Average customer rating:
- Usual old Brit bashing
- Slightly Flawed
- Battle of Isandlwana
- Out Thought & Out Fought - History as Sharp as an Asegai
- Superb book!
|
Zulu Victory: The Epic of Isandlwana and the Cover-up
Ron Lock
Manufacturer: Greenhill Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
South Africa
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1853675059 |
Book Description
The battle of Isandlwana - a great Zulu victory - was one of the worst defeats ever to befall a British Army. At noon on January 22nd, 1879, a British camp, garrisoned by over 1700 troops, was attacked and overwhelmed by 20,000 Zulu warriors. The defeat of the British, armed with the most modern weaponry of the day, caused disbelief and outrage throughout Queen Victoria's England. The obvious culprit for the blunder was Lieutenant General Lord Chelmsford, the defeated commander. Appearing to respond to the outcry, he ordered a court of inquiry. But there followed a carefully conducted cover-up in which Chelmsford found a scapegoat in the dead - most notably, in Colonel Anthony Durnford. The popular conception of the Anglo-Zulu War is that of a conflict between British redcoats and Zulu Warriors. It is seldom realized that over 60% of Chelmsford's army was composed of black auxiliaries, and that the cavalry mostly comprised colonial settlers. Zulu Victory: The Epic of Isandlwana and the Cover-Up traces the history of the Zulu kingdom and its British neighbors, the Colony of Natal. It also details the composition of both armies from individual Zulu regiments to the tribesmen of the Natal Native Horse who fought on the side of the British. Using source material ranging from the Royal Windsor Archives to the oral history passed down to the present Zulu inhabitants of Isandlwana, the authors shed new light upon this famous Zulu victory in all its bravery and horror, and the scandal that followed.
Customer Reviews:
Usual old Brit bashing.......2004-04-18
As usual, books like this are only interested in a spot of Brit bashing. They ignore the fact that the whole Zulu war was initiated against the expressed wishes of the British government as shown in cabinet minutes and from cables sent to Bartle Frere by Hicks Beach. It was Bartle Frere's war acting on his own. At Isandlwhana British troops were a minority in the force also composed of colonials and Natal Bantus who volunteered to help bring down the Zulus. Yes, fellow Africans wanted the Zulus defeated. As for being outgeneralled and out thought, the same Zulu impies under the same commanders weren't able to repeat the trick at Kambula or the Ineyazane river, where Chelmsfords approach was vindicated. As for a Zulu victory, Cetshwayo didn't seem to think it was, on hearing the Zulu casualty figures ("An assegai has been thrust into the belly of the nation. There are not enough tears to mourn for the dead"). But we can't ruin a good story with too many facts, can we. File it under fiction. It'd be right at home there.
Slightly Flawed.......2004-01-06
When the British marched to disaster against the Zulu at Isandlwana this volume claims they were `outgunned and outfought and outmanuevered' but the reality is slightly different. This book intends to expose the `cover-up' of the British disasters in the Zulu war and the author tries to prove that their was indeed some massive cover up. Of course the cover up couldn't have been very thorough since everyone with any knowledge of British colonial history knows the the defeat by the Zulus. This book claims the british were crushed despite their superior weaponry but this is a misnomer. The British were defeated due to their lesser then brilliant officers who strong the better trained and better armed british contingent out in a long line, allowing the british regulars to be butchered by the vastly more numerous Zulus. The author claims that it was a failure of British arms. But Isandlwana is no more a failure of British arms then the defeat the British suffered in Afghanistan or at Yorktown. Rather, the reality is that the gigantic Zulu army went on to lay siege to Rorkes Drift where a handful of similar British soldiers held off thousands of Zulu for more then a day. Isandlwana was a freak accident and this book labors too hard to show that the British covered up a defeat.
