...a strikingly original project accomplished by an author who has thought deeply about the methodology of oral history, and the frank account of the nature of French rule is shocking. Rarely do we have a fully reliable account of colonialism as seen by the colonized, and Joe Lunn's book provides an authoritative and engaging account.
—French Colonial Historical Society
The use of the oral histories allows the author to add a new important dimension to the discussion of military recruitment, training, war time service, and repatriation....Because of its inclusion of African voices and African memories, Lunn's work makes an original and important contribution to the literature on a whole range of topics.
—James F. Searing, Professor of History, University of Illinois, Chicago
I find this to be an important and original contribution to the literature.... [Now] we have voices speaking out eloquently concerning the Senegalese perception of events. We see the significant difference in perspective which emerged among Senegalese, depending upon whether they were rural lads who served in the Tirailleurs Senegalais or originaires from the four communes who served in the regular French units.
—Myron Echenberg, Professor of History, McGill University, Montreal
This manuscript represents a significant contribution to the field, revising received wisdom about whether or not African troops were used as cannon fodder during World War I. The author persuasively re-interprets the data and supports what will prove to be a fresh, controversial, but in the end—winning argument. This is a work contributing to the rich and varied literature on the World War which reshaped not only Europe, but Africa.
—William B. Cohen, Professor of History, Indiana University
Between 1914 and 1918, the French army recruited over
140,000 West Africans who served as combatants on the
Western Front. Wartime recruitment had profound
implications for African as well as French society.
Focusing on Senegal, Lunn provides a unique perspective
for assessing the range of the war's impact on West
Africans. Based on the testimony of 85 African witnesses
or veterans of the First World War and extensive
archival research, Lunn's book offers novel insights
into the nature of the prewar colonial order, the
conduct of colonial recruitment drives and their impact
on Africans, the soldiers' service overseas, and how the
experience altered many African soldiers' previous
attitudes about themselves, their societies, and the
French.
