French Togoland

French Togoland
Togo français
Mandate of France
1916–1960
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Anthem La Marseillaise  •  Salut à toi, pays de nos aïeux "La Marseillaise" • "Hail to you, country of our ancestors" (Instrumental only)
Location of French Togoland in French West Africa.
Capital		Lomé
Languages		French (official), Ewe, Kabye, Kotokoli etc
Political structure		League of Nations Mandate
Historical era		20th century
•	Occupation	27 August 1914
•	Togoland partitioned	27 December 1916
•	League of Nations mandate	20 July 1922
•	Autonomy	1955
•	Independence	27 April 1960
Preceded by Succeeded by Togoland Togo

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French Togoland (French: Togo français) was a French colonial League of Nations Mandate from 1916 to 1960 in French West Africa. In 1960 it became the independent Togolese Republic, and the present day nation of Togo.

French troops landed at Little Popo on August 6, 1914, meeting little resistance. The French proceeded inland, taking the town of Togo on August 8. On August 26, 1914, the German protectorate of Togoland was invaded by French and British forces and fell after five days of brief resistance. The colony surrendered "without conditions" with British and French troops landing in Kamina on August 27, 1914. The Germans had offered to surrender to the British on terms, to which the British responded a surrender must be unconditional, promising to respect private property, with little interference in trade or private interests and firms. Period news reports suggest the Germans had used expanding bullets during the campaign and had armed native people not under their control, both violations of the Hague Conventions. Togoland was divided into French and British administrative zones in 1916, and following the war, Togoland formally became a League of Nations mandate divided for administrative purposes between France and the United Kingdom.