Counterintuitive as it seems, military service was honestly probably one of the least hated parts of colonialism at the time. Many young men were eager to sign up and get their hands on a gun and military experience, as young men… often are. As colonial powers also had incentive to keep those who were armed not too keen to put a bullet through their colonists’ heads, military service often was voluntary and had significant benefits compared to the civilian colonized population, who were often subject to forced labor without compensation and a near-total lack of rights. For that reason, colonial troops stationed long-term on the Western Front acquired a reputation for tenacity and endurance, despite the fact that no one in their right minds would have blamed them for doing the bare minimum.
A sick world, where fighting in the trenches for a foreign occupier was one of the least bad outcomes for an individual.
For other enlistees, the institution of the tirailleurs sénégalais provided an opportunity to
escape oppressive, patriarchal, and gerontocratic hierarchies of socio-political authority. Bakary
Diallo, a Senegalese soldier who served in Morocco, joined the tirailleurs sénégalais to flee poor
familial relations and life employment as a shepherd. Diallo claimed other recruits also viewed
military service as an economic opportunity for themselves and their families. Veterans, and
active tirailleurs sénégalais, served to positively influence West Africans to enlist in the colonial
military institutions. These men sported uniforms, exhibited wealth, and carried the authority of
the French military. A French general observed that men living near French posts, who had
more contact with the French and their African intermediaries, were more likely to see France’s
cause as their own.
This piece actually also goes through some of the disillusionment present in the Great War and the effect of military service on post-WW2 nationalism in Francophone colonies, which you may find interesting. Sadly, short it is not.
Race, Empire and First World War Writing is great if you can get your hands on a copy. I’ll try to find something online that’s more article length though.
Counterintuitive as it seems, military service was honestly probably one of the least hated parts of colonialism at the time. Many young men were eager to sign up and get their hands on a gun and military experience, as young men… often are. As colonial powers also had incentive to keep those who were armed not too keen to put a bullet through their colonists’ heads, military service often was voluntary and had significant benefits compared to the civilian colonized population, who were often subject to forced labor without compensation and a near-total lack of rights. For that reason, colonial troops stationed long-term on the Western Front acquired a reputation for tenacity and endurance, despite the fact that no one in their right minds would have blamed them for doing the bare minimum.
A sick world, where fighting in the trenches for a foreign occupier was one of the least bad outcomes for an individual.
Not doubting what you are saying because it makes sense but do you have some sources for this?
Would really like to read more about it.
https://escholarship.org/content/qt4x19q2xb/qt4x19q2xb_noSplash_2942fea742a58073726feee3e08216d5.pdf
This piece actually also goes through some of the disillusionment present in the Great War and the effect of military service on post-WW2 nationalism in Francophone colonies, which you may find interesting. Sadly, short it is not.
Race, Empire and First World War Writing is great if you can get your hands on a copy. I’ll try to find something online that’s more article length though.
Thanks!