Jan Smuts Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa (later the Republic of South Africa), philosopher, military leader. Date of Birth: 24.05.1870 Country: South Africa

Biography of Jan Smuts

Jan Smuts was a prominent figure in the history of South Africa, serving as the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa and also making significant contributions as a philosopher and military commander. He was born on May 24, 1870 in the Cape Colony into an Afrikaner family near Riebeek West.

After an illustrious academic career in South Africa and at the University of Cambridge, Smuts practiced law in Cape Town. It was during this time that he became fascinated by the imperial ideas of Cecil Rhodes, the Prime Minister of the Cape Colony. However, Smuts became disillusioned with Rhodes when he supported the Jameson Raid in 1895, which aimed to forcibly annex the South African Republic (Transvaal) with its gold reserves to the British Empire.

Subsequently, Smuts settled in Transvaal and became the Republic's prosecutor in 1898. In 1899, he engaged in negotiations with Britain regarding the political rights of the uitlanders, and when war broke out the following year, he dedicated himself entirely to the struggle for independence. After the British captured Pretoria, Smuts led Boer forces into the Cape Colony, but in May 1902, he realized that further resistance against the superior British forces would be futile. At the negotiations in Vereeniging, he recommended that the Boer leaders accept the peace terms offered by Britain.

When the Liberal Party came to power in Britain in 1905, Smuts traveled to London and convinced the government to introduce self-governance and an electoral system in Transvaal that would favor Afrikaners. The British concessions made a deep impression on Smuts, and he subsequently pursued a policy of cooperation with Britain and British South Africa. This same approach was followed by Louis Botha, the Commander-in-Chief of the Boer forces during the war, to whom Smuts was subordinate. In 1907, Botha became the Prime Minister of Transvaal, and in 1910, the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa. It was largely thanks to the efforts of Botha and Smuts that the union of the four British South African colonies was established.

During World War I, Smuts assisted Botha in suppressing the rebellion of Afrikaners and in conquering German South West Africa. He commanded British forces in East Africa and became a prominent member of the war government led by D. Lloyd George. Smuts accurately predicted the future evolution of the British Commonwealth and the League of Nations.

When Botha passed away in 1919, Smuts succeeded him as Prime Minister. After being defeated by the leader of the National Party, J.G. Herzog, in 1924, Smuts devoted himself to the study of philosophy. He returned to public life during the economic depression of the 1930s. The two main parties united under the leadership of Prime Minister Herzog and his deputy, Smuts. They collaborated successfully, but split on the eve of World War II over South Africa's participation in the conflict. Smuts emerged victorious in parliament and formed a government that declared war on Germany in September 1939.

In 1948, Smuts' party lost the general elections to the National Party led by D. Malan, who opposed internationalism and the neutral stance of the Prime Minister regarding racial issues. Smuts passed away in his home near Pretoria on September 11, 1950.