Mercenaries are professional soldiers who fight for pay in the armies of foreign countries. They have been employed in armies since ancient times and were the accepted main force of armies in the principalities of Europe. “Mercenaries have been associated with virtually all recorded wars and quasi-wars, on the sides of good and evil, for high pay and low.”
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They were gradually replaced in European armies by standing volunteer forces in the seventeenth century. In recent times mercenaries have been employed in African Civil wars.
The decolonization of the continent of Africa has brought with it a resurgence of the use of mercenaries. The struggle of many African states to become independent and sovereign entities has plunged much of the continent into multi-factioned civil wars, unrest and uncertainty. This climate has made a great part of Africa fertile and potentially fertile ground for mercenary activity.
My main reason for selecting mercenaries and their association with the African decolonization process as a basis upon which to build a teaching unit, is the prominence of articles on the subject in adventure magazines such as ‘Soldier of Fortune’, ‘Eagle’ and ‘New Breed’. These magazines are readily available to the public, which includes students. These publications often carry listings for the training and recruitment of mercenaries. They tend to portray the modern mercenary as a romantic warrior, adventurer and soldier of fortune, plying his trade in a useful, meaningful and just cause.
Most other sources available to me view the mercenary and his role in the African peoples’ struggle for freedom and independence with repugnance. They deem mercenary activity as criminal, worthless, an impediment to peace and a dangerous manifestation of international terrorism. The mercenary is illustrated by these sources as a racist, fantasist and greedy wanton killer, whose chief motivation is money. The extreme disparity between the viewpoints was my final reason for choosing this subject in the development of a teaching unit.
I shall prepare this unit as a learning package consisting of four major elements: (1) the text, (2) a pre/post test of ten true/ false and multiple choice questions, (3) a practical work project related to the chosen subject and (4) ten essay questions designed to provoke thought and research beyond the text as a post test.
The text of my learning package shall briefly examine the role of the mercenary in the decolonization of Africa by answering the following questions: (1) Who and what is the modern mercenary; pro and con?, (2) What are some of the factors or elements which acclimatized the revitalization of mercenaries in selected regions of Africa?, and (3) How does inter-African governments, western governments and other world bodies view mercenaries and their activities in Africa.
It is my hope that by the presentation of both pro or anti-establishment views and con or establishment views on mercenaries and their activities in Africa, that a sober and more realistic outlook can be reached in evaluating the good or evil of their presence there.
Pre/Post Test
General directions—Respond to the following questions as indicated below. The correct answers can be found at the end of the text.
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I. Circle the correct answer from those given below. Choose either a, b, c, or d.
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1. A mercenary
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a. usually fights at home.
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b. is a Peace Corps Volunteer.
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c. fights in foreign armies.
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d. shows jungle villagers how to irrigate their land.
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2. Mercenaries
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a. fight for free.
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b. are untrained.
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c. paid to fight.
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d. all of the above.
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3. Decolonization is
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a. a tactical maneuver.
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b. the breaking of ties with the Mother Country.
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c. a block of prison quarters.
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d. None of the above.
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II. Answer true or false to the following:
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4. All mercenary activity has been halted throughout the world.
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5. There were never mercenaries on the Continent of Africa.
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6. Mercenaries are not paid, but volunteer.
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7. Most governments applaud the efforts of mercenaries.
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8. Most mercenaries are United Nations peacekeeping forces.
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9. Mercenaries are never killed in battle.
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10. Decolonization in many cases, brought with it Civil War.
(figure available in print form)
