During world war ones search for land, power and wealth. Africa was used as a worldwide recruitment center where all sorts of European countries raced to Africa for a share of the bounty. Africa had more than just land and money, they had men, good, strong, fighting men to be taken or encouraged by a modest income and alcohol. From 1915, the Europeans began conscripting thousands of African men. Africans were fighting on the front lines of almost every side. The French alone sent 450,000 African soldiers from their colonies in West and North Africa to fight against Germany on the front line in Europe. Some 10,000 South African soldiers died in Belgium, France, Pakistan, North Africa and former German colonies in Africa.
In 1885 German officer Carl Peters offered the locals “protection for sovereignty”, while instead he and his soldiers raped and killed the natives whom they had just sworn protection. This enraged the local tribes and caused them to retaliate. A large group of local tribesmen called the HeHe attacked an unsuspecting German troupe and the Germans suffered an embarrassing loss. The Germans responded to this loss violently, by invading villages where they enslaved African women and children and burned crops causing widespread famine. Gorilla warfare went on between the two sides for a few years, with a relatively even outcome until the Germans tipped the scales with rival tribes supporting them.
Between 1905-1908 the Germans and Africans were in all out war, called the Maji Maji war. After years of Africans being continuously provoked by the Germans, tribes united across ethnic and cultural boundaries. The Germans again responded violently and by the end of the 3 year war there was over 250,000 African casualties, with an aftermath of widespread famine and starvation, while the Europeans only had 15 casualties.
During WWI hundreds of thousands of native Africans died of famine, disease, malnutrition and most commonly on the front lines of white man’s wars. In East Africa alone, a million Africans died in the hand of the German and British monarchy.
When all out war opened between German East Africa and British East Africa, it was the native African population that suffered the most. German pioneers attempted to hold land in what is now Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi where they were bordered by British East Africa, Belgian Congo and Portuguese East Africa. With all sides using native Africans as the majority of their armies.
In all, world war one was devastating on the native Africans with the largest loss being civilian.
“Behind us we leave destroyed fields…. And famine for the time to come. We are no longer ambassadors of culture, we are bringing death, pillaging, and empty villages.”
In 1885 German officer Carl Peters offered the locals “protection for sovereignty”, while instead he and his soldiers raped and killed the natives whom they had just sworn protection. This enraged the local tribes and caused them to retaliate. A large group of local tribesmen called the HeHe attacked an unsuspecting German troupe and the Germans suffered an embarrassing loss. The Germans responded to this loss violently, by invading villages where they enslaved African women and children and burned crops causing widespread famine. Gorilla warfare went on between the two sides for a few years, with a relatively even outcome until the Germans tipped the scales with rival tribes supporting them.
Between 1905-1908 the Germans and Africans were in all out war, called the Maji Maji war. After years of Africans being continuously provoked by the Germans, tribes united across ethnic and cultural boundaries. The Germans again responded violently and by the end of the 3 year war there was over 250,000 African casualties, with an aftermath of widespread famine and starvation, while the Europeans only had 15 casualties.
During WWI hundreds of thousands of native Africans died of famine, disease, malnutrition and most commonly on the front lines of white man’s wars. In East Africa alone, a million Africans died in the hand of the German and British monarchy.
When all out war opened between German East Africa and British East Africa, it was the native African population that suffered the most. German pioneers attempted to hold land in what is now Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi where they were bordered by British East Africa, Belgian Congo and Portuguese East Africa. With all sides using native Africans as the majority of their armies.
In all, world war one was devastating on the native Africans with the largest loss being civilian.
“Behind us we leave destroyed fields…. And famine for the time to come. We are no longer ambassadors of culture, we are bringing death, pillaging, and empty villages.”