World War I: Country Trends--Empire Forces


Figure 1.--The Sengalese Tirailleurs were actually men from all over french Sub-Saharan Africa, not just Senegal although Senegal was the most important contributor. This Tirailleur with his family was Senegalese. They would make an important contribution for France on the World War I Western Front.

Many of the countries involved in World War I had overseas colonies. Almost all of the imprtant colonial powers were Allied powers (Belgium, Britain, France, and Portugal). Germany has a growing colonial empire, mostly in Africa, but because of the Allied navies, especially the Royal Navy, could not support their colonies or obtain shipments from them. The Ottoman Empire had colonies, mostlty the Arab lands, but received very limited support from them and in fact the Arabs rose up in revolt and joined the Allies side. The Allied colonies in contrast played an important role in the War. Several important forces were raised. This was especially true of the British and French. The British Empire forces are a little complicated. The Dominions were more like associated countries. There were also colonial forces, called Frontier Forces. In between was the very important Indian Army. The primary French colonial force was the Tirailleurs. The Sengalese Tirailleurs are the best known, but this was a generic term for all sub-Saharan African units. They would play an important role in the western Front. The Germns also had African units. They would resist Alied incursions, but were unable to provide any support to the German war effort in Europe. After some impressive battles against superior Allied forces they had to retreat into the inpenetrable Mozambique jungle where they sat out the War.

The Allies

Almost all of the imprtant colonial powers were Allied powers (Belgium, Britain, France, and Portugal). The Allied colonial forces played an important role in the War. Several important forces were raised. This was especially true of the British and French. The British Empire forces are a little complicated. The Dominions were more like associated countries. Australia and New Zealand formed the famed ANZUS force. The Canasdians were another important part of the British Army on the Western Front. Britain attempted fofight the war with with a volunter army and thus the Dominion forces were very important. Only after the disaster on the Somme did the British introduce conscription (1916). There were also colonial forces, called Frontier Forces. There were several different forces here. In between the status of the Dominions nd the African colobies was India and the very important Indian Army. The Indians during the War played an especially important role in the Middle East. The Dominion forces and the Indian Army were particularly important. The Frontier forces were less important, but played a valuable role as security forces in the colonies. The African units were called Haudaus and initially formed to protect the frontiers from the French. They were at first called the West African Field Force. At the time of World War I they were renamed the West African Field Force. The primary French colonial force was the Tirailleurs. The Sengalese Tirailleurs were the best known. They were first formed in Senegal and thus became known as the Sengalese Tirailleurs. This became used as a generic term for all French sub-Saharan African units. There weee other Tirailleur forces. North African formations were important. There were also formations in Indo-China. The Tirailleurs, unlike the British Frontier forces like the West Afrian Field Force, would play an important role in the French sector of the Western Front during World War I, often referred to as the Force Noir.

The Central Powers

Germany has a growing colonial empire, mostly in Africa. The Germans after unification (1871) began acquiring African colonies as part of the Scranble for Africa. The new German Empire was, however, was disasisfied with the parcels of Africa they acquired, beliving it tp be inadequate to the prestige nd power of the Empire. The Germans began forming a force of colonial troops like the other colonial powers. The German force was called the Schutztruppe (protection force). Like other colonial armies, the Schutztruppe consisted of volunteer European commissioned and non-commissioned officers, medical and veterinary officers and recruited most of the enlisted men from the local indignous population. The most important military contingents were formed in German East Africa, where they became known as Askari, in the Kamerun colony of German West Africa, and in German South-West Africa. Germany also acquired Pacific island colonies. Here in New Guinea and Samoa as well as Togoland the Germans organized small local police detachments. An exception to the gneral pattern was Kiautschou in China which was organized by the Imperial Navy As part of the East Asian Station the Navy garrisoned at Tsingtao the marines of 3rd Sea Battalion, the only all-German unit with permanent status in an overseas posession. With the outbreak of World War I, but because of the Allied navies, especially the Royal Navy, could not support their colonies or obtain reinforcements and shipments from them. The German Schutztruppe resisted Alied incursions, but were unable to receive support or reinforcements from Germny. After some impressive battles against superior Allied forces they had to retreat into the inpenetrable Mozambique jungle where they sat out the War. The Ottoman Empire had colonies, mostlty the Arab lands as by the time of the War the Empire had lost its control over the Christian population of the Balkans. The Ottomans received very limited support from the Arab lands, but ultimtely the Arabs in the Hejaz rose up in revolt and joined the Allied side in a bid for independence.





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Created: 9:35 AM 6/11/2017
Last updated: 7:33 PM 6/11/2017