The Conquest of Morocco tells the story of France's last great colonial adventure. At the turn of the twentieth century, Morocco was a nation yet to emerge from the Middle Ages, ruled by local warlords and riven by religious fanaticism. But in the mad scramble for African colonies, Morocco had one great attraction for the Europeans: it was available. In 1903, France undertook to conquer the exotic and backward country. By the time World War I broke out the conquest was virtually complete. Based on extensive original research.A case study of European imperialism at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. The author is an expert on the French Army who has drawn into this topic by his interest in the colonial French Army. This is not, however, a campaign or traditional military history. Porch's emphasis is really on the politics of conquest and he does a good job of presenting multiple points of view, including analyses of French metropolitan politics and Moroccan politics. Porch takes pains to rebut the traditional schematic view of imperial conquest as systematically planned and driven by economic motives. In the case of Morocco, at least, colonization was not widely popular in France, though there was a substantial colonial lobby. Complicating the colonial enterprise was the fact that among Frenchmen supporting imperialism in Morocco, there was considerable disagreement about methods. Just as important were the personal ambitions and motives of French officials and soldiers on the ground in Morocco and Algeria. Motivations for imperialism in Morocco appear to be less economic than considerations of national prestige, the murky calculations of inter-European diplomacy, and the personalities of major actors like Gen. Lyautey, who became proconsul in Morocco.Porch presents Morocco as a feudal/tribal society stressed by contact with modernizing Europe. Morocco's disorder was exacerbated by the predatory economic and political policies of the European powers. The French, in particular, fomented unrest in an effort to justify conquest. French tactics also inadvertantly tended often to provoke resistance. Porch shows that the goal of a "civilizing" mission, held sincerely by some Frenchmen, including Lyautey, was either window dressing or a self-delusion. Ultimately, the conquest depended on sponsorship of dubious proxies and the naked use of force. Title: The Conquest of Morocco A Savage Colonial War Author Name: Porch, Douglas Location Published: Papermac: 1982 Binding: softcover Book Condition: Very Good Pages: 348 Categories: European Colonial Wars Seller ID: 2153
