Morocco History Part V

By | January 26, 2022

According to harvardshoes.com, Delcassé tried, in this way, to resolve the Moroccan question outside of Germany, but there was a brusque intervention by the German government, which led to the conference of Algeciras (see algeciras). However, despite having to suffer, within certain limits, the internationalization of the Moroccan question, France did not abandon its projects.

Towards the end of 1906, taking advantage of a xenophobic movement provoked in the Tangier region by the bandit ar-Raisūlī, he made a naval demonstration together with Spain, during which Germany did not raise serious objections. In March 1907, after the killing of the French physician Mauchamp in Morocco, he occupied Oudjda in eastern Morocco.

In early August 1907, following the massacre of 8 Europeans in Casablanca (30 July) some French and Spanish warships landed troops to protect the Europeans, despite the armed resistance of the natives; shortly after a French expedition of 2,600 men (general Drude) arrived from Drano and occupied the city; at the end of August, having received reinforcements of up to 6000 men, the French moved against the tribes of Chaouïa (a region that extends south of Casablanca towards the slopes of the Atlas), immediately reinforced by the sultan’s troops, sustaining numerous clashes with poor results. In January 1908 the gen. D’Amade, who succeeded the Drude, having had new reinforcements, energetically pressed the tribes, at first with light flying columns, due to lack of transport, then with the united forces, and after a series of successive actions in a short interval of time, some of which happily succeeded by surprise, he came to force the neighboring tribes into submission and to permanently occupy the most important localities of the interior and of the coast for the protection of communications and the maintenance of the order. In the operations of the Chaouïa the system of square and lozenge formations, widely used in the wars in Algeria, was abandoned and linear combat formations were adopted, advancing in jumps with the support of artillery and supported by an adequate reserve. By the end of April 1908 the occupation corps had risen to 15,000 men and 4,000 quadrupeds; it was then gradually reduced to 7,000 men (end of 1909).

Meanwhile, Morocco was falling prey to civil war. Taking advantage of the unpopularity derived to ‛Abd al-‛Azīz from the acceptance of the act of Algeciras, from his submissiveness towards the French and from his dissipation, his brother Mūlāy Ḥafīd turned against him by preaching the holy war and defeated him. France did not support ‛Abd al-Azīz and, together with Spain, recognized Mūlāy Hafīd, after he had, in turn, accepted the act of Algeciras and the other treaties in force: later the other powers also recognized the new sultan. But the latent conflict between Paris and Berlin persisted. In September 1908 a lively incident occurred in Casablanca, because the French authorities arrested three German soldiers of the foreign legion, with safe conduct from the German consul. The matter was then referred to the Arbitral Court in The Hague and the two governments showed a more conciliatory spirit. With the agreement of February 9, 1909, France confirmed its intention to respect the integrity and independence of the sheriff’s empire and Germany recognized the particular political interests of the former. But basically the situation remained unchanged.

In the two years that followed the occupation of Chaouïa, the French completed its military and administrative organization, limiting active operations to two episodes, one on Tadla (June 1908) and the other against the Zaer kabyle (February -March 1909) to stifle troubles that arose among the tribes surrounding the Chaouïa. At the beginning of 1911 France finally, taking the pretext of troubles that broke out in Fez and provoking a request for intervention by the sultan himself, brought the occupation troops to 27,000 men, with whom three columns were formed; other troops were concentrated on the Algerian border. The expeditionary force (Gen. Moinier) went to Kenitra and in mid-May began the march on Fez, where it arrived on the 21st without great difficulty and after having, along the way, organized communications with the Mehdia base. In the following days the troops provided for the supply of supply caravans and to free the outskirts of the city from the insurgents. In early June, the gen. Moinier headed for Meknes, where important rebel forces were concentrated, and occupied it after strong resistance. The French columns tirelessly traveled the country, which in the middle of July could be said to be permanently occupied; communications along the two roads Mehdia-Fez and Rabat-Meknès-Fez were ensured. and occupied it after a strong resistance. The French columns tirelessly traveled the country, which in the middle of July could be said to be permanently occupied; communications along the two roads Mehdia-Fez and Rabat-Meknès-Fez were ensured. and occupied it after a strong resistance. The French columns tirelessly traveled the country, which in the middle of July could be said to be permanently occupied; communications along the two roads Mehdia-Fez and Rabat-Meknès-Fez were ensured.

Meanwhile, the Spaniards too had moved following the massacre (9 July 1909) of some of their workers near Melilla. The garrison was quickly reinforced and in mid-September the northern part of the peninsula was first pacified, then the circumvention by S. began with the almost non-opposition occupation of the Mar Chica and Zeluán regions. But when the troops pushed westward at Zoco el Jemis they met strong resistance, so that the territory of direct control had to be limited at first to more N. than had been planned; only at the end of 1911, at the cost of serious losses, the Spaniards were able to establish themselves in the area to the North. of the line Zoco el Arbáa-Zeluán-Zoco el Jemis-right bank of the Uad Kert; they also occupied the main coastal centers of northern Morocco.

Morocco History 5