Following World War II, the African Democratic Rally (RDA) under Modibo Keïta became the most significant political force pushing for independence.

French Sudan initially retained close connections with France and joined in a short-lived federation with Senegal in 1959, but ties to both countries quickly weakened.

[1] Though the area offered France little economic or strategic gain, the military effectively advocated greater conquest in the region.

[2] French conquest began in 1879, when Joseph Gallieni was dispatched to the area to establish a fort and survey the land for a railroad from Dakar in Senegal to the Niger River.

The administrative structure of the area was still largely under control of the French Governor of Senegal, and the most significant colonization were simply the military forts and outposts, including the important one established at Kayes in 1881 by Gustave Borgnis-Desbordes.

Archinard led military campaigns against Samori Ture, Ahmadu Tall, and other resistant leaders in the region, with varying success.

As costs increased, the French administration decided to replace Archinard's control over the area with a civilian governor, Louis Albert Grodet.

On 10 October 1899, French Sudan was divided, with the southern cercles joining coastal colonies, and the rest split into two administrative areas called Middle Niger and Upper Senegal.

[10] However, following successful tests of growing Egyptian cotton in West Africa during World War I, Émile Bélime [fr] began to campaign for the construction of a large irrigation system along the Niger River.

[18] Though they maintained a formal neutrality policy in regard to religion, the French colonial administration began to regulate Islamic education in the early 1900s.

[20][21] Indigenous religions and Christianity existed under less formal policies, and French efforts often used these to balance the spread of Islam in the region.

In the 1940s, a religious movement called Allah Koura began in the San Cercle based upon the visions of a single person[who?].

This was dependent on the military situation, however; slavery was not interfered with in allied areas, but anti-French chiefs saw their runaway slaves welcomed and settled in villages de liberte.

[26] According to rough estimates, throughout the area of present-day Mali, about one-third of former slaves moved away from the slavery relationship, while two-thirds remained with their masters.

[32] Following the French constitutional referendum of 1958, which received an overwhelming majority in support, the République soudanaise [fr] declared itself a republic with internal autonomy on 24 November 1958.

[33] The Sudanese Republic, as the area was now called, was the second colony after Madagascar to join the French Community, which provided it internal autonomy while linking its currency, foreign policy and defense with France.