The Herero Genocide was the first genocide in the 20th century. The genocide began in the late 1880’s in a part of South-West Africa ruled by the Germans. Many different groups of people lived there such as the Namaqua and the Herero. In 1888, the German commander Curt von Francois stated that, “Only uncompromising brutality will lead to victory.” The Germans took over the Herero land and planned to build a railway which would cross through this territory.
A Herero leader named Samuel wanted to resort to war. So he wrote to the other groups and said, “Our weak nations across Africa must stand against the Germans, and not allow them to eliminate us so that only they live on our land.” However, the Herero alone stood up against the Germans without any other groups involved.
In January, 1904 the war began, when the Herero attacked white-owned farms. The Herero murdered 123 German traders and settlers, but they listened to their leader and spared the lives of the children and women and the non white germans. After a few vicious battles, the Germans managed to become stronger than the Herero by employing extreme violence and cruelty, and reinforcing their troops.hkjkj
In May, General Lothar von Trotha was commander of the German forces. He reported to Governor Leutwein that Kaiser Wilhelm II desired victory at any price. …show more content…
He declared, “The people of Herero must leave this land. If they do not, I will force them to with the great weapons. We will no longer accept women and children, but rather expel them or shoot them.” The Herero escaped into the desert where the Germans had already poisoned many water sources and had already killed many of the herero people that has escaped. On October 4th von Trotha wrote to the Chief of Staff: “I believe that this nation as a nation must be exterminated. I prefer for the nation to disappear entirely rather than allow them to infect our troops with their
A Herero leader named Samuel wanted to resort to war. So he wrote to the other groups and said, “Our weak nations across Africa must stand against the Germans, and not allow them to eliminate us so that only they live on our land.” However, the Herero alone stood up against the Germans without any other groups involved.
In January, 1904 the war began, when the Herero attacked white-owned farms. The Herero murdered 123 German traders and settlers, but they listened to their leader and spared the lives of the children and women and the non white germans. After a few vicious battles, the Germans managed to become stronger than the Herero by employing extreme violence and cruelty, and reinforcing their troops.hkjkj
In May, General Lothar von Trotha was commander of the German forces. He reported to Governor Leutwein that Kaiser Wilhelm II desired victory at any price. …show more content…
He declared, “The people of Herero must leave this land. If they do not, I will force them to with the great weapons. We will no longer accept women and children, but rather expel them or shoot them.” The Herero escaped into the desert where the Germans had already poisoned many water sources and had already killed many of the herero people that has escaped. On October 4th von Trotha wrote to the Chief of Staff: “I believe that this nation as a nation must be exterminated. I prefer for the nation to disappear entirely rather than allow them to infect our troops with their