‘All you soldiers are what we call pro‐Boer’: The Military Critique of the South African War, 1899–1902

Abstract

During the South African war, 1899–1902, the apparent inability of the British army to overcome the Boers disillusioned many of its officers, some of whom criticized various aspects of the war. The origins of this critique are traced to changes within British society caused by economic depression, which affected the landowning class from which most officers came, by urbanization and by the influx of Jewish capitalists into high society. Experience in South Africa intensified this anti‐urban, anticapitalist and antisemitic ethos among officers, many of whom were disgusted by the ‘money‐mad’ inhabitants of Johannesburg and by the apparent power and authority of the Jewish mineowners. Others were disturbed by the methods used against the Boers, such as farm burning and concentration camps, and were concerned that South Africa would be handed over to Jewish capitalists. Some officers regarded the Boers not only as honourable foes but also as ideal soldiers, the result of their rural upbringing. This was a type, many believed, that was disappearing in Britain because of urbanization. By 1902, many officers wanted the Boers to be offered lenient terms which would preserve a society whose assimilation was considered vital to the future interests of the British empire.