Front cover -- Contents -- Illustrations -- Abbreviations -- 1 Introduction -- Peaceful Decolonization and the Cold War -- Armed Forces and State-building: The Development of National Militaries in West Africa -- Sources and Methodology -- Objectives and Structure of the Book -- 2 Autonomy: Foreign Assistance and African Decision-making -- The Pros and Cons of Neutralism: The Reliance of Guinea and Mali on the Soviet Union -- Life Insurance: French Relations with the Presidents of Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal -- Surviving on Leftovers: Building National Militaries with Limited Resources Conclusion -- 3 Sovereignty: Strategies to Control Populations and Territories -- Coopting States: Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal -- Coercive States: Guinea and Mali -- Centralized States: Niger and Upper Volta -- Conclusion -- 4 Legitimacy and Colonial Legacies: The Use of Force and Institutions of Coercion -- Blood Tax: West African Soldiers in the French Army -- From 'Mercenaries' to a People's Armed Force: Military Building in Guinea -- Relying on France: Continuity in Colonial Structures in Côte d'Ivoire -- A Reverence for Warriors: The Postcolonial Importance of Soldiers in Upper Volta Conclusion -- 5 Governance: Control and Command of the Armed Forces -- A Revolutionary Army Eats Itself: The Soviet Model in Guinea and Mali -- Economic Liberalism vs Multiparty Democracy: Ivorian and Senegalese Decision-making -- Nigerien and Voltaic Soldiers: Guardians of the Treasury? -- Conclusion -- 6 Conclusion: Legacies of Control -- Bibliography -- Index.
Sommario/riassunto
Explores the fundamental role of the military in state-building in francophone postcolonial West Africa and how foreign economic and military aid has influenced it.