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Military history of South Africa

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93-489: The military history of South Africa chronicles a vast time period and complex events from the dawn of history until the present time. It covers civil wars and wars of aggression and of self-defence both within South Africa and against it. It includes the history of battles fought in the territories of modern South Africa in neighbouring territories , in both world wars and in modern international conflicts. Before

186-891: A field marshal of the British Army , becoming the first South African to hold that rank. Ultimately, Smuts would pay a steep political price for his closeness to the British establishment, to the King, and to Churchill, which had made Smuts very unpopular among the conservative nationalistic Afrikaners , leading to his eventual downfall, whereas most English-speaking whites and a minority of liberal Afrikaners in South Africa remained loyal to him. (See Jan Smuts during World War II .) South Africa and its military forces contributed in many theatres of war. South Africa's contribution consisted mainly of supplying troops, airmen and material for

279-652: A lighter , can also be used as improvised weapons for self-defense. Verbal self-defense is defined as using words "to prevent, de-escalate , or end an attempted assault." According to Victims of Sexual Violence: Statistics on Rainn, about "80 percent of juvenile victims were female and 90 percent of rape victims were adult women". In addition, women from ages 18 to 34 are highly at risk to experience sexual assault. According to historian Wendy Rouse in Her Own Hero: The Origins of Women's Self-Defense Movement , women's self-defense training emerged in

372-554: A 2009 case ruled the killing of a robber during his escape attempt to be justifiable self-defense because "the robbery was still in progress" at this time. In the United States between 2008 and 2012, approximately 1 out of every 38 gun-related deaths (which includes murders, suicides, and accidental deaths) was a justifiable killing, according to the Violence Policy Center . In Canada , self-defense, in

465-576: A covenant asking for protection beforehand. The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between Britain and the Zulus , and signalled the end of the Zulus as an independent nation. It was precipitated by Sir Bartle Frere High Commissioner for Southern Africa who manufactured a casus belli and prepared an invasion without the approval of Her Majesty's government. At the Battle of Isandlwana (22 January 1879),

558-564: A larger power such as the United States to intervene. Before the anticipated changeover to a majority-elected African National Congress –led government in the 1990s, the South African government dismantled all of its nuclear weapons, the first state in the world which voluntarily gave up all nuclear arms it had developed itself. The country has been a signatory of the Biological Weapons Convention since 1975,

651-415: A license or for certain professions. Non-injurious water-based self-defense indelible dye-marker sprays, or ID-marker or DNA-marker sprays linking a suspect to a crime scene, would in most places be legal to own and carry. Everyday objects, such as flashlights , baseball bats , newspapers , keyrings with keys, kitchen utensils and other tools , and hair spray aerosol cans in combination with

744-622: A major turning point for both conflicts, as it resulted in the Angolan Tripartite Accord , in which Cuba pledged to withdraw its troops from Angola while South Africa withdrew from South-West Africa. South-West Africa received independence as the Republic of Namibia in 1990. Self-defence Self-defense ( self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English ) is a countermeasure that involves defending

837-633: A massive military expansion to combat the PLAN threat, which included the formation of several elite special forces units such as Koevoet , 32 Battalion , and the Reconnaissance Commando Regiment . South African troops raided neighbouring states to strike at PLAN forward operating bases , which occasionally entailed clashes with FAPLA and the Zambian Defence Force . This largely undeclared conflict became known as

930-413: A punch, while others train how to attack. To provide more practical self-defense, many modern martial arts schools now use a combination of martial arts styles and techniques and will often customize self-defense training to suit individual participants. A wide variety of weapons can be deployed for use in a defensive capacity. The most suitable depends on the threat presented, the victim or victims, and

1023-514: A raiding party of fifteen volunteers (including his son, Dirkie Uys .) During subsequent fighting Uys, his son, the Malan brothers as well as five of the volunteers were killed, and the Voortrekkers were forced to retreat. It has been speculated that, without the lessons learnt as a result of the Battle of Italeni – such as fighting from the shelter of ox-wagons whenever possible and choosing

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1116-448: A sense of physical and personal empowerment through training in boxing and jiu-jitsu. Interest in women's self-defense paralleled subsequent waves of the women's rights movement especially with the rise of Second-wave feminism in the 1960s and 1970s and Third-wave feminism in the 1990s. Today's Empowerment Self-Defense (ESD) courses focus on teaching verbal and psychological as well as physical self-defense strategies. ESD courses explore

