Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck & The East Africa Campaign. August 3, 1914 - November 25, 1918
Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck (20 March 1870 – 9 March 1964), also called the Lion of Africa (German: Löwe von Afrika), was a general in the German Army and the commander of its forces in the German East Africa campaign. For four years, with a force of about 14,000 (3,000 Germans and 11,000 Africans), he held in check a much larger force of 300,000 British, Indian, Belgian, and Portuguese troops. He is still considered to this day one of history's greatest guerrilla leaders. The East African campaign in World War I was a series of battles and guerrilla actions, which started in German East Africa (GEA) and spread to portions of Portuguese Mozambique, Northern Rhodesia, British East Africa, the Uganda Protectorate, and the Belgian Congo. The campaign all but ended in German East Africa in November 1917 when the Germans entered Portuguese Mozambique and continued the campaign living off Portuguese supplies. Lettow-Vorbeck served on the expedition to put down the Herero and Hottentot rebellion (1904–07) in German South West Africa (now Namibia), during which he gained experience in bush fighting. Appointed military commander of German East Africa in 1914, he repelled a British landing at Tanga (Tanzania) in November of that year. For four years, with a force that never exceeded about 14,000 (3,000 Germans and 11,000 Askaris, or native Africans) Soldiers, he held in check a much larger force (estimates range to more than 300,000) of British, Belgian, and Portuguese troops. Lettow-Vorbeck returned to Germany in early March 1919 to a hero's welcome. He led the veterans of the Schutztruppe in their tattered tropical uniforms on a victory parade through the Brandenburg Gate, which was decorated in their honour. He was the only German commander to successfully invade the British Empire during the First World War. He remained in the Reichswehr despite attempts to involve him in the politics of the Weimar Republic. Fourteen months after his return to Germany, Lettow-Vorbeck commanded the troops that ended the Spartacist Uprising in Hamburg. However, Lettow-Vorbeck then lost his commission in the Reichswehr in the summer of 1920 following his involvement in the Kapp Putsch. He subsequently worked in Bremen as an import-export manager. He was a deputy to the Reichstag (parliament) from May 1929 to July 1930. Though a member of the right wing, he was not a Nazi and unsuccessfully tried to organize a conservative opposition to Hitler. https://youtu.be/eyzu8HCaKIg https://youtube.com/channel/UCpz6ZqxP6UsF5XXjmBRSuFA
Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck (20 March 1870 – 9 March 1964), also called the Lion of Africa (German: Löwe von Afrika), was a general in the German Army and the commander of its forces in the German East Africa campaign. For four years, with a force of about 14,000 (3,000 Germans and 11,000 Africans), he held in check a much larger force of 300,000 British, Indian, Belgian, and Portuguese troops. He is still considered to this day one of history's greatest guerrilla leaders. The East African campaign in World War I was a series of battles and guerrilla actions, which started in German East Africa (GEA) and spread to portions of Portuguese Mozambique, Northern Rhodesia, British East Africa, the Uganda Protectorate, and the Belgian Congo. The campaign all but ended in German East Africa in November 1917 when the Germans entered Portuguese Mozambique and continued the campaign living off Portuguese supplies. Lettow-Vorbeck served on the expedition to put down the Herero and Hottentot rebellion (1904–07) in German South West Africa (now Namibia), during which he gained experience in bush fighting. Appointed military commander of German East Africa in 1914, he repelled a British landing at Tanga (Tanzania) in November of that year. For four years, with a force that never exceeded about 14,000 (3,000 Germans and 11,000 Askaris, or native Africans) Soldiers, he held in check a much larger force (estimates range to more than 300,000) of British, Belgian, and Portuguese troops. Lettow-Vorbeck returned to Germany in early March 1919 to a hero's welcome. He led the veterans of the Schutztruppe in their tattered tropical uniforms on a victory parade through the Brandenburg Gate, which was decorated in their honour. He was the only German commander to successfully invade the British Empire during the First World War. He remained in the Reichswehr despite attempts to involve him in the politics of the Weimar Republic. Fourteen months after his return to Germany, Lettow-Vorbeck commanded the troops that ended the Spartacist Uprising in Hamburg. However, Lettow-Vorbeck then lost his commission in the Reichswehr in the summer of 1920 following his involvement in the Kapp Putsch. He subsequently worked in Bremen as an import-export manager. He was a deputy to the Reichstag (parliament) from May 1929 to July 1930. Though a member of the right wing, he was not a Nazi and unsuccessfully tried to organize a conservative opposition to Hitler. https://youtu.be/eyzu8HCaKIg https://youtube.com/channel/UCpz6ZqxP6UsF5XXjmBRSuFA