part icular ly ▁the ▁May ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁crisis — France ▁created ▁a ▁new ▁constitution ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁This ▁constitution ▁made ▁colonial ▁states ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁" F rench ▁Community " ▁( La ▁Commun auté ) ▁which ▁rest ruct ured ▁the ▁French ▁emp ire ▁as ▁a ▁sort ▁of ▁feder ation . ▁All ▁member ▁states ▁acc eded ▁to ▁the ▁agreement ▁except ▁for ▁Guinea , ▁which ▁obtained ▁independence ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁when ▁it ▁refused ▁to ▁join ▁La ▁Commun auté . ▁Its ▁decision ▁led ▁France ▁to ▁cut ▁off ▁all ▁support ▁but ▁set ▁a ▁preced ent ▁for ▁other ▁French ▁colon ies . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁returning ▁French ▁leader ▁Charles ▁De ▁Ga ulle ▁agreed ▁that ▁member ▁states ▁could ▁have ▁independence ▁if ▁they ▁chose . ▁All ▁did , ▁at ▁a ▁rate ▁much ▁faster ▁than ▁France ▁anticip ated . ▁ ▁Cam ero on ▁( former ly ▁Camer oun ) ▁achieved ▁independence ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁day ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁( un ifying ▁with ▁British ▁Cam ero ons ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 ). ▁ ▁T ogo ▁( former ly ▁French ▁T og ol and ) ▁achieved ▁independence ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁April ▁ ▁M ali ▁Federation ▁became ▁independent ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁June , ▁then ▁split ▁into ▁M ali ▁and ▁Sen eg al ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁August ▁ ▁Mad agas car ▁became ▁independent ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁June ▁ ▁D ah ome y ▁( ren amed ▁to ▁Ben in ▁in ▁ 1