Commemoration of the 1947 Rebellion in Madagascar

The 1947 rebellion in Madagascar has never com- pletely escaped an inherently contradictory portrayal as an expression of. By August 1948, the majority of the nationalist leaders were killed or captured, and the Uprising was effectively put down by December 1948, though the last armed resistance was only defeated in February 1949. The violent repression of the nationalist insurgency left deep scars in Malagasy society.

From the 1947 rebellion, only a few rebel groups remained active in September 1948, isolated in their forest refuge and commanded by three autonomous warlords. After the death of Michel Radaoroson (July 20) and Victorien Razafindrabe (September 7), the most remarkable of them was Philippe Lehoaha (called “Minister of War”), a former corporal of the French Army. He was captured on November 10. His group consisted at the time of only a few dozens of Malagasy ex-tirailleurs with two FM light machine guns and a few rifles from the First World War. Nevertheless, it was the most armed group back then.