The General Military Academy (in
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
**Spanish history
**Spanish culture
...
: Academia General Militar) is a higher training center of the
Spanish Army
The Spanish Army () is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest Standing army, active armies – dating back to the late 15th century.
The Spanish Army has existed ...
, responsible for the initial training for officers of the Arms and Corps of the Army, and for the officers of the
Civil Guard. It is currently located in
Zaragoza
Zaragoza (), traditionally known in English as Saragossa ( ), is the capital city of the province of Zaragoza and of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributaries, the ...
.
History
First era
The General Military Academy was founded under the
reign of Alfonso XII
The reign of Alfonso XII of Spain began after the ''Pronunciamiento de Sagunto'' on December 29, 1874, which ended the First Spanish Republic. It lasted until his death on November 25, 1885, after which his wife, Regency of Maria Christina of Aust ...
, on February 20, 1882. The first training center was located in
Alcázar de Toledo. The first head of the Academy was the General Méndez ''The Great''.
[Ejército de tierra](_blank)
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The Academy was dissolved on February 8, 1893 by the then Minister of War, General López Domínguez. From then on the Armed Forces and Corps had their own separate training centers.
Second era
In 1927, during the reign of Alfonso XIII, and under the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera
General Miguel Primo de Rivera's dictatorship over Spain began with a coup on 13 September 1923 and ended with his resignation on 28 January 1930. It took place during the wider reign of King Alfonso XIII. In establishing his dictatorship, ...
, the center was reestablished in Zaragoza. Primo de Rivera came to the conclusion that one of the reasons of the dissents between the Armed Forces on the promotion system based on seniority or merits of war was based on the lack of an academy in which all four Army Corps were trained together. After the Alhucemas landing
The Alhucemas landing (; also known as Al Hoceima landing) was a landing operation which took place on 8 September 1925 at Alhucemas by the Spanish Army and Navy and, in lesser numbers, an allied French naval and aerial contingent, that would ...
, Primo de Rivera developed a great admiration for Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco Bahamonde (born Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco Bahamonde; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general and dictator who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces i ...
, a soldier with a great reputation after the African campaigns and the foundation of the Tercio de Extranjeros with José Millán Astray. On January 4, 1928, by Royal Decree, Franco was named Director of the General Military Academy.
Historian Eduardo González Calleja
Eduardo González Calleja (born 1962) is a Spanish historian, professor of Contemporary History at the Charles III University of Madrid (UC3M). He is the author of a long list of scholar works dealing with political violence.
Biography
He was ...
interpreted the designation of Franco as "a gesture of reconciliation with '' Africanists'', achieved after the operation of summer 1925. Both Primo and Franco, and the majority of colonial soldiers that formed the teacher board wanted to train a kind of official not study-oriented, with a knightly concept of the profession and without any relationship with the social media at the time whatsoever".
After the Second Republic was established and the military reforms
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily Weapon, armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable ...
were applied in June 1931 by the provisional Ministry of War, the center was closed. Azaña did not trust the instructions provided at the center and believed its budget was huge in a moment in which military spending was trying to be cut. Conservative, anti-republican officials, thought the closure of the Academy was an attack to the very spirit of the Army, since the Academy was the only place in Spain in which soldiers of all kinds studied together. Franco was devastated, and after the end of the Civil War he restored the institution. However, he obeyed Azaña's commands at the time and closed the Academy.
Third era
After the end of the Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
and the reorganization of military studies in Spain, the General Military Academy was established again on September 27, 1940 by Minister of the Army José Enrique Varela
José Enrique Varela Iglesias, 1st Marquis of San Fernando de Varela (17 April 1891 – 24 March 1951) was a Spanish military officer noted for his role as a Nationalist commander in the Spanish Civil War.
Early career
Varela started his milit ...
. The old buildings used for training in the second era were used. In 1942, 170 students started studying in the Academy. Francisco Hidalgo de Cisneros y Manso de Zúñiga was named Director of the Academy. Notable alumni are Juan Carlos I of Spain
Juan Carlos I (; Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, born 5 January 1938) is a member of the Spanish royal family who reigned as King of Spain from 22 November 1975 until Abdication of Juan Carlos I, his abdic ...
and his son Felipe VI of Spain
Felipe VI (; Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia; born 30 January 1968) is King of Spain. In accordance with the Spanish Constitution, as monarch, he is head of state and commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed For ...
, and future queen of Spain Leonor, Princess of Asturias
Leonor, Princess of Asturias
(; born 31 October 2005) is the heir presumptive, heiress presumptive to the Spanish throne. She is the elder daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.
Leonor was born during the reign of her paternal grandf ...
(daughter of Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain
Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano (; born 15 September 1972) is List of Spanish royal consorts, Queen of Spain as the wife of King Felipe VI.
Letizia was born in Oviedo, Asturias. She worked as a journalist for ''ABC (newspaper), ABC'' and EFE before ...
).
Current curriculum
Just like so many military academies in the world, the General Military Academy is a medium-sized, highly residential baccalaureate college, with a full-time, five-year undergraduate program that emphasizes instruction in the arts, sciences, and professions with a graduate program, preparing men and women to take on the challenge of being officers of the Spanish Army and the Civil Guard. The academy is accredited by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport and is a directly reporting agency of the Army general staff.
Undergraduate program - academic
The academic program consists of a structured core of subjects depending on the cadet's chosen specialty as a future Army officer, balanced between the arts and sciences. For Civil Guard cadets, additional training is focused on their law enforcement role. Regardless of major, all cadets graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree with assistance from the Central Defense University and the University of Zaragoza
The University of Zaragoza, sometimes referred to as Saragossa University () is a public university with teaching campuses and research centres spread over the three provinces of Aragon (Spain).
Founded in 1542, it is one of the List of oldest u ...
.
Undergraduate program - military
As all cadets are commissioned as lieutenants upon graduation, military and leadership education is nested with academic instruction. Military training and discipline fall under the purview of the Office of the Commandant of Cadets. Entering freshmen, or 4th class cadets, are referred to as New Cadets, and enter the academy on Reception Day (in September) to start off their military service training as future officers and are recognized as full cadets in a ceremony in January the following year, where they make their pledge to the National Colour and receive ceremonial daggers. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years of study as cadets and their final year as commissioned second lieutenants, aside from the usual academic work in military and civil subjects, also involve specialty training in the combat arms of the Army in their respective combat training schools, and for the Civil Guard, alongside military instruction its cadets receive speciality training within its own institutions for law enforcement training in various specialties suited for potential graduates.
References
Bibliography
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External links
Official website of the Academy
{{authority control
Spanish Army
Second Spanish Republic
Military of Francoist Spain
Military academies of Spain