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495:. Many of the refugee Hereros died of thirst and exhaustion during their trek through the desert. German patrols later found skeletons around holes 8–16 m (25–50 ft) deep dug in a vain attempt to find water. Tens of thousands of the Herero died of thirst, starvation, or disease. Those who attempted surrender were summarily shot. After Trotha's extermination order was countermanded by Berlin, captured survivors were sent to a
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south and southeast. The commander of the southeastern blocking column, however, failed to maneuver his troops into position in a timely fashion, and to communicate that fact to Trotha. Meanwhile, the western advancing column did not stop at the appointed line and pressed the Herero through the unclosed gap created by the failure of the southeastern troops. The bulk of the Herero and their cattle escaped eastward into the
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machine guns at the Battle of
Waterberg on August 11, but the survivors escaped into the desert. Trotha and his staff were unprepared for their failure to decisively defeat the Herero. At the end of an attenuated supply line and occupying ground thoroughly foraged by the Herero, the Germans could not
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The
Germans had won a tactical victory by driving the Herero from Waterberg, but had failed in their intentions to end the Herero Wars with a decisive battle. Trotha soon thereafter ordered the pursuit of the Herero eastward into the desert, intending to prevent Herero reorganization by depriving
459:
Execution of Trotha's battle plan began on August 11, 1904, after a careful buildup of troops and supplies. The German commander intended part of his force to squeeze the Herero south of the
Plateau with columns from the east and west while two more columns would seal off the escape route to the
336:
and – in expectation of peace negotiations – had assembled some 3,500-6,000 warriors along with their families. The total number of
Hereros in the area is estimated at 25,000 to 50,000. Some of them were armed with traditional close combat weapons called
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to the site of the expected battle. In the meantime, the Herero, estimated around 60,000 men, women, and children, with an equal number of cattle, drew on meager grass and water supplies while awaiting overtures from the
Germans.
668:(Leiden, 1996); and Kirsten Zirkel, "Military Power in German Colonial Policy: The Schutztruppen and Their Leaders in East and South West Africa, 1888-1918," in David Killingray and David Omissi, eds.,
365:. Leutwein combined a policy of military pressure with communication with the Herero to negotiate a settlement to the hostilities. The Germans achieved moderate military success in a series of
480:
them of pastureland and watering holes. This campaign caused most of the deaths of Herero people during the Revolt, and resulted in the notorious extermination order of
October 2, 1904.
488:
On 2 October, von Trotha issued the infamous extermination order: "Any Herero found within the German borders with or without a gun, with or without cattle, will be shot".
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The
Waterberg military station was occupied by Herero mounted infantry and irregular guerrilla forces. These Herero forces were quickly defeated by colonial forces using
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immediately pursue. While signaling to Berlin a complete victory and subsequent pursuit, Trotha began to move his force westward toward the railroad.
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source of German supplies, so Trotha spent nearly three months (June, July, and part of August) transporting troops and supplies by
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Lieutenant
Colonel Karl Max Mueller (on the next day replaced by Major Karl Ludwig von Mühlenfels) - in the south near Ombuatjipiro
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202:
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Absolute
Destruction: Military Culture and The Practices of War in Imperial Germany (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2005)
741:
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716:
697:
195:
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in
January 1904 until June 11, 1904, the German military efforts had been directed by colonial Governor Colonel
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525:. A military graveyard exists where the German soldiers who perished in the Battle of Waterberg are buried.
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While most Herero escaped the battle, their retreat led to the near extinction of their people in an act of
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Towards Redemption: A Socio-Political History of the Herero of Namibia between 1890 and 1923
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On the eve of the battle the Germans around the Waterberg were organized into six columns:
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Die Kämpfe der deutschen Truppen in Südwestafrika Band I - Der Feldzug gegen die Hereros
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Absolute destruction: military culture and the practices of war in Imperial Germany,
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The Waterberg Plateau where the Herero concentrated lay 100 km east of the
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under the condition that they would not continue their revolt on British soil.
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Two shell casings from the battlefield at the Waterberg, found in October 2012
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Despite extensive German patrols and a large bounty offered for his capture,
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Guardians of Empire: The Armed Forces of the Colonial Powers, 1700-1964
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Trotha's headquarters, headed by his Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel
381:, expecting Trotha to end the revolt with a decisive military victory.
