THE BOER WAR AND PUBLIC MISCONCEPTIONS AUTUMN 1899

摘要

Heightened emotions and rabid attacks in the pro-Boer press of Britain did not prevent the war with South Africa in 1899. In fact both may have accomplished little more than to hide serious inadequacies within the British Army. The government, the army and the citizens expected a short and decisive win in the Transvaal. W T Stead (October 1899, p333) wrote that the creation of the war by the government was 'disreputable, contemptible, and discreditable'. However, other than pro-Boer activists, most British citizens believed that a small state in Africa stood no chance against British might.