Editing Militia (section)

=== Argentina ===
In the early 1800s [[Buenos Aires]], which was by then the capital of the [[Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata]], was attacked during the [[British invasions of the Río de la Plata]]. As regular military forces were insufficient to counter the British attackers, [[Santiago de Liniers]] drafted all males in the city capable of bearing arms into the military. These recruits included the [[criollo peoples]], who ranked low down in the social hierarchy, as well as some slaves. With these reinforcements, the British armies were twice defeated.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.granaderovoluntario.com.ar/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513224611/http://www.granaderovoluntario.com.ar/|url-status=dead|title=Granadero Voluntario|archive-date=May 13, 2013}}</ref> The militias became a strong factor in the politics of the city afterwards, as a springboard from which the ''criollos'' could manifest their political ambitions.<ref>Lyman Johnson, ''Workshop of Revolution: Plebeian Buenos Aires and the Atlantic World, 1776–1810'', Duke University Press, United States p. 264</ref> They were a key element in the success of the [[May Revolution]], which deposed the Spanish viceroy and began the [[Argentine War of Independence]]. A decree by [[Mariano Moreno]] derogated the system of promotions involving ''criollos'',{{clarify|post-text=meaning unclear|date=May 2014}} allowing instead their promotion on military merit.

The [[Argentine Civil War]] was waged by militias again, as both federalists and unitarians drafted common people into their ranks as part of ongoing conflicts. These irregular armies were organized at a provincial level, and assembled as leagues depending on political pacts.<ref>Academia Nacional de la Historia Journal, ''Partes de batalla de las guerras civiles'', 1977 {{in lang|es}}</ref> This system had declined by the 1870s, mainly due to the establishment of the modern [[Argentine Army]], drafted for the [[Paraguayan War]] by President [[Bartolomé Mitre]].<ref>Miguel Angel De Marco, ''La guerra del Paraguay'', Ed. Booket, Buenos Aires, 2010. {{ISBN|978-987-580-364-0}} {{in lang|es}}</ref> Provincial militias were outlawed and decimated by the new army throughout the presidential terms of Mitre, [[Domingo Faustino Sarmiento|Sarmiento]], [[Nicolas Avellaneda|Avellaneda]] and [[Julio Argentino Roca|Roca]].<ref>Trinidad Delia Chianelli, ''El gobierno del puerto''. Memorial de la Patria, volume XII, Ed. La Bastilla, Buenos Aires, 1984 {{in lang|es}}.</ref>