 If you think Africa is a continent of 54 independent nations, you'd be wrong. And when it comes to those of the Franc-Afrique countries that were historically colonized by the French, well, they're still suppressed by modern-day imperialist France. How? Very simple. When most West and Central African nations were looking for independence from the French in the late 1950s, France would take pre-emptive measures by offering all nations independence based on its selective terms. Most jumped at the French option. Those who didn't quickly and coincidentally fell into decades of political chaos and financial instability. What were the French terms of independence? Not much. Just total control of the local central banking systems, the signing of lopsided cooperation accords that would purge African countries of their raw resources, to maintain pegging the French franc at the time with the African financial community franc, or upon independence, the self-servient selection of leadership who would protect French interests. The list goes on. To this day, France, a nation preaching civility and propriety is neither civil nor proper, and it really hasn't been over the last two centuries. And to top it all off, this attitude and mindset all started off with one famous, but small man. At the dawn of the 18th century in the post-revolution Republic of France, the great general Napoleon Bonaparte had already established his military prowess. His power convinced the Directory, the five-member governing committee, that France must attempt annexing Egypt as it was now outside Ottoman control, thereby protecting its interests and the eastern Mediterranean while simultaneously overtaking British influence in the region. The pretext for such an invasion was simple, calling it a civilizing mission. The French justified their soon-to-be aggression as being defenders of France, liberators of Arabs, and to establish scientific enterprise throughout the region. The real ambitions were far more sinister. Such missions were based on a mindset that the French were an enlightened and entitled nation that deserved to command and control more primitive and heathen territories. The French also believed that the resources and riches of these underdeveloped people and lands rightfully belonged to the enlightened republic. The mission was to embed as much French culture into the uncivilized while also conditioned the natives into becoming holistically dependent on the French for their new way of life. So, the covert campaign began in 1798 with a quick capture of Malta and thereafter, the French fleet at army moved on to Alexandria. From there, Cairo would be next and easily overcome, followed by a foray into Greater Syria with a hasty retreat coming within a short six months later. The French would attempt to assert their control of Egypt through further expeditions into Upper Egypt to quell any Mongol resistance, but eventually would be defeated by a joint Ottoman-British army in late 1801. By then, Napoleon had already left Egypt with his reputation intact. But why accelerate through these series of important historic events? The military details of the French campaign into Egypt and Greater Syria in terms of detailed events, losses, wins or casualties don't really concern us for this video. What is of the utmost concern is the impact that this event had on the psyche of both Westerners and Arabs in terms of self-perception concerning enlightenment, entitlement, technological advancement and military capability. Please subscribe to our channel, as it would support us greatly in generating more content that documents our Arabian and Muslim heritage, history and culture. Now back to our story. It's true that the French invaded Egypt militarily, but it also invaded the region mentally, psychologically and spiritually. Egyptian scholars, although critical of Napoleon were overcome with wonder at the philosophical ideas being introduced. These ideas triggered aspirations of independence and liberty for the Arabs, ones that would lead to the birth of Arab nationalism, concepts and words that didn't exist before. Militarily, the Mamluks, Ottomans and Arabs were still in the Dark Ages relative to the French. Organizationally, the French were able to show speedy, supreme and effective strategic force even when outnumbered by the enemy. Arabs felt this firsthand in Alexandria, Cairo and throughout the Levant, and immediately wide-ranging military reforms were put in place. This shock to the Arabs wasn't reserved for the abstract or philosophical. No, the technological advancement that appeared with the French put to shame the existing level of science found in the Arab world. Printed presses were imported in large numbers and were utilized greatly in spreading French propaganda in Arabic and in an accelerated manner across the region, wreaking havoc with the Arab spirit. Superior and quickly completed engineering works such as bridges, roads and mills also played with the resident Arab mind and their existing concept of reality. The French planned their strategy with clear intention to overcome the indigenous people and overwhelm them with enlightenment, the magic and science of the age. All these elements led to the phenomenon that still dominates our contemporary culture, where Arabs allow Westerners to believe in their superiority towards Arabs, and in turn Arabs welcome an inferiority complex towards the Western world. This phenomenon of the blue-eyed blonde-haired Westerner who always knows better is deeply entrenched into our modern existence, a suppression that is assumed by the suppressant. Upon the defeat of the French and their outstained by the other colonial superpower, Great Britain, in favor of the returning Ottomans, the French withdrew from Africa only to return later in the 19th century with the second French colonial empire that took control over West and Central Africa. Great Britain would eventually spread its own imperialist aspirations beyond Egypt, and in the following century take control of nations such as Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Arabistan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman through a post-World War I mandate, nations that would end up feeling the hardships and betrayals by the British Empire through one-sided land agreements and natural resource concessions. And back again to where we started, the magic of the historic Western Liberators, who served their own purpose and pocket at the expense of their less civilized brethren, the Arabs and the Africans, except now they conduct the same suppression not in the light of day, but in the darkness of the shadows.