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The Anglo-Zulu War

2023 Western Civilization 11 (HIST-2312-42301)

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The Anglo-Zulu War

The AngloZulu War of 1879, famous for the bloody battles of Isandlwana and Rorke's

Drift, saw more than fifteen thousand British troops invade the independent nation of Zululand in

today's South Africa. As a result of several reasons, the British wanted the Zulu population to

work in the diamond fields of southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century.

Following his accession to power in 1872, Cetshwayo amassed an army of forty to sixty

thousand troops and steadfastly resisted British rule. “Sir Bartle Frere, the British chief

commissioner for South Africa, submitted the request to make Cetshwayo's work challenging."

“270-278,” in The Anglo-Zulu War (London: Greenhill Books, 1995), 270. In January 1879,

when the deadline for destroying Zulu's "military system" had not been fulfilled, UK forces

commanded by Lord Chelmsford invaded the Zulu territory. The attackers pushed into Zululand

without the usual precautions (such as scouts and sentries). However, the January rains made

navigation difficult, and the long grasses of Zululand obscured their eyesight. Cetshwayo's first

strategy had been to keep his forces back, maintain a defensive posture in this unprovoked

conflict, and attempt to broker a truce. “On January 22 after Chelmsford's departure from

Isandlwana, the Zulu army attacked and left up to one third of its troops without a defensive

encampment” “270-278,” in The Anglo-Zulu War (London: Greenhill Books, 1995), 270. In

addition to the deaths of over eight hundred British soldiers at Isandlwana battle, approximately

one thousand guns and ammunition rounds were stolen. During the course of that day,

“Dabulamanzi kaMpande led a second Zulu army to make an attempt to take the British storage

facility at Rorke's Drift, also known as Okajima, to the Zulus” “270-278,” in The Anglo-Zulu

War (London: Greenhill Books, 1995), 270.

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The few Isandlwana survivors alerted the British this time, and they were ready.

Ironically, the Zulu victory at Isandlwana dashed Cetshwayo's hopes for a diplomatic solution.

Frere had not entirely told the British government in London about the planned invasion of

Zululand, and at first, there was not a strong desire for war. "In response to news of the defeat at

Isandlwana reaching London on February 11, 1879, the British administration was forced to

launch a full-scale effort to save face” (Zulu War | National Army Museum). "This was one of

the biggest blows to British prestige in the 19th century." On March 28, Col. Evelyn Wood's

force was defeated at Hlobane, but on March 29, they trounced the Zulus in the Battle of

Kambula" “270-278,” in The Anglo-Zulu War (London: Greenhill Books, 1995), 270. However,

“An attack led by Chelmsford on April 2, 1879, resulted in the slaughter of over one thousand

Zulus at Gingindlovu” (Zulu War | National Army Museum).

The Impact of Imperialism on the Zulu Kingdom

This ethnic group ruled South Africa up until the British overthrew them. They were

modernized and militarized under one of their rulers, "Shaka (early 19th century), and they

expanded their vast empire in the South" (Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military,

2017), 89-100.. The fact that Bartle Frere, the governor of the Cape Colony, subsequently

viewed the Zulus as a military danger confirms that they appeared to be an attractive, warlike

race. Many circumstances caused the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, but imperialistic motives—or at

the very least, an imperialistic mentality—were a major driving force. As was already noted, the

discovery of gold and diamonds increased British esteem for the colony in South Africa.

According to (Luscombe), the area was a "patchwork" of black kingdoms, Boer republics, and

British possessions; as a result, the British had "designs on Zululand as part of their efforts to
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create a British federation encompassing the entire southern African region." “European

Colonization of African Territory between 1876—1912,” in The Scramble for Africa (London,

United Kingdom: Random House, 1991), pp. 600-738, 600. According to Frere, it was "obvious"

that Zululand needed to be subdued in order to do this “European Colonization of African

Territory between 1876—1912,” in The Scramble for Africa (London, United Kingdom:

Random House, 1991), pp. 600-738, 600. This demonstrates the imperialist urge to rule and

retain dominance over supposedly "lesser" countries. 

British imperialism had an economic and cultural influence on the Zulu people, in

addition to physically dividing the territory and crushing their sense of independence through

defeat. "Following the annexation of the territory and its incorporation into the British colony,

more steps were taken to subjugate the Zulu people" “270-278,” in The Anglo-Zulu War

(London: Greenhill Books, 1995), 270. During the 1905 Land War, a one-pound levy was

imposed on Zulus to raise money and coerce them into working for pay. In addition, the

workforce was "racially divided," meaning that white employees generally enjoyed greater

privileges than native workers. For instance, "white individuals were allowed to move around

freely, but "indigenous laborers were restricted from claiming claims on gold or diamonds and

were observed inside their compounds" “270-278,” in The Anglo-Zulu War (London: Greenhill

Books, 1995), 270. As the country grew more urbanized in the 1920s, there was a greater shift as

people moved to the expanding cities and lost touch with the countryside they had formerly been

so connected to. Overall, it is clear that the "British carried their Western beliefs and methods

with them, which had a significant negative influence on the Zulus' and other indigenous South

Africans' way of life, both socially and economically" “270-278,” in The Anglo-Zulu War

(London: Greenhill Books, 1995), 270.

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Finally, the Zulu people's experience shows how imperialism significantly affected the

people of South Africa. The British expanded their power over the region, which led to a

significant shift in the lives of individuals who lived there due to their imperialistic mentality,

sense of general superiority, and ability to exercise their influence over less technologically and

economically sophisticated nations. British imperialism resulted in conflict, as seen in the Anglo-

Zulu War, a change in the region and its residents' character, and cultural, social, and economic

instability due to British tactics and industry. These events serve as examples of imperialism in

action, a doctrine of dominance and the expansion of influence that serves the interests of the

empire and has a long-lasting effect on the nations and people it ensnares.

Bibliography

“270-278.” Essay. In The Anglo-Zulu War. London: Greenhill Books, 1995.

Lock, Ron. The Anglo Zulu War: Isandlwana. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military,
2017.

Pakenham, Thomas Walter. “European Colonization of African Territory between 1876—1912.”

Essay. In The Scramble for Africa, 600–738. London, United Kingdom: Random House,
1991.

Zulu War | National Army Museum. https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/zulu-war

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Footnotes

Ron Lock, The Anglo Zulu War: Isandlwana (Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military,
2017), 89-100

“270-278,” in The Anglo-Zulu War (London: Greenhill Books, 1995), 270.

Thomas Walter Pakenham, “European Colonization of African Territory between 1876—

1912,” in The Scramble for Africa (London, United Kingdom: Random House, 1991), pp. 600-

738, 600.

Zulu War | National Army Museum. https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/zulu-war