Remebering World War I: How Did It Influence Africa's Freedom Struggle?

During World War I (1914-1918), Africans, who then were under colonial rule and fought alongside the troops from the various colonial powers, realized that "they resented the inequality to which they were subjected," professor of sociology at the South African Witwatersrand University, Roger Southall told Sputnik Africa.

"We know sadly how many regarded it on all sides as an adventure initially. [...] I think it was not anticipated [...] when [Africans] were engaging in conflict alongside white troops from the various colonial powers and the other colonies such as Australia and Canada, found that they were not inferior and that they resented the inequality to which they were subjected," the professor said.

Continuing the topic, Southall highlighted that the war sparked "racial resentment" on the continent, which then transformed to a "nationalistic cause," given that a lot of Africans, who previously did not directly contact "the whites," were fighting alongside them.

"So frankly, remember that if you're coming from a colony like Gold Coast, Ghana or Nigeria, most Africans did not come, had not really come into direct contact with the white. So it was reserved for a relative handful of Africans in the towns and so on, rotational meetings with a district commissioner. But once you're in an army, you come into very direct conflict with white "superiors", and you're subjected to strict discipline and everything. And I think this undoubtedly fueled racial resentment, which then faded over into the nationalist cause, the expert noted.

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Speaking about how the war affected Africans' perceptions of themselves and their communities, he underlined that the influence was "profound," adding that they were for the first time allowed to carry arms.

"Well, I think it was profound. And I think historians accept that because for the first time, Africans well, for a start, they were largely excluded from being able to carry arms because, for instance, it was felt that having Africans with experience of arms would subsequently provide a threat to the empire," Southfall emphasized.

In addition, the professor stressed that the war contributed to the emergence of Pan-Africanism and other forms of transnational solidarity amongst African nations

"It also led to the connections or strengthening and strengthening of connections of Africans from Africa and those people of an African heritage from the United States. And to a certain extent, Canada. And they met in different venues. But I think it increased their awareness of Pan-Africanism and the fact that there was a sense of unity across American blacks and Africans elsewhere and the struggle for independence," he explained.

The Remembrance Day evolved out of Armistice Day, which commemorated the armistice signed by representatives of Germany and the opposing union of Russia, Great Britain and France Entente between 5:12 am and 5:20 am on November 11, 1918.