Liberator Bernardo O'Higgins Military School

The Libertator Bernardo O'Higgins Military School, better known as Military School, is the institute in charge of training officers for the Chilean Army. Its graduates enter the ranks of officers with the rank of second lieutenant.

History

Period of French influence

On March 16, 1817, General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme created the Chilean Military Academy with the objective of training future officers and sergeants. In that first academy the soldiers who took part in the siege of Talcahuano and the battle of Cancha Rayada were trained, finally ensuring Chilean independence. Its first enclosure functioned in the convent of the church of San Agustín (on the corner of Estado and Agustinas streets), from which the religious were evicted. Due to economic problems it was closed in 1819. In 1823, the supreme director Ramón Freire tried to reopen the academy, but his plans were frustrated due to the anarchic situation in the country.

In 1831, the academy was reopened by law, thanks to the management of President Joaquín Prieto and his minister Diego Portales, but due to problems of various kinds it was closed again on February 1, 1838. A large part of the soldiers formed during that time they were the winners in the War against the Peru-Bolivian Confederation.

On October 6, 1842 the academy was reopened and on September 28, 1843 it definitively took the name of Military School. The Army and Navy officers who fought in the wars against Spain and the Pacific were trained there, being victorious in both.

Whether due to the military prestige created by the Napoleonic victories until 1812 or due to the efficiency demonstrated by the French army during the subsequent Crimean War (1853-1856), the Chilean army, as well as most of the armies of the Western world of the second quarter of the XIX century, followed the French organization, tradition, customs and clothing of the period of Napoleon III.

After the dissolution of the School on November 2, 1876, it reopened in 1878 due to the delicate international situation and began operating the following year. During the last years of the 19th century, the Arturo Prat Naval School was reorganized with students from the Military School and work began construction of the new facility.

Period of Prussian influence

The first German officers arrived in September 1885 led by Captain Emilio Körner Henze. Since 1896, German instructors began to arrive en masse for the Chilean Army. Major Gunther von Bellow was appointed director of the Military School and Major Hermann Rogalla von Biberstein was appointed deputy director. That same year the Prussian helmet began to be used. In 1902, new regulations were created in accordance with those of Prussian schools and in 1905 a new uniform was adopted following the German model. In this period, specifically from 1900 to 1910, Emilio Körner was commander in chief, already with the rank of general, who would lay the foundations and model of the current army.

In 1927 the Alpatacal Tragedy occurred: students from the School were to participate in a parade in Buenos Aires but on the way there was a train accident in which 12 people died and 52 were injured. Despite the accident, the Chileans marched in the events. Every July 7th this tragedy is commemorated.

Recent years

In 1940, by management of the then director, General Arnaldo Carrasco Carrasco, part of the San Luis farm in the commune of Las Condes was acquired, where the new Military School site was built, which was gradually occupied between 1955 and 1958; Before, it operated in an elegant neoclassical building built during the government of José Manuel Balmaceda, near O'Higgins Park, which over time had become insufficient for the needs of this institution.

After the coup d'état of September 11, 1973 led by General Augusto Pinochet, it was there that the members of the Military Government Junta took the oath; It was also a detention center for the military regime for a time.

In 1995 the first female cadet students began to enter, thus beginning to provide women's military training. In 2001, the curriculum underwent a great change and the teaching acquired a university-type nature, allowing the future officer to graduate with the academic degree of Bachelor of Military Sciences; With the General Education Law of 2009, the Military School, along with the other parent schools of the Armed Forces, is now classified as a Higher Education Institution and its graduates are recognized with the professional title of "Officer of Army". Currently, in the academic program, the Catholic, Chilean, Development and Major universities play an important role in the chairs of Law, Calculus, Algebra, Physics, Political and Social Sciences.

After his death on December 10, 2006, the dictator and General (R) Augusto Pinochet Ugarte was laid to rest at the Military School.

Academic training

At the end of their last year, students must opt for one of the following military ranks, this first decision is the one that will mark the rest of their career:

• Arms
  • Infantry
  • Artillery
  • Armoured Cavalry
  • Engineers
  • Telecommunications

• Services
  • Intendence
  • War Material
  • Personnel Service

The courses taught are:

• Advanced Course for Officers: Performed during the last year as a lieutenant, allows you to upgrade to captain.
• Basic Course of the Sub-Alternate Officer: Performed by the alphabets, trains them to be section commanders or command advisers.

Primary Specialties:

• Military Polytechnic Engineer: It allows them to exercise the direction and administration of the Army compounds and is performed at the Military Polytechnic Academy.

• Staff Officer: Allows them to exercise command of tactical units (regimes) and is performed at the War Academy.

Secondary Specialties. It is carried out by junior officers, and access is allowed from the 4th year of studies at the School. The specialties are:

• Tactical Buzo
• Commands
• Electronic War
• Physical Education Instructor
• Military Mountain Instructor
• Intelligence
• Equitation Master
• Aerial Observer for Artillery
• Military parachute
• Army pilot
• Military Professor
• Special combat
• Special war

Career

Here is the graduation that cadets and officers of the Chilean Army obtain during their military career:

Music at the Military School

Music and specifically the marches are a primary factor in the Military School, which has the War Band (composed of cadets) and the Instrumental Band (composed of professional musicians), known as the Red Plumes, in charge of bring music to every place the school goes.

The music of the Military School anthem was composed by Próspero Bisquertt based on a text by the poet Samuel Lillo.

Hymn

Chorus
In heroic times they came out of his Alcázar in triumphant flight,
the Hundred Brave Eagles that made
great to Chile in Southern America.

I

As in the past, to the homeland tomorrow,
your classrooms will give new heroes.
Our virile and fresh blood,
It is the same as Maipú and Yungay.
And if a diminished people dares our glorious banner insult,
your puppies the aleve crime,
In glorious crowds they will avenge.

II

In heroic times they came out
of his Alcázar in triumphant flight,
the Hundred Brave Eagles that made
great to Chile in Southern America.

Location

It is located at 4500 Los Militares Street in the commune of Las Condes. It is made up of a set of buildings in which the one overlooking Américo Vespucio Avenue stands out, which was designed by the architect Juan Martínez Gutiérrez, also creator of the Votive Temple of Maipú and the Schools of Law and Medicine of the University of Chile.. It has direct access via the Santiago metro at the Escuela Militar station.

Human Rights Violations

During the civic-military dictatorship, the Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins Military School was a detention and torture center.

According to the Valech Commission, many people were detained and taken to the Military School campus, among these were senior officials of the Popular Unity such as Angel Masuli, President of the Radical Party; the former Minister of Public Works; former Senator Raúl Ampuero; Deputy Camilo Salvo; the Mayor of Santiago, Julio Stuardo; Senator Luis Corvalán.

The prisoners were taken to an underground where they were subjected to interrogations, they remained tied and blindfolded, all incommunicado and beaten, they also suffered mock shootings, threats, application of electricity and forced to remain in forced positions. According to testimonies, some of those detained were taken to the Dawson Island concentration camp, and during 1974, to DINA torture centers, such as London 38 and Cuatro Álamos.

References and footnotes