Zulu Dawn is a big budget prequel to the fine 1963 film Zulu which starred Stanley Baker and Michael Caine. That film concerned the freshly victorious Zulus from the battle of Isandlwana where they nearly annihilated a British army and were marching on a post at Rorke's Drift. Zulu Dawn tells of the Battle of Isandlwana and the incredible incompetence in underestimating the fighting spirit of the warlike Zulus.
They underestimated the military skill of Cetawayo their king who used their numerical advantage and also took advantage of certain problems with British weaponry and tactics.
The engagement at Isandlwana was not unlike the American cavalry annihilation at Little Big Horn. Lord Chelmsford the British commander played by Peter O'Toole made a lot of tactical errors including leaving his cavalry under Colonel Anthony Dumford who is played by Burt Lancaster on the other side of the Buffalo River out of Zulu Territory. General Custer also split his command, but it was he who died there. O'Toole also failed to properly set up fortifications in the base camp that was established. He could have learned something from the Boers who actually had a name for circling the wagons for defense called a Laager. It was probably the biggest blunder and I can't think who else would have been responsible, but O'Toole's character Chelmsford.
Lancaster's cavalry came to the rescue of O'Toole's infantry and was annihilated and only 50 men and 5 officers including O'Toole survived the attack. O'Toole's character Chelmsford spent the rest of his life trying to affix blame to anyone else, but him.
The film is told in fine documentary style with no embellishments. It needs none in telling the story of one of the United Kingdom's biggest military blunders.
They underestimated the military skill of Cetawayo their king who used their numerical advantage and also took advantage of certain problems with British weaponry and tactics.
The engagement at Isandlwana was not unlike the American cavalry annihilation at Little Big Horn. Lord Chelmsford the British commander played by Peter O'Toole made a lot of tactical errors including leaving his cavalry under Colonel Anthony Dumford who is played by Burt Lancaster on the other side of the Buffalo River out of Zulu Territory. General Custer also split his command, but it was he who died there. O'Toole also failed to properly set up fortifications in the base camp that was established. He could have learned something from the Boers who actually had a name for circling the wagons for defense called a Laager. It was probably the biggest blunder and I can't think who else would have been responsible, but O'Toole's character Chelmsford.
Lancaster's cavalry came to the rescue of O'Toole's infantry and was annihilated and only 50 men and 5 officers including O'Toole survived the attack. O'Toole's character Chelmsford spent the rest of his life trying to affix blame to anyone else, but him.
The film is told in fine documentary style with no embellishments. It needs none in telling the story of one of the United Kingdom's biggest military blunders.