Noble Savages or Mere "Africanders"? British Perceptions of The Boers

The Second Boer War is one of the most infamous in British imperial and military history. This is largely due to to the introduction of a Scorched Earth policy during the later years of the conflict, part of which saw mass numbers of Boer civilians forcefully turned out of their destroyed homes and relocated to 'Refugee', or Concentration Camps. While not purposefully done, the conditions within these camps was abysmal and saw the deaths of over 26,000 Boers, mainly of women and children.

How could this have happened? Why did it take place to start with, and how could the British have justified it?

Well, in order to begin looking at these questions, we must first understand how the British viewed their enemies in that conflict. What did they think of the Boer 'peoples'? Were they equals on the field of battle, or a 'lesser race' as according to the usual Imperialist rhetoric?

To see my other four videos on this subject, visit The Armchair Historian's new website! The first 75 to use my code, "BOER50" will get 50% off their purchase!

If you would like to learn more, I strongly recommend the following books (Affiliate Links):

Thomas Pakenham's "The Boer War,"

Byron Farwell's "The Great Boer War

Denis Judd and Keith Surridge's "The Boer War: A History"

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