The Washing of the Spears: The Rise and Fall of the Zulu Nation Under Shaka and its Fall in the Zulu War of 1879

This is a study of the rise of the Zulu nation under their ruler, Shaka, and its fall under Cetshwayo. It seeks to provide an account of the trials, errors and triumphs of Imperial policy in Natal on the eve of the Boer wars and to give an unprejudiced analysis of the British-Boer involvement with the Zulu nation. In 1879, armed only with spears and rawhide shields, the Zulus challenged the British army and initially inflicted the worst defeat ever suffered by an army from men without guns. The story is full of drama and heroism - the Battle of Islandhlwana, when the Zulu army wiped out the British column, and Rorke's Drift, when a handful of British troops beat off thousands of Zulu warriors and won eleven Victoria Crosses. This is a new edition of a book first published 20 years ago which is still considered to be the standard work on the Zulu wars. It has been widely acclaimed for its scholarship, range and readability.