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Military Culture and the South African armed forces

Military Culture and the South African armed forces. An historical perspective. Ian van der Waag Department of Military History, Stellenbosch University / Military Academy. http://sun.academia.edu/IanvanderWaag. Introduction: identities , cultures, peoples. South Africa a unique case?

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Military Culture and the South African armed forces

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  1. Military Culture and the South African armed forces An historical perspective Ian van der Waag Department of Military History, Stellenbosch University / Military Academy http://sun.academia.edu/IanvanderWaag

  2. Introduction: identities, cultures, peoples • South Africa a unique case? • Three processes within one century

  3. Introduction: identities, cultures, peoples 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”.’ • South Africa a unique case? • What is military culture?

  4. 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

  5. Smuts, the UDF, and the British Empire Union 1910

  6. Those left out First Amalgam

  7. Strategic thinking Threat perceptions Planning Force design Force preparation Strategic landscape • South Africa’s fault lines • Race • Language • Class • Province • Military geography • Threat perception(s) • Going to war? Background, views

  8. 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]

  9. Boonzaaier’s image of Lukin on the Western Front [1916]

  10. Factors affecting the nature and standing of the UDF Boer • 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 Colonial UDF British

  11. General and senior offices in the UDF, 1912-50 n = 61 (English-speaking = 31; Afrikaans = 30)

  12. Career point and force of origin

  13. Several factors affected the nature and standing of the UDF • Military culture • Politics of integration • Appointment of the high command • Local British commands • Stark economic environment • Participation in the two world wars

  14. Nomenclature First World War Cartoon Second 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]

  15. Erasmus, the Afrikaner and the SADF Republic 1961

  16. Those left out Second Amalgam

  17. 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.1722 m.(1) 1738 Andries Brink, remarried 1749 Alida de Waal StephanusGrové bap.1724 Heemraad van Drakenstein Elisabeth Grové m. 1745 Gerrit van derByl 1704-67, farmer De Leeuwenhoek, 24 Rivieren, Drakenstein & Vredenburg, Stellenbosch Anna Grové bap.1735 m. 1761 Daniel van Ryneveld, Landdrost of Swellendam & Stellenbosch AndriesChristoffel van derByl 1749-1830, farmer Kromme Rhee and Spier, Stellenbosch m. 1769 Anne Grové Pieter Gerhard van derByl 1753-1831, farmer Welmoed, Lynedoch; m.(2) 1792 Hester Elisabeth de Wet +1817 Willem Stephanus van Ryneveld 1765-1812 Chief Justice of the Cape Colony & President of the Council of Justice Jan Godlieb Brink bap.1741 m. Susanna Maria de Kock Jan Brink 1753- m.(2) 1787 Susanna Justina Faure Anna Elisabeth van derByl 1746-97; m.1769 Jacob Eksteen 1750-1822, remarried 1799 Anna Aletta Malan Daniel Johannes van Ryneveld, Landdrost of Stellenbosch Andries Brink 1765-1848 m. HendrinaWium Andries Brink 1792-1873 m. 1820 Sophia Eksteen Pieter Gerhard van derByl 1788-1849, farmer Paardevallei, Somerset West & Schoongezicht, Jonkershoek m. 1821 Anna Maria Brink 1796-1874 Pieter Voltelin van derByl 1798-1849, farmer Welmoed, Lynedoch MLC Cape Colony m. 1818 Johanna Isabella van Breda 1797-1874 AndriesChristoffel van derByl 1825-86, farmer Schoongezicht, Jonkershoek m. 1847 Gezina Wilhelmina Constantia Marais Jan Godlieb Brink 1788-1840 m. Johanna Catharina Ahlers Anna Maria van derByl 1839-94; m.1855 ChristiaanFrederikBeyers 1839-1886, farmer Zorgvliet, Banghoek Johannes Albertus van derByl 1825-73, farmer Fairfield, Caledon; m. 1850 Hester Anna Myburgh, of Elsenburg Willem Stephanus van Ryneveld 1821- Jacob Eksteen Brink 1843- Andries Jacob Brink m. 1874 Catherina Anna MargarethaFrieslich PetrusGerhardus Brink 1826- m. Johanna Jacobs Pieter GerhardusBeyers ChristiaanFrederikBeyers1868-1914 Commandant General of the SA Citizen Forces 1912-14, drowned in the Afrikaner Rebellion Pieter Gerhard van derByl 1848-1919, farmer Kellerfontein, Boshoff m. Hester Groenewald Pieter Voltelin van derByl 1851-1925, farmer Fairfield, Caledon; m. 1881 Adelaide Taylor Daniel Johannes van Ryneveld 1845- Johan Godlieb Brink 1857-1916 m. Magdalena Hartogh Maj Gen A.J.E. Brink, 1877-1947 Secretary for Defence 1922-37, Chief of the General Staff 1920-33 Colonel Carolus Brink, 1879-1956 Quartermaster General 1921-37 Lt Gen Leonard Beyers Chief of the SA General Staff 1948-50 Brig Gen Hendrik Johannes van derByl1887-1948 Director General of War Supplies Pieter Voltelin Graham van derByl1889- Smuts government, Minister of Native Affairs 1943-8 Lt Gen Sir Pierre van Ryneveld1891-1972 Chief 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

  18. The SANDF New South Africa 1994

  19. Those left out? Third Amalgam:The SA National Defence Force

  20. MK VDF BDF KZSPF TDF CDF

  21. Racial profile of the SANDF and RSA compared Heinecken 2009

  22. Language profile of the SANDF and RSA compared Heinecken 2009

  23. Composition of the general staff of the SANDF in terms of former force: 1997 and 2007 (percentages) Heinecken 2009

  24. History, military culture and the South African military African way of war Western way of war Dutch (1652) [German] British (1795) Boer (1715) Colonial (1688) East Bloc UDF (1912) OB (1938) SADF (1948/1957) MK (1961) APLA TBVC SANDF (1994)

  25. Cyclical periods of change Republic 1961 New South Africa 1994 Union 1910 ?

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