Johan Hendrik Breytenbach facts for kids
Johan Hendrik Breytenbach (born 1917, died 3 January 1994) was an important South African historian. He was known for being the official historian for the Second Boer War. This was a big war that happened in South Africa between 1899 and 1902.
Breytenbach worked at the National Archives in Pretoria. He started studying the Second Boer War in 1940. In 1959, the Minister of Education, Arts and Science officially made him the state historian for this war. He worked under the guidance of the Department of History at the University of Pretoria.
His Big History Project
Johan Hendrik Breytenbach spent many years writing a huge history book about the Second Boer War. The book's title was Die Geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in Suid-Afrika, 1899–1902. This means "The History of the Second War of Independence in South Africa, 1899–1902."
He published five parts of this book between 1969 and 1983. When he passed away in 1994, he was still planning two more parts. But his work didn't stop there! Using his notes, the State Archives finished and published the sixth part in 1996. This part ended with details about the Battle of Bergendal, which happened in August 1900. Besides this main work, Breytenbach also wrote many other books and articles about South African history.
Why He Wrote the History
Breytenbach explained that the South African government wanted this history written for a few reasons. He felt the Second Boer War was the biggest and most important war in South Africa's history. However, he believed that no one had ever written a full, scientific history of it before.
He also thought that many existing books about the war were not accurate. He said they often mixed facts with made-up stories because the writers had strong feelings. He wanted to create a true picture of what really happened. Breytenbach spent a lot of time studying many different sources to make sure his work was accurate.
Explaining a Difficult Moment
Breytenbach also wrote about tough moments in the war. For example, he explained why Boer general Piet Cronjé surrendered to the British at the Battle of Paardeberg in February 1900. Some people thought Cronjé's surrender was his fault, or that it happened because of women and children in his camp.
Breytenbach disagreed. He explained that General Cronjé's army had about 4,000 soldiers and only 5 cannons. They were surrounded by a much larger British force of about 40,000 soldiers with 100 cannons. Cronjé was also cut off from other Boer fighters by a river that couldn't be crossed. Breytenbach believed that given these impossible conditions, Cronjé had no choice but to surrender.
