The British-Zulu War 1879 (4K Documentary)

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The Anglo-Zulu War in 1879 is one of the most well known colonial wars of the British Empire. And while the British ultimately won and annexed the Zulu Kingdom, at the Battle of Isandlwana they suffered one of their worst defeats.
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Raymond Martin, Konstantin Bredyuk, Lisa Anderson, Brad Durbin, Jeremy K Jones, Murray Godfrey, John Ozment, Stephen Parker, Mavrides, Kristina Colburn, Stefan Jackowski, Cardboard, William Kincade, William Wallace, Daniel L Garza, Chris Daley, Malcolm Swan, Christoph Wolf, Simen Røste, Jim F Barlow, Taylor Allen, Adam Smith, James Giliberto, Albert B. Knapp MD, Tobias Wildenblanck, Richard L Benkin, Marco Kuhnert, Matt Barnes, Ramon Rijkhoek, Jan, Scott Deederly, gsporie, Kekoa, Bruce G. Hearns, Hans Broberg, Fogeltje
» SOURCES
Norman Holme, The Noble 24th: Biographical Records of the 24th Regiment in the Zulu War and the South African Campaign 1877 to 1879.
Saul David, Zulu: The Heroism and Tragedy of the Zulu War of 1879
James Hammer Papers, James to his father, undated letter, National Army Museum.
T.E. Newmarch Papers, ‘Looking Back’, unpublished memoir, Killie Campbell Africana Library, Durban
William Wright, A British Lion in Zululand: Sir Garnet Wolseley in South Africa
Donald Morris, The Washing of the Spears: The Rise and Fall of the Great Zulu Nation
John Laband, Zulu Warriors
John Laband, Fight Us in the Open: The Anglo-Zulu War Through Zulu Eyes
Ian Beckett, Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana
Ken Gillings, The Battles of Kwa-Zulu Natal
Jeff Guy, The Destruction of the Zulu Kingdom
Ian Knight, The Anatomy of the Zulu Army
Barry Johnson, The Life of Henry Hook VC
Richard Cope, The Ploughshare of War: The Origins of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879
Natal Mercury, 22 January 1929, ‘A Zulu Warrior Recalls the War’
»CREDITS
Presented by: Jesse Alexander
Written by: Spencer Jones, Jesse Alexander
Director: Toni Steller & Florian Wittig
Director of Photography: Toni Steller
Sound: Toni Steller
Editing: Toni Steller
Motion Design: Toni Steller
Mixing, Mastering & Sound Design: above-zero.com
Research by: Spencer Jones
Fact checking: Jesse Alexander
Channel Design: Simon Buckmaster
Contains licensed material by getty images and AP
Maps: MapTiler/OpenStreetMap Contributors & GEOlayers3
Music Library: Epidemic Sound
All rights reserved - Real Time History GmbH 2023

[@realtimehistory]

Nebula with 40% off annual subscription with my link: go.nebula.tv/realtimehistory Watch Tipu Sultan: Tiger or Tyrant?: nebula.tv/videos/extra-history-tipu-sultan?ref=realtimehistory

[@realtimehistory]

And check out the latest video from the Royal Armouries to learn more about a special Zulu war related version of the Martini Henry rifle: kzbin.info/www/bejne/epvCmHauZdmmqassi=U_b5zv5S0QnLE8GP

[@Angrymuscles]

Always great to absorb more history at every turn, thank you all. I'm still holding out hope for the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 and the build-up to it.

[@theeaselrider4032]

Shaka Zulu - starring The Hoff!. I can't even begin to imagine such a thing, charging towards the Zulu army in his red bathing shorts and welding his tint surf board and blowing his whistle. Before he reunited Germany, I'm guessing.

[@MysteryPunisher]

Tiger

[@NobleKorhedron]

​@@realtimehistory But isn't there still a Bonaparte working in the City of London; near the same firm as Arthur Mornington, Marquess of Duro...?

[@MichaelGalanopoulos]

My French wife just knows Jesse as that “guy who makes a lot of history videos and speaks French well.”

[@jessealexander2695]

I'll take that!

[@danieljerram7964]

😂😂

[@maxsteevens4534]

Isn’t that how we all know him :)

[@ThealmightyMatt]

Jesse, I am extremely impressed with your pronunciation @5:57 !! You are one of my favourite historians and I've always appreciated your attention to accurate pronunciations of words from foreign languages, it really helps draw one into the story / documentary. Keep up the amazing work!

[@jessealexander2695]

Thanks!

[@tommypgn7588]

I was flabbergasted

[@Another_opinion_]

I thought it was a glitch. I had to stop and listen to it again. Amazing, really.

[@xanderabbey8529]

This is a mighty stretch, but do you happen to play Battlefield 4, often on E4GL servers? Your profile pic and a few other things lead me to believe that you might be the very person I'm thinking of xD

[@davethorstry6700]

??? Not correct and not fluent, from a Xhosa speaker.

