When the war broke out there was not a single
German in Morocco who was not certain that the natives would rise in
revolt against France.
"Not a single Frenchman," wrote, in peace times, the correspondent of
the _Cologne Gazette_, "should escape alive." The German Government
was convinced of the fact that the revolt of the inhabitants and the
massacre of the French would be followed by an appeal of all the
Moroccans for the intervention of the Kaiser. But nothing of the sort
took place. In Algiers the most perfect calm continued to reign; in
Tunis there was a little trouble that was soon suppressed; in Morocco
there was a man, diplomat and soldier at the same time, who was able
to keep peace and hold the country firm to France. He was General
Lyautey.
During the early days of August, 1914, the question was raised whether
or not it would be necessary to abandon the outposts in the interior
of Morocco and withdraw toward the coast cities. General Lyautey
declared that he would abandon nothing and advised the French
Government to that effect. He sent troops, the famous Moroccan
regiments, the best fighting units there were in 1914, to the battle
fields of Flanders, receiving in exchange territorial divisions
recruited for the most part from the Midi.
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