Africa usually only features tangentially during events commemorating the First World War. But this year, which marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the Great War, two endeavours take a fresh look at the continent’s role. The first is a production by renowned South African artist William Kentridge who attacks the idea that the Great War was a “world war”. His new art project focuses on the impact this “European War” had on the African colonies of the principal countries. Michael Godby argues that it’s an impact that was ignored at the time, and subsequently written out of history.

The war is also examined from the vantage point of South Africa in an article by Martin Plaut. He looks at how Afrikaners faced the difficult decision of whether or not to back Great Britain. It was a tough choice given that the bitter Anglo-Boer war had only recently ended. No such dilemma faced black and coloured South Africans who seized the opportunity to show loyalty to their country and the British Crown. They were, unsurprisingly, never rewarded for this.