Green March

The Green March was a 1975 mass march organized by Morocco into Spanish Sahara as Spain prepared to withdraw. It asserted Moroccan sovereignty over the territory and helped precipitate its transfer from Spanish rule.

Hassan II: Hassan II was king of Morocco from 1961 to 1999. He announced and directed the march as Morocco’s claim to Spanish Sahara intensified.
Spanish decolonization: Spanish decolonization was the dismantling of Spain’s overseas empire, especially during the mid-to-late twentieth century. Spain’s retreat from its last African colony created the opening for the march.
Western Sahara conflict: The Western Sahara conflict is the dispute over sovereignty and self-determination in the former Spanish colony. The march accelerated the political confrontation that became this enduring conflict.
Sahrawi self-determination: Sahrawi self-determination is the principle that the people of Western Sahara should decide the territory’s political status. It contrasts Morocco’s territorial claim with the independence sought by Sahrawi nationalists.
Moroccan claims to Western Sahara: Morocco’s claim to sovereignty over Western Sahara rests on historical ties and territorial arguments. The march publicly enacted Morocco’s claim to Spanish Sahara.
Francoist Spain: Francoist Spain was the authoritarian state governed by Francisco Franco from 1939 until 1975. The march took place during the regime’s final crisis and impending withdrawal from Spanish Sahara.
Moroccan Western Sahara Wall: The Moroccan Western Sahara Wall is a system of defensive earthworks dividing much of the territory under Moroccan control from areas held by Polisario. It later entrenched the territorial division that followed the march and ensuing war.
Green March (Moroccan national narrative): The Moroccan national narrative presents the Green March as a peaceful recovery of territory historically belonging to Morocco. This account differs from interpretations emphasizing coercion and the denial of Sahrawi self-determination.
International Court of Justice advisory opinion on Western Sahara: A 1975 advisory opinion examined Western Sahara’s historical legal ties before decolonization. Its findings informed the dispute that Morocco invoked in organizing the march.
Decolonization of Africa: The decolonization of Africa was the process through which most African territories gained independence from European rule. The march unfolded amid the final phase of European colonial rule in Africa.

Linked from 13 pages