The fact remains that the French Empire, entirely pacified, constitutes, in spite of its shortcomings and its imperfections, a magnificent success of which we can be justly proud, and we do not deprive ourselves of it. We welcome, in particular, the loyalty of the overseas territories during the 1914-1918 war, so long, so difficult, so deadly; we praise the important help that they then brought to the metropolis in danger; we exalt the warlike valor of their children who, in this great ordeal, mingled their blood with the blood of ours; in short, we give free rein to Latin eloquence.
In 1930, we celebrated with great fanfare, in the presence of the President of the Republic, the hundredth anniversary of the landing at Sidi-Ferruch and of the capture of Algiers.. We recall the splendours of the first Christian Church in North Africa, of which Saint Augustine, a Berber from the region of Souk-Ahras, at the gates of Tunisia, is the most eminent representative.
At the same time, a World Eucharistic Congress was solemnly held in Carthage, to the great annoyance of many Tunisians. Mr. Habib Bourguiba, current President of the Republic of Tunisia, was to say, in this regard, a few years later:“The Eucharistic Congress of Carthage was partly at the origin of my fight for independence. I saw Europeans there, disguised as Crusaders, in the streets of our Muslim city. »
Then it is the magnificent Colonial Exhibition of 1931, in Vincennes, masterfully organized by Marshal Lyautey, who, no longer able to create a new world, satisfies his passion for action by building prestigious, but ephemeral palaces in stucco and light materials.
At the same time, the rebirth of the German peril once again became clearer. We then saw many North African units garrison in the east
France, a total of 8 regiments of Algerian skirmishers, 4 of Moroccan skirmishers, 2 of Tunisian skirmishers, 3 regiments of Algerian spahis and 1 regiment of Moroccan spahis, i.e. four complete divisions of infantry with their artillery and services, and two brigades of mounted spahis. As for the colonial army, it is present in force on our soil, as before 1914. Thus, the Empire appears as a very living entity, as a coherent and powerful whole, likely to discourage any aggression, hence that it comes, provided the tool thus forged is wisely used.