C.
Excellent video
Thank you John.
Please check out my latest video on The Jameson Raid - a precursor to the Boer War.
@@TheHistoryChap will do
Excellent channel, have just found it.
Thank you. Please subscribe or pop over to get some freebies at my website: www.thehistorychap.com
I'm glad that you're not a chap who is intent on taking a cheap low blow at our Country, it's just a channel which accurately depicts history of the 19th and 20th Centuries..... well done mate!!!
Many thanks.
My grandmother lost two siblings in the British concentration camps and never forgave the British for that. So you may consider my comments in that respect.
Thank you for your presentation, it was very well made without the normal derisory or flagrant insults to the Boers that typifies most Anglo-Boer war documentaries. That is, right to the end where you started talking about black franchise. So here are a few comments.
1. White South Africans voted in 1992 to end apartheid which meant they gave black South Africans the vote. This was done willingly, so your statement saying "never" is thus outright wrong.
2. Reparations were not paid to the Boers who fought till the end (Bittereinders), rather it was paid to select joiners and hensopper (hands-uppers) only. South Africans managed to build themselves up financially without handouts.
3. Britain did not demand reparations because they took over the mines which they wanted in the first place and that gold and other minerals had paid for the war many times over. Yes, I realise SA got paid in taxes.
3. The Dutch language was allowed yes, but Boer children were mocked and given donkey ears for speaking their language in government schools.
4. Black tribes were recruited by the British and were allowed to round up Boer families in the veld. One can only imagine what happend to those unfortunate women and children. No wonder the Boers lost their motivation in the end.
5. Apartheid was not created by the Afrikaners. That dubious honour also belongs to the British, just like the concentration camps. The Boers just made apartheid law.
Today there are many more "reverse-apartheid" laws in South Africa than anytime during apartheid, this time aimed at destroying whites financially and culturally with no one batting an eye.
Thanks for the feedback
Hello from Australia 🇦🇺 👋 your videos are so informative 👍
Glad you like them and thanks for your kind comment.
Make sure you subscribe for future releases. th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
I know it was only a movie but in Breaker Morant it was implied the executions were rubber stamped by the Australian government (or maybe someone else).
As always fascinating episode 👍🏻 about a sad part of British and South African history.
Having lived in South Africa, I can see the war from both sides . th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
@@TheHistoryChap that must of been eye opening for you living in South Africa, thank you again loving your history channel 💙
Well Done. Cheers.😊
My pleasure.
www.thehistorychap.com
@@TheHistoryChap 🧐😊
Excellent!
Many thanks!
My Great, great, great Grandfather was Christiaan De Wet. The epitome of Boer toughness and resilience.
very interesting, thanks
You're welcome.
th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
great programme... send Dan Snow a copy to show him how history is done. Great prog thumbs up
Very kind of you.
Thank you for your balanced and objective interpretation of the South African War/2nd Boer War. I live within ten km of a memorial marking the site of one of the smaller concentration camps as discussed. You're very right, Afrikaners today still remember those days with bitterness and resentment! I also totally agree with the way you described the rise of the National Party, Apartheid and independence in 1961 as direct consequences of that war. Indeed, I often wonder what South Africa would've been like if it had never left the commonwealth!
I’m glad you enjoyed the video. An interesting question about what South Africa and indeed the world might have been like if they haven’t left the Commonwealth in the 1960s.
Churchill said his father appeared to him in a dream denouncing Britain's aggression against the Boer republics. This was Churchill's euphemism for his personal opinion. Churchill, nevertheless, the war-dog that he was, relished the action. He was so impressed by the Boer "kommando" that he created an officer class in the British army, the Commander. The spot at Chievely, Natal, where he was captured by none other than Louis Botha, is marked with an obelisk. Worth a visit if you need to round out your bucket list.
James, thank you for taking the time to comment and to make a suggestion for my bucket list.
Chris
th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
Always brilliant and INFORMATIVE: Ex Scots Greys officer.
Thank you John.
I am working on a video about Sir Hector MacDonald.
