Failure of South African Expansion 1908-48

by Ronald Hyam

Book by Hyam, Ronald

Hardcover

First published September 30, 1972

About the author

Dr. Ronald Hyam is an Emeritus Fellow, and a former President of Magdalene College. He is Emeritus Reader in British Imperial History in the University of Cambridge and Archivist Emeritus of the College.

Reviews

[Sudwester · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at South African attempts to expand northward and form a Greater South Africa. The first chapter focuses on attempts to acquire Rhodesia, Mozambique, and Southwest Africa. The succeeding chapters are devoted to the attempts by Botha, Smuts, and Hertzog to incorporate the High Commission Territories: Swaziland, Basutoland (Lesotho), and Bechuanaland (Botswana) and their ultimate failure to ensure the transfer the Territories. Quite striking is the pro-British attitudes of the chiefs of the tribes of the territories, and in return the pro-native policies of the British government and its conflict with Afrikaner interests.