 On January 12, 1904, the Herero people, led by Samuel Maharero, rebelled against German colonialism.In August, General Lothar von Trotha of the Imperial German Army defeated the Herero in the Battle of Waterberg and drove them into the desert of Omaheke, where most of them died of thirst.In October, the Nama people also rebelled against the Germans only to suffer a similar fate.