Sunday 6 February 2011

Boer War interment camps



I had to put this YouTube video on here because I have been arguing with some people who were going on about the Boer War. I know what happened in the interment camps was a terrible tragedy, but it was a war and these were not extermination camps. Also around 15,000 British soldiers camped around the interment camps died of the same pestilence too.

This does not excuse what happened to the Boer women and children and I defend neither side, both of whom, were fighting over land they stole from Africans. The problem of logistics for the British was not thought out before removing these people, who were aiding the conflict against their Empire. Also the Boer fighters were disrupting supply lines.

This man on Lloyd's rant does make some very valued points. I had to put this on the blog because a lot of what he says is viable. Comparing the British internment camps to concentration camps of Germany is very extreme. It was an almighty mess up that cost around 36,000 lives. 15,000 of them, British soldiers.

They were not death camps, but the people who needed to get the logistics of housing and feeding vast numbers of people were very incompetent to what the task required and the problems they would face.

It is also, perhaps, unfair to be so wise after the event. Wars are brutal, terrifying and very messy. All sorts of people get caught up in the crossfire and, if Brit and Boer are honest; it was not their land to fight over in the first place.

Sometimes, I can't help feeling that the Boers have an audacity crying wolf when a bigger dominant power came along and did exactly what they once did. Live by sword and die by it. What happened to the Boer women and children in the interment camps was dreadful. Also, for the British soldiers who died of the same illness. Or, perhaps, some might think they don't they count?  



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