The Battle of Blood River | Zulus Vs Boers | Total War Cinematic Battle

[@JohnSmith-ct5jd]

Please. The Dutch fought with single shot muzzleloading forearms. The Zulu outnumbered them twenty to one. It was a surprising victory for the Dutch. Stop making excuses and acting like the Zulu were the underdogs. They were not. It was a celebrated victory for the Boers for good reason.

[@jemerage8885]

I'm an American and even I know this. I find the history of the boers to be very interesting and also very sad.

[@gerhardtvanhuyssteen4492]

@@jemerage8885 keep your eyes on the boers my friend before the end of this year my people the boers are gonna make new history...new heroes are in the making and we will shape the future of the world......

[@ColinAnderson-hy2oj]

This is rubbish, the boers were not interested in trade. They did not ride in columns but as kommando.

[@tree3910]

This is just a game mod, so the guns used here compared to what's actually used at the time is inaccurate

[@tichaonaGwaze-rp9od]

Stop saying Rubbish...Obvious the Zulu were the underdogs

[@jknowstheway1462]

Such a shame we interrupted their space program.

[@JohnSmith-ct5jd]

LMAO! Best comment yet.

[@ArmyJames]

Yes, the Zulu were well on their way to developing their own indigenous Apollo Program - as I learned in Civilization 5.

[@jknowstheway1462]

@@ArmyJames Called 'me fall from roof"?

[@johnwalsh7256]

😂

[@chrislindberg9821]

@@johnwalsh7256 I agree. Things happen for a reason. Brains and mindsets set it the past as bodies and technology go into the future where as the brains and thought patterns do not keep up.

[@Wolfen443]

This battle started the whole Circle Wagons theme, that is how the Boers fought back this massive attack by the Zulus.

[@rkarnes6304]

Circling the wagons was a Hungarian thing, used by the Magyars many hundreds of years ago.

[@Wolfen443]

@@rkarnes6304 , well it helped the Boers there I think.

[@JohnSmith-bs9ym]

@@rkarnes6304 It actually started in Czech by the Hussites. They were literally called the Hussite Wagon Forts.

[@rkarnes6304]

@@JohnSmith-bs9ym Thank you. I knew it was somewhere in there, thought the Hussites were another name for Magyars.

[@damionkeeling3103]

@@rkarnes6304 Hussites were followers of a religious reformer called Jan Hus.

[@luciadegroseille-noire8073]

I believe that at this time, smokeless powder had not been adopted and so the logistics of the battle, through a dense cloud of gunsmoke, would surely have resembled Waterloo, with fire discipline prevailing.

[@HansJuergBangerter]

Boers had settled South Africa long before the nomadic Zulus arrived as Immigrants since no Blacks were able to cross Zambezi river before 17th Century and the only true Natives were the Sani people.

[@High_rise12]

The zulus had been there for ages, you’re confusing the Zulu tribes with the Zulus kingdom founded by Shaka, plus the Dutch had settled in very different areas

[@HansJuergBangerter]

@@High_rise12 South Africa was the Native land of the Sani as the Bantus and Zulus couldn't traverse the Sambezi river as they weren't opposite to claims not people able to build real ships even when Afro Centrists lunch this utopian claims same as they had no iron before the Whites and Arabs brought them this materials which usually weere paid for with slaves.

[@billschnelzer9943]

The whites never should have settled in South Africa!!!...

[@ViginiaMolai]

Bullshit. black Africans were her before your ancestors arrived hell even the Portuguese were here before the Dutch

[@ViginiaMolai]

U know you're talking bullshit, black people were her long time before Dutch people came hell even Portuguese came before your ancestors. And san people were a small population in the western part of Southern Africa and there were no borders until your ancestors came

[@AdriaanStander-gc4wt]

After Piet Retief & his men were murdered (Retief & his son were skinned alive) Dingaan's impies murdered Retief's whole encampment during the night. President Paul Kruger of the ZAR was a 12 year old boy during this time, he wrote later in his life about the horror they witnessed the next morning at Retief's the camp. Today the site is called Weenen (Weeping) in remembrance of what happened there that night.

