Colonial Mobilization

France's empire, too, answered the call. In Algeria, French settlers (colons) reported enthusiastically while Muslim Algerians faced conscription with mixed emotions. Some saw military service as a path to equality; others resented fighting for a nation that denied them citizenship. In Kabylia, traditional leaders debated whether honor required supporting France or resisting this European quarrel.

From Senegal came the famous Tirailleurs, professional soldiers who had conquered much of France's African empire. Their commander, General Charles Mangin, believed these "natural warriors" would provide the shock troops needed for offensive warfare. In Dakar, Saint-Louis, and Rufisque, recruitment expanded beyond regular soldiers to include volunteers and conscripts, often enlisted through traditional chiefs who received bounties per recruit.

Indochina contributed both soldiers and laborers. In Saigon, Hanoi, and Huế, French administrators mobilized Vietnamese workers for war industries while recruiting soldiers from ethnic minorities considered more "martial." These men—Montagnards, Cambodians, Laotians—would travel halfway around the world to fight in a war they barely understood.

The Maghrebi soldiers faced particular challenges. Ahmed ben Mohammed, recruited in Oran, later recalled: "They told us we fought for civilization against barbarians. But in France, we discovered the 'barbarians' prayed to the same God as German Muslims in their ranks. The world became very complicated."