Boers?

[Mecanimetales]

The Republic of Oranje and Transvaal were defeated by the british army in 1902, after that they were integrated into South Africa and fully annexed on the ongoing years.

But, was a Boer victory possible? Even against the vast british forces against them? Thanks for your attention.

 

[jsb]

But, was a Boer victory possible? Even against the vast british forces against them?

IF Britain doesn't care yes and they keep it small between them and the cape colony yes, but historically once it's a full on test of the empire they can't win, GB made plenty of mistakes early on but can simply swamp them....remember that GB could always add the Indian & African armies unlike OTL if they really want to win and don't care about none white troops killing Europeans? Or simply decide that they have to win at any cost.

 

[Orangecar]

ASB. Basically once the British put some muscle into the war then there was no way for the Boers to win. Now had the sieges of Mafikeng, Kimberly and Ladysmith had been more succesful then they may have had something more to work with but this would just result in the Birish , Cape Colony and Natal Arming Cape Coloureds, Swazi's and Basothos something that the racist Boers will have a hard time dealing with and would make occupation impossible

 

[Peg Leg Pom]

The Republic of Oranje and Transvaal were defeated by the british army in 1902, after that they were integrated into South Africa and fully annexed on the ongoing years.

But, was a Boer victory possible? Even against the vast british forces against them? Thanks for your attention.

Once the war starts not a chance. The world is now a very different place to it was in 1880 and the British cannot afford to be seen to have been defeated by a militia of isolated farmers.

 

[Mecanimetales]

Hmm, interesting. I thinked that the boers got atleast a chance... Thanks for response me. ; )

 

[Canuck Wingnut]

If- very big if- the Boers could punch through the British at the start of the war and occupy the major ports on the South African coast then I can't see an amphibious invasion succeeding with 1890s technology.
Any time later though and the Boers are screwed, and honestly you'd need a pre-war POD to weaken the initial British available forces to keep that kind of breakthrough from being ASB.

 

[Deleted member 94680]

If- very big if- the Boers could punch through the British at the start of the war and occupy the major ports on the South African coast then I can't see an amphibious invasion succeeding with 1890s technology.
Any time later though and the Boers are screwed, and honestly you'd need a pre-war POD to weaken the initial British available forces to keep that kind of breakthrough from being ASB.

All the ports? Bearing in mind all the ports in Southern Africa are outside of Oranje and Transvaal?

Even then it doesn’t matter, the British can land at Walvis Bay or Lourenço Marques and use their Great Power status to ensure transit.

 

[Orangecar]

If- very big if- the Boers could punch through the British at the start of the war and occupy the major ports on the South African coast then I can't see an amphibious invasion succeeding with 1890s technology.
Any time later though and the Boers are screwed, and honestly you'd need a pre-war POD to weaken the initial British available forces to keep that kind of breakthrough from being ASB.

They would never get the ports for two reasons. 1. Limited ability to launch a an invasion, logistically they don't have the ability to drive deep into the Cape or Natal and occupy it. Thats why military strategy early in the war was mostly limited to besieiging the 3 border towns and then turning them into positions to fight a defensive war.
2. If things even got that bad the British would start arming Cape Coloureds and even Native Africans from its protectorates in Lesotho and Swaziland. Hell, they could even start arming other africans on masse. During Boer raids into the Northern Cape they skirmished with Coloured(mixed raced) towns people who held their own. If things got that bad then non whites would be armed en masse

 

[DougM]

They would have to back door into it. Start with the fact the Astralia spicificly and the others to a lesser degree felt afterwards that they had been tricked into helping. And that there boys were treated badly during the war (see Breaker.Morant) as one example). And if things break right you may see the war turn in such a way that GB has to provide all the men. Add in some lucky breaks and the population losing interest and willingness and it may just not be worth winning kind or f like Vietnam

 

[Peg Leg Pom]

The Boers were a militia of mounted farmers with good rifles backed up by a small number amount of modern artillery faced off against the world's superpower. The only way they could have won would be if Britain decided not to fight. Britain couldn't afford to be seen to have been beaten by them and could just bury them in Imperial Troops. They never had a chance. Even if they'd found allies, those allies could never have got past the Royal Navy to lend them aid. The Boers were beaten militarily within a year with their countries annexed into the Empire, it just took until May 1902 for the last of the bitter enders to give up.