[@cliffmays442]

Men who were fighters okay, women and children not okay. I always tended to think of the Zulus as "the good guys". Not any more!! You promise a safe meeting and you attack? B.S. Zulus you caused your defeat . Attacking a hospital? I always of the Zulus as brave, but attacking the sick and wounded? Again I am with the British.

[@stevenchristy3175]

Should do the same with Indians they did it as well.

[@cinematicbattles559]

If you look back at these conflicts people are quick to demonise the British, they were not right for invading Zululand but then again, the Zulus have done similar things to local tribes, it is never as clear as good and bad

[@billredding2000]

What was worse though is the Boers had to disarm before entering the meeting area, so they were utterly defenseless, could only fight with bare hands. UNLIKE this video as it shows them armed -- they weren't. As for the "noble" Zulus (as some people still think of them -- just "innocent victims"), look up what they did to a number of Boer (Trekker) wagon trains -- no mercy: Killed every man, woman and child. Repeatedly. Until Blood River. And they caused grief for other African tribes aroudn them as well -- as American Indians did to each other, and the Mexican Aztecs did to neighboring tribes. "Tribalism" at it's best. The myth of the "Noble Savage." Right... -- BR

[@oliverpearson1577]

@@cinematicbattles559 All military societies are colonisers of one sort or another.

[@surfahdoc]

Look up Weenen.

[@billredding2000]

The video doesn't explain the latter part of the battle, why it was called Blood River. -- BR

[@Tomm4070]

becouse the battle was near blood river

[@billredding2000]

@@Tomm4070 No, that's not why.

[@juanindojorgijanad782]

The Boers were victorious and the Zulus were defeated at the Battle of Blood River.

[@Stefan-X24]

This gives the impression the boers were trained soldiers.

[@lewislibre]

Nope just educated Christians

[@gerhardtvanhuyssteen4492]

@Stefan-X24 just ordinary citizens

[@KingOfAfrica90]

The Zulus won more battles against the Dutch settlers

[@paultyson4389]

One minute in and it is clear that you have absolutely no idea what happened. The Boers left their guns outside the Zulu capital and were seated.

[@damionkeeling3103]

They were then captured and lead away to a place of execution where they were clubbed to death. Retief was the last to die, having witnessed the deaths of his son and men - around a hundred people were killed.

[@charlesvanonselen6251]

The Laager had wagons on ALL sides, even on the riverside. The laager also had women, children and servants inside it. The cannon was aimed down a donga where Zulus were funnelled down the natural ravine which helped to cause horrendous carnage. It was from these dead that the river "ran" red with blood. The veteran soldiers also shot at the young impi for fleeing the battefield which was considered cowardice and contrary to Shaka's old laws. This also accounted for many of the dead Zulus. Why no mention of casualties for both sides and the vow the Boers took prior to the battle?

[@lowiq3409]

No women and children at all

[@charlesvanonselen6251]

@@lowiq3409 definitely women and children - they lived in the wagons. The kommandos were mobile on their horses and used to come back to the laager when they had completed their patrol

[@tabletsam5624]

How did the boere cavallery engage the fleeing zulu army. Did they carry sabers or lances? Or where they able to load their Muscets on horseback? This is the part i dont understand and nobody can answer me.

[@joelmclamore1898]

Good question

[@Stefan-X24]

Oh my, swords and trumpets! 😅

[@raynardkarlileuvennink531]

This is really an epic video. thanks for all the effort.

[@cinematicbattles559]

Thanks Glad you enjoyed it!

[@foleykilkenny53]

Can you do The Battle of Little bighorn?

[@GnrMilligan]

Was the software that rendered the animation created by JJ Abrams? Never seen so many weapons glinting in the sunlight.

[@Canadianvoice]

It's a video game, being used to help educate and spread awareness of historical events? Have you created content similiar and or better? It's easy to be a quick judge when you have put 0 % effort in. How about lighten up? Find something better to do with your time than just sh*t on other people because your life is sad.

[@GnrMilligan]

@@Canadianvoice Steady on there, I was merely making a light hearted joke about the software used, and JJ's use of lense flare. I think the videos are good. Otherwise I wouldn't be watching them. And I am a really chilled guy, I don't need to lighten up. I don't even insult people online if I disagree with a comment. I just scroll on!