1209-541: A three-pronged attack on the Impis of Cetshwayo at Ulundi . The Battle of Gingindlovu (uMgungundlovu) was fought between a British relief column sent to break the Siege of Eshowe and the Impis of Cetshwayo on 2 April 1879. The battle restored the British commanders' confidence in their army and their ability to defeat Zulu. With the last resistance removed, they were able to advance and relieve Eshowe . The Battle of Hlobane

1302-641: Is now the Eastern Cape in South Africa. The Xhosa Kingdom was the first kingdom the British encountered in South Africa. The wars were responsible for the Xhosa people's loss of most of their land, and the incorporation of its people into European-controlled territories. The Ndwandwe-Zulu War of 1817–1819 was a war fought between the expanding Zulu kingdom and the Ndwandwe tribe in South Africa. Shaka revolutionised traditional ways of fighting by introducing

1395-411: Is part of the martial arts industry in the wider sense, and many martial arts instructors also give self-defense classes. While all martial arts training can be argued to have some self-defense applications, self-defense courses are marketed explicitly as being oriented towards effectiveness and optimized towards situations as they occur in the real world. Many systems are taught commercially, tailored to

1488-540: The 334,000 men volunteered for full-time service in the South African Army during the war (including some 211,000 whites, 77,000 blacks and 46,000 "coloureds" and Asians), nearly 9,000 were killed in action. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has records of 11,023 known South African war dead during World War II. However, not all South Africans supported the war effort. The Anglo-Boer war had ended only thirty five years earlier and to some, siding with

1581-601: The Apartheid regime. Six nuclear weapons were assembled. South African strategy was, if political and military instability in Southern Africa became unmanageable, to conduct a nuclear weapon test in a location such as the Kalahari desert, where an underground testing site had been prepared, to demonstrate its capability and resolve—and thereby highlight the peril of intensified conflict in the region—and then invite

1674-623: The Cape of Good Hope in June 1795, having left England on 1 March. Their commander suggested to the Dutch governor that he place the Cape Colony under the protection of the British monarch – in effect, that he hand the colony over to Britain – which was refused. Simon's Town was occupied on 14 June by a force of 350 Royal Marines and 450 men of the 78th Highlanders , before the defenders could burn

1767-608: The Imperial War Cabinet . (See Jan Smuts during World War I .) The Union Defence Force was part of significant military operations against Germany. In spite of Boer resistance at home, the Afrikaner-led government of Louis Botha joined the side of the Allies of World War I and fought alongside its armies. The South African Government agreed to the withdrawal of British Army units so that they were free to join

1860-593: The Khoisan . While the Dutch traded with the Khoikhoi, nevertheless serious disputes broke out over land ownership and livestock. This resulted in attacks and counter-attacks by both sides which were known as the Khoikhoi–Dutch Wars that ended in the eventual defeat of the Khoikhoi. The First Khoikhoi-Dutch War took place from 1659 – 1660 and the second from 1673 – 1677. During 1664, tensions between England and

1953-521: The Korean War , the 2 Squadron ("The Flying Cheetahs") took part as South Africa's contribution. It won many American decorations, including the honour of a United States Presidential Unit Citation in 1952: Some sources list 35 deaths from 2 Squadron . The Simonstown Agreement was a naval co-operation agreement between the United Kingdom and South Africa signed 30 June 1955. Under

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2046-821: The Makololo – and the creation of states such as the modern Lesotho . The Battle of Italeni in what is now KwaZulu-Natal , South Africa, in early 1838, between the Voortrekkers and the Zulus during the period of the Great Trek , resulted in the Zulu armies repulsing the Voortrekkers. On 9 April, near the Babanango Mountain Range a large Zulu impi (army) appeared, consisting of approximately 8,000 warriors. The Voortrekker commandos returned to their camp on 12 April. Boer general Piet Uys formed

2139-704: The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA), during the civil war. The SADF was forced to withdraw under overwhelming pressure from thousands of Cuban combat troops . When South Africa began intensifying its campaign against PLAN in the 1980s, it reasserted its alliance with UNITA and took the opportunity to bolster that movement with training and captured PLAN weaponry. The Battle of Cuito Cuanavale proved to be

