Jameson Raid Effects

Introduction:

The Jameson Raid (the Raid) was a pivotal event in the history of Johannesburg and the history of South Africa as a whole. The Raid would become known as one of the greatest military blunders of all time. However the Raid itself and its immediate effects are not the primary reason for its importance. Indeed it is only the long term effects of the Raid that make it an event worthy of commentary. The purpose of this research is to examine those long term effects on the political landscape of South Africa. Specifically, to what degree did the Jameson Raid deepen tensions between The British and Afrikaners and lead to the outbreak of the South African War of 1899?

Due to the Raid’s importance and its surrounding controversy, it

Jameson was invited to ‘liberate’ Johannesburg by what was known as the Reform Committee. They claimed in a letter to Jameson that, “The position of matters in this State has become so critical that at no distant period there will be a conflict between the Government and the uitlander population.” (Source A). The five signatories of the letter were all English nationals and so this ‘treasonous’ request was seen as British hostility towards the Afrikaans government. However, as these men represented British occupants of the Transvaal, their involvement was somewhat understandable as ‘citizens’ and not a British body. Their British involvement was clear however by their ties to Rhodes (the leader of British affairs in Southern Africa). The reformers sent Francis Younghusband to Cape Town to speak to Rhodes. There Younghusband told Rhodes, “There was no enthusiasm for an uprising in Johannesburg,” and advised him to, “Postpone the whole idea.” After some conversation Rhodes decided,” if they won’t go… they won’t. I shall wire Jameson to keep quite.” (Source F). The Raid went ahead anyway. Clearly then Rhodes, the British political and economic power in Southern Africa, was aware of the Raid, proving the Raid to be a form of British military aggression. This was also clear to Kruger who suspected the involvement of higher British powers despite Britain’s denial, “It is true that Chamberlain, at the time of the Raid, declared that he knew nothing of the whole conspiracy .Later however, it was shown that the British Government, or at least the Colonial Secretary, was fully informed of Cecil Rhodes’s plans and intrigues.” (Source K). Kruger felt that Britain had attacked the Transvaal and this led to further tension in the region. Therefore, as David Saks observes in the Military History Journal,