Battle of Isandlwana.......2003-04-28
I have been very interested in African history ever since I took a course on West African colonial history in college, and in the Zulu wars specifically when I read "Washing of the Spears" many years ago. These intrepid warriors faced the British imperialists in defense of their homeland, and occasionally prevailed in battle. This book details the Zulu victory over the British at Isandlwana, a very black day for the Empire of Queen Victoria. The reader receives all of the reasons why the Zulus prevailed, among other reasons the astute planning of their leaders, and the almost casual dismissal of the ability of the natives on the part of the English leaders. Once the tragedy took place, there was a concerted effort by the authorities to transfer blame from the actual commander, Lord Chelmsford, to one of the "colonial" officers. The authors categorically refute the baseless allegations, and show us exactly how Chelmsford was derelict in his duty to his troops, while not taking anything away from the brilliance of the Zulu planning. This is an interesting book, and well worth reading for those whose interest, as mine, centers on the cololnal conquest of the indigenous peoples of Africa.
Out Thought & Out Fought - History as Sharp as an Asegai.......2003-03-07
Zulu Victory is a valuable synthesis of research on the battle of Isandlwana, where a British Army under Lord Chelmsford was outmaneuvered and defeated in detail by King Cetshwayo's Zulu Army. The strength of this book lies in its clarity. Every important personality and event in the campaign is thoroughly weighed and explained, without ever losing sight of the overall context. The result is a fluid, balanced account of a very confused set of circumstances.
This book is equally valuable as an all-in-one historiography of the battle. Serious history readers will appreciate this facet from the Forward, written by Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, right through the appendices. The quality of the writing keeps the history from becoming dry. The narrative remains vivid, even after multiple readings. As with Morris' "The Washing of the Spears," the storytelling is flat out exciting.
Try not to be put off by the subtitle: "The Epic of Isandlwana and the Cover-Up." The twin themes of the book are clear. 1) The Zulus did not simply stumble on and overwhelm a British encampment. They made use of their advantages, which included better mobility and communications as well as a superior understanding of the local terrain, to outmaneuver and defeat an overconfident enemy. 2) Chelmsford and his supporters attempted to shift responsibility for the defeat to a colonial cavalry leader, Colonel Anthony Durnford, (Royal Engineers) who was killed in the fray. (You may know him as Burt Lancaster in the movie "Zulu Dawn.")
Perhaps the 2nd point is more marketable, to scholars, but what most amateur historians will find instructive is the campaign narrative. While much has been made in the past of how courageous individual Zulu warriors were, and of their famed "head and horns" battlefield tactics, this is a depiction of how the Zulu lured Chelmsford into splitting his force. It explains the thinking from 'both sides of the hill' without attributing an artificial superiority to European tactics, or shortchanging the sophistication of the native leadership.
The book makes it clear that although Chelmsford was both arrogant and defeated, he was not necessarily the fool played by Peter O'Toole. He operated with tremendous logistical challenges that severely constrained his freedom of action. Moreover, while Chelmsford was overconfident, the British still might have withstood the Zulu Impis had they recognized the danger sooner and employed different tactics...as later battles were to prove.
All the usual debates are covered, including a detailed appendix (C) devoted to the infamous British Ammunition boxes and their (potential) impact on the battle. The book has 11 very clear maps and 75 illustrations, many of which are in color and really capture the battlefield from the perspective of contemporary eyes.
If you have an interest in 19th century imperialism, military history, or even what happens when indigenous peoples and colonials collide, read this book. It's excellent history and a ripping good yarn to boot.
Superb book!.......2003-01-24
Battle of Isandlwana was one of the greatest victories that native Africans ever achieved against an European power. This book proves to be one of the best books on this battle. The book covers all your usual stuff like political conditons, military conditions leading up to the war and so forth. But key element of the book was how its dealt with the battle itself. As far as I know, it got one of the clearest blow by blow account of the battle if that could be possible. Many myths about what happened at Isandlwana seem to be more clearer now and respect for Zulu military organization grows as you read on. Its amazing how long it took the British to finally realized that they were coming uder a full scale attack. The book also discussed the covered up by Lord Chemsford after the battle. The covered up was basically to protect Chemsford's military carelessness and the fact that he have been out-generaled by the Zulus. In this, he chose Colonel Durnford since the good colonel was already dead. Interesting how blaming a dead people for mistakes have always been a popular habits of all defeated commanders. The book appears to be well research and the authors' distaste for Chemsford become pretty clear as you read the book. It also got very details maps which help understand the battle. The nice photographs helped - including the infamous British ammo box which showed what a pain it can be to opened one up. Well, with or without ammo, British were doomed in this battle anyway. Probably the best book written on Isandlwana right now.
