Discover Botswana's surprising military past, from defeating Voortrekkers at the Battle of Dimawe to the three Batswana-Boer Wars and modern peacekeeping missions—a rich conflict history often overlooked in Western education.

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

Lena: Hey there, welcome to Untold History! I'm Lena, joined as always by my history-obsessed friend Miles. Today we're exploring something that might surprise a lot of people – the wars of Botswana. When I mentioned this topic to friends, most had no idea Botswana had been involved in any conflicts!
Miles: That's exactly right, Lena. Most people think of Botswana as this peaceful democratic success story in Africa, which it largely is! But what's fascinating is that despite its reputation for stability, Botswana has actually participated in several significant military conflicts throughout its history.
Lena: I was shocked to learn about the Battle of Dimawe in 1852, where various Botswana tribal warriors actually defeated the Voortrekkers. That's not a narrative we often hear about African resistance to European expansion, is it?
Miles: Absolutely not. And what's even more interesting is how Botswana's military involvement evolved over time – from those early tribal conflicts to participating in UN peacekeeping operations like Operation Restore Hope in Somalia in the 1990s. The country has a much richer military history than most people realize.
Lena: You know what surprised me most? Learning that there were actually three Batswana-Boer Wars. The history books I read growing up barely mentioned any of them! Let's dive into this fascinating military history that's been largely overlooked in Western education.