Portal:Military history of France/Selected unit/7

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French Colonial Forces or Troupes Coloniales is a general designation for the military forces that garrisoned and were largely recruited from the French colonial empire from the late 17th century until 1960. This force played a substantial part in both World Wars as well as in the Indochina and Algerian wars that followed. It remains a key branch of the modern French military, though with only limited responsibilities relating to the remaining French overseas territories.

The "Armee Coloniale" did not include the famous North African regiments such as the Foreign Legion, Zouaves, Spahis, Tirailleurs Algerienne and Goums, all of which were considered part of the French Metropolitan Army. Instead the "Troupes Coloniale" can be divided into: (i) French long service volunteers (or colonial settlers doing their military service) assigned to service in France itself or as garrisons in French West and Central Africa, Madagascar, New Caledonia or Indochina; and (ii) Indigenous troops recruited in any of the above, serving under French officers. These were designated as Tirailleurs Senegalais, Tirailleurs Malagache, Tirailleurs Indochinois etc according to the name of the colony of origin. Tirailleurs (sharpshooters) Senegalais was the name given to all West and Central African regiments since Senegal had been the first French colony south of the Sahara. (More...)