The Second World War, the Army Education Scheme and the ‘discipline’ of the white poor in South Africa

Roos, Neil

doi:10.1080/0046760032000151474

Cited by 28 publications

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“…The war legitimated these arguments in favour of a more active government. Army service may have radicalised some South Africans (Roos 2003), as it did in New Zealand (Fennell 2017). Classic liberal sceptics tended to keep quiet.…”

Section: The Experience Of War 1939-1945: External Influences Local Conditions and "Social Security"mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Social Question in Pre-apartheid South Africa: Race, Religion and the State

Seekings

2020

One Hundred Years of Social Protection

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In the first half of the twentieth century, “social” issues in South Africa were framed by both rapid social and economic change (especially industrialisation and urbanisation) and racial division. The social question in South Africa was as much a racialised version of a “national question” as a social one, revolving around the social and economic inclusion (through state intervention) of “poor white” people and white workers and the reinforcement of a clear racial hierarchy. From the 1930s, political elites slowly moved towards the very partial inclusion of the African majority. Political and religious ideas, primarily from Europe, informed understandings of the social question among both supporters and opponents of public provision.

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Section: The Experience Of War 1939-1945: External Influences Local Conditions and "Social Security"mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Social Question in Pre-apartheid South Africa: Race, Religion and the State

Seekings

2020

One Hundred Years of Social Protection

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“…18 Dr Malherbe, a liberal intellectual and supporter of Smuts, was perturbed by such developments, particularly the impact of Nazi-inspired subversive propaganda which affected the morale and loyalty of the troops. 19 As a result, he enlisted for military service in November 1939 and facilitated the institution of the Army Education Services as a mechanism to combat apathy and to foster pro-government and prowar sentiment within the UDF and to sustain troop morale.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Die Propaganda Kolonel’: Ernst Malherbe and the battle for morale of ordinary South African soldiers, 1939–1945

Monama¹

2020

Sights, Sounds, Memories: South African Soldier Experiences of the Second World War

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This chapter investigates the role of Lieutenant Colonel (Dr) Ernst Malherbe, the previous Director of Census and Statistics in South Africa, as the Director of Military Intelligence (DMI) during the Second World War (1939)(1940)(1941)(1942)(1943)(1944)(1945), and chiefly as the head of the Army Education Services (AES). The AES was designed to combat troop apathy, disaffection, subversion and the influence of Nazism amongst ordinary South African soldiers. Dr Malherbe played a principal role in coordinating intelligence and facilitating propaganda within the Union Defence Force (UDF) to secure loyalty and to sustain the morale of the troops. His role is examined within the context of the growing Nazi-inspired political activism, subversive activities and other factors which undermined troop morale. Drawing on the Department of Defence Archives, Malherbe Papers, Smuts Papers, Marquard Papers and Lawrence Papers, my intention is to examine Malherbe's efforts to develop the consciousness of ordinary soldiers with regard to the imperative of the government's war policy. Broadly, the chapter analyses the dynamics of the morale-building efforts among the ordinary South African troops by examining the aims, objectives, methods and techniques of Malherbe's AES programme. and its effectiveness and limitations in the context of the country's difficult internal political conditions during the war.

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Fighting the People's War

Fennell

2019

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The story must begin in the interwar years. Much, indeed, depends on an evaluation of the preparedness of Britain, the Commonwealth and its armies during this period. The balance drawn between 'structure', what seems likely given underlying trends, and 'contingency', 'those unpredicted and unpredictable historical accidents that can still have profound consequences', drives much of our understanding of the past. 1 It can also inform the manner in which preparations are made for the future. It is important, in short, to understand those areas where the British and Commonwealth Armies were in decline in the interwar years and recognise where, quite frankly, they were not. 2 The extent of British and Commonwealth military power during these critical years was a reflection first and foremost of Britain's economic, geopolitical and demographic strengths. Britain provided the vast majority of the funding for the interwar British and Commonwealth Armies and just about all of their equipment. For example, in the financial year 1937/8, Britain spent £265.2 million on defence, while India spent £34.5 million, Canada £7.2 million, Australia £6 million, South Africa £1.7 million and New Zealand £1.6 million. 3 The UK provided '90% of imperial munitions to the end of 1940, a proportion that remained above 60% even after the USA entered the war'. 4

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The Second World War, the Army Education Scheme and the ‘discipline’ of the white poor in South Africa

Cited by 28 publications

References 0 publications

The Social Question in Pre-apartheid South Africa: Race, Religion and the State

The Social Question in Pre-apartheid South Africa: Race, Religion and the State

‘Die Propaganda Kolonel’: Ernst Malherbe and the battle for morale of ordinary South African soldiers, 1939–1945

Fighting the People's War

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