Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana

Great Battles

Nonfiction, History, Modern, Military
Cover of the book Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana by Ian F. W. Beckett, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Ian F. W. Beckett ISBN: 9780192512963
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: January 3, 2019
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Ian F. W. Beckett
ISBN: 9780192512963
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: January 3, 2019
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

The battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879, the first major encounter in the Anglo-Zulu War, witnessed the worst single day's loss of British troops between the battle of Waterloo in 1815 and the opening campaigns of the First World War in August 1914. Moreover, decisive defeat at the hands of the Zulu came as an immense shock to a Victorian public that had become used to easy victories over less technologically advanced indigenous foes in an expanding empire. The successful defence of Rorke's Drift, which immediately followed the encounter at Isandlwana (and for which 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded), averted military disaster and went some way to restore wounded British pride, but the sobering memory of defeat at Isandlwana lingered for many years, while the legendary tale of the defence of Rorke's Drift was re-awakened for a new generation in the epic 1964 film Zulu, starring Michael Caine. In this new volume in the Great Battles series, Ian F. W. Beckett tells the story of both battles, investigating not only their immediate military significance but also providing the first overarching account of their continuing cultural impact and legacy in the years since 1879, not just in Britain but also from the once largely inaccessible and overlooked Zulu perspective.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879, the first major encounter in the Anglo-Zulu War, witnessed the worst single day's loss of British troops between the battle of Waterloo in 1815 and the opening campaigns of the First World War in August 1914. Moreover, decisive defeat at the hands of the Zulu came as an immense shock to a Victorian public that had become used to easy victories over less technologically advanced indigenous foes in an expanding empire. The successful defence of Rorke's Drift, which immediately followed the encounter at Isandlwana (and for which 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded), averted military disaster and went some way to restore wounded British pride, but the sobering memory of defeat at Isandlwana lingered for many years, while the legendary tale of the defence of Rorke's Drift was re-awakened for a new generation in the epic 1964 film Zulu, starring Michael Caine. In this new volume in the Great Battles series, Ian F. W. Beckett tells the story of both battles, investigating not only their immediate military significance but also providing the first overarching account of their continuing cultural impact and legacy in the years since 1879, not just in Britain but also from the once largely inaccessible and overlooked Zulu perspective.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book Philosophical Issues in Psychiatry II by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book An Ever More Powerful Court? by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book What Should I Do? by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Isaac Newton by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book The Expedition of Cyrus by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Legitimacy Gap by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Manon Lescaut by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Oxford Studies in Metaethics Volume 14 by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Strategic Customer Management by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book A Supplementary Dictionary of Transport Studies by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Oxford Guide to CBT for People with Cancer by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Medieval Writers and their Work by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Thomas on Powers by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Gustav Stresemann by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book A Supplementary Dictionary of Renewable Energy and Sustainability by Ian F. W. Beckett
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy