Second Boer War

Second Boer War

Causes of the war
1. STRATEGIC
  1. Interest in expanding the empire
  2. Route to India and other parts of the empire
  3. Didn't want Boers join territories with German possessions nearby
2. Gold
  1. Attractive to British miners
  2. Discovery of gold for the Boers worried the British
3. Uitlanders (British foreigners denied the vote)
Main events of the war
1. October 1899-January 1900
  1. 12th October 1899 - British troop declared war. Britain suffered humiliating defeats
2. February 1900 - June 1900
  1. Managed to break areas captured by Boers. Capitals were taken by the British.
3. late 1900 and 1901
  1. Boers fought with Guerilla warfare, attacking railways and supplies. Britain established concentration camps. Traansval and Orange Free State become British Empire
Propanganda
1. Newspapers were mainly supportive of the war apart from Manchester Guardian
2. War correspondents were mainly supportive of the war. However did report failures.
  1. Generally uncritical and sometimes false information. E.g. British heroic and Boers cruel
  2. Churchill was pro-war but gave honest accounts
3. Army and the press
  1. First war to have official censorships
Supporters (green) and opponents (red)
1. Politicians
  1. Conservative party that were in power
  2. Liberal Imperialists
  3. Section of Liberal Party like David Lloyd George and leader of that party
2. Newspapers
  1. Majority of paper
  2. Manchester Guardian and Daily News after 1901
3. Public
  1. 1900 'Khaki election' - Tory government
  2. Support for war charities and in London + Birmingham
  3. Middle classes
  4. Bristol reacted + to David Lloyd Georges speech
  5. Irish Nationalists
  6. 1906 election gave Liberals power
British Empire
1. Support
  1. Patriotic + pro-empire songs and poems were created
  2. Union Jack sparked patriotism
  3. Scouts were established
2. Critiscm
  1. Claimed to only benefit the wealthy + not National Interest
3. Debate on national efficiency
  1. Some argued Britain struggled
  2. Problems with recruitment
  3. Poor health and physical conditions
  4. High poverty meant that Britain would struggle to defend themselves
Nature of the conflict
1. Britain declared they won in 1900, but Boers continued with Guerilla warfare
2. Concentration camps
  1. Housed Boer women + black Africans
  2. Poor organisation + supplies = inadequate sanitation + medical provision = diseases
  3. Overcrowding
  4. Black Africans were segregated + received less food and medical care
  5. Children also suffered
Reforms
1. Army reforms
  1. Esher's reforms:
    1. Improvement to organisation, better defined roles
      1. Improved training and proffessionalism
        More + improved bases e.g. Salisbury
        New and improved weapons
  2. Haldane's reforms
    1. British Expeditionary Force (BEF)
      1. (Permanent, battle ready, fighting force
      2. Organisation of Territorial Army improved and strengthened
  3. Made British Army more effective and efficient
2. Social reforms
  1. Liberal Reforms (1906-14)
    1. Designed to improve health + well being of poorest
    2. Free School Meals Act (1906)
      1. National Insurance Act (1911)
        Restrict exploitation of workers
        Medical checks for school children

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	Created by 09shor1r over 9 years ago