[@Canadianvoice]

@@GnrMilligan sorry. Just saw a bunch of sad people insulting this guy simply making a video game machina video

[@svenm7264]

Fwiw I kinda like the glint.

[@zach7193]

Saw the original version of the battle. It was good. Zulus in the battle were no match for the Boer marksmen. They were massacred. Beginning of control in South Africa.

[@JohnSmith-ct5jd]

Really? Please.

[@WilliamBurton-uc8yc]

They got out of there faster than a runaway slave.

[@nenaddelic1593]

Remind me who started it by luring guests into trap?

[@JohnSmith-ct5jd]

@@nenaddelic1593 Good point. Liberal historians always like to portray the white man as the bad guy.

[@tommyjohnson1052]

Can we get one on the LITTLE BIGHORN??

[@gertstraatenvander4684]

Piet is pronounced with the same ie as in Retief, ho can you get one right and the other wrong?

[@brianferris8668]

Why are the cannoneers wearing British Army uniforms? Why are Boer farmers wearing uniforms?

[@tree3910]

It's a game mod sir

[@a.b3203]

This ought to be one of history's most famous battles. The day when some 664 ill-trained, uncompromising settlers gallantly defeated the hordes of Zulus numbering tens of thousands. And they didn't lose a single soul...

[@IronDave100]

The Boers in this video appear to be armed with Martini Henry breech loading rifles that were not invented until 32 years later. The Boers at blood river predominantly used muzzle loading smooth bore muskets which made their victory all the more stunning. Blood river is the most miraculous defensive battle I have ever read about and makes Rorke’s Drift look like a picnic given the vast superiority in firepower that the British had in the latter battle.

[@cinematicbattles559]

Thanks for the comment, unfortunately using these guns was the only option with the game I am using

[@billredding2000]

Each man had 2-3 (at least) muskets, so they were reloaded by others while the men were on the front line firing. This allowed them to keep up a regular rate of fire even with muskets, reducing the time between shots were only using/reloading 1 rifle. THAT may have made a huge difference in winning the battle as well. -- BR

[@GavinHurt-s9h]

I believe the boer got hold of Lee Enfields and Mausers.

[@billredding2000]

@@GavinHurt-s9h Yes, but that was way later (late 1800s), and they mainly had 7mm Mausers so the British were outgunned as they only had Enfields. Enfields used by Boers were probably captured ones, as the Boers were constantly short of military supplies and struggled with that issue the entire time of the Boer Wars. -- BR

[@peaceraybob]

I don't think you understand what a naval Carronade is. They are extremely short, large-calibre guns normally mounted on slides rather than trucks. I seriously doubt that a 6pdr Carronade ever existed, as 18pdrs are the smallest that I have heard of. Did you mean 68pdr? What you showed looked more like a Napoleon 12pdr, for one thing.

[@billmckechnie52]

This is a very poor and inaccurate depiction of the lead up to the battle and the actual battle.

[@cinematicbattles559]

My apologies some things are hard to get right due to physical limitations in the game I’m using

[@gerhardtvanhuyssteen4492]

​@@cinematicbattles559 baie dankie

[@williamanderson6006]

Then you make a video smart guy

[@billmckechnie52]

@@cinematicbattles559 Thanks for taking time to explain the situation wrt the software. I'm very interested in the history of the development of southern Africa and have read a few of the original accounts of the battle and have visited the site.

[@martinthorogood6223]

There's always one isn't there 😂😂😂

[@travisdonaldstanley6420]

Crom, I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that 500+ stood against many. That's what's important! Valor pleases you, Crom... so grant me one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to HELL with you!

[@Paul_maistre]

Can you do the battle of sinop which was a naval engagement that lead to the start of the Crimean war where a outnumbered Russian Black Sea fleet destroyed an entire ottoman fleet with only one ship escaping and the Russians won since they changed naval warfare forever by using explosive shells for the first time in naval warfare which were incredibly powerful against the wooden hulls of a ship

[@HansJuergBangerter]

took the Russians only 20 minutes to defeat the Ottoman fleet..Catharina the Great had settled Swiss Wine-growers from both the German and the French part and also German farmers on Crimea which were very prosperous and only when Stalin deported them ceded to exist.

