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

Avsnitt(143)

Episode 143 - Characters of the war an omnibus final edition with a great deal of Smuts

Episode 143 - Characters of the war an omnibus final edition with a great deal of Smuts

Thanks to those who’ve sent messages of support in the last few weeks – the level of interaction has been remarkable from all my listeners around the world. For some we started this journey together i...

14 Juni 202023min

Episode 142 - The winners and the losers – counting the cost

Episode 142 - The winners and the losers – counting the cost

This week we count the costs of the war and follow some of those involved as they begin the long process of recovery. First, the cost. There is still debate about some of the statistics as there alwa...

7 Juni 202022min

Episode 141 - Peace!

Episode 141 - Peace!

Episode 141 is where the British and the Boers finally sign a peace treaty, but there’s quite a bit to cover as we go about watching the days between 19th and 31st May 1902. Remember how the represen...

31 Maj 202021min

Episode 140 - General Cronje demands a St Helena mounted guard & Peace Talks back on in Pretoria

Episode 140 - General Cronje demands a St Helena mounted guard & Peace Talks back on in Pretoria

The first large group of Boer prisoners were taken by the British at the battle of Elandslaagte on 21st October 1899. The army had failed to plan for prisoners because the idea was the Boers would be ...

24 Maj 202023min

Episode 139 - Emotions run high in Vereeniging as the Boers discuss English Peace terms

Episode 139 - Emotions run high in Vereeniging as the Boers discuss English Peace terms

Episode 139 is full of peace and a smattering of love as the Boers gather in Vereeniging to discuss the British terms of surrender. As you can well imagine, the moment is bitter sweet. Men who have no...

17 Maj 202023min

Episode 138 - The Zulu massacre Boers at Holkrantz on the eve of the Vereeniging Conference

Episode 138 - The Zulu massacre Boers at Holkrantz on the eve of the Vereeniging Conference

We’re up to episode 138 and it’s a week to go before the all-important Boer Conference in Vereeniging starting May 15th 1902. Lord Kitchener has ordered his men in all intents and purposes to stop ch...

10 Maj 202021min

Episode 137 -Smuts meets a ragged Louis Botha and a Boer spy loses her mind momentarily

Episode 137 -Smuts meets a ragged Louis Botha and a Boer spy loses her mind momentarily

First we join General Jan Smuts who has been waiting in Cape Town for the British to lay on a a train to take him inland where he will join the Boer political and military leaders at Vereeniging for a...

3 Maj 202019min

Episode 136 - Deneys Reitz receives a record promotion and General Smuts takes a cruise to Cape Town

Episode 136 - Deneys Reitz receives a record promotion and General Smuts takes a cruise to Cape Town

We’re back in the Northern Cape with General Jan Smuts. He’s been waiting in vain for more than two weeks for the British to send a relief force after he laid siege to the well defended town of O’Kiep...

26 Apr 202018min

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