[@michaelmutranowski123]

it's so cool that the actually person's descendant was in the movie

[@cordial001]

One of my favorite historical periods. Thanks for giving it some excellent coverage

[@aeliusromanus9338]

Isandlwana battle is depicted in a movie released in 1979 named Zulu Dawn. Listening to Jesse describing the battle brought to my mind the images of the movie. Do not confuse with ZULU that is about the battle of Rorker's Drift filmed in 1964.

[@joebombero1]

Great movie but at the time Melville's ride to save the colors was seen as an officer abandoning his men and fleeing the battle. Really interesting digging in to this rabbit hole.

[@tlow8745]

Zulu Dawn a much better film IMO. Bring up the Brass Bathtub!

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Zulu Dawn is very inaccurate and agenda driving. The idea that Durnford was the all wise hero is nauseating. He was tactically responsible for the defeat.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

@joebombero1 Melville was almost certainly ordered by Pulleine to save the Colour. We know the Colour was brought from the guard tent in the Saddle to the front left of the camp, because Melville was seen riding with the Colour back the opposite way. Pulleine likely tried to rally with the Colour and when that failed he probably ordered them to be taken to safety. The Colour was never supposed to be captured by the enemy. Melville and Coghill were rightly posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. Melville carried the heavy cumbersome Colour all the way to the Buffalo River, when it would have been easier to dump it. Bravely holding onto the Colour cost him his life. He even tried to hold onto it when he was being swept away in the river. He was a brave man, doing his duty.

[@tlow8745]

@@lyndoncmp5751 sounds more like a fool to me

[@jona.scholt4362]

Jesse and RTH covering British Colonial Wars? Sign me up! I would also love to see him cover the Britain's Mahidist War in Sudan from that era. Also, I think Napoleon's Wars in Italy would be interesting and could then be followed up with a video on the Second Italian War of Independence, Napoleon III and the Battle of Solferino. Just a thought, but I'll take whatever this channel puts out.

[@realtimehistory]

Definitely up for more pre 20th century stuff.

[@ShubhamMishrabro]

Indian rebellion of 1858

[@JaemanEdwards]

Or the New Zealand Wars where the fierce Maori, who were always heavily outnumbered and outgunned, fought a brutal 30 year war with the British Empire, leading to a peace treaty.

[@Jorlaan42]

Great video as usual. It is interesting timing for this to come out. Micheal Caine just announced his official retirement and the movie Zulu was his official first. Funny little conincidence.

[@realtimehistory]

Oh wow!

[@azimisyauqieabdulwahab9401]

Michael Caine is now age 91 years old

[@azimisyauqieabdulwahab9401]

​@@realtimehistorynot just Michael Caine in this film, Stanley Baker also join this film

[@Jorlaan42]

@@azimisyauqieabdulwahab9401 Indeed he is, he deserves to retire. I am however rather looking forward to The Great Escaper, his last film and he's the star.

[@Wilhelm-100TheTechnoAdmiral]

You mean Academy Award winner Michael Caine, who was directed by Steven Seagal in "On Deadly Ground?"

[@MrSlinky]

Listening to jesse talk is my favorite way to listen to history documentaries. I love the attention to small details and personal accounts of the people of whome the history is about

[@siphiwembiyela3886]

This war was a tragic one for my people because it lead to many women burying their husband's and sons. My family Egazini is another arm of the Zulu royal house hold and the men in the family were dying in great numbers during this war that King Cetshwayo had to call a meeting to order them not to go to war anymore but they refused saying they can't sit at home with women while the rest of the men are fighting for their lands. My direct ancestor Memezi fought in all the anglo zulu wars from sandlwana and hlobane where he was shot several times and to ulundi. He died in his old age around 1906/07 fighting in the so-called Bhambatha rebellion.

[@jfkmuldermedia]

Mfowethu 🤲🏻.

[@JaemanEdwards]

Your ancestors needed better war strategies

[@mudra5114]

​@@JaemanEdwardsThe Zulus were the Spartans of Southern Africa.

[@JaemanEdwards]

@@mudra5114 Spartans who relied on human wave attacks. Dumb warriors.

[@mudra5114]

@@JaemanEdwards But brave warriors.

[@OtherM112594]

That pronunciation of Xhosa was impressive 😮

[@jackharvey7750]

Perfect. This video definitely needed to be created by you guys 👍👍

[@jankusthegreat9233]

I just finished watching the Zulu movie yesterday

[@Wilhelm-100TheTechnoAdmiral]

It still stands up today. Great movie.

[@Black-Sun_Kaiser]

I did not know that about Bonaparte. Interesting. Brilliant as always jesse

[@VikingTeddy]

He was the last undisputed heir, but the Bonaparte line is actually alive and well, it didn't end with Louis-Napoleon. Believe it or not, but there are *still* Bonapartists who want to see the imperium restored 😁

[@Black-Sun_Kaiser]

@VikingTeddy oh wow. I did not know that. I've actually researched the napoleonic wars a whole lot but never heard that or the Zulu part. Thanks for sharing

[@Wilhelm-100TheTechnoAdmiral]

I am sure Louis-Napoleon was gratified to die in battle as a warrior

[@VikingTeddy]

@@Wilhelm-100TheTechnoAdmiral Iirc the Zulu who fought him praised him sky high as a noble and brave warrior. That's not a bad legacy.

