The Rif War of the 1920s — when Berber tribes in Morocco defeated a Spanish army and nearly expelled European colonial power from North Africa. Holland and Sandbrook examine a forgotten conflict that prefigured anti-colonial movements worldwide.
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Highlights
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Colonial powers consistently underestimated indigenous military capability — and paid for it
Spain sent 20,000 troops against the Rif tribes expecting easy victory. Abd el-Krim's guerrilla tactics destroyed the Spanish army at Annual, killing over 8,000 in a single battle.
Guerrilla warfare works because it changes the cost-benefit calculation for the occupier
Abd el-Krim didn't need to defeat Spain — he needed to make occupation too expensive. Guerrilla warfare changes the equation from 'can we win?' to 'is winning worth the cost?'