African theatre of World War I

The First World War campaigns fought in Africa, chiefly between Allied forces and German colonial forces from 1914 to 1918. Fighting spanned German colonies in East, Southwest, and West Africa.

East African campaign (World War I): A prolonged First World War campaign in German East Africa and neighboring territories, fought from 1914 to 1918. The largest and longest campaign, where German forces continued fighting after the armistice in Europe.
Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck: A German general who led the Schutztruppe in East Africa during the First World War. His mobile strategy prolonged German resistance in East Africa until November 1918.
Schutztruppe: Germany’s colonial military forces, including the forces that defended its African colonies during the First World War. Its small, locally recruited units relied on mobility rather than holding every territory.
Tanganyika: A territory in East Africa administered by Britain after the First World War and later incorporated into Tanzania. It became the principal successor territory to German East Africa under the postwar settlement.
South West Africa campaign: The 1914–1915 Allied invasion of German South West Africa, chiefly conducted by the Union of South Africa. This campaign ended with the surrender of Germany’s southwestern African colony in July 1915.
Jan Smuts: A South African general and politician who commanded Allied forces in East Africa in 1916. His campaign sought to defeat Lettow-Vorbeck but could not end the mobile war.
Logistics of the East African campaign: The supply systems used by armies fighting across East Africa during the First World War. Long distances and limited railways made porterage central to sustaining military operations.
Treaty of Versailles: The 1919 peace treaty that formally ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied powers. Its mandate provisions transferred Germany’s African colonies to Allied administration.
Kamerun campaign: The Allied campaign to conquer German Kamerun, fought from 1914 until German resistance ended in 1916. Its difficult terrain and retreat into Spanish territory distinguished the conquest of this colony.
Jacob van Deventer: A South African general who commanded Allied operations against German forces in East Africa. He took over command in 1917 and pursued Lettow-Vorbeck into Portuguese East Africa.

Linked from 1 page

Middle Eastern theatre of World War ICompared with: Both theatres extended imperial warfare beyond Europe, but Africa’s central campaigns targeted colonies.