Page 81 - All About History - Issue 33-15
P. 81
A-Z of the British Empire
Mau Mau
Abloodyuprisingthatshookthefoundationsofan
already failing empire
In the post- A state of emergency was declared
World War II in Kenya as hostilities continued.
world, a wave 40 people, both white settlers and
of nationalism black non-Mau Mau followers, were
spread over murdered in the space of just four
Africa. The weeksastheMauMauwasofficially
rule of the declared a terrorist organisation.
European powers was coming to an Britishsoldiersrespondedby
endasdecolonisationtookplace.The arresting thousands of insurgents
BritishEmpirewasoneofthenations and cordoning off tribal lands to
to take the brunt of this nationalistic restrict Mau Mau movement. By
drive, especially in Kenya. Known as 1954, the rebellion was lessening
theMauMauRebellion,theaimof as more leaders were captured and
The revolt the revolt was to completely eradicate interrogated. An offer of amnesty
is controversial allformsofBritishruleinKenya.The was tendered by the British, but
to this day, and first anti-British secret meetings were this was blankly rejected and the
in 2013 the British held in August 1951 in the capital killings continued. By 1955 70,000
government formally Nairobi,andtheMauMauoathwas suspected Mau Mau were imprisoned,
takenbyeverymember.ByOctober
slowing the uprising which led to
apologised for its 1952, the frequent arson attacks and the state of emergency finally ending
brutal strategy assassinations carried out by the Mau in 1959. The uprising was a bloody
Mauhadfinallycaughttheattention episodethatdemonstratedthe
of the British government, who sent wane of European power in Africa
A policeman stands guard over a group troops over immediately. The uprising andwasacatalysttowardsKenya’s
of Mau Mau tribesmen suspected of
plotting and acting against British rule had escalated. independence in 1963.
Nelson Opium Wars
The naval genius that expe Twoconflictsthathadalasting
every man to do his duty effect on the Far East
Horatio Nelson was Opium was big business for the
one of the greatest British Empire. A commodity
military minds to ev thatsoldbiginChina,itstrade
gracetheRoyalNavy helped finance the British
Raised in a small vil demand for tea and silk.
in Norfolk, he began However,thedownsidetothe
navy career at the ag business was the nasty effects
12 as an apprentice midshipman. The yo opiumhad,withaddictiontothedrugbecominga
man’s talents shone through and he wa problem. When the Chinese government realised
trackedthroughtheranks,makingcapt what was happening to their people, they imposed
1779. Prior to Trafalgar, Nelson served in restrictions on the trade, denting British profits. The
Americas and the Caribbean. The Battle result was war.
Vincentin1797wasoneofhisearliestv The first war began after the Chinese destroyed
astheRoyalNavystruckadevastating 20,000 chests of opium. To support their interests
criticalblowtotheArmadaEspañola.N the British government sent an expeditionary force
reveredathome,Nelsononceagainutil tooccupythecityofCantoninMay1841,andthe
hisgeniuswithastunningvictoryover captureofNankinginAugustendedthewarwith
FrenchattheBattleoftheNilein1798. a British victory. The second war was larger in scale
admiral, Nelson found time to defeat a s as the French waded into the conflict. Military
forceatCopenhagenin1801.WhatNels operations began in late 1856 and by 1858 British
be remembered for, and what the British gunboat diplomacy had forced the Chinese into
Empire is forever grateful to him for, however, is negotiations. A number of treaties legalised the
Trafalgar. The War of the Third Coalition was importation of opium once again but hostilities
ragingonmainlandEurope,butNelsonhelped resumed when the Chinese shelled the British in
thenavyscoreanimpressivevictory.The June1859.Angered,theBritishandFrenchreturned
victorycosthimhislifebutconfirmedhisplace withahugeforceinAugust1860andcaptured
in history. Beijing, ending the war once and for all.
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