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 The Red and the Real by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book A Dictionary of Mechanical Engineering by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Street Songs by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Genetics for Health Professionals in Cancer Care by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book The Rise of Investor-State Arbitration by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book The Deeper Genome by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Decision Theory and Rationality by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Literature and the Public Good by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book The Long Road to Stockholm by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book The Obligation to Extradite or Prosecute by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Oceans: A Very Short Introduction by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Fishes by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Kierkegaard's Theology of Encounter by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book The Vampyre and Other Tales of the Macabre by Ian F. W. Beckett
Cover of the book Sharing the Costs and Benefits of Energy and Resource Activity 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