Iain R. Smith (1939–2021)

4119 The Origins of the South African War, 1899-1902, by Iain R. Smith (read 16 Jan 2006) This is a superbly researched book and examines in great detail the events leading up to the Boer War. I found it fascinating, especially the events from May 1899 to the outbreak of the war in October 1899. Alfred Milner, the British High Commissioner in South Africa, did not want war but he was determined that Britain should dominate the area--and so welcomed the war since it seemed such a position could not be attained except by a war--which in turn put an end to Transvaal's independence. Milner was on the scene and he and the Colonial Secretary, Joseph Chamberlain, so handled the negotiations that war came, even though the Prime Minister, Salisbury, and the Foreign Secretary, Balfour, were much less eager for the war. The Boer War has been a subject of interest to me since I did some reading on it in the past, as follows:
1369 Battles of the Boer War, by W. Baring Pemberton (read 21 Nov 1975)
1376 Good-Bye Dolly Gray: The Story of the Boer War, by Rayne Kruger (read 29 Dec 1975)
1415 The Great Anglo-Boer War, by Byron Farwell (read 6 Nov 1976)
1740 The Boer War, by Thomas Pakenham (read 19 Sept 1982)… (altro)