To what extent did wars between 1870 and 1905 reshape military thinking? Mac McMillan – HUA102 During the period from 1870 to 1905 the tactics and training procedures utilised within the British Army were outdated, comprising of poor doctrine that did not learn from failure. Although there were several conflicts that could have influenced British military strategy and doctrine, this essay will look at the key elements learnt from the Boer War from 1899 to 1902. It was the combat experience in this period that prompted the development of improved tactical doctrine in the main teeth arm, the infantry. It also highlighted to commanders the importance of tactical skills and individual initiative above drill and discipline at unit level, which later informed the success of the British Expeditionary Force at the beginning of the Great War in 1914. The Boer War ended in 1902 and in the twelve years from 1902 to the beginning of the Great War in 1914 the most critical and wide-ranging changes to British Military Infantry doctrine took place. The thesis of this essay will evidence that infantry doctrine, from 1902 to 1914, was developed from the surprising defeats suffered during the Boer War that removed the Victorian mentality of complacency and easy victory experienced in previous wars. The essay will show that this period, to some extent, did reshape military thinking and ethos in the first part of the 20 th century. To achieve this, the essay will first consider British Infantry doctrine, prior to and during the Boer War. It will then develop the thesis by reviewing tactics and doctrine developed from the lessons of the Boer War. The essay will then consider the antithesis of its arguments and conclude with a summary of findings. The Victorian Army was indoctrinated with Frederician theory and plagiarised Jominian text used first by Patrick MacDougall, the first
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