[@Wilhelm-100TheTechnoAdmiral]

@@VikingTeddy Vive le roi!

[@xaviermadrazo7249]

What a great documentary. Thank you so much!

[@Jesse-cx4si]

Such a great channel for historical uploads! And Jesse’s apparent command of language and pronunciation is equally impressive. 👌

[@micahistory]

very nice video, I had heard about Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift but not much else, thanks for the video

[@adamndirtyape]

Excellent video as usual.

[@Sabelzahnmowe]

Very interesting war and time period. Thank you for the great Video.

[@Cybonator]

Kudos on the pronunciations!

[@Wilhelm-100TheTechnoAdmiral]

Que?

[@anarwally]

Another well done video. Thanks.

[@jason-gf8dg]

This was amazing !

[@cuddlepoo11]

Another great video!!!

[@SecNotSureSir]

My favorite part of the movie Zulu, was the depiction of Pvt Samuel Hyde in a self defense situation.

[@MCLuviin]

He couldnt keep getting away with it... but he did

[@maxasaurus3008]

Mr. Alexander you are Great at what you do, keep it up!

[@jessealexander2695]

Thanks!

[@robmcdowall2217]

Thank you for this video!

[@jessealexander2695]

You're welcome!

[@fuferito]

Thanks!

[@dansmith4077]

Excellent documentary thank you

[@amotaba]

best military history channel i know

[@user-fs7np7xo1m]

Awesome documentary

[@owenkosibuthelezi3081]

No details were left out. Not to mention but your pronunciation was on point 💯

[@wernerheenop]

Can you please do an episode on the South-West African border war. Or the Rhodesian Bush War.

[@realtimehistory]

we're considering it. but it's really messy to cover so need some time for it.

[@extrahistory8956]

YEAH BABY! THIS IS WHAT WE WANTED, THIS WHAT IS ALL ABOUT! Alright, jokes aside, I'm glad you kept your promise from a year ago. So, uh, Boxer Rebellion next, right?

[@realtimehistory]

Boxer Rebellion is still on our to-do list, but we haven't come around to it yet

[@welcometonebalia]

Thank you.

[@bigsarge2085]

Incredible documentary on important but rarely taught (in the West) history.

[@balabanasireti]

Just say British history. No offense but not everyone in the West needs to learn this

[@SanjaySamel-li2kn]

Wonderful

[@shawndiplock7577]

My great great grandmother is zulu and met my great great grandpa was a British soldier during the British zulu war your content of the zulu war is my history thank you

[@Cybonator]

The British wars against the Xhosa aren't as well known in the West, but it took the British (and earlier Dutch) nearly 100 years to completely subdue them

[@silasrocco]

that's such a dishonest comment. If the British goal was to eliminate the xhosa, it would have been over in a matter of weeks

[@martijn9568]

​@@silasroccoThat's kinda true for many colonial wars isn't it? But European powers couldn't send their entire army's to a foreign continent, lest they be fobbled up by another European power.

[@Cybonator]

@@silasrocco that's a massive over-estimation of the fighting capacity of European powers in Africa prior to the invention of the Maxim gun; and an extreme under-estimation of the warfare abilities of Xhosa.

[@silasrocco]

@@martijn9568 that's true, but the op made it sound like the British were having a hard slog of it over 100 years of fighting, when in reality that wasn't the case. The Xhosa wars mainly consisted of different tribes squabbling over border issues and the protection of European farmers

[@silasrocco]

@@Cybonator Absolutely not! Look into the battle of Grahamstown in 1819, one of the only engagements of note during this series of 'wars'. No Maxim gun

[@oldesertguy9616]

I was always a little hazy about the events of this period. This put things in perspective.

[@user-io1bo5gr2m]

I thought that your enlightening perspective was wickedly ace and refreshing after the rest of the versions of this tragic event. I like the idea of assymetric tactics and strategies .♤♤♤

[@Scottie444]

Awesome... Thanks. They should think about doing a film about this. It also gives a whole new meaning to the term.... The thin red line. Well it does for me anyway 👍

[@foobar6345]

Eyy, Jesse pronounced the click consonant in Xhosa :D

[@jessealexander2695]

I tried!

[@foobar6345]

​@@jessealexander2695They're fun to try and produce, aren't they? I learned about them in a (surprisingly unrelated) linguistics course a few years ago and I still find myself practicing them when cleaning the dishes or the like

[@Spanner249]

Germans and their love of Hasselhoff

[@rauhau_]

intresting history

[@joshuabamford9500]

That pronunciation of Xhosa People is outstanding! I have many South Sudanese friends who speak Dinka, while obviously not Xhosa, however has many "click" sounds to many words. They told me your pronunciation was perfect and in general is really hard to learn the correct tongue movements to make the sound. Truly outstanding Jesse!

[@jessealexander2695]

Thanks!