In the meantime have you seen my latest talk on the Battle of Colenso?th-cam.com/video/OL9EVULR5bg/w-d-xo.html
Very balanced indeed well done once again ....iam very interested in the Bushveld carbineers a special force raised to counter the boer guerilla tactics and later disbanded by Kitchener.
William, so many more stories that I would like to tell from the Boer War.
There is a Mount Baden-Powell named after the man in the San Gabriel mountains north of Los Angeles, where I live. 9,400' elevation, I've climbed it!
Nice one!
th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
Interesting. I had a relative that fought in the Boer war, later sent to India, then France at the outbreak of WW1, where he was wounded. After recuperation he was sent to Mesopotamia where he was shot and killed by Ottoman Turks, outside Basra, a week after being promoted to Lieutenant .
His medals are on display apparently, in the Black Watch museum.
Whenever Basra was mentioned during the war in Iraq, my thoughts always drifted to him and his comrades.
As for the policy of containment in Concentration camps. It should have been obvious that disease would break out. The British had already lost many troops to disease.
Not our finest hour but I think it is a bit of a stretch to blame the British for Apartheid.
That I think, is down to Boer policies, their thinking, as I understand it, is that they were the ones that fought for the country and therefore the only ones that deserved to have the vote.
Britain would had to have kept a standing army there to ensure otherwise. This would have negated the agreement with the Boers as regards their self governance.
The losses suffered by both sides hardened attitudes, in my opinion.
Interesting also the famous men who fought in that war. Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, was to use his experience there to form the character of Holmes's friend and companion, Dr. Watson.
Churchill's escape from the Boers did no harm to his political ambitions.
Baden Powell went on to adapt his training for young boys in the Scouts and Kitchener was lost on board a destroyer, allegedly taking gold to Russia to keep them in WW1. His face, famously being used as a recruitment poster, during the war.
These snippets of history, resound like echoes from the past, fascinating. Thanks for uploading.
Steven, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
I certainly don't think the British were to blame for Apartheid, but I lived in SA and the concentration camp period is deeply seared into Afrikaaner souls.
Best wishes
th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
Ridiculous to blame the British for apartheid, it was always a Boer policy. However, the British concentration camps, whilst nothing like as bad as their Nazi namesake, were nevertheless places of (deliberate?) neglect that led to many unnecessary deaths of Boer women and children, unforgiveable!
For someone who loves and studies world history and is now deeply studying the Boer war, i thank you for sharing this personal insight. Fascinating👍
@@TheHistoryChap - I grew up in South Africa, a descendent of English settlers in 1852 (Grahamstown) and French Huegenot settlers in 1682. Without those concentration camps, the hardliners may never gained control in 1948, and apartheid may never been implemented. And my maternal grandfather would not have been arrested along with Madiba and gaoled for 15 years for his part in the ANC. I met him for the first time in 1980, when I was 14 years old.
I can remember back when i still attended highschool we had to read a book about a man that survived those dreaded "concentration camps" he told a story of how his father was sent to an isolated island to die and him and his mother, little sister, little brother, aunt and cousins were hunted like animals by the british soldiers, captured and suffered a slow and painful death. He survived and devoted his life to getting revenge on Kitchener.
I can still remember how traumatizing the book was, the writer spared no detail in how the kids and women died.
Those camps were truly awful and sadly now a part of our history, my heart bleeds for all the victims of that horrible war, including the british families who lost loved ones due to the war. May the innocent rest in peace.
Thanks for watching my video & for sharing your family story.
The actual term ‘concentration camp’ was invented by the Spanish (as campo de concentración or campo de reconcentración) in 1896 - three years before the 2nd Anglo-Boer War (1899 - 1904) started. It originated during The Cuban War of Independence (Guerra de Independencia cubana, 1895-98) was the last of three liberation wars that Cuba fought against Spain. In the end 225,000 ‘non combatant’ Cuban civilians died in just 18 months between 1896 and 1897. That is some number, nearly a quarter of a million Cubans.
Another forgotten bit of history...not least because more people want to knock the British Empire than the Spanish.
