DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2016.v04i01.004

Pages: 17-20

Literature devoted to the Great War campaign in Africa in general and in West Africa in particular is mainly focused on the battle history. Indeed, military operations led by European military officers during the campaign are more detailed than the historical trajectory of the native combatant who served in various colonial forces. This approach unfortunately creates a scientific gap, in a context of global Great War perspective. To fill this historical void, this proposal bring into light the post war period by high lighting the African soldier’s itinerary who was enrolled in belligerent units. Drawing from the theoretical framework of the New Military History and using mainly primary record like archival materials and publications, itre-interrogates the First World War throught social angle. Then, the itinerary of a German Kamerun (now a day’s called Cameroon) soldier, in this circumstances Joseph Zoa, after the departure of their colonial military masters will be done in other to have an holistic view of the natives career within the colonial military system and their social impact on the new sociopolitical environment. Examining the First World War context is an occasion to understand wider implications of the conflict as well as to link past with the present generations. It is also an occasion to pay tribute to those men and women who sacrified themselves but fogotten by the national and international memories.