[@KTcherassen]

Great video! I don't understand how Louis Napoleon's death ended the Bonaparte line forever. He was succeded by another member of the Bonaparte family

[@user-qt7nq5xl1m]

I am fascinated with this era in history. And also, into the Boer wars. I don't know maybe it's because in America we haven't learned very much about this time in history. I find it fascinating. Learning something new everyday I am!

[@otisarmyalso]

Excellent pronunciations

[@ByronBanger]

Interesting fact, about 20 years after this, during the Boer War, both Winston Churchill and Ghandi were at The Battle of Spioen Kop! Would love to see a video on that battle!

[@xellotecky]

Zulu is a great movie and those men were gods among chattel

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Durnford was the main reason for the defeat at Isandlwana. Instead of sticking to his orders and those given to Pulleine he flouted them and did not want to remain in the camp acting only on the defensive. Instead he wanted to take the fight to the Zulus and rode off out to attack them, dispersing the forces and pressuring Pulleine to support his rash venture. That was the reason Pulleine had to send the 24th Foot firing line out far, because Durnford sent forces further out, including the rocket battery. Pulleine had to protect their line of withdrawal. Before Durnford arrived that morning, Pulleine actually took up a defensive position right in front of the tents. It was Durnford who turned defence into attack. Durnford was the senior commander. Pulleine had to follow Durnford's decision. By the way, the Zulus did not lure Chelmsford out. This is a myth. You don't lure a force out two days before you plan to attack. The Zulus did not plan to attack Isandlwana until the following day, the 23rd. Chelmsford only went out because the recon patrol requested assistance. If the recon patrol didn't foolishly spend the night of the 21st/22nd in the hills and ask Chelmsford for help, he wouldn't have sent half the force out. The Zulus had no way of knowing the recon patrol would stay out overnight. Everyone expected them to return to the camp on the afternoon/evening of 21st.

[@ohlangeni]

It is Nguni military tradition to present a decoy of small fast moving warriors for the enemy to attack. While attacking, the enemy is attacked on its rear with the main force. The same military tactic was applied at Isandlwana. The Zulu army had stop briefly at Mangweni hills meeting with Inkosi Matshana's warriors. The Zulu then moved to Isandlwana stealthly by night. The decoy under iNkosi Matshana Sithole harrassed the British scouts creating an impression the main Zulu army was there. That is the reason Lord Chelmsford took to the field towards Mangeni with half his army. He was lured there. The Zulu were suppose to attack him since he was on the field (as per Zulu standing order that European army must not be attacked when garrisoned / laagered or fortified). However, the discovery of the Zulu army before it could mount an attack on Chelmsfort's column, forced the Zulu to attack the remained stationary column at Isandlwana.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Not true at all. It's a complete myth. If the recon patrol had done what they were supposed to do and return to Isandlwana on the afternoon/evening after completing their recon then Chelmsford WOULDN'T have gone out with half the force. Chelmsford was annoyed that the recon patrol decided to stay out in the hills overnight. It was supposed to return. Chelmsford only took half the force out on the morning of the 22nd because the recon patrol asked for assistance, fearing a morning attack from the main impi. Chelmsford would not have split the force into a flying column without the recon patrol making that mistake. More to the point, why 'decoy' Chelmsford out in the early morning of the 22nd when the Zulus were not planning to attack Isandlwana until the 23rd? Chelmsford left Isandlwana to go to the assistance of the recon patrol at around 4.00 am. The Zulu impi was STILL sitting on its backside in its hiding place and not advancing on the camp at Isandlwana some EIGHT HOURS later when it was discovered around midday. It was NOT in the process of advancing on the camp. It was due to attack the following day. THERE WAS NO ZULU DECOY.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

A senior Zulu at Isandlwana, Mehlokazulu kaSihayo categorically stated: "No orders were given to attack on the 22nd, it was not our day. Our day was the following day. It being the new moon, we did not intend to fight.....We did not know that the army had been divided, as we did not send spies into their camp" This is proof there was no decoy to lure Chelmsford out, as the Zulus didnt even KNOW he went out. It's further proven by the fact the Zulus did nothing about it and were still doing nothing about it when their hiding place was discovered 8 hours later. Source. Zulu Rising, pages 394-396 by Ian Knight.

[@caractacusbrittania7442]

It's an old victorian myth to blame durnford, Fostererd by Chelmsford, it took the finger of blame from him. Durfords heroic stand at the donga, on the right front of pulleins line, held the zulu left horn in check, for over an hour. Zulu survivors commented to ga henty and Melton prior, after the war, that the zulu were unable to advance Here, that the white men were dismounted in a donga and the fire from them was terrible. This stand at the donga Was only defeated by the left horn, going even further left, and so out flanking durnford. Even then, durnford held, Untill eventually he was stabbed with an assagai. The battlefield burial parties of may/June 1879, discovered durnfords body in the donga, his hair grey, his blue jacket tattered, but his face remarkably untouched by insects, the skin dried and leathery. Chelmsford takes the blame for isandlwana, His orders to pull eine vague, he did not order pulleine to laager the camp, although he said he did, as the camp would be moved by nightfall anyway. Pulleine, a decent man, had never commanded men in battle before, he was a novice, his disposition was his disposition alone Chelmsford never commanded in the field again. Hamilton brownie, after returning from Chelmsford at the mange I falls, to investigate reports of firing, sat out across the plain, and witnessed the chest of the zulu army charging the camp, he could nit see the right horn as they were hidden as the crossed the nek, but as his troopers closed slowly to around a mile out he started to come across zulu dead in heaps in the long grass, Opposite durnfords donga, or gulley. He withdrew after a zulu regiment spotted his men and began to close. Their we have witnesses to durnfords stand, and the toll it took of the zulu. In order of culpability, 1/chelmsford 2/pulleine(not his fault) 3/durnford(not his fault)