Customer Reviews:
Inspiring.......2001-03-12
Beautiful, clear color photographs of extraordinary beadwork. I cannot close the book. Makes me want to run to Africa and learn to bead from the Zulu people.
Average customer rating:
|
The Zulu War: Rorke's Drift to Ulundi
Michael Barthorp
Manufacturer: Cassell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
South Africa
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Strategy
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
19th Century
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0304362700 |
Book Description
The British invasion of Zululand was planned as a quick knockout blow. Rifles and artillery would make short work of the Zulus ('they only have spears, you know') and then it would home to London for tea and medals. In an atmosphere of breezy arrogance, three columns of British soldiers marched into Zulu territory. Then, as anyone who has seen the famous film ZULU knows, the Zulus caught one column by surprise and wiped it out. British honour was restored by the epic resistance of a single company of the 24th Foot at Rorke's Drift and the award of eleven VCs for one action. It is a remarkable tale, vividly recounted by an acknowledged expert on the colonial wars of the Victorian era and illustrated with period photographs.
Book Description
The battle of Isandlwana fought on 22 January 1879 was the greatest defeat suffered by the British Army during the Victorian era. A Zulu army of 24,000 warriors had moved undetected to within striking distance of the British camp in the shadow of Isandlwana Mountain. From the start the 1,700 defenders underestimated the danger descending upon them. They were swept aside with horrifying speed and the final stage of the battle consisted of desperate hand-to-hand fighting amid the British camp. Over 1,300 men were killed; scarcely 60 Europeans survived. Ian Knight employs new archaeological and historical research to provide a completely new interpretation of the course of the battle.
Customer Reviews:
Balanced Battle Summary.......2007-02-19
This is a clearly written account of the start of the 1879 Zulu War leading up to the battle of Isandlwana. Events described include the initial invasion of Zulu empire, subsequent British reconnaissance efforts, and the battle of Isandlwana itself. The greatest strength of the book is the authors ability to provide a balanced, unbiased account of the campaign. This is particularly welcome as other accounts have tended to portray the Zulus as a faceless mass instead of a well-organized army. In this case the strategies, tactics, and intention of both sides are well explained and provide readers with a clear understanding of this interesting campaign. As always with Osprey books, numerous illustrations, 2D, and 3D maps are included. The illustrations in this book are especially engaging due to colorful British uniforms and the Zulu exotic battle gear. The most interesting one (and the cover of the hardback Praeger edition) depicts a last stand by a small knot of British infantry and members of the Natal Native Contingent.
One minor drawback to the book is the lack of detail about the aftermath of the battle; this is not necessarily the authors fault as Osprey has very tight page limitations which forces authors to make tough choices about what to emphasize. However, the battlefield lay virtually untouched for months after the fight with only occasional visits by foraging and burial parties. More in-depth accounts of these forays would have flesh out the text.
This book along with Rorke's Drift 1879, also by Ian Knight and also part of the Osprey Campaign Series, would make an excellent gift for someone interested in African or Imperial British history.
