The German East African Campaign

During World War One, General Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck led the German army against the combined Allied forces in East Africa. Even though they were significantly outnumbered and lacked the resources of Britain, General Lettow-Vorbeck never surrendered until two weeks after the armistice was signed in Europe in 1918. General Lettow-Vorbeck and his forces were able to remain undefeated in the East African Campaign due to the strong bond of respect among the troops, an in-depth knowledge of the area, and the significance that the German Empire placed on the campaign itself. The British on the other hand were led by ineffective leaders unaccustomed to the terrain and had little to no knowledge of how to fight and survive in the African bush. The British Empire did not see the African campaign as a priority during the early stages of the conflict, a mistake that was clearly realized and corrected later on during the war. All of these factors contributed to the success of the German campaign that saw General Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck and his soldiers wage arguably one of the most successful guerrilla wars in the history of warfare