Imperial Disaster: The Zulu/Afghan Wars & The Fall of Beaconsfieldism

Between 1878-1880, the British Empire engaged in two disastrous conflicts. Though ultimately victorious in both, the debacles involved badly damaged the reputation of the Conservative Ministry.
Patreon: / oldbritannia
#History , #BritishEmpire, #Zulu,

[@OldBritannia]

Apologies for the reupload. Mispronounced 'Beaconsfield' in the original lol. Whether that says more about my liking for Disraeli or Northerness I'm not sure.

[@Adamm17004]

Understandable have a great day/night

[@vadertrap6535]

british name pronunciation is so confusing even brits get it wrong

[@atypicalprogrammer5777]

That was a quick fix, I barely even noticed the original video.

[@explodingwolfgaming8024]

I forgive you sir 🫡

[@1258-Eckhart]

Very professional, thanks. I'm also a Disraeli fan (I've bought "Coningsby" and must soon get round to it) AND have a good friend from Beaconsfield, good to hear it pronounced the way the great man himself would have. The alternative (wrong) pronunciation turns my guts.

[@IAmTheOnlyLucas]

Kissinger in "Diplomacy" writes this about Russia throughout the Great Game: while being a fully autocratic state, *St Petersburg was essentially in the dark about what her generals and armies were up to in distant Central Asia. They'd send a telegram to London, saying that the Tsar has absolutely no designs on the steppe only to then learn that they'd taken Samarkand. Russian high officers pressed for continued military actions since their juniors clamored for medals and service pensions. Also worth noting is that *Imperial Russia's offices for European and Asiatic Affairs were separated, with Euro affairs located in the foreign office and Asian matters in the war office. Apparently they didn't communicate very well.

[@tortuedelanuit2299]

Every Russian regime has been characterized by cartoonish dysfunctions. Putin's approval rating could be so high because he has been better than average at suppressing and concealing these dysfunctions, though they still burst out in spectacular fashion, as when the vehicular column broke down on the road to Kiev and the Wagner Group sallied forth towards Moscow.

[@riverman6462]

I wonder if those junior officers who were powerful enough to influence the decisions of their superiors, eventually got what they wanted (promotion). I mean, they were fighting poor farmers equipped with medieval guns after all

[@darthparallax5207]

Wouldn't it be about time served? The distinction between a day of fighting and a day of marching might matter, and the distinction between an ongoing conflict and starting a new one or ending an old one vs performing other duties during a time the nearest officer claimed was peace might make a difference on the paperwork, but I can't imagine they could reliably count kills or anything like that for larger forces meeting other larger forces. There must have been a system that was interesting in what it did require and what it did not require that would have influenced both wrongly started actions and wrongly filed papers. 🤔

[@Deveriell]

According to Peter Hopkirk that miscommunication between Petersburg and Russian frontier was often deliberate, serving as a convenient excuse.

[@rafanadir6958]

Wasn't the war department in Moscow and the Ministry of foreign affairs in the imperial capital of Saint Petersbourg?

[@LedosKell]

There is a Neville Chamberlain in every corner of the British Empire.

[@ninab.4540]

And they all fail The latest one helping the UK build their weapons as Hitler marched to the CR and Poland was a happy coincidence

[@rationality1862]

Out of all of the talents that others have pointed out, one more minute quality I have noticed in your videos is the masterful ability to seamlessly the connect the diplomatic/geopolitical scene, with domestic politics. Your way of narration, in this way, portrays a more accurate and detailed version of history than is normally told.

[@HeWhoLaugths]

Yeah, it's very clear and insightful narration

[@jonathancampbell5231]

2:33 I had to double check to make sure that it wasn't THAT Neville Chamberlain, and I was even more shocked that they don't even seem to be related, even though they are the spitting image of each other.

[@megabotvideos]

Surprise neville chamberlain!

[@JackHankeAnd]

Thank you for doing that double checking; I was assuming they were related until I read your comment!

[@shehannanayakkara4162]

Did a bit of reading and the interesting thing is that his father was actually the first person in his family to use the name Chamberlain. His father Henry Chamberlain was born out of wedlock and he was raised with his family as a supposed distant relative (I presume this is where the name Chamberlain comes in, but I'm unclear about the exact reason for choosing the name). Funny thing is that he was only informed of his true ancestry after he showed interest in one of his half-sisters (he didn't know it at the time).

[@ninab.4540]

​@@shehannanayakkara4162The English do have a habit of looking into tree branches and birds a bit too close

[@b-1battledroid674]

Can you do a "The War Aims of Each Nation in the Thirty years war"? I think it would be interesting!

[@generaltom6850]

Apart from the border gore, even figuring out who qualified as “nations” would be very difficult. Plus most didn’t have a set series of goals, some did but they were more vague and some goals, like Sweden was simply to pay off their army so I don’t think it’s impossible but certainly would be difficult Edit: spelling correction

[@skibbideeskitch9894]

Had a crisis with the Boer states erupted when Disraeli was both in office and at the height of his powers, I think the First Boer War (essentially a series of large-scale ambushes spread over 3 months rather than a conventional war) would've panned out much like the Second Boer War - with a vast reinforcement and a protracted conflict with Britain. The Boers struck at a time of acute political weakness in Britain. Disraeli was gone, the British had suffered a recent debacle in subduing the Zulu, and this informed the decision making process of the pacifistic liberal Gladstone. Indirectly, the Boers owed a lot to the fighting ability of the Zulu & the incompetence of Lord Chelmsford.

