South Africa and the Transvaal War Vol. VI

Louis Creswicke’s South Africa and the Transvaal War Vol. VI continues the account of the Second Anglo-Boer War focusing on the later stages of the conflict as the British sought to end Boer resistance. By 1901 the war had devolved into a prolonged guerrilla struggle with Boer commandos conducting raids on British supply lines and outposts. Creswicke details the increasingly harsh countermeasures taken by the British including the expansion of blockhouse systems scorched-earth policies and the internment of Boer civilians in concentration camps—tactics aimed at breaking the Boers’ ability to wage war.This volume also examines the political and humanitarian dimensions of the conflict including rising criticism of British policies at home and abroad. Creswicke describes the mounting pressure on both sides as the British sought to force a conclusion while the Boers remained determined despite dwindling resources. Written from a British perspective South Africa and the Transvaal War Vol. VI provides insight into the war’s closing chapters setting the stage for the final negotiations that would lead to the Treaty of Vereeniging in 1902.