2232-787: The North African campaign (the Desert War) and the Italian Campaign as well as to Allied ships that docked at its crucial ports adjoining the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean that converge at the tip of Southern Africa. Numerous volunteers also flew for the Royal Air Force . (See: South African Army in World War II ; South African Air Force in World War II ; South African Navy in World War II .) Of

2325-637: The Nuclear Threat Initiative , in 1977 Israel traded 30 grams of tritium in exchange for 50 tons of South African uranium and in the mid-80s assisted with the development of the RSA-3 ballistic missile . Also in 1977, according to foreign press reports, it was suspected that South Africa signed a pact with Israel that included the transfer of military technology and the manufacture of at least six atom bombs. Chris McGreal has claimed that "Israel provided expertise and technology that

2418-604: The People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) in South-West Africa. PLAN was backed by the Soviet Union and a number of Warsaw Pact member states, as well as several sympathetic, newly independent African governments. It also received considerable combat support from the People's Armed Forces of Liberation of Angola (FAPLA) and a sizeable contingent of Cuban military advisors. In response, South Africa underwent

2511-576: The South African Border War during the late 1970s. SADF expeditionary forces targeted guerrilla bases, refugees, and rural infrastructure in Angola and Zambia , depending initially on border raids, patrols, and air strikes to keep PLAN at bay. This was eventually extended to a permanent SADF military presence throughout southern Angola, with the objective of forcing PLAN bases to relocate further and further north. While this strategy

2604-683: The Transvaal but failed to do so. Though the raid was ineffective and no uprising took place, it did much to bring about the Second Boer War and the Second Matabele War . The affair brought Anglo-Boer relations to a dangerous low, and the ill feeling was heightened by the " Kruger telegram " from the German Emperor, Wilhelm II . It congratulated Paul Kruger for defeating the raid, as well as appearing to recognise

2697-670: The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons since 1991, and the Chemical Weapons Convention since 1995. In February 2019, South Africa ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons , becoming the first country to have had nuclear weapons, disarmed them and gone on to sign the treaty. Between 1966 and 1989, South Africa waged a long and bitter counter-insurgency campaign against

2790-466: The Weenen massacre , a group of about 470 Voortrekkers , led by Andries Pretorius , defended a laager (circle of ox wagons) against Zulu impis , ruled by King Dingane and led by Dambuza (Nzobo) and Ndlela kaSompisi , numbering between 10 and 20 thousand. The Zulus repeatedly and unsuccessfully attacked the laager , until Pretorius ordered a group of horse riders to leave the encampment and engage

2883-596: The Zulu overwhelmed and wiped out 1,400 British soldiers. This battle is considered to be one of the greatest disasters in British colonial history. Isandlwana forced the policy makers in London to rally to the support of the pro-war contingent in the Natal government and commit whatever resources were needed to defeat the Zulu. The first invasion of Zululand ended with the catastrophe of Isandlwana where, along with heavy casualties,

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2976-723: The Zulu nation . The First Boer War , also known as the First Anglo-Boer War or the Transvaal War, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881 and was the first clash between the British and the South African Republic (Z.A.R.) Boers . It was precipitated by Sir Theophilus Shepstone , who annexed the South African Republic (Transvaal Republic) for the British in 1877. The British consolidated their power over most of

3069-437: The assegai to the northern bantus, a spear with a short shaft and broad blade, used as a close-quarters stabbing weapon. (Under Shaka's rule, losing an assegai was punishable by death. So it was never thrown like a javelin .) He also organised warriors into disciplined units known as Impis that fought in close formation behind large cowhide shields. In the Battle of Gqokli Hill in 1819, his troops and tactics prevailed over

3162-417: The health and well-being of oneself from harm . The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many jurisdictions . Physical self-defense is the use of physical force to counter an immediate threat of violence. Such force can be either armed or unarmed. In either case, the chances of success depend on various parameters, related to

3255-452: The seventy-four gun ship , which eventually came to be the most popular size of large ship for navies of several different nations. It was an easier ship to handle than a first- or second-rate ship, but still possessed enough firepower to potentially destroy any single opponent other than a three-decker . It was also cheaper to operate. By the end of the 18th century, ships of the line were usually categorized directly by their number of guns,

