, ▁the ▁French ▁officially ▁abol ished ▁sla very ▁in ▁most ▁of ▁French ▁West ▁Africa . ▁From ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Federation ▁of ▁French ▁West ▁Africa . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁col ony ▁and ▁an ▁over se as ▁territory ▁under ▁the ▁Third ▁Republic . ▁In ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁France ▁organized ▁reg iments ▁from ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁to ▁fight ▁in ▁France , ▁and ▁col ony ▁resources ▁were ▁r ation ed ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 7 – 1 9 1 9 . ▁Some ▁ 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁men ▁from ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁died ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁I . ▁Until ▁the ▁period ▁following ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁government al ▁affairs ▁in ▁French ▁West ▁Africa ▁were ▁admin ister ed ▁from ▁Paris . ▁France ' s ▁policy ▁in ▁West ▁Africa ▁was ▁reflected ▁mainly ▁in ▁its ▁philosophy ▁of ▁" associ ation ", ▁meaning ▁that ▁all ▁Afr icans ▁in ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁were ▁officially ▁French ▁" subject s ", ▁but ▁without ▁rights ▁to ▁representation ▁in ▁Africa ▁or ▁France . ▁ ▁French ▁colonial ▁policy ▁incorpor ated ▁concepts ▁of ▁assim ilation ▁and ▁association . ▁Based ▁on ▁the ▁assumed ▁superior ity ▁of ▁French ▁culture , ▁in ▁practice ▁the ▁assim ilation ▁policy ▁meant ▁the ▁extension ▁of ▁French ▁language , ▁institutions , ▁laws , ▁and ▁custom s ▁to ▁the ▁colon ies . ▁The ▁policy ▁of ▁association ▁also ▁aff ir med ▁the ▁superior ity ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁in ▁the ▁colon ies , ▁but