Page 59 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

THE HIST OR Y OF SOUTH AFRIC A  57

Jan Christiaan Smuts
General Smuts (1870–1950) played Where to See the Clash
prominent roles in the South African for Gold and Diamonds
War and in both World Wars. He
also helped to draft the United A number of coach tours
Nations Charter, and was twice include the major sites on
prime minister of South Africa the Battlefields Route (p278)
(1919–24 and 1939–48). in KwaZulu-Natal. Audio-
tapes for self-guided tours
are available at the Talana
Museum (p278). Gold Reef
City (p321) is an evo cative
re-creation of Johannesburg
in the 1890s. The Big Hole:
Isandhlwana Hill Kimberley Mine Museum
(pp374–5) documents the
Bayonets had to be Shields covered with history of diamond mining
used when the British cow hide were used to in Kimberley.
ran out of ammunition. ward off the bayonets.

The assegaai (short
stabbing spear) was useful
in close combat.

British casualties
were high; only a
handful of men Re-created saloon-style bar at the Big
escaped alive.
Hole: Kimberley Mine Museum.

Battle of Isandhlwana Modern Warfare
In an effort to subjugate the fiercely The South African War (1899–1902) was the first war
independent Zulu, British officials fought with high-velocity rifles and mechanical
provoked several incidents. In 1879, transport. Although the Boers were good shots and
a 1,200-strong British and colonial horsemen and could live off the land, limited
force was annihilated by 20,000 Zulu man power, as well as the loose and informal
warriors at Isandhlwana Hill. structure of their armies, counted against them.

1884 Lesotho 1886 Discovery of 1896 Jameson Raid into 1902
becomes a British the Main Reef on 1894 Kingdom of Transvaal fails. Rinderpest South
protectorate Witwatersrand Swaziland becomes a kills count less head of cattle African
(Gauteng) British protectorate as well as wild animals War ends
1880 1885 1890 1895 1900
1881 Boers 1883 Olive 1893 Mohandas Winston Churchill 1899 Start of the
defeat Schreiner 1885 Britain Karamchand as war corres- South African War.
British publishes annexes part of Gandhi arrives pondent in Sabie Game Reserve
army at The Story of Bechuanaland in Durban to South Africa declared (forerunner
Majuba an African (Botswana) practise law of today’s Kruger
Farm Mahatma Gandhi National Park)

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