[@deanford1795]

What round is it i think I hear a bell

[@golden.lights.twinkle2329]

What happened to the 3000 dead Zulu bodies?

[@GavinHurt-s9h]

Vultures? Plenty in Africa.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

There weren't 3,000 dead. Vast exaggeration that has no parallels in larger battles in South Africa with far more guns and firepower.

[@janhviljoen]

Numerous inaccuracies in this video.

[@darrenvalenzuela347]

yo when will you have the anglo-boer war series ?

[@paulharrold]

The Zulus were clearly brave fighters , hard to believe they didn't even have bows and arrows by this time ? why ?

[@cinematicbattles559]

Because the Zulu as a people didn't rely on hunting as they had cattle and they basically just lost the need to use them

[@paulharrold]

@@cinematicbattles559 They fought the Brits and Boers for decades and in that entire time they never thought of using a standoff weapon like the bow ? They were Ignorant and backward people still living in the stone age , they were bound to lose. Out of the 20,000 that attacked that day had 5000 been bow men the Boers would have never had a chance.

[@damionkeeling3103]

@@paulharrold Bows existed but weren't fighting weapons - call it a mental block of sorts. The Celts of ancient Europe did the same, had bows but didn't use them for battle, preferring javelins, and slings were used during sieges. A huge force of archers was gathered for the final major battle against the Romans at Alesia but they didn't have much effect, they had no idea how to coordinate an arrow barrage and likely were shorter range bows for shooting small animals like hares and birds. Archery as a war art seems to have been largely absent from much of Europe at the time, not just the Celts. Archery had more acceptance in eastern Europe where the Sarmatians used bows and Cretan archers were famous for the era. Bows were more common in North Africa.

[@donnash5813]

Zulu would have had captured rifles.

[@rickwalbu]

And who is winning now?

[@joelmclamore1898]

Communists

Most Africans despised the Zulu.

[@JD0124]

Brilliant defensive position. At first, I was like, "How would they escape if they needed to withdraw?" Then, I realized they could not be attacked from two directions. Zulus took this one on the chin!

[@svenm7264]

Sounds like the Zulu's transition away from throwing spears was a bad move. Inferior to guns to be sure, but a few thousand showering over the wagon circle and falling on the defenders would have helped the attack. A charge across open ground against a defender with projectile weapons by an attacker with only shock weapons, needless to say, is a dicey proposition at best.

[@charlesvanonselen6251]

The Zulus transition away from throwing spears to the short stabbing spear (ingwe) was what allowed the Zulus to dominate their neighbours and form the Zulu nation. Up until then, they had never really faced disciplined musket fire. The short stabbing assegaai is extremely deadly in close combat and muskets do take time to reload. After th initial volley fire of muskets, the Zulus would have had time to close with the Boers (and later British). The Zulus were also extremely fit and excellent at sustained running. Zulus could move faster through heavy brush while on foot compared to even horse riders. You also need to remember that the wagon laager did have dead ground around it due to dongas and heavy bush. The river was high so it was difficult to approach en masse from there. Lastly, the Zulus also carried knopkerries, which is effectively a club which was also deadly in their hands.

[@Rugia-ox7hx]

Poor rendering of the Zulus. Are they black or are they brown? Zulus were in fact of a lighter brown complexion. There are no palm trees in the area! It's NOT the tropics.

[@williamanderson6006]

That's a you problem

[@marcquesnel1324]

I agree, a lot of inaccuracies and mistakes.

[@carloscortez-hv2oh]

could you explain just a few?

[@GrumblingGrognard]

Well-done video that reminds me why I turn off the "glow-in-the-dark effect" they call reflection in Total War. ymmv of course. ;)

[@Ginger4789]

They the Zulus haven’t changed much evolution has stood still 😢😢😢😢😢

[@wesleyleary6210]

It was God's victory and the boer. Praise be onto God for all of eternity

[@gerardhogan3]

Smart man. Good defence strategy on the river. Dont hippos eat the crap out of people?

