British Concentration Camps in the Boer War (opens in new tab)

The British authorities controversially used concentration camps for civilians during the Boer War (1899-1902) in Southern Africa. The reason was to deprive Boer guerrilla fighters of logistical support and provide some sort of accommodation for Boer families who had lost their homes and livelihoods. A lack of planning led to overcrowded camps where rations were poor and sanitary conditions even worse, a situation which led to epidemics of diseases like typhoid. During the war, up to 28,000 B...