3348-524: The "enemy" was considered disloyal and unpatriotic. These sentiments gave rise to "The Ossewabrandwag " ("Oxwagon Sentinel"), originally created as a cultural organisation on the Centenary of the Great Trek becoming more militant and openly opposing South African entry into the war on side of the British. The organisation created a paramilitary group called Stormjaers ('storm chasers'), modelled on

3441-414: The 1720s mounted between 64 and 80 guns, typically built with two gun decks (thus the related term two-decker ). When the rating system was first established in the 1620s, the third rate was defined as those ships having at least 200 but not more than 300 men; previous to this, the type had been classified as "middling ships". By the 1660s, the means of classification had shifted from the number of men to

3534-704: The 1970s, while South Africa was developing its own atomic bombs . According to David Albright , writing for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists , "Faced with sanctions, South Africa began to organize clandestine procurement networks in Europe and the United States, and it began a long, secret collaboration with Israel." although he goes on to say "A common question is whether Israel provided South Africa with weapons design assistance, although available evidence argues against significant cooperation." According to

3627-487: The Axis. Smuts immediately set about fortifying South Africa against any possible German sea invasion because of South Africa's global strategic importance controlling the long sea route around the Cape of Good Hope . Smuts took severe action against the pro-Nazi South African Ossewabrandwag movement (they were caught committing acts of sabotage) and jailed its leaders for the duration of the war. (One of them, John Vorster ,

3720-685: The Boer republic and offer support. The emperor was already perceived as anti-British, and a naval arms race had started between Germany and Britain. Consequently, the telegram alarmed and angered the British. The Second Boer War , also known as the Second Anglo-Boer War, the Second Freedom War (Afrikaans) and referred to as the South African War in modern times took place from 11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902. The war

3813-459: The British commander-in-chief of Natal, George Pomeroy Colley , killed at Majuba, and British garrisons under siege across the entire Transvaal, the British were unwilling to further involve themselves in a war which was already seen as lost. As a result, William Gladstone 's British government signed a truce on 6 March, and in the final peace treaty on 23 March 1881, gave the Boers self-government in

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3906-768: The European war, and laid plans to invade German South-West Africa . Elements of the South African army refused to fight against the Germans and along with other opponents of the Government rose in open revolt. The government declared martial law on 14 October 1914, and forces loyal to the government under the command of General Louis Botha and Jan Smuts proceeded to destroy the Maritz Rebellion . The leading Boer rebels got off lightly with terms of imprisonment of six and seven years and heavy fines. (See World War I and

3999-598: The Khoisan and the advancing Bantu tribes known as the Batlapin and the more powerful Barolong. These invaders would take as slaves those who had been conquered and referred to them as the Balala. During battle the defenders were armed with strong bows, and poisoned arrows; they also used the assegai and battle-axe, and protected their bodies with a small shield. In a fight in the open plain, they had little chance in defeating

4092-786: The Maritz Rebellion .) The Union Defence Force saw action in a number of places: More than 146,000 whites, 83,000 blacks and 2,500 people of mixed race (" Coloureds ") and Indian South Africans served in South African military units during the war , including 43,000 in German South-West Africa and 30,000 on the Western Front. An estimated 3,000 South Africans also joined the Royal Flying Corps . The total South African casualties during

4185-424: The Masarwa. After some time Bantu immigrants of greater strength invaded much of the traditional San territories. Archeological research suggests that each Bantu succession had better weapons than their predecessors enabling them to dominate the eastern parts of South Africa thereby forcing the Khoisan into less desirable parts of the country. In about the middle of the 18th Century, several clashes occurred between

4278-422: The Middle East. South Africa's ports and harbours, such as at Cape Town , Durban , and Simon's Town , were also important rest-stops, refuelling-stations, and served as strategic assets to the British Royal Navy during the war, helping to keep the vital sea lanes to the British Raj open. On the eve of World War II the Union of South Africa found itself in a unique political and military quandary. While it

4371-425: The Nazi SA or Sturmabteilung ("Storm Division") and which was linked to the German Intelligence ( Abwehr ) and the German Foreign Office ( Dienstelle Ribbentrop ) via Luitpold Werz – the former German Consul in Pretoria. The Stormjaers carried out a number of sabotage attacks against the Smuts government and actively tried to intimidate and discourage volunteers from joining the army recruitment programs. In

