Figure 1.--This is a portrait of a Cameroonian soldier with his family. The source doesn't specify, but it seems to be taken in the British Cameroon, probably during or after World War II. The soldier's boots and the women's dresses also help date the photograph. For some reason they do not seem to be very happy to have their photo taken, especially the little boy. Notice the pith helmet. Before the war, they were mostly worn by British soldiers.

The British and French when they occupied German Kamerun during World war I split the colony, but not equally. The British acquired a narrow mountaneous strip which was administered as part of Nigeria. The French acquired the larger proportion which they administred as a separate colony. Neither confiscated the possessions of the German settlers and many stayed on after the War. These settlers operating plantations and business. There were also missionaries. This was not a problem until the rise of the NAZIs. The Germany community became supportive of the new NAZI Government in Germany (1930s). Many hoped that the new militarized Germany might eventually reclaim the colony. When Hitler launched World War II by invading Poland, British and French officials in Cameroon seized the German-owned plantations (1939-40). After the fall of France (June 1940), the country's colonial dependencies proclaimed loyalty to Marshal Petain' new Vichy regime. Central Africa was an exception. As soon as it was clear that the British would and could continue to resist the Germans, the French Central African colonies began going over to the Free French. Much of this occurred in late-August. We are not sure just what precipitated this. Chad was the first to declare loyalty to the Free French (August 26, 1940). The other colonies quickly followed suit: Cameroon (August 27). French Congo (August 29), and Ubangi-Shari/Central African Republic (August 30). Only Gabon to the south of Cameroon retained its ties to Vichy. The Allies occupied it (October 27 - November 12). Cameroon after associating with the Free French did not play any further important role in the War, except like the other sub-Saharan colonies providing raw materials to the Allied war effort. After the War, the British and French League of Nations mandates to the Cameroon were renewed by the new United Nations. The British continues to rule Cameroon from Nigeria. The confiscated German plantations were turned over to a new Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) (1947). The CDC is today one of the largest companies in Cameroon.

World War I

Germany as part of the Scramble for Africa established a protectorate over the Douala region (1884). Britain did not dispute the claim located southeast of Nigeria. Germany began building roads, begun the construction of a railroad and cultivated large plantations of cacao, palm and rubber in the region. They built a city, Douala, on the Atlantic coast, which by 1914 served as the principal port and wireless station in the Cameroons. The British launched a campaign immediately after Germany launched World War I by invading neutral Belgium. The Allies failed to anticipate the German strategy or the strength of the German hold on the colony. The Germans, fully understanding the power of the Royal Navy decided not to defending the coast, but withdraw inland and utilize rough teraine inland to mount a defense, hoping for a quick German victory in Europe. This might have worked had it not been for the unexpected Belgian-British resiistance leading to the Miracle on the Marne. A mixed forcde of British, French, and Belgian troops seized the German Kamerun colony. They quickly seized Doula (September 27, 1914), but were not able to fully take control of the German colony for more than a year. The Germans finally surrendered (February 1916). The British West African Frontier Force was one of two sets of colonial troops that the British turned to in Africa. The other was the South African Defense Force, which was primarily deployed in German Southwest Africa (Namibia). The British and French when they occupied German Kamerun during World war I split the colony, but not equally. The British acquired a narrow mountaneous strip which was administered as part of Nigeria. The French acquired the larger proportion which they administred as a separate colony.

Inter-War Era

Neither confiscated the possessions of the German settlers and many stayed on after the War. These settlers operating plantations and business. There were also missionaries. The British did not want to commit resources to build a colonial infrastructure. Rhey decided to rely on the German infrastructure. "German influence and not British transcended many facets of Cameroon colonial life. Much of the commercial economy, particularly the cocoa, banana and rubber plantations and the import and export business remained in German hands. On the spiritual plane, all foreign nationals of the Basel Mission were either German or Swiss-Germans, as were all the German Baptist missionaries. A significant number of the Catholic missionaries were also German or Italian. German influence therefore was widespread. The British hold on Cameroon was light. Between the wars she played a minimum caretaker role and totally failed to create any serious economic, social, cultural or political impact on the territory or on its inhabitants. It is understandable therefore why the Administration became so nervous in 1939." [Ndi] This was not a problem until the rise of the NAZIs. The Germany community became supportive of the new NAZI Government in Germany (1930s). Many hoped that the new militarized Germany might eventually reclaim the colony. As is often the case in history, nationalism trumps all else.

Hitler Launches the War

When Hitler launched World War II by invading Poland, British and French officials in Cameroon seized the German-owned plantations (1939-40). Germans were interned. hen Italy entered the War, Itational nationals were also interned.

Free French

After the fall of France (June 1940), the country's colonial dependencies proclaimed loyalty to Marshal Petain' new Vichy regime. Central Africa was an exception. As soon as it was clear that the British would and could continue to resist the Germans, the French Central African colonies began going over to the Free French. Much of this occurred in late-August. We are not sure just what precipitated this. Chad was the first to declare loyalty to the Free French (August 26, 1940). The other colonies quickly followed suit: Cameroon (August 27). French Congo (August 29), and Ubangi-Shari/Central African Republic (August 30). Only Gabon to the south of Cameroon retained its ties to Vichy. The Allies occupied it (October 27 - November 12).

Raw Materials

Cameroon after associating with the Free French did not play any further important role in the War, except like the other sub-Saharan colonies providing raw materials to the Allied war effort.

Post-War Era

After the War, the British and French League of Nations mandates to the Cameroon were renewed by the new United Nations. The British continues to rule Cameroon from Nigeria. The confiscated German plantations were turned over to a new Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) (1947). The CDC is today one of the largest companies in Cameroon.

Sources

Ndi, Anthony. "The Second World War in Southern Cameroon and its impact on mission-state relations, 1939�50," ed. David Killingray and Richard Rathbone, Africa and the Second World War pp. 204-31.

Created: 12:31 AM 6/12/2017
Last updated: 12:31 AM 6/12/2017