Abstract
Extension of North African Empire: Algeria, protectorate over Tunisia 1881, and over Morocco 1912. It owned a large Empire in the Far East and in Africa.
1880s: France imperialist movement encouraged by Bismarck (to direct French popular attention away from the lost provinces of Alsace and Lorraine). France was torn between the desire for empire and the desire for revenge in Europe (Franco-Prussian war 1870).
Rule over Indo-China (ancient and civilized people) - belief of France in herself as a great power which has successfully recovered from the humiliation of 1870 + colonies = a field for military glory.
Rivalry with Britain- especially in the 1890s: rivalry in Central Africa was a central theme in the diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Investments in colonies were not very popular among the French middle class - only in Algeria that there was a large population of French settlers.
French colonialism: deeper cultural mark on the former subjects than the British ever did.
