1918-1939 History of Central Africa Independence






Cameroun and Cameroons, 1939-1960



Cameroun's Governors
1940
1940-1943
1943-1944
1944-1946 		Philippe M. de Hauteclocque, "Leclerc"
Pierre Ch.A. Cournarie
Hubert E.P. Carras
Henri P. Nicolas
Cameroun's High Commissioners
1946-1947
1947-1949
1950-1954
1954-1956
1956-1958
1958
1958-1960 		Robert Delavignette
Rene Hoffher
Jean L.M.A. Soucadoux
Roland J.L. Pre
Pierre Messmer
Jean P. Ramadier
Xavier A. Torre



In the early 1920es, Germans had repurchased some property in British Cameroons; in the 1930es, German interest groups lobbied for the return of Germany's ex-colonies, a matter which was diplomatically discussed during the Appeasement years. In 1938, in Cameroun the Jeucafra movement was founded, being vehemently opposed to the return of German rule.
With the outbreak of World War II, German property was confiscated. In 1940, the capital of French Cameroun was moved back from Yaounde to Douala; in 1946 again to Yaounde. The colony of French Cameroun soon recognized the Free French administration at Brazzaville. From 1940 to 1946, Cameroun was administrated by governors.
After World War II, Cameroun was given an assembly (1946), the African population the right to vote; French Equatorial Africa was represented in the French National Assembly. However, the political tendency favoured independence over integration. The status of the country was elevated from a colony to an overseas territory, the administration now laid in the hands of a high commissioner. In fact, the countries administration continued to be dominated by whites.
In 1948, the UPC (Union des populations du Cameroun) was founded; dissatisfied with the progress of democratization, it went underground in 1955 and took up armed struggle.
In 1957, French Equatorial Africa was dissolved. The country's assembly was given legislative powers; the office of prime minister was introduced, to be filled by Camerounians.
Cameroun declared independence in 1960, as did neighbouring British Nigeria. In British Cameroons, a plebiscite was held regarding the areas future (1961). The northern part voted for integration into Nigeria, the southern part for reintegration into Cameroun.
Ecclesiastically, in 1949 AP Doume was detached from AV Garoua; in 1953, Buea was elevated a bishopric, in 1955 Yaounde, Duala, Doume, Garoua followed, as did Foumban under the new name Nkongsamba.





EXTERNAL
FILES 		Cameroon, History of, from Infoplease and from Destination Cameroon
History of Douala, from Douala.com click Historical Notes
Flags, Lists of governors etc. of Cameroon, and of Traditional States, Cameroon, from World Statesmen, by Ben Cahoun (very detailed)
History of Cameroon : the Colonial Period, 1916-1960, from Ambafrance
Chronology of Catholic Dioceses : Cameroon, from Den Katolske Kirke i Norge
DOCUMENTS
REFERENCE Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Cameroon, by Mark W. DeLancey and H. Mbella Mokeba, Metuchen : Scarecrow 2nd ed., 1990, 297 pp.
Article Cameroun, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1960, p.136 (on events of 1959) [G]
Article : British Cameroons, in : Statesman's Year Book 1943 pp.263-264 [G]
Article : Cameroon (Fr.), in : Statesman's Year Book 1943 pp.942-944 [G]
Article : Cameroons, in : Americana Annual 1943 pp.120-121, 1944 p.116, 1945 pp.123-124 [G]
Article : Cameroons, Cameroun, in : Americana Annual 1946 pp.136-137, 1947 pp.112-113 [G]
Article : Cameroons, in : Americana Annual 1957 pp.122-123 [G]



This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2001, last revised on August 22nd 2007

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