4464-488: The Netherlands rose with rumours of war being imminent – that same year, Commander Zacharias Wagenaer was instructed to build a pentagonal castle out of stone at 33°55′33″S 18°25′40″E  /  33.925806°S 18.427758°E  / -33.925806; 18.427758 . On 26 April 1679, the five bastions were built. The Castle of Good Hope is a fortification which was built on the original coastline of Table Bay and now, because of land reclamation , seems nearer

4557-443: The South African Republic (Transvaal) under a theoretical British oversight. The Jameson Raid (29 December 1895 – 2 January 1896) was a raid on Paul Kruger's Transvaal Republic carried out by Leander Starr Jameson and his Rhodesian and Bechuanaland policemen over the New Year weekend of 1895–96. It was intended to trigger an uprising by the primarily British expatriate workers (known as Uitlanders , or in English "Foreigners") in

4650-402: The Zulus. Partly due to the fact that the Voortrekkers used rifles and at least one light cannon against the Zulus' spears, as well as the good location and motivation of the Voortrekkers, only three Voortrekkers were wounded and none perished; that contrasted against the more than 3,000 Zulu warriors who died. The Voortrekkers credited God as the reason why they had won the battle as they had made

4743-411: The accused has autism (R v Kagan). Second, the act that constitutes the offence is committed for the purpose of defending or protecting themselves or the other person from that use or threat of force. Third, the act that constitutes the offence must have been reasonable in the circumstances. There are a number of indicia which factor into whether the act was reasonable in the circumstances. For one,

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4836-436: The accused reasonably perceived there to have been no means of escape (R v Lavalleé). Third, the accused's role in the incident may play into the reasonableness of her or his act. Consideration of the accused's role is not limited to whether he did any provocative or unlawful acts at it was under the old self-defense provisions (R v Khill). Fourth, the nature and proportionality of the accused's response will factor into whether it

4929-433: The agreement, the Royal Navy gave up its naval base at Simonstown, South Africa , and transferred command of the South African Navy to the government of South Africa. In return, South Africa promised the use of the Simonstown base to Royal Navy ships. U.S. Intelligence believed that Israel participated in South African nuclear research projects and supplied advanced non-nuclear weapons technology to South Africa during

5022-418: The arrival of any European settlers in South Africa the southern part of Africa was inhabited by the San people . As far as the military history of South Africa is concerned, African tribes frequently waged war against each other and made alliances for survival. The succession of Bantu immigrants from Central Africa during the time of the Bantu expansion initially led to the formation of merged tribes such as

5115-439: The bitter-einders and their allies took part in a revolt known as the Maritz Rebellion . The Union of South Africa, which came into being in 1910, tied closely to the British Empire , joined Great Britain and the allies against the German Empire . Prime Minister Louis Botha and Defence Minister Jan Smuts , both former Second Boer War generals who had fought against the British then, now became active and respected members of

5208-400: The centre of Cape Town , South Africa. Built by the VOC between 1666 and 1679, the Castle is the oldest building in South Africa. The Castle acted as local headquarters for the South African Army in the Western Cape , but today houses the Castle Military Museum and ceremonial facilities for the traditional Cape Regiments . The Battle of Muizenberg was a small but significant battle for

5301-430: The colonies of South Africa in 1879 after the Anglo-Zulu War , and attempted to impose an unpopular system of confederation on the region. The Boers protested, and in December 1880 they revolted. The battles of Bronkhorstspruit , Laing's Nek , Schuinshoogte , and Majuba Hill proved disastrous for the British where they found themselves outmaneuvered and outperformed by the highly mobile and skilled Boer marksmen. With

5394-470: The context of criminal law, is a statutory defense that provides a full defense to the commission of a criminal act. It operates as a justification, the successful application of which means that owing to the circumstances in which the act was produced, it is not morally blameworthy. There are three elements an accused must demonstrate to successfully raise self-defense. First, the accused must demonstrate that she or he believed on reasonable grounds that force

5487-426: The creation of the Transvaal Colony which in 1910 was incorporated into the Union of South Africa . The treaty ended the existence of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State as Boer republics and placed them within the British Empire . The Boers referred to the two wars as the Freedom Wars . Those Boers who wanted to continue the fight were known as " Bittereinders " (or irreconcilables ) and at

