Opposition to the Second Boer War facts for kids

The Second Boer War was a big conflict that happened a long time ago, from 1899 to 1902. Even though it was a war, not everyone supported it. Many people, both inside and outside the British Empire, spoke out against it.

At first, many people in Britain supported the war. But as the fighting continued and became harder, fewer people liked it. Around the world, many groups, especially those who were against empires or had left-wing ideas, criticized Britain's actions.

Inside Britain, groups quickly formed to protest the war. Many members of the Liberal Party, which was the main opposition party, were part of these groups. They tried to stop the war policies, but the government, led by the Conservative Party and Prime Minister Lord Salisbury, kept supporting the war.

As the war went on, the Boers, who were fighting the British, started using guerrilla warfare. This meant they used surprise attacks instead of big battles. The British also used tough tactics like scorched earth, where they destroyed farms and homes. This made people even more upset about the war.

Even with the protests, the British government and most of the public still supported the war. Outside the British Empire, many people, especially those with left-wing views, supported the Boers. For example, in 1900, a young Belgian named Jean-Baptiste Sipido tried to harm the Prince of Wales. He blamed the Prince for the deaths of many Boers. However, no other country stepped in to stop the war, which finally ended in 1902.

Opposition in the United Kingdom

When the war began in 1899, groups from the Liberal Party started committees to protest. These included the South African Conciliation Committee and the Stop the War Committee. A common idea among these groups was that the war was really about money. They believed the government wanted to control the gold and diamond mines in the Boer republics.

Many people who supported the war got angry at these anti-war meetings. They saw the protests as unpatriotic. Most British newspapers also supported the government's decision to go to war. Only a few, like the Manchester Guardian and the Westminster Gazette, spoke out against it. Because the newspapers were against them, anti-war groups often handed out pamphlets on street corners.

Despite the protests, many young men volunteered to fight. At one point, about 100,000 men volunteered each month. The Liberal Party itself was divided. Many important leaders, like Lord Rosebery, supported the war. Many religious groups, who usually supported the Liberal Party, also backed the war.

The "Khaki Election" and Public Opinion

In 1900, there was a general election in the United Kingdom, often called the "khaki election". The government used recent British victories in the war to rally patriotic voters. This led to a big win for the government.

However, public support for the war started to fade. People realized the war would not be easy. They also became worried about the British army's "scorched earth" tactics. These tactics involved destroying farms and putting Boer civilians, including women and children, into special camps called concentration camps.

A Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) named David Lloyd George often spoke out against the government's actions in South Africa. He became famous for his strong opposition.

Speaking Out Against the Camps

Lloyd George claimed that Joseph Chamberlain, a powerful government minister, and his family were making a lot of money from the war. He said they had investments in companies that made weapons. These claims of corruption didn't convince many people. So, the anti-war groups changed their focus to humanitarian issues. They shared sad stories about the suffering of Boer civilians in the camps.

In June 1901, a woman named Emily Hobhouse published a report about the terrible conditions in these camps. Lloyd George then openly accused the government of trying to "exterminate" the Boer people. Later that month, the leader of the Liberal Party, Henry Campbell-Bannerman, also spoke out. He famously said that the war was being carried out by "methods of barbarism in South Africa," referring to the camps and the harsh policies. Years later, when the Boers and British became friends, the Boers remembered Campbell-Bannerman's comment as a sign of British fairness.

Women's Role in Protests

In April 1900, Emily Hobhouse and her friend Catherine Courtney helped start a women's part of the South African Conciliation Committee. They held a women's protest meeting in London on June 13, 1900. The Women's Liberal Federation also joined the protests against the war. This movement later helped push for women’s suffrage, which was the right for women to vote.

Irish Opposition

Opposition to the war was strongest among Irish Catholics within the British Empire. Many Irish nationalists felt sympathy for the Boers. They shared a common dislike for British control. While many Irishmen fought for the British army, a small number actually fought alongside the Boers. Irish miners working in the Transvaal when the war started formed two small Irish fighting groups.

Neutral Countries' Views

In countries that were not involved in the war, like the Netherlands, Russia, Germany, France, and the United States, most people supported the Boers. Many people around the world saw the Boers as brave freedom fighters who were outnumbered. This view was shared by the public, major newspapers, and many famous people.

There was some worry that Germany might get involved, but Germany stayed neutral. About 225 officers from the Imperial Russian Army even took time off to go and fight for the Boers.

Support for the Boers was especially strong among people who were against empires. This included French-Canadian groups in Quebec and thinkers like György Lukács and Karl Kautsky. Irish Catholics in the United States, Australia, Britain, and Ireland also supported the Boers. Their actions inspired future Irish leaders who wanted independence.

Opposition in Australia

Australia was part of the British Empire and sent soldiers to the war. However, some Australians also had doubts about it. Most of these doubts were similar to the British anti-war views. But some came from a new sense of Australian nationalism.

For example, The Bulletin magazine published anti-war cartoons. These cartoons suggested that fighting in a war started by rich people and imperialists would mean allowing non-white immigrants into Australia after the war.

In 1902, British forces executed two Australian lieutenants, Breaker Morant and Peter Handcock, for war crimes. A third, George Witton, was imprisoned. At first, this wasn't a big issue. But after the war, a movement started to free Witton, which made anti-war feelings stronger. More than 80,000 people signed petitions, and a rich South African helped get Witton released in 1904. Three years later, Witton wrote a book called Scapegoats of the Empire, explaining his side of the story.

Opposition in Canada

In Canada, people's feelings about the war depended on their background. There was a conflict between Canadians of British descent, Irish descent, and French descent. Many French-Canadians did not like the British Empire. By 1915, during the First World War, many of them refused to volunteer for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Protestant Canadians, who were usually of British descent, strongly supported the British Empire. They sent thousands of volunteers to fight with the British against the Boers. This made them feel even more connected to the British Empire. Some English immigrants, like the writer Goldwin Smith, also opposed Canada's involvement in the war. In Canada, Irish Catholics were often in conflict with French-Canadians over control of the Catholic Church. Because of this, the Irish generally supported the pro-British side.

Assassination Attempt

In Belgium, a 15-year-old boy named Jean-Baptiste Sipido tried to harm the Prince of Wales as he passed through Brussels. Sipido, who was an anarchist, blamed the Prince for the deaths of thousands during the Boer War. Even though it was clear Sipido had tried to do it, the Belgian jury found him not guilty. The leader of the British House of Commons called this a "grave and most unfortunate miscarriage of justice."

Aftermath of the War

The anti-war feelings also affected how people viewed British actions after the war. There was a lot of public anger in the UK and official Australian government opposition against the use of cheap Chinese laborers, called coolies, after the war. These laborers were brought in by the governor of the new British areas, Lord Milner.

The workers were often kept in terrible conditions, earned very little money, and were not allowed to mix with the local people. Some believe that the issue of Chinese coolie labor was the peak of public dislike for the war and its consequences.

The war had lasted a long time, and voters were unhappy. In the first general election after the war, the public gave a harsh judgment. Arthur Balfour, who became the leader of the Conservative Party after his uncle Lord Salisbury in 1903, led the party to a huge defeat in the 1906 election. This was a big change, as the Conservatives had won two large victories before.

See also

• List of peace activists
• List of anti-war organizations