Jan Christian Smuts Biography

Birth of Jan Christian Smuts

Completes law studies at Christs College

The Transvaal becomes an independent Afrikaner republic at the Convention of Pretoria

The Transvaal becomes an independent Afrikaner republic at the Convention of Pretoria

The Transvaal becomes an independent Afrikaner republic at the Convention of Pretoria

Smuts attends Victoria College, learns High Dutch, German & Ancient Greek & immerses himself in literature, the classics & Bible studies

Wins the Ebden scholarship for overseas study & reads law at Christs College, Cambridge

Graduates with double First-class honours in Literature & Science

Appointed Personal Legal Adviser to Rhodes

Returns to South Africa to practise law at Cape Town bar

Smuts resigns from public life after his outrage at the Jameson Raid

Renounces British citizenship

Marries Sybella Krige

With an intimate knowledge of the British, Smuts takes control of the Transvaal delegation. Martinus Steyn called for a peace conference at Bloemfontein to settle the Boer & British grievances

Appointed State Attorney, Smuts wrote a legal thesis in support of Kruger, who rewards Smuts as State Attorney

The Boer republics declare war after Britain rejects their ultimatum.

Commands the Republican forces in the Cape of Good Hope

Smuts serves as Kruger's eyes and ears, handling propaganda, logistics, communication with generals and diplomats. Commands the Republican forces in the Cape of Good Hope

Leads a failed Boer raid on the Cape of Good Hope. Hopes to raise a rebellion against the British and disrupt their lines of communication

Leads a commando raid into Cape Colony.

Smuts crosses the Orange River with his commando and begins a difficult campaign deep inside Cape Colony.

Smuts attacks a camp of the 17th Lancers at Modderfontein and secures horses, weapons and supplies for his commando.

British forces occupy the Orange Free State and rename it the Orange River Colony.

The Treaty of Vereeniging ends the Second Boer War.

British forces occupy the Orange Free State and rename it the Orange River Colony.

The Afrikaaner Het Volk party founds the Responsible Government Association

The Afrikaan party opposes the Lyttelton Constitution. The Afrikaaner Het Volk party founds the Responsible Government Association

The Afrikaaner Het Volk party founds the Responsible Government Association

Transvaal generals to form a political party, Het Volk, to fight for the Afrikaner cause. Louis Botha is elected leader, & Smuts his deputy

Negotiates a constitution with Campbell-Bannerman

Negotiates a constitution with Campbell-Bannerman. Botha sends Smuts to London to plead with the newly elected Liberal Government

Smuts joins Botha in London, & seeks to negotiate full self-Government for the Transvaal within British South Africa

Negotiates a constitution with Campbell-Bannerman. Botha sends Smuts to London to plead with the newly elected Liberal Government

Smuts joins Botha in London, & seeks to negotiate full self-Government for the Transvaal within British South Africa

The Peoples Party win a landslide & Botha forms the Government. Smuts wins a comfortable victory in the Wonderboom constituency, near Pretoria

Appointed Colonial Secretary of the Transvaal

Favors unitary rather than federal Government for a future unified South Africa

Appointed Education Secretary of the Transvaal

Favors unitary rather than federal Government for a future unified South Africa

Appointed Minister of the Interior

Appointed Minister of Mines

Submits his scheme for a South African Union to the National Convention

Appointed Minister of Defence

To solidify their dominance of South African politics, the Afrikaners united to form the South Africa Party, a new pann Afrikaner party

Submits his scheme for a South African Union to the National Convention

The constitutional convention represents 4 colonies, natives of South Africa excluded. Submits his scheme for a South African Union to the National Convention. Smuts calls for a constitutional convention. 1st day of the convention which determines the Government & constitition of South Africa

The convention represents the 4 colonies but natives of South Africa are excluded

Smuts calls for a constitutional convention

The Union of South Africa is born, the Afrikaners hold the key to political power, they forme the largest part of the electorate. Smuts & Botha take the constitution to London, where it is passed by Parliament, & signed into law by Edward VII

Smuts & Botha take the constitution to London, where it is passed by Parliament, & signed into law by Edward VII

Becomes a leading figure in Botha's South African Party.

