WWII and Post-War Struggles Nationalism was a way to become less poor, to send their children to school, benefit from better roads, prices, public services. They [the majority of the people] looked to nationalism for social gains, while the educated few mostly had their eyes on political gains. [From B. Davidson, Modern Africa, p.130]
Eve of WWII: Voices of discontent - voices of discontent multiplying, more radical in tone:
Voices of discontent Enlist today! Your country needs you! Not for learning how to shoot the big howitzers Or how to rat tat tat the machine guns Or how to fly o'er peaceful countries Dropping bombs on harmless people Or how to fix a bayonet and charge at The harmless workers of another clime. Your country needs you! For the rebuilding of your shattered homeland - Your homeland ruined by exploitation By the tyrants of foreign nations Who would use you as their catspaw While they starved you to subjection. [African Standard, 28 July 1939 http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specials/1624_story_of_africa/page20.shtml]
Voices of discontent - 1930s political parties less accommodating - urbanization: new class of workers - Great Depression: lower prices for agricultural produce, higher prices for imported goods -- disaster - long-term cash cropping impacting environment, food-supplies -long-term labour migration undermining sustainability rural areas - urban areas in crisis
Life in the Towns [British Commission report, 1953. Reference is Nairobi but it described the crises arising in most African cities:] The wages of the majority of African workers are too low to enable them to obtain accommodation which is adequate to any standard. The high cost of housing relative to wages is, in itself a cause of overcrowding, because housing is shared to lighten the cost. This, with the high cost of food in towns, makes family life impossible for the majority. [from B Davidson, Modern Africa, p.89]
World War II and Africa General discontent worsened with impact WWII: -forced labour -lack of imported goods, - war effort priorities exacerbated problems - Audio: (from BBC Story of Africa): Pathe news report of African troops in action
World War II and Africa - Atlantic Charter 1941: inflated expectations - new generation servicemen returned home to promises, expectations of changed life - major colonial powers weakened both economically and politically by costs of war: affected attitudes towards colonies
View from the War [1945, Nigerian serviceman writing to Nigerian Nationalist leader Herbert Macaulay:] We all overseas soldiers are coming back home with new ideas. We have been told what we fought for. That is freedom. We want freedom. Nothing but freedom [B Davidson, Modern Africa, p.66]
View from the War (cont.) The European merchant is my shepherd, And I am in want; He maketh me to lie down in cocoa farms, He leadeth me beside the waters of great need; The general managers & profiteers frighten me. Thou preparedst a reduction in my salary In the presence of my creditors. Thou anointest my income with taxes; My expense runs over my income And I will dwell in a rented house forever! [ African Morning Post Accra, as submitted by Gold Coast serviceman, c.1944 B. Davidson, Modern Africa, p.66]
WWII and the French French Colonies in unique situation: -France (and Belgium) fell to Axis powers in 1940 - France in hands of German puppet regime based in Vichy - France s colonies (like Belgian Congo) virtually without colonial master
WWII and the French - government in exile established under WWII war hero, General de Gaulle - known as the Free French - French West Africa remained part of collaborative Vichy regime until 1942 - then joined Free French - French Equatorial Africa supported government in exile from outset.
WWII and the French (cont.) Importance of FEA: -Felix Eboue (Chad) helped prevent establishment of Axis base in Africa - FEA became base for Free French - important in generating Brazzaville Conference, 1944
WWII and the French (cont.) Brazzaville: -promised several improvements to situation - but key passage read: - the colonizing work of France makes it impossible to accept any idea of autonomy for the colonies, or any possibility of development outside of the French empire. Even at a distant date, there will be no selfgovernment in the colonies.
WWII and the French (cont.) Video Excerpt: The Rise of Nationalism [from Basil Davidson s Africa]