Previous Franco Spanish Boundaries In Morocco example essay topic

Officially KINGDOM OF MOROCCO, this country of northwestern North Africa lies directly across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain. It borders Algeria to the east and southeast; Western Sahara is to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. It is the only African country with coastal exposure to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. There form of government now is a constitutional Monarchy with two legislative houses. Morocco's official language is Arabic, and Islam is the official religion (99.8% of the nation is Islamic). The ethnic composition consists of 65% Arabic, 33% Berber, 2% other.

There are two international crises centering on France's attempts to control Morocco and on Germany's attempts to stop French power. In 1904 France had concluded a secret treaty with Spain concerning Morocco. They had agreed not to oppose Britain's moves in Egypt in exchange for a free hand in Morocco. Germany however, insisted upon an "open-door" policy in the area; and, in a dramatic show of power, the emperor William II visited Tangier and, from his yacht on March 31, 1905, declared for Morocco's independence and integrity.

The resultant international panic, the first Moroccan crises, was resolved in January-April 1906 at the Algerians Conference, where German and other national economic rights were upheld and where the French and Spanish were entrusted with the policing of Morocco. On Feb. 8, 1908, a further Franco-German agreement affirmed Morocco's independence while recognizing France's 'special political interests' and Germany's economic interests in North Africa. The Second Moroccan crises (1911) was brought on when the German gunboat Panther was sent to Agadir on July 1, 1911, allegedly to protect German interests during a local native uprising in Morocco but in reality to intimidate the French. This 'Agadir Incident's parked an outbreak of war talk during the summer and fall, but international negotiations continued, and the crisis subsided with the conclusion of the convention of Nov. 4, 1911. In which France was given rights to a protectorship over Morocco and, in return, Germany was given strips of territory from the French Congo. Spain at first objected; but, through the intervention of Great Britain, a Franco-Spanish treaty was concluded on Nov. 27, 1912, slightly revising the previous Franco-Spanish boundaries in Morocco.

The negotiations of 1911-12 between the powers also resulted in the internationalization of the Tangier zone. The sultan of Morocco, Muhammad V, became a focal point of nationalist aspirations. Muhammad was the third son of Sultan Mou lay Yusuf; when his father died in 1927, French authorities chose him to be successor, expecting him to be more accommodating than his two older brothers. The first indication of Muhammad's nationalist feelings occurred in 1934, when he urged the French to abandon the "Berber D ahir" legislation of 1930 that had established different legal systems for the two Moroccan ethnic groups, it divided the country and accelerated nationalism. Wanting to make Muhammad a national symbol, the Moroccan nationalists organized the F^ete du Tr^one, an annual Throne Day festival to commemorate the anniversary of Muhammad's assumption of power. On these occasions he gave speeches that encouraged nationalist sentiment.

The French reluctantly agreed to make the festival an official holiday, and for the next decade Muhammad remained above nationalist campaign but gave it his implied support. In 1951 the French encouraged a tribal rebellion against him, and on the excuse of protecting him they surrounded his palace with troops. He was forced to denounce the nationalist movement. In August 1953 the French deported the sultan to Corsica and then to Madagascar. Acts of terrorism multiplied during Muhammad's absence.

Many of the Moroccan nationalist preformed acts of terrorism in France as well in Morocco. In the summer of 1953 French troops and government officials were victims of terrorism. In France, many government buildings were bombed any created terror for several years. In morocco, French troops and French delegates were being shot. During this time Muhammad's prestige soared. The French government, already faced with rebellion in Algeria, allowed him to return in November 1955, and in March 1956 he negotiated a treaty securing full independence.

Thereafter Muhammad asserted his personal authority. He took the title of king in 1957. In recent times the Moroccan government has had troubles with Algeria concerning the Western Sahara. The boundary between the two countries is unclear to both sides.

There has been fighting and terrorist acts along this area between the settlers and nationalist. Fighting with the Algeria continued through the 1980's, and thousands of refugees from the Western Sahara resided in camps on this invisible border. To this day there are random acts of violence and terrorism concerning this land.