Madagascar in World War II
In 1942, the British and several other Allied forces launched an
Pre-war
British claims to
Under French rule, Madagascar was settled with plantations to export crops, primarily sugar,
Madagascar Plan
Planning for the deportation of Europe's Jews overseas began in 1938. However, Madagascar was not brought up as a possibility until June 1940 when it was proposed by F Rademacher. The intention was to transport Europe's Jews to the island where they would be under strict control by the Schutzstaffel who would manage Madagascar like a police state.
This was to be the "
The plan was never carried out. Germany suffered a defeat in the battle of Britain which meant that a German capture and commandeering of the British merchant fleet to transport millions of Jews became unfeasible. In 1942, Madagascar was invaded and captured by British forces in the battle of Madagascar further complicating matters. The Madagascar Plan was scrapped and instead the Jewish population would have to be removed through the Holocaust.[7]
Early war
The
Against
Battle of Madagascar
An Allied naval force consisting of over 50 ships under the command of Rear Admiral
Facing little resistance, the British troops seized Vichy positions around Diego Suarez, taking one hundred prisoners. Heavy fighting broke out the following day on May 6 when British troops met the dug-in Vichy troops guarding Antisarane. The British eventually overcame the resistance by moving through surrounding swamps and marshes and capturing the city later that night.[16]
Governor-General Annet had 8,000 troops at his disposal, all but 2,000 of whom were Malagasy. They were positioned to defend the island's strategic sites such as harbors and possible amphibious landing sites. However, they were outnumbered by the British and their Allies who had close to twice the number of troops. Regardless, a cable from Vichy leader Pierre Laval ordered Annet to defend Madagascar "as long as possible, by all possible means, and with no other considerations."[17]
Japanese submarines also participated in the battle, with the submarines I-10, I-16, and I-20 attacking British ships. The submarines launched midget submarines that attacked HMS Ramillies, damaging her,[18] and sank the British motor tanker, British Loyalty.[19] Both midget submarines were eventually lost; one at sea, and one when the crew was ambushed onshore and killed by British troops.
After the capture of Diego Suarez and Antisarane fighting on the island continued at a low intensity. The British made landings on Madagascar's west coast with the intention of moving inland from there. In September, the colonial capital of 'Tana' or Antananarivo was captured by the British. Nonetheless, resistance continued and Vichy Governor-General Annet remained at large. Several other Malagasy towns and cities fell to the British before Annet surrendered in November after signing an armistice.[20]
Later war and aftermath
At the
At the conclusion of the war, thousands of Malagasy troops returned home to Madagascar contributing to the already growing nationalist and pro-independence sentiment on the island. Many Malagasy were angered at France's treatment of its colonial subjects as second-class citizens and the forced conscription of its men into the armed services. In 1946, Madagascar's representatives in the National Assembly submitted a bill to grant Madagascar its independence from France. It was rejected.[26] All of these events eventually culminated in the Malagasy Uprising of 1947 which saw tens of thousands of people on the island killed when French forces violently crushed the rebellion. Madagascar did not achieve independence until 1960.[27]
Footnotes
- ^ Van Den Boogaerde (2008), p. 7
- ^ Shillington (2005), p. 878
- ^ Randier (2006), p. 400
- ^ "History of Madagascar". History World. Archived from the original on 23 October 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- ISBN 9789966467478.
- ISBN 0-8032-1327-1.
- ISBN 9780192804365.
- ISBN 9781781593820.
- ISBN 9780521857994.
- ISBN 9780962832451.
- ISBN 9780750953719.
- ISBN 9781937470012.
- ISBN 9781317901976.
- ISBN 9781624882685.
- ISBN 9781446795705.
- ISBN 9780809433797.
- ISBN 0-618-36751-9.
- ISBN 9781782004028.
- ^ British Loyalty British Motor tanker https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/3215.html
- ^ Kenneth Cecil Gandar Dower (1943). Into Madagascar. Penguin books. p. 106.
- ^ Rigge pp 110
- ^ "Biography of General Paul-Louis-Victor-Marie Legentilhomme (1884 – 1975), France". Generals of World War II. 2007-08-22. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
- ISBN 9781473846647.
- ISBN 9780679457428.
- ISBN 978-1-316-44519-8.
- ISBN 9789052013497.
- ISBN 9781403977007.