Agreed! Also The Philippine-American War February 4, 1899, to July 2, 1902. American started instituting a pacification campaign that combined several counterinsurgency tactics. Insurgent fighters captured by U.S. forces were dealt with swiftly through deportation, imprisonment or execution, while tens of thousands of civilians were herded into “zones of protection” to protect them and prevent them from joining guerrilla bands. These “reconcentrados,” or concentration camps, were as reported in the Ledger at the time. One camp commandant referred to them as the “suburbs of hell.” So yes not a British idea, and not to be confuse with WW2 concentration camps which people continue to make the mistake. The aim in South Africa wasn’t systematic murder.
What ever else you do, please do a video about the Lovat Scouts and their impact in the Boer War.
Thanks for the suggestion, Tim.
Check out my latest video about the Jameson Raid, 4 years before this war
th-cam.com/video/IhNyd9iEl2w/w-d-xo.html
My great grandfather George Geoghegan served here at 18 years old in the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars as a lancer, later serving in the great war aged 34, from 1914 to 1918 in the West Yorkshire Regiment as line infantry, lucky man to make it back home
Thank you for watching my video and for taking the time to share your family story
Great video Chris. Maybe you can do a video on the Irish who fought in this war. They fought on both sides. Today I come across Afrikaners with Irish surnames from that time whose forefathers fought for the Boers
I mention some of them in my video about who captured Winston Churchill.
In my Afrikaans High School we had o'Reilly, Kennedy & o'Neil chaps, our history teacher & later headmaster was Mr Edwards. In Primary School our PT teacher was Mr Killeen.
I think you missed one interesting fact. That the Liverpudlian soldiers at Spiro Kop went back to Liverpool and named the steep terrace at Anfield Football Ground "the Kop" due to the resemblance to the hill. IN fact many steep terraces got the name but it only stuck at Anfield as it was the biggest in the UK.
Thanks for sharing.
Ever travel to Loftus Rd? Offices and main stand are on the other side of QPR's stadium, on South Africa Rd. The away end is approached via Bloemfontein Rd. One of the stands is on Ellerslie Rd, which has a small street running off it called Bloemfontein Ave. The second closest pub to the ground was called General Smuts.
Spion Kop...the Kop was adopted by many northern teams, though Birmingham City had one that ran down the side of the stadium. Most are gone because their stadiums got rebuilt or knocked down.
@@TheBostonR Thanks, very intersting. I did know about two, but not others in such close proximity.
The correct spelling is actually "Spioenkop" (spioen = spy & kop = head or rocky isolated roundish mountain) basically "Spy mountain"
I hear so much about ww1 and ww2 , but not so much about the boer war and zulu war, so watching this and other videos on this channel is really refreshing and informative.
Glad you are enjoying. Plenty more to come.
Another great video Chris, but there are many, many myths about this conflict which need to be corrected. I'll name just a few: Firstly, in October 1899 there were only around 8,000 British troops stationed in the Cape. Hardly an army capable of invading the Boer republics which had a combined size of Spain. And not a single British soldier was present in either republic at the start of the war - but the Boers had already moved their troops into Natal and the Cape. Kruger, Kommandos and Kak by Chris Ash tells a more accurate story. Oh...and when Kruger fled the country, he took much of his nations wealth with him!
Absolutely, Mike.
Lots of people see it as a war of British aggression but technically it was one of Boer aggression.
Kruger probably thought the best line of attack was defence but nevertheless...
th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
By the time the Boers delivered their ultimatum to Britain, the British were putting the final touches to their own ultimatum to the Boers. I agree with a lot of what Chris Ash writes, but there's a lot of spin in his writing too.
A crisp and informative overview of the conflict. However, like you, I thought that the term “concentration camp” first came from the Second Boer War. So, I was surprised to hear last week, on the “History Debunked” TH-cam Channel, that the tactic was said to originate at least several decades earlier in Cuba. In fact, one correspondent argued that such a policy was used by the Romans, at the time of the Second Jewish Revolt against their Empire. Thus, perhaps in history there truly is “Nothing new under the Sun.”
