The Plain Indian Wars of 1860-1890 ended, mainly because of three factors:
- Killing of the buffalo by whites.
- The massacre of Plain Indians.
- The fuelling of hatred between challenging tribal units.
Killing of buffalo by the whites
They call it the great buffalo hunts. Americans were killing the buffalos leading to almost its extinction. Americans bring paid in order to reduce the food source and clothing source of the Plain Indians. This led to their starvation. Starvation led to reduced immunity and accompanied by introduction of disease that they are not resistant to like smallpox, chickenpox, measles, and yellow fever mumps. These led to the deaths of many Indians, which reduced their forces of war giving an upper hand to the white people.
Massacre of Plain Indians
This is where they used the scorched earth policy. Texas Rangers initially used it to remove Indians. It was mainly killing all Indians from man to woman to children then putting on fire their homes and destroying whatever food they had stored. Therefore, in December 29, 1890, Sioux women, warriors, and, children are brutally killed by the U.S. Calvary at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. This then finally ended the battle officially on that day since there were no more Indians to fight leading to their defeat.
Fuelling of hatred between challenging tribes
The white people decided to divide and conquer the Indians. They did this by fuelling hatred between the tribal units that were competing for superiority leading to a division between the Indians. With lack of unity between the Indians, they now were not fighting the white men with the vigor and strength they had before hence leading to their defeat.
The most devastating of the methods used by the white men is the killing of all Indians. This is because it is simply an act of genocide where they kill innocent children, women, and burn down their houses. This rates amongst the most inhuman acts committed in history. It is comparable to Hitler’s killing of the Jews.
Reference
Michno, F. Gregory Encyclopedia of Indian wars: Western battles and skirmishes 1850–1890. Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press Publishing Company, 2009
