UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The August meeting of the Lake County History Roundtable takes on the little-known but fascinating topic of World War I in Africa.

The discussion will take place beginning at 6:15 p.m. Monday, Aug. 8, at the Tallman Hotel, 9550 Main St., Upper Lake.

Few Americans realize that the first and last British actions of World War I took place in Africa.

The African campaigns actually lasted longer than the Western Front and produced the finest guerrilla commander of the war, Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, an old school Prussian.

Lettow-Vorbeck was so renowned in Germany that he was later able to tell Hitler to perform anatomical impossibilities with himself and survive.

His exploits in the campaign have been described by military historian Edwin Palmer Hoyt “as the greatest single guerrilla operation in history, and the most successful.” Yet Lettow-Vorbeck remains mostly unknown outside Germany.

Five African countries saw military action which was marked by immense difficulties of logistics, communications and disease.

There also were moments of downright Marx Brothers farce such as German officers needing to communicate with their troops in English as it was the only non-African language they understood.

Bill Eaton, a student of British and African imperial history, will present an illustrated introduction of the war whose repercussions are still being felt in Africa today.

The Lake County History Roundtable (formerly the Redwood Empire Civil War Roundtable) is open to the public and all ages and all levels of interest in history are welcome.

For more information, contact Phil Smoley at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-349-1008, or Zane Jensen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-349-6390.