5580-408: The cyclical nature of violence in a way allows them to foresee when harm is coming. Second, it's relevant whether there was a reasonable avenue of escape available to the accused. Under the old self-defense provision, there was a requirement for the accused to have believed on reasonable grounds that there was no alternative course] of action open to him at the time, so that he reasonably thought that he

5673-436: The defeat, and approached the camp singing Ndwandwe victory songs to gain entry. Zwide fled with some of his offspring including Madzanga. Most of the Ndwandwe abandoned their lands and migrated north and eastward. This was the start of the Mfecane , a catastrophic, bloody migration of many different tribes in the area, initially escaping the Zulus, but themselves causing their own havoc after adopting Zulu tactics in war. Shaka

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5766-445: The defense that there were no other legal means of responding available. In other words, there may be an obligation to do retreat where there is an option to do so (R v Cain). However, there is an exception to the obligation to retreat which is there is no requirement to flee from your own home to escape an assault to raise self-defense (R v Forde). Moreover, evidence of the accused suffering from battered women's syndrome may evince that

5859-430: The early twentieth century in the United States and the United Kingdom paralleling the women's rights and suffrage movement. These early feminists sought to raise awareness about the sexual harassment and violence that women faced on the street, at work, and in the home. They challenged the notion that men were their "natural protectors" noting that men were often the perpetrators of violence against women . Women discovered

5952-401: The end of the war a number like Deneys Reitz chose exile rather than sign an undertaking that they would abide by the peace terms. Over the following decade, many returned to South Africa and never signed the undertaking. Some, like Reitz, eventually reconciled themselves to the new status quo , but others waited for a suitable opportunity to restart the old quarrel. At the start of World War I

6045-541: The experience of the defender. Legal restrictions also vary greatly, and influence which self-defense options are available to choose from. In some jurisdictions, firearms may be carried openly or concealed expressly for this purpose, while other jurisdictions have tight restrictions on who can own firearms, and what types they can own. Knives , especially those categorized as switchblades , may also be controlled , as may batons , pepper spray and personal electroshock weapons —although some may be legal to carry with

6138-446: The future destiny of South Africa which took place at Muizenberg (near Cape Town ), South Africa in 1795; it led to the capture of the Cape Colony by the United Kingdom. A fleet of seven Royal Navy ships – five third-rates , Monarch (74), Victorious (74), Arrogant (74), America (64) and Stately (64), with the 16-gun sloops Echo and Rattlesnake – under Vice-Admiral Elphinstone anchored in Simon's Bay at

6231-589: The halls of power in the Parliament of South Africa , that pitted those who sought to enter the war on Britain's side, led by the pro- Allied pro-British Afrikaner and former prime minister Jan Smuts , and general against then-current prime minister Barry Hertzog, who wished to keep South Africa "neutral", if not pro- Axis . On 4 September 1939, the United Party caucus refused to accept Hertzog's stance of neutrality in World War II and deposed him in favour of Smuts. Upon becoming Prime Minister of South Africa, Smuts declared South Africa officially at war with Germany and

6324-413: The invaders, though when attacked on a mountain or among rocks they managed to beat off their enemies. The arrival of the permanent settlements of Europeans, under the Dutch East India Company , at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652 brought them into the land of the local people, such as the Khoikhoi (called Hottentots by the Dutch), and the Bushmen (also known as the San ), collectively referred to as

6417-458: The main centre column lost all supplies, transport and ammunition and the British would be forced to halt their advances elsewhere while a new invasion was prepared. At Rorke's Drift (22–23 January 1879) 139 British soldiers successfully defended the station against an intense assault by four to five thousand Zulu warriors . The Battle of Intombe was fought on 12 March 1879, between British and Zulu forces. The Siege of Eshowe took place during

6510-467: The multiple sources of gender-based violence especially including its connections with sexism, racism, and classism. Empowerment Self-Defense instructors focus on holding perpetrators responsible while empowering women with the idea that they have both the right and ability to protect themselves. Self-defense techniques and recommended behavior under the threat of violence are systematically taught in self-defense classes. Commercial self-defense education

