Penaklukan Inggris atas Bangsa Boer di Afrika Selatan (Perang Boer II 1899-1902)

Abstract

This historical study examines the British conquest of the Boer nations in South Africa during the Second Boer War from 1899 to 1902. Utilizing the historical research method—comprising heuristics, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography—this paper analyzes the escalating political, territorial, and economic conflicts between the British Empire and the independent Boer republics of the Orange Free State and Transvaal. The discovery of diamonds and gold in the late 19th century intensified British imperial ambitions and capitalist expansion, leading to friction over the political rights of British expatriates (Uitlanders) and ultimately triggering open warfare. Although Boer commandos achieved initial successes during the early phase of the conflict, the British response—led by Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener—mobilized massive reinforcements and deployed harsh counterinsurgency strategies, including a scorched-earth policy and concentration camps. The war officially concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging in 1902, which ended the independence of the Boer republics and paved the way for the establishment of the Union of South Africa in 1910, reshaping the region's political and social landscape throughout the twentieth century.