The Zulu War

If you want to discover the captivating history of the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War, then keep reading...

How well do you think you would fare if you were armed with short spears and cowhide shields against an army with rifles, machine guns, and artillery?

In January 1879, a powerful and modern British army advanced confidently into Zululand, determined to kill or capture Zulu King Cetwayo and crush the Zulu warrior army. Days later, the British soldiers were in headlong retreat, having suffered one of the most devastating defeats in British military history. That same day, only a gallant defense of a small outpost at Rorke's Drift, matching one hundred British soldiers against four thousand Zulus, redeemed British imperial esteem.

You may know these two battles, but the campaign as a whole only lasted eight months and was full of desperate defenses, heroic attacks, tragedies, and surprise reversals of fortune.

In The Zulu War: A Captivating Guide to the Origins, Battles, and Legacy of the 19th-Century Anglo-Zulu Conflict, you will gain a good understanding of the causes, course, and consequences of the war, including the following:

The background and approach to the war

Why though the British government in London did not want a war with the Zulus

The background of the Zulu Empire, including its history, rulers, culture, military structure, weapons, and tactics

The British army of the time, including its structure, weapons, and tactics

The strengths and weaknesses of both sides

The mistakes and miscalculations made by the British commanders as they confronted the Zulus

The challenges facing the Zulus against a modern European army

The course of events during the eight-month campaign

The detail of the two famous battles of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift

The defeat of the British first invasion and the need for a second one

The course of the main battles and the reasons for the ultimate defeat of the Zulus

And much, much more!