Flashcards on German South West Africa Campaign WWI
German South West Africa Campaign WWI: Overview for Students
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German South West Africa Campaign
14 cards
Card 1
Question: When did the German South West Africa campaign begin and end?
Answer: It lasted from September 1914 until 9 July 1915, when German forces formally surrendered.
Card 2
Question: Approximately how many German troops were stationed in South West Africa at the start of the campaign?
Answer: About 3,000–5,000 troops.
Card 3
Question: How many troops did the South African army deploy during the campaign?
Answer: Over 40,000 troops.
Card 4
Question: What major German tactical success occurred early in the campaign?
Answer: A German victory at the Battle of Sandfontein in September 1914.
Card 5
Question: Who was the German commander who surrendered at the end of the campaign and when did he surrender?
Answer: Victor Franke surrendered formally on 9 July 1915.
Card 6
Question: Why was there no prolonged guerrilla campaign in South West Africa like in East Africa?
Answer: The largely desert and open terrain made large-scale manoeuvre difficult and did not favour extended insurgency.
Card 7
Question: What type of warfare did the campaign most resemble and why?
Answer: A conventional colonial war, characterized by large troop movements across open territory, reliance on railways and mounted infantry, limited major ba
Card 8
Question: What logistical and tactical elements were important to operations in the campaign?
Answer: Reliance on railways, mounted infantry, and large-scale troop movements across open territory; it was primarily a logistical and strategic operation.
Card 9
Question: How did disease and conditions in South West Africa compare with East Africa in terms of troop mortality?
Answer: Disease and harsh conditions affected troops, but mortality was significantly lower than in East Africa.
Card 10
Question: What strategic assets in German South West Africa made it important to Britain?
Answer: A long Atlantic coastline, key ports (Lüderitz and Swakopmund), wireless communication stations, and railway infrastructure.