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First Lieutenant Richard Dietrich Volkmann - in the north near Otjenga
660:(Evanston, Ill., Northwestern University Press, 1971); Jon Bridgman,
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664:(Berkeley: University of California Press, 1981); Jan-Bart Gewald,
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Positions and German operational plan on the day before the battle
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and numbered just over 1,500. They were armed with 1,625 modern
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Captain von Fiedler - in the northwest near Osondjache mountain
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282:(Battle of Ohamakari) took place on August 11, 1904, at the
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German General Staff, Historical Department I, ed. (1906).
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Memorial to fallen Herero warriors at the Waterberg Plateau
16:
Decisive battle in the German campaign against the Herero
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The German Imperial Forces were under the command of
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702:Cornell University Press, 2006. On Google Reader.
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506:and about 1,000 of his men managed to cross the
521:The site of the battle is today located within
658:South West Africa Under German Rule, 1894-1914
564:"Battle of Waterberg - 11 August 1904 - Pt 1"
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435:, was in the south near Mueller's position.
594:"Battle of Waterberg Pt 2 - 12 August 1904"
377:replaced Leutwein with Lieutenant General
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167:3,500 - 6,000 warriors with their families
549:, p. 125 (Campus Verlag, Frankfurt, 2010)
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682:Battle of Waterberg - Namibia (Part 2)
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294:), and was the decisive battle in the
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547:Postkoloniale Erinnerungslandschaften
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369:before cornering the Herero at the
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514:. The British offered the Hereros
497:concentration camp at Shark Island
296:German campaign against the Herero
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737:1904 in German South West Africa
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414:- in the southeast near Hamakari
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596:. Namibia-1on1. Archived from
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407:- in the east near Okomiparum
541:Term used by Herero people:
424:- in the west near Okateitei
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742:Herero and Namaqua genocide
732:Military history of Namibia
618:This summary is taken from
592:Irwing, Keith, ed. (2013).
562:Irwing, Keith, ed. (2013).
267:Herero and Namaqua genocide
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332:were under the command of
717:Battles involving Germany
662:The Revolt of the Hereros
512:Bechuanaland Protectorate
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433:Martin Chales de Beaulieu
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357:From the opening of the
288:German South West Africa
84:German South West Africa
644:E.S. Mittler & Sohn
471:artillery and 14 Maxim
345:Preparations for battle
722:German colonial empire
656:See also Helmut Bley,
523:Waterberg Plateau Park
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132:Commanders and leaders
642:(in German). Berlin:
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412:Hermann von der Heyde
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172:Casualties and losses
69:20.51667°S 17.23333°E
600:on 16 September 2018
646:. pp. 156–157.
545:- Larissa Förster:
280:Battle of Waterberg
247:Battle of Okahandja
74:-20.51667; 17.23333
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22:Battle of Waterberg
747:August 1904 events
570:on 16 October 2018
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405:Ludwig von Estorff
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308:Lieutenant General
145:Lieutenant General
672:(New York, 1999).
422:Berthold Deimling
379:Lothar von Trotha
371:Waterberg Plateau
311:Lothar von Trotha
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108:Belligerents
27:Part of the
727:Herero Wars
375:Kaiserreich
359:Herero Wars
220:Herero Wars
82:Waterberg,
72: /
29:Herero Wars
711:Categories
529:References
367:skirmishes
252:Ongandjira
179:60 wounded
510:into the
319:artillery
284:Waterberg
262:Waterberg
232:Okahandja
177:26 killed
60:17°14′0″E
57:20°31′0″S
604:2 August
574:2 August
493:genocide
473:belt-fed
420:Colonel
386:railhead
242:Namutoni
159:Strength
47:Location
292:Namibia
257:Ovuimbu
237:Omaruru
88:Namibia
516:asylum
439:Battle
410:Major
403:Major
330:Herero
315:rifles
302:Armies
126:Herero
96:Result
339:kirri
317:, 30
164:2,000
606:2023
576:2023
328:The
278:The
39:Date
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211:e
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