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CHAPTER I
POLITICAL SITUATION
1. Genesis of Present Political System: Circum-
friendly relations between France and Ger-
stances Leading to the Presence of France in
many." Bismarck, intent upon the consolida-
North Africa.
tion of Germany and other designs in Europe,
The area, known as French North Africa
was gratified to see the French dissipating
among the nations of the Atlantic community,
their energies on African soil, and raised no
is called the Maghreb, or "Western Land,"
objections to the creation of a French pro-
throughout the Arab world. Among the an-
tectorate over the Regency of Tunis.¹
cients, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia bore the
Having gained this much, the French began
Roman names Numidia, Mauretania, and
planning an empire which would spread
Africa, areas whose Mediterranean littoral was
across North Africa from the Atlantic to the
identified in the early nineteenth century as
Nile. The celebrated Fashoda incident in
a part of the Barbary Coast.
September 1898 put an end, however, to the
France's entry into this region followed the
eastward realization of this dream. The
Congress of Vienna (1814-1815), which ended
French were forced to abandon Colonel Mar-
France's hope of recovery of its former empire
chand in the presence of an overwhelming
lost during the preceding century in a series
British force under General Kitchener, and
of wars culminating with the defeat of Na-
to drop further pretensions to what is now
poleon. A new wave of Gallic imperialism
the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. The British, on
rose during the ensuing fifteen years and
the other hand, apprehensive of Germany's
found an outlet in the vast, and hitherto
growing power in Europe, did not offer further
largely neglected, continent to the south.
opposition to French expansion in Africa.
In 1830 a French expeditionary force was
Having been outmaneuvered on the Nile, the
launched on the pretext of restoring order in
French turned their attention to Morocco, "to
Algeria, but shortly found itself engaged in
protect Algeria from the West." During the
full-scale warfare. The hitherto disunited
latter part of the nineteenth century and up
Arabs and Kabyle Berbers rallied under the
until 1912, this state had been the victim of
leadership of the fabulous Abd-el-Kader, the
the violence of the many pretenders to its
Sultan of Tlemcen. They dominated the field
throne and native uprisings, of ruthless con-
for seventeen years until French arms, suc-
cession-hunters and, finally, of almost com-
cessively under Generals Bugeaud (later Mar-
plete financial and economic prostration.
shal and Duc d'Isly), Lamoricière, and the
French missionaries, settlers, and traders who
Duc d'Aumale, were at last triumphant, and
had been infiltrating the country for some
Algeria became the nucleus of a new colonial
time were not infrequently the objects of at-
tack, SO that about 1900 they began to en-
empire.
treat Paris for protection. French troops in
Following the conquest of Algeria, martial
increasing numbers were sent to Morocco in
adventure on the Dark Continent became
order to "establish order," a task which they
fashionable. Fortunately for France the con-
performed so effectively that in 1912 the Sul-
quest of Tunisia in 1881, "to protect Algeria
from the east," was little more than a military
Tunisia is still referred to as the Regency of
parade led by General Boulanger, a political
Tunis, a usage that persists from the time of Turk-
opportunist who was viewed by Bismarck as
ish rule (1705) when the Bey of Tunis was a Prince
"the greatest political obstacle to continued
Regent for the Sultan in Constantinople.
SECRET
3
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"ocrText": "ECRET\nCHAPTER I\nPOLITICAL SITUATION\n1. Genesis of Present Political System: Circum-\nfriendly relations between France and Ger-\nstances Leading to the Presence of France in\nmany.\" Bismarck, intent upon the consolida-\nNorth Africa.\ntion of Germany and other designs in Europe,\nThe area, known as French North Africa\nwas gratified to see the French dissipating\namong the nations of the Atlantic community,\ntheir energies on African soil, and raised no\nis called the Maghreb, or \"Western Land,\"\nobjections to the creation of a French pro-\nthroughout the Arab world. Among the an-\ntectorate over the Regency of Tunis.¹\ncients, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia bore the\nHaving gained this much, the French began\nRoman names Numidia, Mauretania, and\nplanning an empire which would spread\nAfrica, areas whose Mediterranean littoral was\nacross North Africa from the Atlantic to the\nidentified in the early nineteenth century as\nNile. The celebrated Fashoda incident in\na part of the Barbary Coast.\nSeptember 1898 put an end, however, to the\nFrance's entry into this region followed the\neastward realization of this dream. The\nCongress of Vienna (1814-1815), which ended\nFrench were forced to abandon Colonel Mar-\nFrance's hope of recovery of its former empire\nchand in the presence of an overwhelming\nlost during the preceding century in a series\nBritish force under General Kitchener, and\nof wars culminating with the defeat of Na-\nto drop further pretensions to what is now\npoleon. A new wave of Gallic imperialism\nthe Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. The British, on\nrose during the ensuing fifteen years and\nthe other hand, apprehensive of Germany's\nfound an outlet in the vast, and hitherto\ngrowing power in Europe, did not offer further\nlargely neglected, continent to the south.\nopposition to French expansion in Africa.\nIn 1830 a French expeditionary force was\nHaving been outmaneuvered on the Nile, the\nlaunched on the pretext of restoring order in\nFrench turned their attention to Morocco, \"to\nAlgeria, but shortly found itself engaged in\nprotect Algeria from the West.\" During the\nfull-scale warfare. The hitherto disunited\nlatter part of the nineteenth century and up\nArabs and Kabyle Berbers rallied under the\nuntil 1912, this state had been the victim of\nleadership of the fabulous Abd-el-Kader, the\nthe violence of the many pretenders to its\nSultan of Tlemcen. They dominated the field\nthrone and native uprisings, of ruthless con-\nfor seventeen years until French arms, suc-\ncession-hunters and, finally, of almost com-\ncessively under Generals Bugeaud (later Mar-\nplete financial and economic prostration.\nshal and Duc d'Isly), Lamoricière, and the\nFrench missionaries, settlers, and traders who\nDuc d'Aumale, were at last triumphant, and\nhad been infiltrating the country for some\nAlgeria became the nucleus of a new colonial\ntime were not infrequently the objects of at-\ntack, SO that about 1900 they began to en-\nempire.\ntreat Paris for protection. French troops in\nFollowing the conquest of Algeria, martial\nincreasing numbers were sent to Morocco in\nadventure on the Dark Continent became\norder to \"establish order,\" a task which they\nfashionable. Fortunately for France the con-\nperformed so effectively that in 1912 the Sul-\nquest of Tunisia in 1881, \"to protect Algeria\nfrom the east,\" was little more than a military\nTunisia is still referred to as the Regency of\nparade led by General Boulanger, a political\nTunis, a usage that persists from the time of Turk-\nopportunist who was viewed by Bismarck as\nish rule (1705) when the Bey of Tunis was a Prince\n\"the greatest political obstacle to continued\nRegent for the Sultan in Constantinople.\nSECRET\n3"
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