[@WeirdMagnus]

You may honestly be my favorite European history youtuber, glad to have found this channel

[@Liberater4589]

your artwork for the maps has always been excellent but seems to have gotten even better these past few videos

[@EndOfSmallSanctuary97]

You're my favourite KZbin history channel by far - interesting and overlooked topics, a unique focus on grand diplomacy, as calm and professional delivery, and good use/recording of sources. Keep up the great work.

[@franciscomunoz2222]

Your channel is of prime quality. I thoroughly enjoy it. Keep it up!

[@fishfish87gaming19]

Man I love your videos. They are genuinely interesting.

[@sebby_scarfkid944]

Yet another fantastic addition to the archives of Old Britannia, apologies to my family and friends for all the newfound rant material yet to come, and keep up the great work my guy! (reupload came through just in time to comment lmao)

[@micahistory]

really good video, i had no idea that these wars affected domestic politics so much. Thanks for covering this mate

[@danielsmith4281]

I really enjoy the topics and periods of history you choose to cover i.e. the concert of Europe, the evolution of the UK's and the US's relationship, the interwar period etc. One topic that I think might make for a good video is the transition of the UK overtime from a more monarchist system to its parliamentary one. How much more power did Victoria have than Elizabeth II, and how much less than Charles I? Or the Tudors?

[@MrParksy92]

Love these videos as always

[@jemjohnston3436]

These videos never fail to entertain and teach also I love your map design

[@Brian-----]

Another masterpiece. Really enjoy your videos.

[@tiptoptechno]

Outstanding explanation and presentation. 10 minutes well spent.

[@TheUniversalNetworks]

Amazing video as always

[@scottnorris7052]

Great video once again

[@CatarigMaTt]

Great Video! sir👍

[@Zyzyx442]

Thanks, love the show.

[@turloughmulbarr]

Tis a fine day indeed friends! Old Britannia is yet again the author of some of the finest historical commentary out there

[@owenowen212]

Thank you for the excellent video good sir

[@unusualhistorian1336]

Keep it up!

[@walt3408]

Hi can you please make a video about the conquest and creation of Nigeria

[@011...]

Gotta love the map painting

[@robertortiz-wilson1588]

I love the polite bluntness mixed in throughout! Fantastic seeing the affects on domestic politics and how that in-turn affects foreign policy.

[@phil00075]

I grew up in Beaconsfield and lived there for 20 years. You could always tell if someone was a visitor because they would say Beeconsfield. Supposedly, the town was named after the beech trees that were common in the area in medieval times, so it’s unclear why the locals pronounce it Beckonsfield. There used to be a pub that I went to frequently called The Earl of Beaconsfield, which had a picture of Disraeli on the sign. The pub was demolished many years ago and replaced by a supermarket. The town is also home to the famous Beckonscot Model Village, which has model trains running through it.

[@alessandrolorenzetto8397]

I'm kind of sad you didn't include the Flashman Papers in the sources.

[@vadertrap6535]

I need a video on the second boer war man come on

[@davidcunningham2074]

excellent

[@alejo7365]

We need more videos about Salisbury and Disraeli, such greats statemans

[@SafavidAfsharid3197]

Please cover the anglo-maratha wars and anglo-mysore wars. If possible please cover the 2 sieges of bharatpur as well.

[@andrewbarker6230]

Enjoyable video

[@rickchros1919]

Ill always find it interesting how the British empire, particular the Raj, largely acted on its own accord being so far away from London, leaving London to pick up the pieces diplomatically and the administration's to take the hits or the triumphs politically

[@anthonyruby2668]

I LOVE THIS CHANNEL!!! The world needs to learn REAL British Empire/Commonwealth/Informal Empire history, NOT video game Empire logic!

[@Karkkuss]

NEW VIDEO LETS GOOOOO

[@EasternRomanHistory]

I really liked this video and not simply because it is about one of my favourite statesmen: Disraeli but it is also interesting to see how disconnected the foreign policy of Britain and its dominions and governors was.

[@WolfHertzberg]

What happened to your three-part video on the history of the British Empire?

[@OldBritannia]

Disliked how many views they were still getting to say the quality was abysmal. In the process of doing a remake.

[@joseluiscalixto5651]

Correction, its official name at that time is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Kingdom of Great Britain disappeared when the Act of Union of 1800 came into force on January 1, 1801.

[@left9096]

What program do you use to make these maps?

[@OldBritannia]

Just Photoshop, learnt using Dr Ludwig's tutorials on YT, and then just picked a few styles I liked from online.

[@mackenshaw8169]

I've often wondered about what would have happened if the British held their hand and let krugerism in the Transval be destroyed by the Zulus before intervening. No First Boer War would have meant no Second Boer War which would have meant in turn no modern inspirtion and model for the irish Revolution.