6603-402: The needs of specific target audiences (e.g. defense against attempted rape for women, self-defense for children and teens). Notable systems taught commercially include: In any given case, it can be difficult to evaluate whether force was excessive. Allowances for great force may be hard to reconcile with human rights. The Intermediate People's Court of Foshan , People's Republic of China in

6696-480: The number of carriage-mounted guns, and third rates at that time mounted between 48 and 60 guns. By the turn of the century, the criterion boundaries had increased and third rate carried more than 60 guns, with second rates having between 90 and 98 guns, while first rates had 100 guns or more, and fourth rates between 48 and 60 guns. By the latter half of the 18th century, they carried between 500 and 720 men. This designation became especially common because it included

6789-547: The numbers even being used as the name of the class, as in "a squadron of three 74s", but officially the rating system continued until the end of the Age of Sail , only undergoing a modification in 1817. Note that the use of terms like "third-rate" in literature can lead to confusion: The French Navy had a different system of five rates or rangs , but some British authors use the Royal Navy's rating of "third rate" when speaking of

6882-621: The period between 1815 and about 1835. The Mfecane resulted from the rise to power of Shaka , the Zulu king and military leader who conquered the Nguni peoples between the Tugela and Pongola rivers in the beginning of the 19th century, and created a militaristic kingdom in the region. The Mfecane also led to the formation and consolidation of other groups – such as the Matabele , the Mfengu and

6975-472: The place of battle rather than being enticed into unfavourable terrain – the Voortrekkers would not have succeeded in finally beating the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River eight months later. The Battle of Blood River ( Afrikaans : Slag van Bloedrivier ) was fought on 16 December 1838 on the banks of the Blood River ( Bloedrivier ) in what is today KwaZulu-Natal , South Africa. In the aftermath of

7068-467: The rest through disease), 6,000–7,000 Boer Commandos , 20,000–28,000 Boer civilians, mostly women and children due to disease in concentration camps , and an estimated 20,000 black Africans living in the Boers republics who died in their own separate concentration camps. The last of the Boer holdouts surrendered in May 1902 and the war ended with the Treaty of Vereeniging in the same month. The war resulted in

7161-418: The severity of the threat on one hand, but also on the mental and physical preparedness of the defender. Many styles of martial arts are practiced for self-defense or include self-defense techniques. Some styles train primarily for self-defense, while other combat sports can be effectively applied for self-defense. Some martial arts train how to escape from a knife or gun situation or how to break away from

7254-624: The superior numbers of the Ndwandwe people, who failed to destroy the Zulu in their first encounter. The Ndwandwe and the Zulus met again in combat at the Battle of Mhlatuze River in 1820. The Zulu tactics again prevailed, pressing their attack when the Ndwandwe army was divided during the crossing of the Mhlatuze River . Zulu warriors arrived at the Ndwande King Zwide 's headquarters near present-day Nongoma before news of

7347-423: The town. Following skirmishes on 1 and 2 September, a final general attempt to recapture the camp was prepared by the Dutch for the 3rd, but at this point the British reinforcements arrived and the Dutch withdrew. A British advance on Cape Town, with the new reinforcements, began on the 14th; on the 16th, the colony capitulated. The British assumed control of the Cape of Good Hope for the next seven years. The Cape

7440-598: The war was about 18,600 with over 12,452 killed – more than 4,600 in the European theatre alone. The Commonwealth War Graves commission has records of 9457 known South African War dead during World War I. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission There is no question that South Africa greatly assisted the Allies, and Great Britain in particular, in capturing the two German colonies of German South West Africa and German East Africa as well as in battles in Western Europe and

7533-419: Was a total disaster for the British; 15 officers and 110 men were killed, a further 8 wounded and 100 native soldiers died. The Battle of Kambula took place in 1879 when a Zulu army attacked the British camp at Kambula , resulting in a massive Zulu defeat. The Battle of Ulundi took place at the Zulu capital of Ulundi on 4 July 1879 and proved to be the decisive battle that finally broke the military power of

7626-489: Was central to South Africa's development of its nuclear bombs". In 2000, Dieter Gerhardt , Soviet spy and a former commodore in the South African Navy, claimed that Israel agreed in 1974 to arm eight Jericho II missiles with "special warheads" for South Africa. From the 1960s to the 1990s, South Africa pursued research into weapons of mass destruction , including nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons under

