Customer Reviews

The Conquest of Morocco

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I have read this author's account on the French Foreign Legion and 'The Conquest of the Sahara' and this book is just as good as those two. Douglas Porch almost seems to have a inside line into what it must have felt like to be one of the actors of these great drama's. If you want to read a great book and learn something of the French involvement in the Middle East, you'll love this book and his others. Take the chance and buy a copy and then sit down and enjoy!

This is essentially 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.

Porch focuses his story on the last grab at Africa from a European country (except Mussolini's grab at Ethiopia). The story resolves around a general named Lautrey nibbling away at the borders of a falling apart Morocco. The Sultan no longer commands the repect of his countrymen and the Eurpoean powers have set up their privileges in the country. France sets the conditions whereby the Colonial department can add Morocco as a
protectorate. I like Porch's writing style. This book focuses on Morocco similar to where The Scramble for Africa focuses on the colonial experience of all Africa.

Morocco has long had relations with Europe. After the fall of Rome the Vandals came from Europe through to Morrocco and North Africa. later in the 8th century the Arabs, newly converted to Islam, swept through Morocco on their way to Jihad in Europe. Later, after the reconquista of Spain in 1492 the Spanish moved into Morocco, at first to free European slaves. In the 1700-1800s Morocco was on seat of the Barbary pirates who plagued European ships and took European slaves. In the late 18th century this all ended and the cycle began anew with the French conquest. The SPanish had a small northern strip of Morocco but this book focuses only on the French role, which is perhaps a disappointing for the Spanish war with the Mountain Rif(Berber) tribes was as interesting if not more so.

This book, like Porch's others, is very good, artfully told, beautifully rendered, an easy fun and popular read. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Africa, colonialism or the 19th century.

Seth J. Frantzman

This is not a review. I wanted to point out what I feel is a big problem when buying a book that you can not see inside, as you would if you were in a bookstore. The few pages they offer still don't help. If you can't look inside the whole book, what Amazon needs is to provide a place where people can submit questions about specifics they are looking for in a book. For instance, I want to know how the French Imperialistic take over of Morocco or other parts of North Africa affected the women. I've read that women in Algeria for instance turned to prostitution or were forced into it by the French. Does anyone know of a book on that subject?