The Africanist Culture in the Spanish Army (1909-1975)

The Spanish military mentality in the twentieth century cannot be understood without the component of "Africanism". Since the nineteenth century, economic, strategic and other interests in Northern Africa led to a growing interest in the colonization of Morocco, which materialized in 1912 with the establishment of the Spanish Protectorate. This territory became in fact a "stronghold" of the military, a territory where they could exercise their power with little interference from politicians. It favored the emergence of a distinctive mentality among a good number of men serving in this environment. Thus, the term "Africanism", which had been so far used to refer to individuals who defended Spanish interests in North Africa, turned out to be used mainly to refer to this military mentality. Usually, the term "Africanism" has been traditionally used to refer to ultraconservative ideology and antidemocratic political ideas, then shared by officers eager to achieve military promotion on the basis of war merit. They also shared violent practices and ideals rooted in their war experience. After clarifying the concept of "Africanism", this article explores the long-term impact of this military mentality in Spanish history.