Troupes coloniales
| French Colonial Forces | |
|---|---|
| Troupes coloniales | |
French regulars of the Colonial Infantry disembarking in Madagascar 1895. | |
| Active | 1900–1961 |
| Countries | French colonies and overseas territories |
| Allegiance | France |
| Type | Marines / Colonial troops |
| Role | Colonial warfare Amphibious warfare Expeditionary warfare |
| Engagements | World War I World War II First Indochina War Algerian War |
The Troupes coloniales (French pronunciation: [tʁup kɔlɔnjal], "Colonial Troops") or Armée coloniale ([aʁme kɔlɔnjal],"Colonial Army"), commonly called La Coloniale, were the colonial troops of the French colonial empire from 1900 until 1961. From 1822 to 1900, these troops were designated as Troupes de marine ("Marine Troops" or just "Marines"), and in 1961 they readopted this name. They were recruited from mainland France and from the French settler as well as indigenous populations of the empire. This force played a substantial role in the conquest of the empire, in World War I, World War II, the First Indochina War, and the Algerian War.