Film Zulu: Colour Sergeant Bourne: It's a miracle. Lieutenant John Chard: If it's a miracle, Colour Sergeant, it's a short chamber Boxer Henry point 45 caliber miracle. Colour Sergeant Bourne: And a bayonet, sir, with some guts behind it.
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I know this is a 'What if' question but I'd genuinely be interested in your thoughts.
Even without the machinations of Sir Henry Bartle Frere, was a Zulu/British conflict somewhat inevitable, a war just waiting to happen?
Or given the politics and conditions of the time could such an open war with the Zulu nation have been avoided?
Crimea
Frank Allewell
Posts : 8399 Join date : 2009-09-21 Age : 75 Location : Cape Town South Africa
Subject: Re: Inevitable? Thu Jul 23, 2020 9:54 am
A minor altercation with a couple of land surveyors, a dutiful son respecting his father and a war started. There is a wonderful old Zulu saying about inevitability. "Ukuqhuma komoya kuyinto Love elindele ukwenzeka" Loose translation : A fart is a S**T waiting to happen. Frank
crimea
Posts : 13 Join date : 2020-07-14
Subject: Re: Inevitable? Thu Jul 23, 2020 11:03 am
So......your answer is....? LOL
Frank Allewell
Posts : 8399 Join date : 2009-09-21 Age : 75 Location : Cape Town South Africa
Subject: Re: Inevitable? Thu Jul 23, 2020 11:24 am
It was always going to happen. Boers encroaching to the West, Shepstone and Frere with the grand confederation dream, and the problems with the miners from Mozambique not being allowed to cross over Zululand. Add that to the fears of an invasion from south of the Tugela and you have the 'wait for an excuse, any excuse' scenario.
Yes Frank, given the situations at the time, I believe it was a 'bomb just waiting to explode'!
Although I much prefer your Zulu saying!
Crimea
Paul Lamberth
Posts : 18 Join date : 2015-08-07
Subject: Re: Inevitable? Fri Jul 24, 2020 3:50 pm
...agree it was going to happen if the British Empire could not control in the region. Post Crimea and threats from a Russian bear growling and showing his claws towards the east was a concern. To add, 1861 was the end of sail and steam became the new form of motion. The most efficient energy form at the time was coal. Due to the limited source of coal, and a huge Navy to support, strategic positions called coal stations started to play an important part. Looking at the map of southern Africa at the time it appeared that not all was painted pink...so the region had to be secured. Annex the Boer, and squash a Zulu who, after forming an alliance in '73, did not want to co-operate. This then led to that the Zulu was drawn into the "great game"...the Russians are coming.
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