[@craigbritz1684]

Whats with the wagons laying on their sides? they were upright during the battle, they had to be , this is stupid.

[@cinematicbattles559]

My apologies the game has limitations and you can only place them on their side

[@travisdonaldstanley6420]

​@@cinematicbattles559 "No one told you to stop working." JK. I thought I would help you laugh. Some of the comments here are from haters. Your videos are not stupid. Thanks for the hard work.

[@timadams6801]

In 1838...thay used muzzled rifles and older smooth bore...the cartridge was not invented yet..check your Intel

[@aldosigmann419]

Excellent overview of such an epic clash.

[@edthibeault3389]

Who is the idiot that screwed up this whole battle,for starters the wagons were not laid down on their sides!

[@cinematicbattles559]

My apologies the game has limitations and you can only place them on their side

[@williamanderson6006]

Lighten up edbeau

[@artemiskasparian9101]

This must have been before the British came along in South Africa.

[@cinematicbattles559]

Indeed it was

[@rev.dr.davidcole8915]

Boers 3 wounded Kaffers 3000 killed

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Fantasy numbers.

[@gerhardtvanhuyssteen4492]

jys verkeerd....dit was 4000 kaffers

[@Dewald-jg5os]

​@@lyndoncmp5751cry more

[@KingOfAfrica90]

Typical racist

[@ZaraPoeta]

much appreciated for the overview, however although the script is mostly historical correct the animation not. For the uninformed about the Boer history that could give a Totally Wrong perspective.... but thanks for the video I suggest for people that don't understand Afrikaans, start with this video and then look at the more "video accurate" Afrikaans versions for footage

[@hansgrobler541]

Historical not really correct.

[@AbrahamGraham-u3m]

First of all the boar's left there weapon's outside the kraal as a sign of good faith . They were than attacked unarmed & murdered. There bodies were thrown over the cliff & left to rot . The battle of blood river was won because they swore a oth to God to build a church & give that day to God by celebrating him if he let them live & future generations.

[@johnhamaker8441]

Bring the Bores to Chicago !

[@joelmclamore1898]

Good idea 💡👍😅

[@rduvin]

Wildly inaccurate in so many respects that is has to be considered comedy, not history

[@IronDave100]

Yep. They’re using Martini Henry’s in 1838.

[@cinematicbattles559]

@@IronDave100 Thanks for the comment, unfortunately using these guns was the only option with the game I am using

[@williamanderson6006]

Don't watch problem solved

[@GusNdong-gg1bz]

Mereka zulu cm gunakan tombak atau pedang knpa panah tidak ada..KLO pasukan panah dipasang pasti byk korban dipasukan eropa

[@larryhand7219]

The Dutch fought with the best German rifles available

[@alexalston7428]

Martinis in 1838😂😂

[@leomarsubala115]

Coralie🇳🇱🇿🇦 ancestors during settle in Africa and before making another conflict against Torche🇬🇧 ancestors.

[@annacarter6559]

Dishonourable 1:12

[@leeherbert8277]

Zulus just hop stepping boom boom dance now

[@flaviopitanga65]

The Boars should not be there anyway. They invaded Zulu land

[@benbarber6956]

True and correct both the Dutch 🇳🇱 and the British 🇬🇧 were not entitled to claim land for farming south Africa 🇿🇦 belongs to the Zulus and other native black 🖤 African tribes

[@FrikDeBruyn]

Your info on our ancestors wars against the native tribes are absolute rubbish your researchers should study more history books to get better info on what really happened that time in south africa.

[@edthibeault3389]

Ok I am sorry 👍

[@big58jazz]

More revisionist history 🤦‍♂️

[@ionidhunedoara1491]

Depends on how you spin the mfecane and the weenen incident.

[@joelmclamore1898]

It's entertainment

[@gggaryjon67]

The boers were obviously colonial invaders in Africa, with superior weapons, etc.

[@JohnKearney-xx7os]

Half true half a bull shit

[@wrsmith711]

terrible animation.

[@captainrusca]

No bro

[@johnhamaker8441]

Zulu cook pot full that night !