Figure 1.-- The Zulus were well-trained, although poorly armed, mostly with leather shields and spears. Chelmsford faulty asessment of the Zulus resulted in disater on the Isandlwana. The British public was shocked to read that 'spear-wielding savages' had defeated a modern British army. The Zulus fought bravely, but could not overcome modern weaponry. Notice the boy soldier.

One of the most famous of Britain's colonial wars was the war fought aginst the Zulu Kingdom of southern Africa. The Zulus were a formidacle warrior people who had ammassed a huge kingdom by force of arms (19th century). Shaka Zulu (1787-1828) played major role in expanding the kingsom. was the founder of the Zulu Kingdom from 1816 to 1828. The Zulus An important part of their success was that defeated clans were integrated into the kingdom on a basis of full equality. When Britain and other Europen countries had begun to more firmly establish colonial rule, they had to contend with the Zulu Kingdom which controled much of what is today KwaZulu-Natal and Southern Africa. The Zulus were a formidabke force although poorly armed. Lord Carnarvon, Secretary of State for the Colonies, was intent on expading British imperial control in South Africa. He wanted to create a federation of British colonies and Boer Republics. He appointed Sir Bartle Frere to be the British High Commissioner in South Africa to carry out his plan. Zululand bordered on Natal and the Transvaal, one of the Boer Repubics. Zulu King Cetshwayo refused to cooperate and acceot federation and British control and to dusband thev Zulu army. Frere ordered Lieutenant-General Lord Chelmsford invaded Zululand to force compliance (January 1879). He assumed that he would have trouble brining the Zulus to battle. Chelmsford divided his force into three columns which proved to be a major mistake. His battle plan was to surround the Zulus and force them into a costly battle before capturing the royal capital at Ulundi. Chelmsford A right column crossed into Zululand near the mouth of the Tugela River ans set up a base at an abandoned missionary station at Eshowe. His left column entered Zululand from the Transvaal and marched on Utrecht. The center column which Chelmsford personally led crossed the Buffalo River at the Rorke's Drift mission station. The Zulus were well-trained, although poorly armed, mostly with leather shields and spears. Chelmsford faulty asessment of the Zulus resulted in disater on the Isandlwana. The Zulus startled the British with a victory in the battle Battle of Isandlwana (1879). The Zulus killed over 1,400 British soldiers. The British did not believe an African army had such a capability. A few day later the Zulus were stopped at Rorek's Drift by a small British unit. The British rushed reinforcenents to South Africa. The British after the Zulu War annexed the whole of Zululand. The British public was shocked to read that 'spear-wielding savages' had defeated a modern British army. The British victory at Rorek's Drift was the focus of the movie 'Zulu' (1964), it had little impact on the British public at the time. The film is a well ncrafted Hillywood epic. It is in part an anti-war film, but fails to point out that the Zulus were defending their omeland land. The Zulus fought bravely, but could not overcome modern weaponry. The result were some of the blodiest battles in colonial warfare. The disciplined Zulus just kept cominmg in the face of modern weaponry.

Created: 2:13 AM 4/7/2022
Last updated: 2:13 AM 4/7/2022