[@lyndoncmp5751]

@@caractacusbrittania7442 No, modern military appraisals cite Durnford to blame tactically. Durnford was ordered up to Isandlwana, after the camp was left short of men. Durnford was not ordered to go anywhere else, only to Isandlwana. When Durnford arrived, this took the rifle strength up to a respectable circa 1,000. Had Durnford remained there and acted in unison with Pulleine the camp likely would have held out. Chelmsford ordered Pulleine to keep his forces drawn in and to act only on the defensive. This is exactly what Pulleine was doing before Durnford arrived. Durnford turned defence into attack when he took over command. He dispersed forces out far and wide and he pressured Pulleine to support him. This is why Pulleine sent and kept the firing line out. To cover the withdrawal not only of Durnfords men but also the Rocket Battery and NNC that Durnford sent out miles. Durnfords defence of the donga, while brave, was unwise. It was always going to eventually be out flanked. The Zulus were starting to manoeuvre in a wide arc to its south out of rifle range. Durnford ran out of ammo while still out there and his men could not fetch fresh supply because they couldn't find their own ammo wagon in the camp. Durnford made no effort to make sure where it would be located once it arrived. Durnford rode out to chase Zulus before his ammo wagon arrived at Isandlwana. Durnford unforgivably fought his own separate battle at Isandlwana. He remained at the donga and there he had a terrible view and awareness of the overall battle. As senior commander he should NEVER have remained at the donga. He should have left an officer in charge and ridden back to camp to confer with Pulleine and make preparations for the rest of the battle. He didnt. He carried on with his own battle at the donga and then when it went wrong he suddenly withdrew without warning the 24th and he left them in the lurch. Had Durnford foreseen what might happen he could have pre warned the 24th Foot firing line to start withdrawing first but Durnford was consumed by his own separate battle and his actions compromised Pulleine and the 24th. Durnford was largely to blame. With a thousand rifles in a closer defensive position just in front of the tents, the Zulus would probably have found it too hard to break through. Durnford ignored the orders he was given and he ignored the orders Pulleine was given.

[@vonsprague7913]

Superb synopsis of the campaign that i wish was twice as long. As a Brit i feel for the brave Zulu warriors. A very different story at Majuba hill in 1881 and Spion Kop in 1899 against the Boers though.

[@Wilhelm-100TheTechnoAdmiral]

It's amazing what brave men working together can do. The Zulu military continues to impress hundreds of years later.

[@silasrocco]

@@Wilhelm-100TheTechnoAdmiral if they were so impressive, how come no European powers adopted their methods/weapons?

[@Wilhelm-100TheTechnoAdmiral]

@silasrocco Their methods weren't entirely different from the standards of the time. They lacked the firepower and infrastructure of the British, and this led to their ultimate defeat. Regardless, the Zulu were courageous and aggressive against a much stronger enemy. That's admirable, even if you lose.

[@silasrocco]

@@Wilhelm-100TheTechnoAdmiral you realise they had way more firearms than the British at most if not all engagements during the Anglo-Zulu war right? Also they were off their faces at the time, which explains why they were so 'courageous'

[@ingold1470]

@@Wilhelm-100TheTechnoAdmiral If "standards of the time" refers to other peoples in southern Africa yes, if you're comparing to Europe and the Americas the only similarity is bayonet charges, which is a bit of a stretch.

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

It should be noted that in the Battle of Ulundi- the British used no fortifications but merely formed a square with the cavalry and supply units inside it. The Defeat at Isandlwana was due entirely to Pulleine's dispositions. He was trying to protect the entire, dispersed British Camp. If he had pulled back into Square with the ammunition wagons and less reliable troops in the center - he probably could have held the Zulu's off. Here it is important that the Native Troops of the Natal Native Contingent under the British NOT be included in the line. When this was so - these troops - 90% of whom were armed with spears - broke when attacked by the Zulu's and allowed the Zulus to penetrate the British Line to surprise and take from the rear some of their units - wiping them out. The NNC troops had been brought along to serve minor security and logistical duties so as not to expend more valuable British Infantry on these tasks. IIRC they were not included in the next campaign. For the smaller British Units - yes - there having fortifications was important to their survival - but - for the larger center forces - they didn't need to do it. All in all - Modern Western Military Units could slaughter the Natives - but - on several occasions, at the Little Big Horn and the Fetterman Massacre - their unit commanders made mistakes in their dispositions - were divided and dispersed - and were over whelmed. As at Isandlwana - it just doesn't seem to have occurred to the officers of these units that things like that could happen to them. .

