The Zulu Wars

Season 1

2002 · 3 episodes · 2h 30m in all

This series explores the facts and investigates the truth behind the British Redcoat Army's campaign in Zululand during 1879. The war was started by a country at the height of it's imperial powers and prosecuted by an army charged with the responsibility of implementing a policy known as Confederation - a proposal to unite various black and white factions in South Africa under British authority. Interviews, on-location footage and new geological surveys all help to reconstruct the conflicts and give insight into the tactics used in these epic battles.

Episodes

1. 1

   1. The Road to Isandlwana

   1 Jan 2002 · 50 min

   The first episode in the series sets the scene and tells the fascinating story of the origins of the war and explains how Sir Henry Bartle-Frere engineered the British invasion of Zululand.

2. 2

   2. The Washing of the Spears

   1 Jan 2002 · 50 min

   The appalling disaster at Isandlwana was received with horror in Britain and the Government did all it could to maximise the news of the momentous events at Rorke's Drift.

3. 3

   3. Twilight of the Zulus

   1 Jan 2002 · 50 min

   This episode tells the story of the bloody second and final phase of the war during which the British exacted terrible retribution on the Zulu nation and humiliated King Cetshwayo.