Africa's Armies: From Honor to Infamy--A History from 1791 to the Present

by Robert B. Edgerton

Africa's Armies traces the military history of sub-Saharan Africa from the pre-colonial era to the present. Robert Edgerton begins this sweeping chronicle by describing the role of African armies in pre-colonial times, when armed forces or militias were essential to the maintenance and prosperity of their societies. During the colonial era, African soldiers fought with death-defying courage, earning such respect as warriors that they were often recruited into the colonial armies not simply to enforce colonial rule in Africa, but to fight for the European homelands as well. After independence swept through Africa, African military men seized political power in country after country, ruling dictatorially for their own benefit and for that of their kinsmen and cronies. The author describes the post-colonial civil wars that have devastated much of sub-Saharan Africa – catastrophes marked by genocide, famine, disease, economic collapse, and steadily declining life expectancy. He closes by describing the role that Africa's military forces can and must play if the future is to bring better times to the continent's many peoples.

Genres: History, Africa

352 pages, Hardcover

First published November 2, 2004

Reviews

[Andrew Daniels · Rating 1 out of 5]

The surprise is how incredibly shoddy, poorly researched this is
wildly misleading

the author is not a good researched,
I strongly recommend against this

[Brian Schartz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid commentary on the role of the African soldier moving from being a selfless stabilizing force in society to that of being a tool of big men and bigots. The author also notes the possibility of a reversal of this as the African Big Man, hopefully, goes the way of the dinosaur.

I was intrigued by a paragraph on page 214 of this book and an almost identical paragraph on page 246 of Michela Wrong's In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz. The paragraphs refer to the Hutu refugee camps in eastern Zaire following the genocide in Rwanda.

Edgerton: "By this time, the refugee camps had become thriving, even pleasant towns. A UN survey listed 82,000 business enterprises in these camps including over 2,000 bars, 450 restaurants, some 600 general stores, 62 hairdressers, 51 pharmacies, and 25 butchers. There were cinemas, photographic studios, and tailors. Markets were well stocked and there was bus service between the camps and the city of Goma. The refugees in these "camps" enjoyed a far higher standard of living than local Zaireans."

Wrong: "In 1995, A UNHCR survey listed nearly 82,000 thriving enteprises in the camps, including 2324 bars, 450 restaurants, 589 general shops, 62 hairdressers, 51 pharmacies and 25 butchers. Cinemas rubbed shoulders with photographic studios. It was possible to down a Primus in one of the many cafes, while waiting for a local tailor to run up a suit. Markets in the camps were so well stocked with vegetables, grown on tiny refugee plots, Zaireans sometimes headed to the settlements to do there shopping. The refugees even ran there own transport service between the camps and Goma, using buses Japan had once donated to the Rwandan government. While hardly luxurious, life was certainly tolerable. With their vaccinations, regular diet and medical check-ups, the Rwanadan enjoyed a higher standard of living than local Zairean peasants."

Each author gives us a glimpse of the camps but neither really takes us as readers inside the camps. These camps were made up of Hutu civilians and Hutu militia who fled Rwanda for fear of reprisals for their part in the Tutsi genocide. Said camps were a central character in the drama in which soldiers from five other African countries fought in Zaire. I think that a little more exposition is warranted.

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Africa's armies leaves me with a mixed opinions. On one hand it does provide an uncommon way to look at Africa, most analysis of African societies tend to stick to political, economic and social aspects so a military approach is refreshing. The first two chapters describing the pre-colonial and colonial era of African armies and roles In resistance and collaboration are interesting and I dare say a must read to understand the time. The rest of the book however left me baffled.

Gone are the analysis of African armies and fighting styles and replaced by a generic why is Africa poor, because it's there own fault story. A list of countries is given to prove that military governments were awful and destroyed African economies and how civilian governments often did not do any better let alone democratic ones. The problem I have with this approach is the very selective nature of the countries and cases described. It's unforgivable for the author to not have included Thomas Sankara in his list. The Burkinabe military who ruled his country for but a few years was a blessing for Burkina Faso, ending hunger, fighting sexism, polio, deforestation, bad communication and so improved the lives of the citizens in a way and speed unheard off on the continent. So why was he not in this list of military governments? Not I believe because of lack off time, but because of ideology. The author clearly wanted to prove that military governments are bad and corrupt and civilian ones better and I think it's a shame. But do let me make clear, I do not think the likes of Adi Amin were good leaders far from it, but to blame them for everything is a blatant disregard of the role of international economic conditions and the role off foreign influences who intervened direct or indirect in Africa till this day.


so in conclusion, the first chapters off the book are interesting to read and worthwhile; the rest of the book is an example of a group of theories explaining why Africa is poor grouped under the name Afro-pessimism read it if you like but do read other books with a different approach then this to get a balanced opinion.

[Cary Lackey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, concise history of sub-Saharan armies on the continent of Africa from pre-colonial times to today (well, 2002). The colonial period and the native resistance made some of the most compelling reading as did, sadly, reading about the excesses of some post-colonial armies and leaders in several countries profiled. In the latter chapters, the author provided several examples and made compelling arguments for optimism in what has been a grip of "Afro-pessimism" that has haunted the continent for decades.