A Progressive Occupation?: The Gallieni-Lyautey Method and Colonial Pacification in Tonkin and Madagascar, 1885-1900On the eve of the twentieth century, Joseph Gallieni and Hubert Lyautey claimed to have devised a new approach to the consolidation of colonial acquisitions. Their method emphasized the primacy of political action over military action, called for the replacement of military columns with a 'creeping occupation', stressed the importance of economic-organisational development in ensuring the lasting stability of newly-acquired imperial possessions, and called for the unification of civil and military powers in the hands of the soldier, who would act as the first administrator of the colony. This method was the culmination of colonial experiences in Tonkin and Madagascar in the final decades of the nineteenth century. Following Gallieni's career path across these colonies, A Progressive Occupation? The Gallieni-Lyautey Method and Colonial Pacification in Tonkin and Madagascar, 1885-1900 focuses first on the painful process of pacification in Tonkin, locating the emergence of the method and Gallieni's own achievements in their proper context. The volume's focus then moves across the Indian Ocean to Madagascar, where Gallieni, combining the roles of Commander-in-Chief and Governor-General, was able to play out his nascent colonial method on a grand scale. Meanwhile, his subordinates - with Lyautey at the forefront - were able to interpret his method in the execution of their missions. Drawing heavily on French archival sources, Michael Finch sheds new light on colonial conflict and consolidation during the age of European imperial expansion, illustrates the differences, gaps and transgressions that exist between the theory and the practice of pacification, and raises broader questions about the French army, empire and civil-military relations. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
1 Colonial Consolidation Pacification and Military Practice 18701914 | 6 |
2 A Method in History and in Theory | 31 |
Pacification Without Method | 72 |
The Arrival of Method | 116 |
The Method on a Large Scale | 168 |
Conclusion | 223 |
Bibliography | 237 |
Index | 257 |
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Common terms and phrases
2nd Military Territory Abd el-Kader achieved action administrative Africa Algeria Annam Annamese Antananarivo argued army bands Bégin Bichot blockhouses Brière de l’Isle British Bugeaud Callwell campaign CAOM China Chinese colonial de l’Armée colonial military Colonnes au Tonkin columns command conquest consolidation Courcy d’Outre-mer Dé-Tham Debon Delta dossier Duchemin effectives Empire European Fourniau France Franco-Chinese War French colonial French colonial empire Gallieni to Lebon Ganiage Gérard Gottmann Guerre haut Tonkin Imperial Indo-China Jamont January Jean Gottmann Kanya-Forstner L’Expansion Coloniale Lanessan Lang-Son Lebon lettre particulière Lettres du Tonkin Liu Yung-fu London Lyautey Lyautey’s Madagascar Malagasy March Merina Michel Militaire Minister mission Mordacq Morocco Munholland native Navy and Colonies November occupation October officers operations pacification Paris pirate political Politique Porch posts Ranavalona III Rapport d’Ensemble razzia region role rôle colonial Sakalava September SHAT Small Wars soldiers Sudan Thomazi tion Tirailleurs Trois Colonnes troops villages War Minister warfare whilst wrote