George, you are right about Cuba, but the term was first used in the House of Commons.
@@TheHistoryChap Thanks for the clarification.
Excellent, very informative and you packed a lot of facts into a short video. You also touched upon the appalling treatment of black Africans which is often ignored in other you tube videos. Thanks 🙏
Thank you for your kind words. th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
In fact many blacks were recruited into the British army - many of these had interned families and needed the pittance of a salary to feed those interned.
The Boers were so incensed by armed and uniformed blacks that they shot them on sight leading to further polarization between races in SA.
I’ve heard stories locally here in Ireland of men fighting in the boer war , probably on both sides, really fascinating and tragic of course ☘️
You are right. irishmen were on both sides. I do cover a bit about the Irish brigade fighting for the Boers in this video:
th-cam.com/video/gVsLmEigteM/w-d-xo.html
A good summation of events and balanced perspective of the events. The lessons Britain learned in this grubby conflict may have saved the army in 1914. Sadly, today SA is a shadow of its former self, whatever racial group or nationality people are from. Domination of the different groups by an aggressive group of whatever background will eventually tear the country apart, I fear. I can't help wondering if after 1994 it would have been better to allow a 'natural ' division if the country to have taken place. The ANC would never have sanctioned that of course, but their abysmal rule cannot survive another quartet of a century. The problem may be hothead like Malena will fill the vacuum and all he'll will break loose.
Hi John,
Glad you enjoyed my video.
You've raised a lot of good and sad points.
Chris
th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
Blacks are the original and natural inhabitants of South Africa and Africa . They are the natives .
Also they are 80% of the population .
So it is but natural that they should dominate South Africa .
The Asians ( Chinese And Indians ) , Whites and the Coloureds are immigrants and they should know that and behave accordingly .
Yes , the ANC is absolutely terrible but South Africa should never be divided .
Because South Africa belongs to the Blacks first and foremost .
Not the other immigrant groups like Asians or Whites or Coloureds .
@@bobfaam5215 Actually the Black Bantus who make up 80% of the population in South Africa are also not the original native inhabitants. The only truly first native inhabitants are the KhoiSan, who make up less than 1% of the population today.
@@bobfaam5215 The blacks in SA today arrived approximately the same time as whites from to the north of SA.
Good overview.
Thank you.
Very good.
Thanks, Patrick.
Next up is The Jameson Raid.
In the meantime check out my other videos: th-cam.com/users/TheHistoryChap
Well done!!!! As a South African with ties to the Afrikanders and the U.K, I find your unbiased rendering of this video refreshing. You might try pronouncing the word uitlanders as"atelanders" while not perfect, it will sound much closer to the South African pronounciation. Looking forward to your next effort.
Lionel, thanks for your kind words.
I lived in South Africa the whole of 1982. Mandela was still in prison on Robben Island. The country was beautiful, prosperous and safe. Once Mandela took over, it only took a few years for the whole country to descend into utter chaos … crime, disease, AIDS and corruption turned SA into another African hell hole. Just like Robert Mugabe did in Rhodesia and what Obama attempted to do in America. The people of South Africa will tell you that they wish the Boers were back in charge. Just ask.
Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Mandela and Obama were great leaders. Your racist hate is ugly and disgusting.
Amen!
I remember when Rhodesia was the " jewel of Africa " & South Africa was a great country.
Thank you for making this video and shedding some light on the concentration camps. I was already well in to adulthood before I even knew that they existed here in SA! We were taught about the Boer war at school but they'd completely omitted any mention whatsoever of said concentration camps - Don't ask me why!!.... As a kid I'd always understood that there was some sort of animosity between the english speaking whites and the afrikaans speaking whites - More so from the Afrikaaners side. I never understood why, that is until I'd read up on these camps, of course. After that, I completely understood!.... So sad what happened to those poor people!.... Anyhoo, just a small side note, the word 'uitlanders'"is pronounced as 'uit' (like the number 8) & 'landers' as lunders