This paper will discuss how British tactics and logistics contributed to their success in the Waikato campaign of the New Zealand Wars in 1863-64. Geoffrey Parker, in his book ‘The Cambridge History of Warfare' explains his five fundamental principles of western warfare. These are: a reliance on technology, discipline, the aggressive pursuit of total victory, economic power and the ability to implement change. He also asserts that the outcome of wars has been determined less by technology than by better war plans, the achievement of surprise, greater economic strength and superior discipline. Better war plans (tactics) and greater economic strength (logistics) will be shown to be the main contributors to the British success in the Waikato Campaign of the New Zealand War of 1863-64.
Applying, The Lessons Of The Crimean War
While the campaign was initiated by the governor to end the threat posed by the rebel Maori King Movement, this objective was not achieved. But militarily the campaign was a success and allowed for European expansion into the region. The war was lead by Lieutenant General Duncan Cameron, who with most of his staff had served in the Crimean War. For this reason he was determined not to the repeat the logistical fiasco of that campaign. The New Zealand wars of the 1840s had also taught the British that sound logistics were a basis for defeating the Maori as this was the Maoris' weakness.
[...] How tactics and logistics contributed to the victory of the British in the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s I. Introduction This paper will discuss how British tactics and logistics contributed to their success in the Waikato campaign of the New Zealand Wars in 1863-64. Geoffrey Parker, in his book ‘The Cambridge History of Warfare' explains his five fundamental principles of western warfare. These are: a reliance on technology, discipline, the aggressive pursuit of total victory, economic power and the ability to implement change. [...]
[...] [26] Logistics helped win the action for the British, and at the same time severely denied Maori of their own logistics support. VI. Phase four – the final battle at Orakau The fourth and final phase of the Waikato war was at Orakau late March and early April 1864. The site was poorly chosen by Maori and open to attack from too many sides. But “the simple truth is that from a logistics standpoint the Maori were defeated at Orakau before the first shot was even fired”[27] The Maori defence showed a lack of planning and the loss of the surrounding food supply region ensured defeat. [...]
[...] So his tactic was to land 1,200 men about nine kilometres to the rear of the pa, by river. This way he could attack from both the front and back at the same time. Rather than fight however, the Maori abandoned the pa, as they had done in the past when pa are attacked, so no decisive victory could be obtained. By early January the British had 7,000 men in the field, so keeping them supplied was a huge undertaking. [...]
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