The Transvaal Rebellion：The First Boer War, 1880-1881

Mounted irregulars of the white settle society of the Transvaal, in South Africa, were pitted against professional British soldiers in the war; the two sides were similarly armed, and broadly shared a culture that set them far apart from the native Africans. Their fighting styles and antagonistic political goals diverged however, says Laband (history, Wilfrid Laurier U., Ontario), reflecting cultural preferences within their related societies that led to very different expectations about how a war between them would and should be fought. It is these divergences that he explores. Annotation c2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Dr John Laband is presently Professor of History at Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada. He was previously Professor of History at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. He specialises in war and society studies and is a leading expert on the history of the Zulu kingdom. He is the author or co-author of over twenty books.