1899–1902Reputable sourceWell documented
The Boer War
On the timeline · around 1899–1902 ·
What happened
Britain fought a bitter war against the Boer republics of southern Africa, descendants of Dutch settlers, largely over the region's gold and diamonds. To break Boer guerrilla resistance, the British herded civilians into concentration camps where tens of thousands died of disease and starvation.
Why it matters
The Boer War exposed the brutality and the limits of empire at its height. The scandal of the concentration camps shocked British opinion and marked the beginning of doubts about the imperial project.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. British Concentration Camps in the Boer War · Reputable source