Episode 78 - American blockhouses from Cuba and the enigma that was the pro-Boer John Tengo Jabavu
The Anglo-Boer War17 Maalis 2019

Episode 78 - American blockhouses from Cuba and the enigma that was the pro-Boer John Tengo Jabavu

The ides of March were upon the British in South Africa as they continued chasing the ghost generals, Smuts, de la Rey, Beyers, de Wet across a cooling landscape that had begun its Southern Hemisphere Autumn in 1901. This week we’ll probe an American invention in Cuba called the Blockhouse chain as well as details of how journalist John Tengo Jabavu was publishing pro-Boer commentary against the wishes of both the British and most black intellectuals. We’ll return to his experiences later. The tactic of building a chain of forts is ancient, but the most recent examples before the Boer War came from the American War in Cuba. But this campaign had demonstrated that forts by themselves could not prevent guerrilla action and Lord Kitchener who was beginning to build them in South Africa knew that full well. Kitchener’s strategy therefore was to integrate the function of the fixed defensive units in fortified blockhouses with mobile attacking units on the drives. These began in January 1901, I’ve spoken about them in previous podcasts as the British tried herding or hustling the Boers into smaller areas of veld so that they could be overcome. Kitchener believed if the country could be divided into small areas by fortified lines, the Boers in each might be prevented from crossing to the next. His chessboard of maps across his HQ walls featured these regions with the addition of mobile columns that would be moved quickly by train from chess block to chess block while the blockhouses and barbed wire began to string out across the wide-open plains.

Jaksot(143)

Episode 111 - Lord Kitchener and the Brat hunt a starling while de Wet broods at Blijdskap

Episode 111 - Lord Kitchener and the Brat hunt a starling while de Wet broods at Blijdskap

The scenes have shifted recently between the war in South Africa and the effect of the war in England. The press has begun to turn against the government with vitriolic attacks on war hero Sir Redver...

3 Marras 201920min

Episode 110 - General Buller flayed by the press as Botha pulverises Benson at Bakenlaagte.

Episode 110 - General Buller flayed by the press as Botha pulverises Benson at Bakenlaagte.

It’s time for reflection - and to talk about General Louis Botha who’s invasion into Natal fizzled out leading to his commando being forced to flee Lord Kitchener’s columns back to the Eastern Transva...

27 Loka 201920min

Episode 109 - Borrius loses an eye and Smuts is forced to split his force

Episode 109 - Borrius loses an eye and Smuts is forced to split his force

This week we pick up where we left General Jan Smuts and his commando as they writhed about in pain having eaten from a plant that they failed to prepare properly and had poisoned about half the 250 m...

20 Loka 201919min

Episode 108 - The Commando laid low by "Hottentots Bread" within striking distance of Port Elizabeth

Episode 108 - The Commando laid low by "Hottentots Bread" within striking distance of Port Elizabeth

This is an important week - it is the 120 anniversary of the start of the Boer War - which formally began on 12th October 1899. This week saw the Anglo-Boer War Museum in Bloemfontein host a conferenc...

13 Loka 201918min

Episode 107 - Churchill doubts Kitchener & Colonel Scobell butchers Lotter in a sheep shed

Episode 107 - Churchill doubts Kitchener & Colonel Scobell butchers Lotter in a sheep shed

It's early Spring 1901 and in England there are now serious doubts about how the British Army is going about its campaign in South Africa. Winston Churchill had been elected as an MP for Oldham partly...

6 Loka 201920min

Episode 106 - The 17th Lancers survived the Charge of the Light Brigade but not the Rijk Section

Episode 106 - The 17th Lancers survived the Charge of the Light Brigade but not the Rijk Section

This is September 1901 and it's been a wet Spring so far. The weather has caused trouble for both Jan Smuts and Louis Botha - but things are about to improve for Smuts after his daring raid into the C...

29 Syys 201919min

Episode 105 - General Louis Botha stumbles & sleet causes chaos for Jan Smuts

Episode 105 - General Louis Botha stumbles & sleet causes chaos for Jan Smuts

An incredible turn of events was taking place after a few icy months of winter - the Boers were waking up like hibernating bears and there would be a sudden escalation in incidents across south Africa...

22 Syys 201919min

Episode 104 - A hunchback leads Smuts to safety & Captain Gough's fatal cavalry charge

Episode 104 - A hunchback leads Smuts to safety & Captain Gough's fatal cavalry charge

It’s mid September 1901 and Jan Smuts is about to face one of the most challenging moments in his illustrious career. He was only 28 at this point, yet was to achieve so much in the next few weeks a...

15 Syys 201920min

Suosittua kategoriassa Koulutus

rss-murhan-anatomia
psykopodiaa-podcast
rss-narsisti
voi-hyvin-meditaatiot-2
aamukahvilla
rss-vapaudu-voimaasi
rss-niinku-asia-on
adhd-podi
rss-liian-kuuma-peruna
kesken
psykologia
dear-ladies
rss-koira-haudattuna
leveli
rss-luonnollinen-synnytys-podcast
rahapuhetta
aloita-meditaatio
rss-duodecim-lehti
jari-sarasvuo-podcast
rss-palopaikalla-podcast