This Day in History: January 12, 1915
Additional Date: January 12, 1915
Few years after the Second Anglo-Boer War (11 Oct 1899 – 31 May 1902), the European continent got embroiled in hostilities, which culminated in the break out of World War I in 1914. The outbreak of this war presented South Africa with long sought opportunity to pursue its ambitions to incorporate the German protectorate of South West Africa, now Namibia, into South Africa. With these international developments the South African government, under the leadership of General Louis Botha, put an offer to Britain to invade the South West Africa. After the British concession, South African forces invaded the German protectorate at Ramansdrift. Though Britain had acceded to the offer, the plan went astray, as there were sympathisers among Afrikaner community towards German cause.