▁ ▁The ▁National ▁Party ▁had ▁been ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁by ▁Af rik an er ▁national ists . ▁It ▁first ▁came ▁to ▁power ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 . ▁Ten ▁years ▁later , ▁its ▁leader ▁J . ▁B . ▁M . ▁H ert z og ▁and ▁Jan ▁Sm uts ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Party ▁merged ▁their ▁parties ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁United ▁Party . ▁This ▁anger ed ▁a ▁cont ing ent ▁of ▁hard line ▁national ists ▁under ▁D . ▁F . ▁Mal an , ▁who ▁broke ▁away ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁’ ’ P ur ified ▁National ▁Party ’ ’ . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁broke ▁out , ▁res ent ment ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁had ▁not ▁subs ided . ▁Mal an ' s ▁party ▁opposed ▁South ▁Africa ' s ▁entry ▁into ▁the ▁war ▁on ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁British ; ▁some ▁of ▁its ▁members ▁wanted ▁to ▁support ▁Naz i ▁Germany . ▁Jan ▁Sm uts ▁had ▁commanded ▁the ▁British ▁Army ▁in ▁East ▁Africa ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁and ▁was ▁am enable ▁to ▁backing ▁the ▁Al lies ▁a ▁second ▁time . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁spark ▁Af rik an er ▁national ism ▁needed . ▁H ert z og , ▁who ▁was ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁neutral ity , ▁quit ▁the ▁United ▁Party ▁when ▁a ▁narrow ▁majority ▁in ▁his ▁cabinet ▁back ed ▁Sm uts . ▁He ▁started ▁the ▁Af rik an er ▁Party ▁which ▁would ▁am alg am ate ▁later ▁with ▁D . ▁F . ▁Mal an ' s ▁’ ’ P ur ified