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Durnford was the main reason for the defeat at Isandlwana. Instead of sticking to his orders and those given to Pulleine he flouted them and did not want to remain in the camp acting on the defensive. Instead he wanted to take the fight to the Zulus and rode off out to attack them, dispersing the forces and pressuring Pulleine to support his rash venture. That was the reason Pulleine had to send the 24th Foot firing line out far, because Durnford sent forces further out, including the rocket battery. Pulleine had to protect their line of withdrawal. Before Durnford arrived that morning, Pulleine actually took up a defensive position right in front of the tents. It was Durnford who turned defence into attack. Durnford was the senior commander. Pulleine had to follow Durnford's decision. Had Durnford remained in the camp and acted in unison with Pulleine, then with 1,000 riflemen in a tighter more concentrated firing perimeter, the Zulus would probably have failed to get through it. Whenever the British deployed concentrated firepower, the Zulus had no answer to it.

[@JaemanEdwards]

You obviously have never heard of the Maori. They fought a 30 year war leading to a peace treaty.

[@jameslovas9464]

Chelmsford strikes me as the origin of the "Donkey leading Lions" stereotype of British commander from the imperial era. With those ridiculous sideburns I find myself imagining his hubris and pomposity. I'm surprised he kept his job after Isandlwana!

[@wowthatsbs]

If you haven’t watched Zulu Dawn, I’d suggest it, great movie about the British defeat at Isandlwana

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Its very inaccurate and agenda driven. Durnford was tactically largely to blame, but he's the hero in the film. It's nauseating.

[@ahmedshaharyarejaz9886]

"Ya done messed up Chelmsford" is what Lord Chelmsford thought when he heard about Rorkes Drift.

[@andi.official4738]

Let’s go

[@mammuchan8923]

LOL there is actually a Zulu King movie with David Hasselhoff I just found out, high five RTH that was brilliant 🖐

[@khakiturtle6776]

You should do a video on the Ethiopians victory against the Italians

[@whiteknightcat]

Excellent pronunciation of the difficult names involved. Jesse practiced, and THIS is why actual human presenters will be superior to the text-to-speech software and AI generated content now flooding this platform.

[@DlK69]

7:23 Animation folgt... Are you a German or did you hire a German to Edit your Videos?

[@somedudewhocreatescontent3306]

the battle of isandlwana is a pure lessson for the british to not be overconfident.

[@ronaldstrange8981]

Very well presented which added to the interest. Most grateful.. England, April, 2024.

[@joerogers6043]

10:12 bookmark

[@merrygreenjane135]

A total war game about South africa warfare would be cool 😎 ❤

[@bflawless8040]

Dawg at 0:06 that is the Rome 2 fighting in the background, As you learn about the Zulus Romans are dying

[@Eglador]

Napoleon line still existed - Maria Walewska

[@VikingTeddy]

Iirc Napoleon 3rds line was ended, but not the Bonaparte family. There's still serious Bonapartists who want a Bonaparte as emperor (though you can probably count them with one hand).

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

The real-time history channel is always sharing excellent historical coverage episodes. It's super informative and fantastic explaining the political and ambitions of both Boor Republic and Britain for capturing more territories of Zulu kingdom's sovereignty ... military views labeled to firepower supermarcy of former British forces and its Nattal black mercenaries over primitive weapons of Zulu tribe's warriors. Zulu warriors defeated, but they wrote a high level of patriotism by theirs blood and sacrificed spirits

[@akumaking1]

Who’s ready for the Sabaton song?

[@richardkerry6552]

Who won in the end..?

[@JJake993]

Bruh imagine being a veteran of the "Loins" section

[@AphiweKava]

The Zulu Kingdom perished when King Cetshwayo was captured. Anyone after him is installed by UK, now South Africa.

[@lynndavid6040]

Thank you for an excellent history lesson. Very informative and entertaining. My shame at being born british knows no bounds. The best one can say is those were different times.

[@user-kz6vc1yn6p]

Shaka's war of consolidation and pincers movement tactics sounds a lot like a colonizers. But black on black crime is always ignored. Kind of like white white colonizing of the boer seems largely ignored as well. For those who think it is all about skin color and not the evils of human nature.

[@HenriHattar]

All in all the gaarrison at Rorkes drift had about 140 men NOT 400 and many of these were in the hospital as sick!

[@silasrocco]

you're right! Maybe he meant the NNC who ran as soon as they knew the zulu were on their way

[@christopheraliaga-kelly6254]

There was a cartoon in "Punch" magazine showing a sullen John Bull seated on a stool, while a Zulu, in full splendor, cooly writes on a class blackboard "Despise Not Your Enemy!" Well, the likes of the asinine Chelmsford taking on South Africa's equivalent of he Spartans!