[@theylivewesleep.5139]

Have you done a video covering Wellington’s time as prime minister yet?

[@OldBritannia]

An interesting topic. Toryism never really recovered from Huskinson’s death and the Whig’s subsequent ascendency. Will definitely get round to it.

[@theylivewesleep.5139]

@@OldBritannia cool. I’d also have to agree with that assessment, however that’s based on more limited knowledge than yours. I’d be very interested to hear your take on the swing riots.

[@SKKrypton]

Babe wake up old britannia just uploaded new video about 19th century british empire

[@dom-romer663]

Beaconsfieldism is such a funny word 😃

[@Deveriell]

I've just learned for the first time that Disraeli was the earl of Beaconsfield.

[@bluj9325]

You mean to tell me, that Neville Chamberlain a 9 y/o at the time of 1878 was going to afghanistan on a diplomatic mission?

[@rationality1862]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neville_Chamberlain_(police_officer)

[@zico739]

What a stupid comment.

[@KyleRobinson-qk8oc]

It was his father who was also called Neville Chamberlain.

[@alberto2287]

Sir Neville Chamberlain? Any relation to the PM?

[@OldBritannia]

No, despite the name of uncannily similar appearance.

[@jacsam21]

Your videos are incredible and open the page to history that is so often skipped over. I often think the Great Game and our geopolitical mistrust of the other is similar to US-China tensions today, in that I don't think Russia ever genuinely conceived of an invasion of British India through either Afghanistan or Tibet but this was the guiding fear of the Raj and British foreign policy just as we see sinister Chinese influence everywhere today

[@Unknowngfyjoh]

Pitt the Elder or Lord Palmerston?

[@anthonyruby2668]

The Anglo-Zulu War! The original "Special Military Operation"

[@boadebate4320]

The bias of the creator is clear but I appreciate learning a history that is not as accessible here in the United States.

[@rickchros1919]

Yeh I think the bias comes through largely because he explains history almost purely through the realist realpolitik perspectives of British statesman in this time. I think they're fantastic videos for understanding the motivations, ideals, ambitions and interests of this time. Through a modern perspective its easy to see the delusions of the so called 'Liberal empire' but from a history perspective its useful to see how and why British politicians thought they're global ambitions and actions to be correct, at least in a broad grand strategy sense

[@NightingaleVictor]

@@rickchros1919But it really was a liberal empire unlike any other. We can all agree modern historiography is too cynical, too critical and too idealistic at the expense of capturing the heart and soul of politics at the time.

[@nadirkhan7353]

The British have been the nastiest and most deceitful empire ever

[@dolantrump1159]

Why do you call the characters by their titles i. e. Salisbury did this, Lyton did that and not by their real names?

[@OldBritannia]

It tends to be historical practice - it's also how they're generally known. Calling Salisbury 'Gascoyne-Cecil' would at this point sound weird to me.

[@Gamenetreviews]

I prefer the 20-30 minute long videos

[@OldBritannia]

I do too. They take a while to make however, and I start to lose my sanity slightly if I work on one video for more than a month, so I have to space them out.

[@marinanguish9928]

Interesting video, you feel sorry for Disraeli being dragged into these conflicts that brought about the end of his govt.

[@shorewall]

It reminds me of the Japanese in the run up to WW2, where army officers started conflicts that dragged the whole country in.

[@ninab.4540]

​@@shorewallSeriously what did they drink 30 years before the war? Isolation made them crazy suicidal and extremists. I'm glad Japan ain't like that no more.

[@silvergalaxie]

why is it not"bee cuns field"?

[@stevemcgroob4446]

I wonder how the Indian viceroys has so much impunity to get away with whatever they wanted?

[@thibaud1832]

Surprising. Usually when a superpower invades Afghanistan, it turns out great.

[@dillonblair6491]

To be fair, literally only America and the Soviets failed to do so. And even in America's case it was more out of American society changing rather than attrition like in vietname

[@shaifunnessa7816]

American and British how become friends history please make video

[@OldBritannia]

That’s more or less covered in my ‘other great game’ series

[@explodingwolfgaming8024]

Commenting 4 algorithm

[@jbb4105]

electric boogaloo

[@user-gi4qy7lq6h]

Now see here old boy

[@user-gi4qy7lq6h]

Jolly good

[@user-nh3lg1im9l]

669th viewer!

[@Romaboo680]

Bri'ish when they fight people armed with rocks, outdated firearms and pointy sticks: Strong. Bri'ish fighting literally anyone else: Weak.

[@andrei19238]

You sound like an American teenager

[@bazzatheblue]

Statistics suggest otherwise.

[@thewise3551]

As a Frenchman I take offence to this.

[@Romaboo680]

@andrei19238 You lost against the Americans who were almost always undersupplied. You lost against the Ottomans at Gallipoli despite them being the weakest member of the central powers. You lost against cave dwelling tribesmen in Afghanistan. You lost almost all of Ireland despite it being literally right next door. Now your empire is gone, and now you're an irrelevant island in Northern Europe with shitty weather.

[@andrei19238]

how old are u@@Romaboo680

[@mrbritannia3833]

I have been looking forward to this