Osprey at it's best.......2005-12-10
Zulu-expert Ian Knight has written an up-to-date volume on the famous battle of Isandlwana, where a british battalion was whiped out by a zulu impi in 1879. Based on new archeological findings, Knight's description of the battle and the fighting forces are detailed and well-written - the reader have much help from timelines and excellent maps showing the campaign, and the 3D bird's-eye battle maps which step by step explain the different stages of the battle. There are numerous illustrations and both 19th century and contemporary photographs. There are also three realistic plates by Adam Hook - although perhaps not as detailed and sharp as the art of Graham Turner - the illustrations are excellent and show what the battle actually may have looked like. The plates are showing Durnford's mounted auxiliaries stubmling on the zulu army, The British collapse (with the dramatic withdrawal of the artillery in the fouground and the retreating infantry hotly pursued by charging zulus in the background) and the final stages of the battle (the zulus fighting in melee with the last remnants of the 24:th and the Natal Native contignent)
The battle has been seen as an embaressing british mistake rather than a great zulu victory, but here Knight wants us to think the other way around (thus the subtitle). But here I think he exaggerates the zulu victory - although no one can deny the bravery and skills of the zulu, the victory isn't that spectacular if one consider the facts - more than 20 000 men concentrating their owerwhelming forces upon a thin, spread-out line of a mere 900 british infantry and mounted men, supported only by 800 badly equiped and badly trained native auxiliaries
This book is reliable and provides the reader with a good overwiew of the Isandlwana-battle as well as a fascinating introduction to the zulu army and the anglo-zulu war. My only reservation is Knight's ususal, way too low estimation of zulu casualties, his estimated 1,000 zulu killed are unrealisticly low considering the fire-power of the british and their desperate defense in the fierce fight for their life. I've read elsewhere of some 3000-4000 dead or mortally wounded zulu warriors, which seem much more plausible to me
Once More, Over the Same Ground.......2002-10-04
In 1992, Osprey's Campaign Series #14 entitled Zulu War 1879 by Ian Knight and Ian Castle, covered the dramatic Battle of Isandlwana. Ten years later, Ian Knight thought it would be a good idea to cover virtually the same ground in the new Osprey Campaign Series #111, entitled Isandlwana 1879. Granted, the focus is narrower than in the earlier volume and the graphic quality of the maps is superior, but this book essentially covers much of the same ground that the first book did. While the original title only spent 30% of its length on the Battle of Isandlwana, this new volume spends 55%. Overall, Isandlwana 1879 is a decent if not very original summary of that British military disaster, but it certainly lacks any real value-added quality over the original.
Isandlwana 1879 begins in standard Osprey format with the usual short sections on origins of the conflict, a campaign chronology, opposing commanders, opposing armies, and opening moves. Readers will certainly be impressed with the author's in-depth knowledge of Zulu leaders and units, but might have benefited from a short pronunciation guide on how to handle names like "iNgobamakhosi" or "uKhandempemvu" or just what the heck these names mean. At times, Knight seems to have the zealot's assumption that everyone in conversant in African tribal terms and hence, further clarification is unnecessary. Overall, these sections get the job done but in somewhat boilerplate fashion, as if Knight merely dusted off material from his other books. Readers familiar with the classic, "Washing of the Spears," will doubt that Knight is making a real effort to be incisive. The volume includes six 2-D maps (the war in Zululand, the attack on Sihayo's Homestead, Isandlwana Camp, initial dispositions, the British collapse, Chelmsford's movements and the British withdrawals), three 3-D "Bird's Eye View" maps (British movements around Isandlwana, climax of the battle and the British collapse) and three battle scenes (Durnford's auxiliaries stumble on the Zulu army, the British collapse and the final stages of the battle).
Knight notes that none of the Zulu commanders had any experience fighting British regulars and that, "a practical ignorance of the destructive potential of the modern weapons they [the British] possessed, had led to a dangerous over-confidence at the middle and lower levels of command." On the other hand, the British commander Lord Chelmsford was influenced by preconceptions gained in previous frontier warfare in Africa. Knight notes that in Chelmsford's earlier campaign against the Xhosa tribe that he, "faced only an elusive foe who showed a marked reluctance to engage in decisive combat." This sounds remarkably like the preconceived tactical mindset that influenced Custer three years earlier at the Little Bighorn. Yet if both sides were over-confident and didn't appreciate their enemy's strengths - as Knight claims - why was Isandlwana such a lop-sided battle?
