French colonialists had justified their take-over of much of West Africa—to themselves and to Africans—on the grounds that the French mission civilisatrice would bring an end to the slave trade in that part of the continent. Yet the truth is that during the World Wars African men were seized from their villages, held prisoner and marched in chains, and were then shipped to the battlefields of France to fight in the name of liberty and civilization. The French even had a phrase for enforced recruitment of Africans: limpot du sang, ‘the tax in blood’ . . . A French colonel wrote: My aim is to seek the use of the Senegalese . . . in order to spare the blood of French servicemen, France having already paid a heavy tribute during this war. It is essential to try by all means possible to diminish their future losses through the enhanced use of our brave Senegalese . . . The Senegalese have been recruited to replace the French, to be used as cannon fodder to spare the whites. It is essential then to use them in an intensive fashion
using this context How did imperialist and white supremacist beliefs influence the treatment of colonial troops during the war effort
Imperialist and white supremacist beliefs greatly influenced the treatment of colonial troops during the war effort. The French, as colonialists, viewed Africans as inferior and as tools to be used for their own benefit. They believed in the superiority of the white race and saw Africans as expendable in the pursuit of their own interests.
This mindset led to the forced recruitment of African men from their villages, who were then treated as prisoners and marched in chains. They were essentially treated as cannon fodder, sent to fight in the war with little regard for their well-being or lives. The phrase "the tax in blood" reflected the idea that Africans were seen as a resource to be exploited in the service of France, rather than as human beings with their own rights and agency.
Furthermore, the French colonialists sought to use African troops as a means to "spare the blood of French servicemen." This demonstrates a clear hierarchy of value, where the lives of white soldiers were considered more valuable than those of African soldiers. The aim was to save French lives at the expense of African lives, reinforcing the white supremacist belief in the superiority of white lives over African lives.
Overall, the treatment of colonial troops during the war effort was deeply influenced by imperialist and white supremacist beliefs. Africans were seen as lesser beings, expendable resources, and their lives were considered of lesser importance compared to the lives of white soldiers. This discriminatory and dehumanizing treatment reflects the deeply ingrained racism and disregard for the lives of non-white people that characterized colonialism and imperialism.