The first Boer war was from 1880-1881 when the Boers fought England in order to recover their independence they had given up to obtain British help against the Zulus. The second was from 1899-1902 when the Orange Free State and Transvaal declared war on Britain.
Pieter Krueler was one of the toughest and bravest soldiers during the war. He was interviewed and revealed the real setting of the war in his own experience which makes the critics point out and reviewed the dilemmas more clear to the minds of the people.
The war started between the differences of some learned diplomats and roughhewn nesters and successful millionaires battling for gold and power to rule (Bartleby).
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Opinions of anti-British, when the discovery of gold in Witwatersrand, many miners or prospectors are interested to get hold of the land. The Boer’s called them threat to their state. After sometime, all mines are transferred to the British’s custody. The Boer government protected the people so they charged big taxes from Uitlanders, also known as the foreigners even though British don’t really agree to that. The Orange Free State which was the independent Boer state in South Africa formed military troops to protect their independence (Bartleby).
The Boer’s protest with regards to their rights was denied. The Boer declared war. Krueler was among those soldiers who fought for the Boers. Since the Boers are highly furnished with more weapons than the British, they had gone victories over the British adjacent to Boer’s territories. The Boers are kind hearted. They treated their prisoners well enough. They even fetched water for them to drink and even get blankets for the prisoners to rest.
In the Cape Colony, there were many Boers captured because the British sent well trained reinforcements that lead them to victory. Cronje who was Boer’s leader forced to surrender. It was soon the British totally occupied the Transvaal territory. Roberts, who was the leader of British who led them to victory left the place because of his perception, the war was ended. Unfortunately, it wasn’t over yet and the Boers continue their coordination that lead to Guerilla war. They cut off the communications; attacked military post stations and some captured Boer were escaped by their help (Moritz).
The Boers are fighting for their land which many foreigners are eager to find ways of colonizing the land. They are fighting for their independence which many foreigners are taking them away. They are great and brave people fighting for freedom, but they were only few of them. The British were certain enough that they can defend themselves from the Boers; they decided to totally finish the war under the ruling of Kitchener (Weber).
The British recognized the kindness of the Boers to their families and their fellowmen; they captured the Boer’s women and children. Kitchener commanded his men to demolish the livestock and crops, farms were being burned, and captured women and children into. More women especially the children got sick and there were thousands died during that captured (Weber).
Imperialism during the 20th century was very rude. It’s a regretful to those who did bad things to other people. The saddest part of it was that, the British were conquering the land that was not intended for them and hurting the people who own the land. The behavior of one’s nation because of power to control one’s land is very drastic. Kitchener’s plan of using the defenseless women and children as part of the war is to win the war, but not directly to fight with the Boer’s armies (Weber).
When the Boer’s troops are diminishing rapidly and that ended the war. The Boer’s government accepted the leadership of the British in the condition that the British must apply a good government concerning the people in the future. However, the war gave the Boers so much resentment which continuous to affect the political life of the people throughout the 20th century (Bartleby).
According to Krueler’s interview, the women and children including the four thousand prisoners gave a safe passageway by the British when they surrendered for the sake of the children and women. Moreover, the British treated him not as prisoner because he presumed of being a kid.
With regards to the interview Krueler, the British had a conscience to speak for themselves for giving safe passageways for those who survived during the war. All they want was to get hold of the land.
During the 1899 up to 1902 has become debatable. The holocaust happened in the camps is against the international law. This violates the human rights of the people. Women and children should not treat badly because they are weak and defenseless (Moritz).
Anti-British claimed justice to all people who were badly injured and died during the war because of the barbaric acts of the British. The sympathy is with the Boers who only want their own land to live, but because they are few men to fight compared with their intruders, their land was totally occupied and ruled by the British (Weber).
The war was proved to be the costliest, bloodiest and longest. Furthermore, it was said to be humiliating war from the British because of the longest time to defeat the Boers knowing that they were only few men fighting against them. In addition to, they were not fighting against the armies of the Boers, but they were fighting against the weak people of the Boers (Weber).
Not only had the British militaries committed crimes, but also the leaders who gave commands. It is a crime against humanity, crime that no one was punished, crime that Kitchener should pay for. Unfortunately, when Kitchener died, he was remembered because of his virtue instead of a criminal (Weber).
The British leaders’ imperialistic acts and hunger for diamonds and gold brought big and unforgivable damage to the people and land of Boer. The British were already powerful and wealthy during that time. They forgot about the thousands of lives perished for their greediness (Weber).
Krueler’s interview about the First World War seems to be more similar intentions of the German people of acquiring the land in which the British occupied during that time. He was used by the German leaders to fight for them for colonial reasons. Some European countries are aiming to win the land of gold and diamonds for the purpose of continuous power and wealth. During the European wars, there are millions of civilians and militaries died aiming for one land which was not really fair for the civilians and most especially to those who owns the land.
Bibliography
The Columbia Encyclopedia 6th Edition. Bartleby. Dec 2007. <http://www.bartleby.com/65/st/SthAfrW.html>
Moritz, Garett. About. 1998.
Weber, Mark. IHR. May 1999. <http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v18/v18n3p14_Weber.html>
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