The battle narrative comprises the bulk of the book and it also gets the job done, but with much effort to address the reasons for the British defeat. While Knight makes it clear that British pre-battle reconnaissance was a bit sloppy and based on too many false assumptions, he fails to address issues like faulty British tactical dispositions or ammunition resupply problems. Based on what happened elsewhere in the war, it is clear that the Zulus could not defeat British regulars who were defending in square or behind obstacles. The only enlightenment that Knight adds about the battle concerns the final moments of the British infantry, which he deduced from participation in an archaeological dig on the battlefield in the 1990s. Knight demonstrates that clumps of British infantry survived the overrunning of the camp and slowly tried to fight their way back to the border, but were overwhelmed enroute.
Modern military professionals could use this volume as an excellent starting point for a study of regular forces fighting less well-developed opponents, and might see parallels with contemporary operations in Afghanistan or Somalia. It is interesting to discern how over 1,300 British troops - including the battle-experienced 1st Battalion/24th Infantry - could be annihilated in the space of four hours by an opponent that was regarded as hopelessly inferior. The root cause of the defeat at Isandlwana was the same as at the Little Bighorn in 1876 or Mogadishu in 1993 (or Bunker Hill in 1775): professional soldier arrogance. While the Zulus were ultimately defeated - at much greater cost in resources and time than the British had bargained for - they did demonstrate that not all indigenous military forces merely sit around waiting to be picked off like clay pigeons by superior military technology.
Book Description
In the late 1870s the British Imperial administration in the Cape colony in southern Africa began to view the Zulu kingdom as a challenge to their authority.To contain this perceived threat, they engineered a war. The early campaigns went terribly wrong, with the decisive Zulu victory at Isandlwana. Ultimately however, the British won the war. The Zulus, primarily reliant on their skill with the stabbing spear, had no real defence or retaliation against the massed firepower of professional British soldiers. Ian Castle examines the British-Zulu war and its two key battles, Isandlwana and Khambula, with excellent black and white photographs accompanying the clear and detailed text.
Book Description
The Zulu War of 1879 was devastating in its brutality. Pitting the firepower of the professional British army against the skill and determination of King Cetshwayo's Zulu warriors, it was a mighty clash of military cultures that ended with the collapse of Zululand - the last great black kingdom bordering Britain's African colonies. This book traces the course of the Zulu War, covering the major battles of Rorke's Drift, Isandlwana and Khambula, and showing that the British victory was by no means easily won. The opposing forces - the British, under Gen Sir Arthur Cunnynghame and the Zulus, under their King Cetshwayo - are profiled, and their dress, equipment, organisation and military methodologies are examined in detail. This book includes material previously published as Campaign 14: ‘Zulu War 1879’, Elite 32: ‘British Forces in Zululand 1879’ and Elite 21: ‘The Zulus’.
Average customer rating:
|
Blood from Your Children: The Colonial Origins of Generational Conflict in South Africa (Reconsiderations in Southern African History)
Benedict Carton
Manufacturer: University of Virginia Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
South Africa
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Revolutionary
| Historical Study
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Social History
| Historical Study
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Family Relationships
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
| Child Abuse
| Divorce
| Dysfunctional Relationships
| Fatherhood
| General
| Grandparenting
| Motherhood
| Parent & Adult Child
| Siblings
| Stepparenting & Blended Families
| Twins & Multiples
General
| Political Science
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Parenting Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0813919320 |
Book Description
The young black activists whose rejection of their parents' complacency led to the 1976 Soweto uprising and the eventual demise of apartheid are part of a long tradition of generational conflict in South Africa. In Blood from Your Children, Benedict Carton traces this intense challenge to an extraordinary and pivotal episode a century ago that bitterly divided families along generational lines.
Facing a series of ecological disasters that crippled agriculture in the 1890s, African youths in colonial Natal and Zululand perceived their fathers' struggle to meet increased colonial demands as an act of betrayal. Young people engaged more frequently in premarital sex, while young men sparked widespread gang fights, and young women rejected traditional filial and marital obligations. In 1906, after the imposition of an onerous head tax on young men, this domestic turmoil exploded into an armed uprising known as Bambatha's Rebellion. The young men sought revenge by attacking both the African patriarchs whose apparent accomodation they considered traitorous and the colonial troops dispaHChed to quell the violence. After the Natal forces crushed the insurrection, some captured rebels faced trial for treason under martial law. Often, their fathers testified against them.
