At the close of the 19th century, the British Empire clashed with two small Boer republics in South Africa: the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. The reason was gold. The discovery of the world's largest gold deposits on the Witwatersrand put the independent Boers on a collision course with British imperial ambition. On October 9, 1899, the President of the South African Republic, Paul Kruger, issued a final demand. He gave the British government just 48 hours to withdraw their troops from the borders. London flatly refused. On October 11, the Second Boer War began. The British expected a swift victory against a small force of farmers, but they had underestimated their opponent’s resolve.
The Boer War
The Second Boer War of 1899 to 1902 set Britain against two Boer republics. This story covers Black Week, the Khaki Election, scorched earth, the camps and the Peace of Vereeniging.
Chapter 1
An Ultimatum in Africa
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Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the Second Boer War?
The war was caused by a struggle for control over the world's largest gold deposits in the Witwatersrand region of South Africa. Britain sought supremacy, while the independent Boer republics resisted. President Paul Kruger's ultimatum demanding British troop withdrawal in October 1899 triggered the conflict.
What were the 'methods of barbarism' during the Boer War?
This term was used by British politician Henry Campbell-Bannerman to describe the military's conduct. It referred to the 'scorched earth' policy of burning Boer farms and the internment of Boer and Black African civilians in concentration camps, where tens of thousands died from disease and starvation.
How did the Boer War end?
The war ended with the Treaty of Vereeniging in 1902. The Boer republics were absorbed into the British Empire, but the treaty provided funds for rebuilding. Critically, it delayed any decision on Black African voting rights, empowering the white minority and helping to establish the foundations of apartheid.
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