Helps shape the governing party's national programme.

Creates a unified military structure for the Union.

Organizes implementation of the new Union Defence Force.

At the South Africa Party conference, the Old Boers, of Hertzog, Steyn, & De Wet, call for Botha & Smuts to step down but the 3 resign

A railway strike turns into a general strike & Smuts declares martial law

A railway strike turns into a general strike & Smuts declares martial law

Botha and Smuts suppress the Maritz Rebellion before it becomes a wider Boer war.

Smuts forms the South African Defence Force

A railway strike turns into a general strike & Smuts declares martial law

Supports Botha in suppressing the Afrikaner wartime rebellion.

Coordinates government military operations against rebel commandos.

Helps organise loyalist forces against the rebels.

Smuts & Louis Botha lead the South African army into German South West Africa & capture it

Smuts & Louis Botha lead the South African army into German South West Africa & capture it

Appointed Commander of the British troops in British East Africa

Appointed Commander of the British troops in British East Africa

Smuts is put in charge of the conquest of German East Africa

Helps lead the South Africa Party, a new pann Afrikaner party

Appointed Member of Imperial War Cabinet by Lloyd George

Appointed Member of Imperial War Cabinet by Lloyd George

Recommends the Royal Flying Corps & Royal Naval Air Service join under an Air Ministry. Reccomends the creation of an RAF capable of a German bombing offensive

Smuts & Botha are key negotiators at the Paris Peace Conference, they favour reconciliation with Germany & limited reparations

Appointed Prime Minister of South Africa, 1st term

The Treaty of Versailles gives South Africa a mandate over Namibia, which wis occupied from 1919 until 1990

The Treaty of Versailles gives South Africa a mandate over Namibia, which wis occupied from 1919 until 1990

Influences the constitutional design of the League.

The police kill 183 unarmed peasants

South Africa administers South West Africa under League mandate.

Smuts is defeated by the National Party

Publication of "Holism and Evolution"

Appointed Deputy Prime Minister

Appointed Minister of Justice

Formed by a merger of most of Prime Minister Barry Hertzogs National Party with the rival South Africa Party of Jan Smuts, plus the remnants of the Unionist Party

Becomes deputy leader within the new fusion organization.

Helps establish the United Party with Hertzog.

Jan Smuts succeeds Hertzog and led the party and the country throughout World War II and the immediate post-war years

Appointed Prime Minister of South Africa, 2nd term

South Africa severs relations with Germany

South Africa severs relations with Germany

Appointed Member of Imperial War Cabinet as the most senior South African in favour of war

Becomes prime minister after Parliament rejects Hertzog's neutrality policy.

Leads supporters committed to entering the war against Germany.

Forms a government committed to participation in the war.

Forms a government committed to war against Germany.

Takes control of the United Party after Hertzog's resignation.

Directs South Africa's entry into the Second World War.

The Industrial Development Corporartion is founded

The Industrial Development Corporartion is founded

Appointed Field Marshal of the British Army, the 1st South African to hold that rank

Appointed Field Marshal of the British Army, the 1st South African to hold that rank

War Measure 145 is introduced to prohibit strikes by Africans

Wins the election with 110 seats, a triumph for the United Party & pro-war coalition

Asiatic Trading & Occupation of Land Restriction Act

Appointed Prime Minister of South Africa, 3rd term

20,000 protest against the Pass Laws

Montgomerry presents the Overlord plan to Commanders, the King, Smuts & Churchill

Entrusted with the task of drawing up the Preamble to the United Nations Charter

Entrusted with the task of drawing up the Preamble to the United Nations Charter

Entrusted with the task of drawing up the Preamble to the United Nations Charter

Judge Fagan is appointed a Commission Chairman to consider reforming the Pass Laws

Visited by the British Royal family

Refuses to place South West Africa under United Nations trusteeship

Smuts and the United Party lost the 1948 election to the National Party. It was never to hold power again

Smuts and the United Party lost the 1948 election to the National Party. It was never to hold power again

Announces intention to resign from the party leadership

Death of Jan Smuts, on his family farm of Doornkloof, Irene, near Pretoria, South Africa at the age of 80