[QUOTE=SnoozeControl;443227]I'm on an "I love all things Australian" trip lately, so I rented this movie.
I don't know a thing about the Boer Wars, but I do understand about a country sacrificing citizens for political reasons, and I find it incredibly cowardly and criminal. This movie was heartbreaking considering the accused were following orders, but the higher ups decided to use them as scape goats to appease, cover their asses and apparently to try ending a really stupid 'war.' I only got the gist of the conflict here, but these were farmers set upon by professional soldiers because the farmers wanted their independence? Sick, sick, sick.
Not quite that simple. Imperial wars are very far from being black and white.
The Boer War (also known as the Anglo-Boer War or the South African War, and sometimes referred to as the Second Boer War to distinguish it from a short conflict in 1881) was fought between the forces of the British Empire and the combined forces of the Transvaal and Orange Free State, the two independent Boer republics. The direct cause of the war was the refusal of the Boers (Afrikaners) to offer political rights to the mainly British `Uitlander' immigrant workforce. The larger cause was British imperial ambitions in South Africa, rich in gold and diamonds. The Boers issued an ultimatum, then invaded Natal on 11 October 1899. The existing British forces were beaten back, and an invasion force under Sir Redvers Buller made a two-pronged attack, to the west along the border between Cape Colony and Orange Free State, and to the east in Natal attempting to relieve Ladysmith. Major reverses were suffered at Magersfontein, Colenso and Spion Kop, and the overall command was taken over by Lord Roberts, who advanced from the south-west to take first Bloemfontein and then Pretoria (5 June 1900). The fighting then developed into a guerilla war which continued to May 1902, when the Boer forces were eventually subdued by Lord Kitchener.
It's a british film. We're not averse to looking our history in the face. It was also during the boer war we introduced the first concentration camps and deliberately targeted the civilian population with a scorched earth policy. Imperial glory is often talked about but often lacking to 21st century eyes.
http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-vc/ ... morant.htm
It was an irregular force specially formed to counter the Boer commando tactics of hit and run, live off the land and strike when least expected. The BVC lived the same way. They fought fire with fire.
While operating north of Pietersburg the local BVC commander, Capt Frederick Percy Hunt, Morant's best friend, was wounded, captured, tortured, mutilated and then killed by Boers.
"Captain Hunt's body was struck by a bullet at close range. It passed through his right shoulder. This was a simple wound and did not cause his death. When found the body was stripped naked. The sinews at the backs of both knees and ankles had been severed. The fore head was bruised and the right cheekbone was crushed. Captain Hunt had been castrated". from 'The Breaker" by Kit Denton
Morant, Lt Peter Handcock. Lt George Witton and Harry Picton shot a Boer prisoner called Visser, claiming that he was wearing Hunt's clothing. They later executed other Boer prisoners claiming that they had been placed under verbal orders to "take no prisoners". Later a Boer sympathizer, a German missionary was shot while on his way to complain about the killings. Handcock, Witton and Morant were charged with murder on several counts. They were acquitted on the count of killing the missionary but convicted on the other charges.
All in all a very nasty war.
Have a look at gallipoli as well. Mel gibson is in it but don't let that put you off.