[@JaemanEdwards]

The zulu warrior is not impressive

[@AlbionTarkhan]

British empire? You mean some soldiers from the UK beat a kingdom of warriors far from home.

[@khankrum1]

The Zulu tactics resemble Hannibal at the battle of Cannae

[@potatoebugz6310]

You're missing the successful Zulu Battle of Hlobane

[@JaemanEdwards]

The majority of the time, those dumb human wave attacks don't work.

[@setoki2838]

When youre some random Zulu cattle farmer, get conscripted into the army and then finish off one of the most well known family lines in history...

[@outlet6989]

Americans who know a little about their history can easily relate to this video. Just substitute American for British and Native American for Zulu. Substitute Isandlwana for The Battle of the Little Big Horn to make it even more apparent.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

And substitute Custer for Durnford. They even looked similar, with fancy hats and moustaches.

[@outlet6989]

Thank you for your reply. Another statement I wanted to add was overconfidence is the mother of all failures.@@lyndoncmp5751

[@JaemanEdwards]

Yes the two most evil nations in history

[@merlinwizard1000]

10th, 18 October 2023

[@davethorstry6700]

Immediately from one HUNDRED years of warring 1779 - 1879, against the Xhosa people (now named frontier wars, until recently known as Kafir wars in Kaferia) to Zululand to further invade and subjugate for ludicrous concocted reasons. It was to ensure the alliance that had existed between Zulu and Boer was broken in preparation for the first Boer war less than a year later when Brits invaded the Transvaal republic for gold and diamonds. It did not help as the Boers soundly defeated the Brits in four minor and Four major battles. Had the Boer/Zulu alliance remained at the beginning of the Second Boer war it would have resulted in a very quick and total defeat of the Brits.

[@mhead188]

pronounces Boer wrong the entire time....

[@natedorney7032]

Supposedly, victoria wanted to marry the prince imperial into her family thereby uniting the two houses

[@tonypringles2285]

prince imperial?

[@sankarchaya]

the zulu war is a fascinating moment in history - that the zulus managed to defeat the British army more than once despite their technological difference should remind us that discipline and strategic genius isn't solely found in those who have the better technology. Also, it's a compelling story insofar as the Zulus were clearly in the right. The British didn't even have the pretense for a legitimate casus belli, it was just raw colonial expansion.

[@MintyLime703]

They were in the right to defend themselves as you said, but in my opinion they definitely weren't angels either when it came to war and way of life.

[@sankarchaya]

@@MintyLime703absolutely! The Zulus were not particularly nice either. I do nonetheless empathize with their desire to maintain sovereignty in the face of a colonial power.

[@thanhhoangnguyen4754]

​@@sankarchaya Although the British didn't want Zulu or war for it that was the governor who wanted that. I mean what the British Parliament nor the Queen give any order or permission for the governor to send their troop across the Zulu border. Why did he declare war and then send tell it was the British Government decision?

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Was it OK for the Zulus to invade conquer others and expand their empire? The Zulus are not indigenous to South Africa. They are Bantu people.

[@thanhhoangnguyen4754]

@@lyndoncmp5751 That their provocative and their business. As long as they don't approach the British territory it fine. Plus the British don't even want a war with the Zulu. They are more worry about Russia in Central Asia. It a fair game of conquest

[@YorkGod1]

Many wars in this region mostly over greed of the local resources!

[@caractacusbrittania7442]

They didn't stand, After isandlwhana, And the zulu failure at kambula, they withdrew to ulundi. Cetswayo sent emissaaries to attempt to stave off what he knew was coming, The annhialtion of his kingdom. He was caught eventually, and taken to London, where he became quite the celebrity, personally meeting Queen Victoria. He continually implored for his return to his kingdom, but times had changed, and zulu power would remain forever a thing of the past,just like it's previous leaders, shaka, and dingane.

[@Phansikhongolza]

There was no such thing as Zulu Tribe under British rule at this time. All Nguni people living south of the Tugela River (of which there were very few at this time) were known as the AmaBaca. They were people who had fled Shaka either before the arival of the British or during. Mostly they were settled on Mission Farms. As is there no such thing as a Bastho Pony. The horse is not indigenous to Sub-Saharan Africa. These were horses stolen by the Basuto from the Boers.

[@MrModaman]

Why did the British Government give medals to soldiers who participated in what was basically an unauthorized war? Wasn't the colonial government told not to start a war?

[@jameshodgetts5594]

With out the British colonies the British would have lost future wars, wonder if the British Soldiers knew how important the fight was to British and the future Western Europe would be 😮😮😮

[@Wilhelm-100TheTechnoAdmiral]

Shaka when the walls fell

[@Heygoodlooking-lk9kg]

I've seen the iklwa spelled ilkwa and to me it makes more sense, because it imitates the sucking sound as it's withdrawn from the victims body,,,, there's no sucking sound that starts with ik

[@bajorjor1]

The answer is BADLY.

