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The Savage Wars by Lawrence James cover

The Savage Wars

By Lawrence James

A superb single-volume introduction to an important – and still contentious – military era.

In Evelyn Waugh’s Sword of Honour, Guy Crouchbank faces the officers’ mess ‘lit with huge many-branched candlesticks which commemorated the military history of the last century in silver palm trees and bowed silver savages’. The Savage Wars : British Campaigns in Africa, 1870-1920 tells of the campaigns that spawned many of those trophies.

With the exception of the Boer War of 1899-1902, the campaigns of the British conquest of Africa are little known today. Lawrence James’s vivid study sees the expansion of the empire as a triumph of technology combined with ideological fervour whipped up by politicians. But it was not an easy triumph, and the book gives due account to dissension at home and the degree of military opposition encountered along ‘the far flung battle line’. It also shows how Africa was conquered, and at what cost, through the experiences of those who fought to push forward the frontiers of the new empire.

Drawing on official and private records, the author describes in fascinating detail the excitement of battle and the humdrum life of the campaigning soldier. The Savage Wars examines every aspect of fifty years of imperial conquest and makes a valuable contribution to an important historical and political debate. It is ideal for anyone interested in modern and/or military history, as well as students of African history.

Praise for The Savage Wars : British Campaigns in Africa, 1870-1920:

‘The book is divided into three main sections. First, comprising a majority of the book, are overviews of British campaigns in Africa, broken down into four geographical areas … While the reader may already be familiar with some of the more well-known campaigns, the descriptions include many smaller ones … Secondly, the author relates the experience of battle for the British, Commonwealth and native forces under their command. The examples, quotes and descriptions are numerous without being redundant. They cover all scale of actions from small skirmishes to the major battles of the Great Boer War … Finally the experience of being on campaign is covered … Overall it’s a superb one-volume introduction to the period.’ – LibraryThing review

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