While the military intervention eventually caused many more African youths to seek work in the mines, thus defusing generational turmoil, others moved to industrial centers in the wake of the uprising. These young people formed the vanguard of insurgent political groups that continue to play an important role in South African urban life.
Through his lively and thorough presentation of the forces at work in Bambatha's Rebellion, Benedict Carton brings a fresh understanding to the tragic role of defiant youth and generational rivalry in African resistance.
Book Description
The Zulu War of 1879 remains one of the best known British colonial wars and included two battles whose names reverberate through history. At Isandlwana the Zulus inflicted a crushing defeat on the British; the gallant British defence at Rorke's Drift followed and re-established British prestige. Yet as this book shows, there was more to the war than this. Six months of brutal fighting followed, until the Zulu kingdom was broken up, its king imprisoned and the whole structure of the Zulu state destroyed. Years of internecine strife followed, until the British finally annexed Zululand as a colonial possession.
Customer Reviews:
Good introduction to the zulu war.......2005-10-21
This is an excellent introduction to the renown anglo-zulu war of 1879. This title of the Essential History-series is written by Ian Knight, leading expert on zulu history and author of numerous books about the subject. Knight covers all the battles and incidents during the war, such as the battles of Isandlwana, Gingindhlovu, Rorkes Drift, Hlobane, Kambula, Ntombe, relief of Eshowe and Ulundi, each battle are briefly described and most have images and maps associated with them. I find both sides in the conflict portrayed accurately and fair by Knight, although I guess he exaggerates the abilities of the zulu impis and seem to put their estimated losses at the lowest possible number
Average customer rating:
- Accurate; written in a brilliant and entertaining style.
|
The Rise & Fall of the Zulu Nation
John Laband
Manufacturer: Arms & Armour
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
South Africa
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Southern Africa
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1854094211 |
Customer Reviews:
Accurate; written in a brilliant and entertaining style........1999-11-01
There can be no doubt that, of all the books written on Zulu history, this is the kingpin of them all. It is doubtful that any author will exceed the work done here by Laband. The book is painstakingly written, with an incredible eye for detail, and it remains at all times entertaining and absorbing. There are also shortcomings, although these cannot be construed as downfalls. The most striking is that while Professor Laband is the ultimate expert on the reign of Dingane and beyond, he does not dedicate nearly as much attention to the early years of the Zulu kingdom, particularly from 1787 to 1828. This is regrettable, but understandable considering that there is so much that remains unknown and mired in mythology with respect to Shaka's era. Lastly, Laband's attention to detail, particularly noticeable in the Notes section and in the index, makes this a book no self-respecting Zulu scholar can be without.
Books:
- 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
- 1776
- A Deeper Blue: Passion Marks II
- A Delusion of Satan: The Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials
- A History of the English-Speaking Peoples Since 1900
- A People's History of the Supreme Court: The Men and Women Whose Cases and Decisions Have Shaped Our ConstitutionRevised Edition
- A Soldier's Life: General Sir Ian Hamilton 1853-1947
- America's First Monoplane: The Will Quick Story
- An Admiral's Yarn (U.S. Naval War College Historical Monograph Series, No. 14.)
- Asian Art
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Mapping Security: The Corporate Security Sourcebook for Today's Global Economy
- History: Fiction or Science
- Data Envelopment Analysis: Theory and Techniques for Economics and Operations Research
- Century 21 Accounting Multicolumn Journal Anniversary Edition, 1st Year Course Chapters 1-26
- Health Economics and Policy with Economic Applications
- Four to Score
- Future Prospect: Envisioning EBusiness in 2020
- Rechnungswesen und EDV. 17. Saarbrücker Arbeitstagung 1996: Kundenorientierung in Industrie, Di
- Econometrics and the Philosophy of Economics: Theory-Data Confrontations in Economics
- Granta 73: Necessary Journeys
