Richard Steyn Bücher

The decision by Parliament to enter World War II in 1939 triggered significant social and political changes in South Africa. The war prompted mass migration of black individuals to urban areas for employment, while volunteers from diverse backgrounds enlisted to fight. Opposition to the Smuts government intensified, with acts of sabotage undermining the war effort. This period saw a breakdown of white unity and ignited discussions among nationalists, socialists, liberals, and communists, reshaping the nation's political landscape and galvanizing resistance to segregation.

The biography offers an insightful exploration of Lord Alfred Milner, an influential figure in British imperial history and a key player during the First World War. It delves into his complex legacy, highlighting his role in the Boer War and the unification of South Africa, alongside the resentment he stirred among Afrikaners. The author, Richard Steyn, argues that Milner's contributions extend beyond his controversial tenure in South Africa, emphasizing his significant impact within the broader context of global conflict and governance.

From the acclaimed biographer of Jan Smuts, a revealing new account of Empire- builder and First World War Cabinet minister Lord Alfred Milner.

LOUIS BOTHA, THE FIRST PRIME MINISTER of the Union of South Africa, was a brilliant Boer general who won significant victories over the British in the early stages of the Anglo-Boer War. When the weight of the British arms eventually overwhelmed the Boers, Botha and Jan Smuts encouraged peace between English and Afrikaner and led the four South African colonies into Union in 1910. Botha was a big-hearted and generous man in his dealings with all. In 1914, he had to put down an Afrikaner rebellion over the Union's participation in the Great War. The experience broke his heart, as many of the rebels were old Anglo-Boer War comrades. At Versailles in 1919, representing South Africa, he pleaded unsuccessfully for magnanimity towards a defeated Germany. Globally respected, Botha and Smuts operated as a double act before Botha's untimely death in August 1919. Richard Steyn's recent books, Jan Smuts: Unafraid of Greatness and Churchill and Smuts: The Friendship, have won him a loyal readership. In Louis Botha: A Man Apart, he again masterfully brings to life a great South African.