military culture and the south african armed forces an historical perspective ian van der waag...
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Military Culture and the South African armed forces
An historical perspective
Ian van der WaagDepartment of Military History, Stellenbosch University / Military Academy
http://sun.academia.edu/IanvanderWaag
Introduction: identities, cultures, peoples
• South Africa a unique case?– Three processes within one
century1912
1st amalgam
Transformation
Military culture
19482nd amalgam
Transformation
Military culture
19943rd amalgam
Transformation
Military culture
Introduction: identities, cultures, peoples
• South Africa a unique case?• What is military culture?
Williamson Murray (1996)‘Military culture might best be described as the sum of the intellectual, professional, and traditional values of an officer corps; it plays a central role in how that officer corps assesses the external environment and how it analyzes the possible response that it might make to “the threat”.’
Introduction: identities, cultures, peoples
• South Africa a unique case?• What is military culture?• Contestation• Transfer of British culture?• Multiple identities, cultures• Weight of history• Interdisciplinary approaches
Smuts, the UDF, and the British Empire
•Creation of the UDF
1912
• First World War
1914-1918 • Interwar period
1919-1939
• Second World War
1939-1945 •Nationalist hegemony
1948
• “The Border War”
1975-1989 •Creation of the SANDF
1994
21st century
Union 1910
Union Defence Forces
Boer commandos
Transvaal Volunteers
Natal MilitiaBritish instructors
Cape Colonial Forces
Those left out
First Amalgam
Strategic landscape• South Africa’s fault lines– Race– Language– Class– Province
• Military geography– Threat perception(s)– Going to war?
Background, views
Strategic thinkingThreat perceptionsPlanningForce designForce preparation
Strategic landscape• South Africa’s fault lines• Military geography• Anti-military sentiment• The “British
connection” and all that
Boonzaaier’s take on the nature of British militarism [1912]
Boonzaaier’s image of Lukin on the Western Front [1916]
• Military culture• Politics of integration
– Meeting on an equal basis?– Balancing of language and
sectarian interested– Divided command - Union
Defence Forces• Permanent Force (Lukin)• Citizen Force (Beyers)• Cadets (Beves)
– Defence Council– General staff
Factors affecting the nature and standing of the UDF
Boer
Colonial
British
UDF
1912-20 1920-30 1930-40 1940-50
English 8 2 4 17
Afrikaans 11 3 1 15
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
General and senior offices in the UDF, 1912-50n = 61 (English-speaking = 31; Afrikaans = 30)
Career point and force of origin
Career Point
Boer Colonial British US Army
UDF Civil Service
1912-20 11 9 (7) (2)1920-30 2 11930-40 2 1 21940-50 1 3 5 1 17 6Total 14 14 7 1 19 6
• Military culture• Politics of integration• Appointment of the high
command• Local British commands• Stark economic
environment• Participation in the two
world wars
Several factors affected the nature and standing of the UDF
Nomenclature First World War
‘The European Crisis’ [clerks in the Defence Department]
‘The German South West Expedition’ [clerks in the PM’s office]
‘Die Brits-Duitse-oorlog’ [FS Malan, member of Botha cabinet]
Cartoon Second World War
Erasmus, the Afrikaner and the SADF
•Creation of the UDF
1912
• First World War
1914-1918 • Interwar period
1919-1939
• Second World War
1939-1945 •Nationalist hegemony
1948
• “The Border War”
1975-1989 •Creation of the SANDF
1994
21st century
Republic1961
Second Amalgam
SADF
UDF
OBAB
Those left out
Pieter Voltelin Graham van der Byl 1889-Smuts government, Minister of Native Affairs 1943-8
Pieter Voltelin van der Byl 1851-1925, farmer Fairfield, Caledon; m. 1881 Adelaide Taylor
Johannes Albertus van der Byl 1825-73, farmer Fairfield, Caledon; m. 1850 Hester Anna Myburgh, of Elsenburg
Pieter Voltelin van der Byl 1798-1849, farmer Welmoed, Lynedoch MLC Cape Colonym. 1818 Johanna Isabella van Breda 1797-1874
Pieter Gerhard van der Byl 1753-1831, farmer Welmoed, Lynedoch; m.(2) 1792 Hester Elisabeth de Wet +1817
Elisabeth Grové m. 1745 Gerrit van der Byl 1704-67, farmer De Leeuwenhoek, 24 Rivieren, Drakenstein & Vredenburg, Stellenbosch
Anna Maria van der Byl 1839-94; m.1855 Christiaan Frederik Beyers 1839-1886, farmer Zorgvliet, Banghoek
Christiaan Frederik Beyers 1868-1914 Commandant General of the SA Citizen Forces 1912-14, drowned in the Afrikaner Rebellion
Andries Christoffel van der Byl 1825-86, farmer Schoongezicht, Jonkershoekm. 1847 Gezina Wilhelmina Constantia Marais
Pieter Gerhard van der Byl 1848-1919, farmer Kellerfontein, Boshoffm. Hester Groenewald
Brig Gen Hendrik Johannes van der Byl 1887-1948 Director General of War Supplies
Pieter Gerhard van der Byl 1788-1849, farmer Paardevallei, Somerset West & Schoongezicht, Jonkershoekm. 1821 Anna Maria Brink 1796-1874
Andries Christoffel van der Byl 1749-1830, farmer Kromme Rhee and Spier, Stellenboschm. 1769 Anne Grové
Pieter Gerhardus Beyers
Lt Gen Leonard Beyers Chief of the SA General Staff 1948-50
Anna Grové bap.1735m. 1761 Daniel van Ryneveld, Landdrost of Swellendam & Stellenbosch
Andreas Grové arrived at the Cape as a soldier in 1719, free burgher 1722, farmer at Klapmuts, later Paardenburg, member of the Burgher Council 1745, acting governor of the Cape; m. 1721 Anna Nel
Sophia Grové bap.1722m.(1) 1738 Andries Brink, remarried 1749 Alida de Waal
Stephanus Grové bap.1724Heemraad van Drakenstein
Lt Gen Sir Pierre van Ryneveld 1891-1972Chief of the General Staff 1933-49
Lt Gen George Edwin Brink 1889-1971 Director of Army Organisation and Training 1937-8, Deputy Chief of the General Staff 1938-40, commander of 1 SA Division, Director General of Demobilisation 1945-8
Maj Gen A.J.E. Brink, 1877-1947Secretary for Defence 1922-37, Chief of the General Staff 1920-33
Colonel Carolus Brink, 1879-1956Quartermaster General 1921-37
Johan Godlieb Brink 1857-1916m. Magdalena Hartogh
Jan Godlieb Brink bap.1741m. Susanna Maria de Kock
Petrus Gerhardus Brink 1826-m. Johanna Jacobs
Jan Godlieb Brink 1788-1840m. Johanna Catharina Ahlers
Andries Brink 1765-1848m. Hendrina Wium
Andries Jacob Brinkm. 1874 Catherina Anna Margaretha Frieslich
Willem Stephanus van Ryneveld 1765-1812 Chief Justice of the Cape Colony & President of the Council of Justice
Daniel Johannes van Ryneveld, Landdrost of Stellenbosch
Willem Stephanus van Ryneveld 1821-
Daniel Johannes van Ryneveld 1845-
Jan Brink 1753-m.(2) 1787 Susanna Justina Faure
Andries Brink 1792-1873m. 1820 Sophia Eksteen
Jacob Eksteen Brink 1843-
Anna Elisabeth van der Byl 1746-97; m.1769 Jacob Eksteen 1750-1822, remarried 1799 Anna Aletta Malan
The SANDF
•Creation of the UDF
1912
• First World War
1914-1918 • Interwar period
1919-1939
• Second World War
1939-1945 •Nationalist hegemony
1948
• “The Border War”
1975-1989 •Creation of the SANDF
1994
21st century
New South Africa 1994
Third Amalgam:The SA National Defence Force
SANDF
SADF
Bophuthatswana Defence
Force
Venda Defence Force
Ciskei Defence Force
Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK)
Azanian Peoples
Liberation Army (APLA)
Transkei Defence Force
KwaZulu Self-Protection
Force
Those left out?
CDF
BDF
VDF
TDF
KZSPF
Government of South Africa
TBVC “States”
South African Defence Force
Transkei Defence Force (1976)
Bophuthatswana Defence Force (1977)
Venda Defence Force (1979)
Ciskei Defence Force (1981)
Non-statutory forces
Homeland paramilitary forces
Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) - ANC
Azanian People’s Liberation Army (APLA) - PAC
KwaZulu Self-Protection Force (KZSPF)
MK
Racial profile of the SANDF and RSA compared
Race SANDF 1994 post-integration
Defence Review targets
SANDF 2009
Africans (blacks) 39,2 64,5 70,0
Coloureds 12,6 13,0 13,0
Asians 1,3 1,3 1,0
Whites 46,8 24,4 16,0
Heinecken 2009
Language profile of the SANDF and RSA compared
Language IsiZulu IsiXhosa Afrikaans Sepedi English Setswana Sesotho Xitsonga SiSwati Tshivenda IsiNdebele
Population (RSA)
23,8 17,6 13,3 9,4 8,2 8,2 7,9 4,4 2,7 2,3 1,6
SANDF 8,3 9,0 23,6 7,5 10,3 8,3 5,7 1,6 2,1 3,0 0,5
Heinecken 2009
Composition of the general staff of the SANDF in terms of former force: 1997 and 2007 (percentages)
Former force 1997
Rank profile Brig-Gen to Gen
Former force 2007
Rank profile Brig-Gen to Gen
MK 15 14 13 37APLA 5 1 6 9TBVC 11 4 7 7SADF 58 81 32 47SANDF 11 0 42 0% 100 100 100 100
Heinecken 2009
History, military culture and the South African military
British (1795)
Colonial (1688)
Dutch (1652)
Boer (1715)
East Bloc UDF (1912)
SANDF (1994)
TBVC
SADF (1948/1957)MK (1961) APLA
African way of war Western way of war
OB (1938)
[German]
Cyclical periods of change
•Creation of the UDF
1912
• First World War
1914-1918 • Interwar period
1919-1939
• Second World War
1939-1945 •Nationalist hegemony
1948
• “The Border War”
1975-1989 •Creation of the SANDF
1994
21st century
Integration Differentiation Fragmentation
?
Union 1910
Republic1961 New South
Africa 1994
Unified military for the colonial
state
The search for an “Afrikaner” character
for the military
Unified military for the “New South Africa”