Page 42 - Conflitti Militari e Popolazioni Civili - Tomo II

544 XXXIV Congresso della CommIssIone InternazIonale dI storIa mIlItare • CIHm

the last major conventional battle of the war took place. The Boers were driven from the
battlefield, and on 1 September 1900, Roberts annexed the Transvaal. By the time Roberts
handed over supreme command in South Africa to Kitchener at midnight 28-29 November
1900, the guerrilla phase of the conflict, which had already started in March 1900, was about
to gain momentum. 14

guerriLLa war, march 1900 to may 1902

On 17 March 1900, the Boer presidents and senior officers met at Kroonstad (then still
in Boer hands) to discuss the way forward. It was decided to continue with their freedom
struggle, but henceforth to implement a guerrilla type of warfare. If the Kroonstad confer-
ence represented the theoretical starting point of the guerrilla phase of the war, then General
Christiaan de Wet’s defeat of Brigadier-General R.G. Broadwood at Sannaspos, near Blo-
emfontein, on 31 March 1900, was the opening salvo of this new type of warfare. De Wet
followed up this success with victories at places like Mostertshoek (3-4 April 1900) and
Roodewal (7 June). 15
By the time Kitchener took over as Commander-in-Chief, the British forces controlled
most of the towns and villages, but in the vast expanses of the South African veldt, the Boers
to a large extent roamed about freely, threatening the British garrisons and lines of commu-
nication. The conflict had in fact become a war against space.
During the guerrilla phase of the war with which Kitchener had to deal, there were sev-
eral invasions (by mobile Boer commandos) of the Cape Colony, for example by General
J.B.M. Hertzog, Commandant P.H. Kritzinger, Captain Gideon Scheepers and General C.R.
de Wet, and later also one such invasion by General Louis Botha in Natal. The war escalated
geographically and numerous clashes took place all over the war zone, including fairly large
battles at places like Nooitgedacht (13 December 1900), Vlakfontein (29 May 1901), Moed-
wil (30 September 1901), Bakenlaagte (30 October 1901), Groenkop (25 December 1902),
Yzerspruit (25 February 1902) and Tweebosch/De Klipdrift (7 March 1902). Although Rob-
erts started the scorched-earth policy, Kitchener expanded it. Other anti-guerrilla measures
included the building of blockhouses, the launching of elaborate drives against the Boers,
and the increasing use of blacks and coloureds in a combatant role in a desperate effort to
corner and destroy the elusive mobile Boer forces. Although the British were unable to com-
pletely defeat the Boers in the field, they were able to wear them down, and on 31 May 1902,
after lengthy negotiations (during which Kitchener, rather than Lord Milner, played a crucial
role), the Boers finally accepted and signed the terms of surrender. 16

14 Amery, 4, pp. 77-164, 269-296, 380-413, 434-502; History of the war in South Africa 1899-1902 3 (London,
1908), pp. 273-283, 396-403; Breytenbach, 6 (Pretoria, 1996), pp. 317-346; B.G. Schultz, Die slag van Ber-
gendal (Dalmanutha) (M.A., University of Pretoria, 1974), passim.
15 Breytenbach, 5 (Pretoria, 1983), pp. 196-225, 240-258 and 6 (Pretoria, 1996), pp. 222-228.
16 For more on the guerrilla phase of the conflict and the peace that was eventually concluded, see, for example,
Amery (ed.), 5 (London, 1907), passim; M.H. Grant, History of the war in South Africa 1899-1902 (london,
1910), passim; Nasson, pp. 195-231; S.J. du Preez, Die vrede van Vereeniging (D.Phil., University of Preto-
ria, 1986), passim; J.D. Kestell and D.E. van Velden, The peace negotiations between the governments of the
South African Republic and the Orange Free State, and the representatives of the British government, which
terminated in the peace concluded at Vereeniging on the 31 May, 1902 (London, 1912), passim.
st