Francisco Javier Díaz

Francisco Javier Díaz Valderrama (5 April 1877 – 1950) was a Chilean Army general, politician and military historian who served as Inspector General of the Chilean Army from February 1927 to March 1930. He had previously served as Undersecretary of War from 1925 to 1927.

After retiring from the Army, he became involved in nationalist politics and was among the founders of the National Socialist Movement of Chile.

Early life and education

Díaz was born in Santa Cruz, Chile, on 5 April 1877, the son of Froilán Díaz and Ignacia Valderrama.

He entered the Military Academy as a cadet in 1890 and graduated two years later as a second lieutenant of infantry. Alongside his military career, he studied at the University of Chile, where he obtained a bachelor's degree.

Díaz was married first to Clementina Donoso Novoa, with whom he had five children. He later married her sister, Julia Donoso Novoa.

Military career

In 1901, holding the rank of captain, Díaz was sent to Germany for advanced military and technical training and served with the Imperial German Army. He remained in Germany until 1904, when he returned to Chile.

Díaz served as an instructor at the Military Academy in 1908. The following year, the National Congress of Chile authorized him to serve as a military instructor in Colombia. In 1909, he also served as director of the Military Academy and subsequently taught at the Chilean Army War Academy.

He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1912, colonel in 1921 and brigadier general in 1925.

On 9 November 1925, Díaz was appointed Undersecretary of War. He held the position until 17 February 1927.

Díaz was promoted to major general and, on 18 February 1927, was appointed Inspector General of the Chilean Army, the position then corresponding to the Army's senior command. He served under presidents Emiliano Figueroa and Carlos Ibáñez del Campo and remained in office until 20 March 1930.

During his tenure, Díaz maintained professional connections with Germany. In 1929, he visited the country and met senior German military officers, including General Wilhelm Heye.

Díaz retired from the Chilean Army in 1930.

Political activities

After his retirement from active military service, Díaz became involved in nationalist political organizations. In 1932, he led Acción Nacionalista de Chile, an organization composed largely of retired military officers. Later that year, he participated with Jorge González von Marées and Carlos Keller in the establishment of the National Socialist Movement of Chile (MNSCh), a political movement influenced by European fascism and National Socialism.

Díaz maintained political and intellectual links with Germany and translated material associated with the German Nazi Party into Spanish. His political writings also included explicitly antisemitic material, notably La Quinta Columna, published in 1938.

He was also associated with the Asociación de Amigos de Alemania and participated in other nationalist and corporatist organizations during the 1930s. During the Second World War, he contributed to Nueva Edad, a publication associated with Miguel Serrano.

Writing and academic activities

Díaz wrote extensively on military organization, military history and the history of Chile. His published works included:

• La batalla de Chacabuco. 12 de febrero de 1817
• La Guerra Civil de 1859, relación histórica militar
• La batalla de Tarapacá
• La campaña del Ejército de los Andes en 1817 (1917)
• La Guerra Civil de 1891 (1942)
• Un nieto de Martín Fierro (1945)
• La batalla de Maipú (1946)

Díaz was a member of the Chilean Academy of Language, occupying seat No. 13 from 1930 until his death in 1950.

Military ranks

• 1890 – Cadet
• 1892 – Ensign
• 1892 – Second lieutenant
• 1897 – Lieutenant
• 1901 – Captain
• 1906 – Major
• 1912 – Lieutenant colonel
• 1921 – Colonel
• 1925 – Brigadier general
• 1927 – Major general
• 1927 – General of the Army

Díaz died in Santiago, Chile, in 1950.