MILITARY GEOGRAPHY IN SOUTH AFRICA AT THE DAWN OF THE 21ST CENTURY

Abstract

ABSTRACT There is a long standing relationship between geography and the military. Military geography can be defined as the study of the human-environment interaction and its influence on strategic and tactical military planning and activities. In the International arena it enjoys recognition as a formal sub-discipline with its own speciality group within the Association of American Geographers. In South Africa, military geography dates back to the Anglo Boer War, and became more popular during World War II when its value as an instrument was recognised by military practitioners. Terrain was analysed and targets identified by means of air photo interpretation, and maps were made of the operational front. The need for, and importance of military geography education culminated in the establishment of it as a subject at the South African Military Academy from 1958. The start of the Angola bush war in 1965 led to a steady incline of military geography as maps were urgently needed of an unknown country. Military bases, airfields and roads had to be built, but most important of all, was the dire need for information about the tactical terrain utilised as battlefields. Contemporary military geography also emphasises the importance of environmentally responsible defence as the South African Defence Force has the legal responsibility to effectively manage and sustain its military bases and training areas. Military geography forms an important combination of various sub-disciplines and applications of geography, and challenges the practitioner to use geographic skills to solve military problems of a geographical nature. This paper gives an explanation of how military geography is practised and applied in the South African context.