The Second Boer War

Background of the War

The Second Boer War took place from 1899 to 1902 in South Africa.
It was fought between Britain and the two Boer states, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State.
The war was triggered by geopolitical and economic factors; primarily Britain’s desire to secure its interests in the valuable gold mines in the Transvaal region.
The Boers were Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch, French and German settlers, and saw British rule as a threat to their independence and culture.

Causes of the War

The Jameson Raid of 1895, led by British colonialist Leander Starr Jameson, was a failed attempt to overthrow the Transvaal government and was a major factor leading to the war.
Boers felt threatened by the Uitlanders, foreign workers (mainly British) in the goldfields who demanded equal political rights.
Boer leaders, including President Paul Kruger, took a defiant stance against British demands, escalating tensions.

Course of the War

The war began with the Siege of Ladysmith, where Boer forces surrounded and besieged the city, a key British base in Natal.
The Black Week, in December 1899, saw a series of major British military defeats.
Britain eventually won the war by implementing the scorched earth policy - destroying farms and Boer towns to prevent enemy support.
They also established concentration camps, where many Boer women and children died due to the inhumane conditions.

Aftermath of the War

The Treaty of Vereeniging, signed in 1902, officially ended the war.
The Boer republics were incorporated into the British Empire, helping to unify South Africa under British rule.
The harsh methods used by the British drew international condemnation, and influenced the future conduct of warfare.
In Britain, the war exposed weaknesses in the army and prompted military reforms ahead of World War I.

Impact on British Politics

The war caused divisions in Britain; the Conservative Party, led by PM Lord Salisbury, supported the war, while the Liberal Party opposed it.
Negative public reaction to the concentration camps contributed to the Conservative Party’s defeat in the 1906 General Election.
The war contributed to the rise of radical liberalism and increased calls for social reform in Britain.