7719-550: Was closely allied with Great Britain, being a co-equal Dominion under the 1931 Statute of Westminster with its head of state being the British king, the South African Prime Minister on 1 September 1939 was none other than Barry Hertzog the leader of the pro-Afrikaner anti-British National party that had joined in a unity government as the United Party . Hertzog's problem was that South Africa

7812-451: Was constitutionally obligated to support Great Britain against Nazi Germany . The Polish-British Common Defence Pact obligated Britain, and in turn its dominions, to help Poland if attacked by the Nazis. After Hitler's forces attacked Poland in the morning of 1 September 1939, Britain declared war on Germany within a few days. A short but furious debate unfolded in South Africa, especially in

7905-652: Was fought between Great Britain and the two independent Boer republics of the Orange Free State and the South African Republic (referred to as the Transvaal by the British). After a protracted hard-fought war, the two independent republics lost and were absorbed into the British Empire. In all, the war resulted in around 75,000 deaths: 22,000 British and imperial soldiers (7,792 battle casualties,

7998-602: Was going to be used against her or him or another person or that a threat of force is being made against her or him or another person. The reasonableness of the belief is assessed through both a subjective and objective lens. Certain beliefs, including racist beliefs and beliefs induced by self-intoxication are prima facie unreasonable. Other beliefs related to the subjective experience of the accused may, however, be reasonable. These include any relevant military training (R v Khill), heightened awareness of patterns of cyclical violence in intimate relationships ( R v Lavallée ) and whether

8091-414: Was obliged to kill in order to preserve himself from death or grievous bodily harm. Now, even though 34(2)(b) is only one consideration in a non-exhaustive list, the mandatory role it used to play in the common law suggests it carries considerable weight in determining the reasonableness of the act in the circumstances under 34(1)(c) As such, while there is no absolute duty to retreat, it is a prerequisite to

8184-401: Was reasonable. While a person is not expected to weigh to a nicety the measure of force used to respond to violence or a threat thereof, grossly disproportionate force will tend to be unreasonable (R v Kong). Armed self-defense Unarmed self-defense Legal and moral aspects Third-rate In the rating system of the Royal Navy , a third rate was a ship of the line which from

8277-722: Was returned to the restored Dutch government (known as the Batavian Government ) in 1804. In 1806 the British returned and after again defeating the Dutch at the Battle of Blaauwberg , stayed in control for more than 100 years. The Xhosa Wars (also known as the Kaffir Wars or Cape Frontier Wars ) were a series of nine wars between the Xhosa Kingdom , and the British Empire as well as European settlers with their Khoi allies, from 1779 and 1879 in what

8370-669: Was successful, it resulted in the parallel expansion of FAPLA, with Soviet assistance, to meet what Luanda perceived as a direct South African threat to Angolan sovereignty. FAPLA and the SADF clashed continuously between 1981 and 1984, and again from 1987 to 1988, culminating in the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale . The South African Border War was closely linked to the Angolan Civil War . South African expeditionary units had openly invaded Angola in 1975 during Operation Savannah , an ill-fated attempt to support two rival Angolan factions,

8463-475: Was the ultimate victor, and his (more peaceful) descendants still live today throughout Zululand , with customs and a way of life that can be easily traced to Shaka 's day. Mfecane ( Zulu ), also known as the Difaqane or Lifaqane ( Sesotho ), is an African expression which means something like "the crushing" or "scattering". It describes a period of widespread chaos and disturbance in southern Africa during

8556-508: Was the violence or threat of violence imminent? Usually, if there is a significant time interval between the original unlawful assault and the accused's response, it undermines the contention that there were no other means available to respond to the potential use of force and one tends to suspect that the accused was motivated by revenge rather than self-defense. However, R v Lavalleé accepted expert evidence demonstrating that people experiencing battered women's syndrome have special knowledge about

8649-400: Was to become future Prime Minister of South Africa.) (See Jan Smuts during World War II .) Prime Minister Jan Smuts was the only important non-British general whose advice was constantly sought by Britain's wartime prime minister Winston Churchill . Smuts was invited to the Imperial War Cabinet in 1939 as the most senior South African in favour of war. On 28 May 1941, Smuts was appointed

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