[@ohlangeni]

It is Nguni military tradition to present a decoy of small fast moving warriors for the enemy to attack. While attacking, the enemy is attacked on its rear with the main force. The same military tactic was applied at Isandlwana. The Zulu army had stop briefly at Mangweni hills meeting with Inkosi Matshana's warriors. The Zulu then moved to Isandlwana stealthly by night. The decoy under iNkosi Matshana Sithole harrassed the British scouts creating an impression the main Zulu army was there. That is the reason Lord Chelmsford took to the field towards Mangeni with half his army. He was lured there. The Zulu were suppose to attack him since he was on the field (as per Zulu standing order that European army must not be attacked when garrisoned / laagered or fortified). However, the discovery of the Zulu army before it could mount an attack on Chelmsfort's column, forced the Zulu to attack the remained stationary column at Isandlwana.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

The Zulus planned to attack Isandlwana on the 23rd. Nobody lures a force out a day before planning to attack. The Zulus didn't even know Chelmsford had left the camp with half the force. Chelmsford left in darkness, with no bugles sounding. The Zulus had still done nothing about Chelmsford leaving the camp some eight hours later when the hiding place of their impi was discovered.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

A senior Zulu at Isandlwana, Mehlokazulu kaSihayo categorically stated: "No orders were given to attack on the 22nd, it was not our day. Our day was the following day. It being the new moon, we did not intend to fight......We did not know that the army had been divided, as we did not send spies into their camp" This is proof there was no decoy to lure Chelmsford out, as the Zulus didnt even KNOW he went out. It's further proven by the fact the Zulus did nothing about it and were still doing nothing about it when their hiding place was discovered 8 hours later. Source, Zulu Rising pages 394-396 by Ian Knight.

[@ohlangeni]

@@lyndoncmp5751 Mehlokazulu Ngobese is mostly correct that first there were no orders to attack on that day (the sangoma having predicted a bad omen). Secondly that they did not know that Chelmsfort left for Mangeni as he moved in the very early morning, clouded by mist. The attack on the camp was provoked by the discovery of the Zulu army by British spies...which meant if they did not attack the element of surprise was gone. Had the Zulu commanders knew that Chelmsfort's army was on the plains moving towards Mangeni, they would have attacked it. The decoy worked. The British army was lured out towards the very direction the Zulu wanted it to go. But the commanders failed to notice it (i.e. there were no spies sent out at dawn to spy on its movement). It was a failure of intelligence. Likely, the Zulu commanders thought that since the British army was still at camp at Isandlwana that it had not taken the bait. The Zulu attack forced by circumstances was believed by Zulu commanders as an attack on the whole British army (since they failed to notice half of it was already on the field to Mangeni). The descendants of Matshana Sithole, and Zibhebhu Zulu still tell the oral tradition to this very day on Facebook sites. Nkosi Zibhebhu was responsible for Zulu intelligence before and during the battle. He later married Matshana's daughter as his Chief Wife.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

@@ohlangeni Apologies. I did not see your reply until now. After weighing up all the evidence, testimony and logic it's clear to me that the Zulus didn't try to lure Chelmsford out to split the British force but rather tried (and suceeded) to draw attention away from the main Zulu impi. They sent a flank guard out to the Mangeni Hills so that the British forces would see this formation and all the British attention and focus would be drawn to this grouping of Zulus to the southeast of the Isandlwana camp and not the advance of the Zulu impi east of Isiphezi Hill where it was heading northeast of the Isandlwana camp to the Ngwebeni Valley. This the Zulus accomplished very well. The British focused their attention on the Mangeni area and were duped. The Zulus got to their hiding place at Ngwebeni and were not discovered in the process of doing so. As we know though, they WERE discovered the next day before they were ready to attack, although they managed to rectify their discovery and take the Isandlwana camp. Cheers 👍

[@ohlangeni]

@@lyndoncmp5751 I must add though that it was against Zulu standing order to attack a European army at camped or laarged position since the Battle of Blood River defeat in 1838. Furthermore, it was standard Zulu tactic to deploy a vanguard small army as a decoy. This vanguard would feign a collapsed retreat (utter defeat) allowing the main army to attack the enemy in the rear in a kind of ambush. In this context, it appears that the Zulu commanders intended to attack the British army while it was not encamped (when moving towards Mangeni). That is, when they believed the main British army was on the field towards Mangeni. Unfortunately, they failed to notice Chelmsford's departure with the section of the army because they did not send out spies during the night or early morning

[@seanpoore2428]

I'm sorry....the Zulu movie with WHO??

[@realtimehistory]

look up Shaka Zulu: The Last Great Warrior

[@mynose4540]

first english comment

[@freebeerfordworkers]

In the aftermath of Isandlwana a cartoon in the leading British paper showed the prime minister sitting in a classroom as a schoolboy with a Zulu Warrior as teacher writing on the chalk board "despise not your enemy"

[@JaemanEdwards]

The zulu warrior is not scary.

[@vigilantghanaian8864]

Zulu is just like Asante Kingdom. Osei Kutu the King did the same move. Using formations he saw ants use.

[@carstrucks9641]

Nothing new under the sun

[@JaemanEdwards]

Dumb tactics that always rely on overwhelming numbers.