Bridging the Gaps

Because of how the 11,000 men who were sent to join the army accounted for a significant percentage of Bechuanaland's population and how these men had to experience four years of war in unfamiliar and distant lands, both the military and civilian authorities had to make substantial efforts for establishing military control while simultaneously bridging the communication gaps between the soldiers and their homeland. Several people were involved in such efforts, and the media – particularly in the form of newspapers, letters, photographs, radio broadcasts, and other such sources – served as key tools for maintaining bonds and developing psychological contact. This chapter attempts to explain the different techniques employed by the colonial and African authorities in providing sanctions to those who attempted to interfere with the operations of the soldiers, and various measures for controlling and assuring communication.

Bridging (networking) · Computer network · Control (management) · Telecommunications · African history and culture studies · African studies and sociopolitical issues · Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science · Military History and Strategy