World War II has been unquestionably the most important group of events in the history of the world. almost every region of the world was somehow effected by the war, both during and afterwards. Africa is no different. It was one of the main focal points of the war and the war ad a major outcome on the further history of the continent.
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With the rise of colonialism in the latter half of the 19th century, Africa became a melting pot of European colonies. Most of the European powers began to colonize Africa. After World War I, Germany was forced to give up all of her colonies as a result of the treaty of Versailles. The embarrassment that Germany suffered was one of the main causes for the rise of Hitler in Germany. Hitler wanted to re-establish the German war machine and empire. Africa was seen as a possibility for re-colonization under the new dictator. Meanwhile in Italy, Mussolini was in power and allied himself with Hitler. Not wanting to be out done and have no bargaining chips in the possibly re-alignment of the world, he saw Africa as a logical place to colonize. In the early 1930's, Mussolini began to try diplomatically and economically to force his way into Ethiopia. However, all attempts at those measures failed. In 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia by force. As time went by, World War seemed eminent. .
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At the onset of war, the British and French were in dyer need of troops. This forced the colonial powers to draft Africans for the first time. African troops ,with the exception of those from South Africa who were not allowed to bear arms, were to play a much more combatant role both in and outside Africa. Half a million Africans fought for the French and the British during the war. Recruiting policies were much more sophisticated than they had been in the First World War. Anti-fascist propaganda was broadcast on the radio and disseminated through newspapers and poster campaigns, with dramatic cartoons and drawings depicting what life might be like under German rule.
