1945 - Madagascar’s Uprising Against French Colonial Rule Begins

On May 8, 1945 — the same day Europe celebrated the end of World War II — thousands of Malagasy people in Madagascar rose up against French colonial rule, sparking what became known as the Malagasy Uprising. While much of the world was focused on victory in Europe, colonial subjects demanded freedom, inspired by wartime promises of self-determination. The revolt, rooted in deep resentment over forced labor, heavy taxation, and broken French promises, was brutally suppressed. French forces killed an estimated 11,000 to 90,000 Malagasy civilians in retaliation, though official numbers remain disputed. The uprising is significant because it highlighted the hypocrisy of European powers celebrating liberty abroad while denying it in their colonies. Although crushed, the resistance planted seeds of nationalism that ultimately led to Madagascar\’s independence in 1960. This pivotal moment remains little discussed outside Madagascar, yet it reshaped the island’s path to sovereignty.