The role and application of the Union Defence Force in the suppression of internal unrest, 1912-1945

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The use of military force to suppress internal unrest has been an integral part of South Africanhistory. The European colonisation of South Africa from 1652 was facilitated by the use of force.Boer commandos and British military regiments and volunteer units enforced the peace in outlyingareas and fought against the indigenous population as did other colonial powers such as France inNorth Africa and Germany in German South West Africa, to name but a few. The period 1912 to1945 is no exception, but with the difference that military force was used to suppress uprisings ofwhite citizens as well. White industrial workers experienced this military suppression in 1907,1913, 1914 and 1922 when they went on strike. Job insecurity and wages were the main causesof the strikes and militant actions from the strikers forced the government to use military forcewhen the police failed to maintain law and order. Public reaction to the use of force was strongand the government, particularly Gen. J.C. Smuts, was severely criticised resulting in a defeat inthe 1924 election. Over the period 1921 to 1932 indigenous populations in South Africa and SouthWest Africa such as the Israelites (1921), the Bondelswarts (1922), the Rehoboth Basters (1925)and the Ukuambi (1932), were suppressed through punitive expeditions by the police and militaryforces of the Union of South Africa. The indigenous populations were a.o. grieved by thegovernment's implementation of branding laws, enforced indentured labour, dog and hut tax. Thegovernment's prevailing racial policy of that time, manifested in a master and servant attitudetowards the indigenous populations, exacerbated an existing grievance of restrictive political rights.The government reacted quickly and economically in suppressing any indigenous population'sprotests involving militant action. Although the use of aeroplanes was criticised, it was a forcemultiplier and greatly assisted the small number of police and military forces deployed inminimising casualties on both sides. The government also had to suppress militant Afrikaneruprisings during the First and Second World Wars. In 1914 and 1915, prominent Afrikaner leadersand veterans of the Anglo-Boer War reacted militantly against the government's participation in theFirst World War. Gen. L. Botha and Gen. Smuts were the architects of their suppression throughquick mobilisation of the Active Citizen Force, using mostly Afrikaans speaking volunteers. Theperiod between the two world wars saw the growth of the Afrikaners on a political, social andlimited economical level. This gave rise to further dispute on political and social levels when thegovernment once again opted to fight alongside Britain in the Second World War. Old animositiesbetween the Afrikaners and British were relived and militant elements within Afrikaner societymobilised to impede this participation. The government resorted to using the Union DefenceForces and SA Police to facilitate internment, for spying and to guard strategic objectives in aneffort to prevent sabotage and other serious damage to the war effort. Smuts received severecriticism from mostly Afrikaners who were against participation in the war, and the general publicwho had to suffer under the conditions of martial law.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University