<P> According to numerous historians, an important ideological component of German nationalism as developed by the intellectual elite was Social Darwinism . It gave an impetus to German assertiveness as a world economic and military power, aimed at competing with France and the British Empire for world power . German colonial rule in Africa 1884 - 1914 was an expression of nationalism and moral superiority that was justified by constructing an image of the natives as "Other". This approach highlighted racist views of mankind . German colonization was characterized by the use of repressive violence in the name of' culture' and' civilization' . Germany's cultural - missionary project boasted that its colonial programs were humanitarian and educational endeavors . Furthermore, the wide acceptance among intellectuals of social Darwinism justified Germany's right to acquire colonial territories as a matter of the' survival of the fittest', according to historian Michael Schubert . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Territory </Th> <Th> Period </Th> <Th> Area (circa) </Th> <Th> Current countries </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> German West Africa </Td> <Td> 1896--1918 </Td> <Td> 582,200 km2 </Td> <Td> Cameroon Nigeria Chad Guinea Central African Republic Ghana Togo </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> German South West Africa </Td> <Td> 1884--1918 </Td> <Td> 835,100 km2 </Td> <Td> Namibia </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> German New Guinea <P> (including German Samoa) </P> </Td> <Td> 1884--1918 </Td> <Td> 247,281 km2 </Td> <Td> Papua New Guinea Solomon Islands Palau Federated States of Micronesia Nauru Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands Samoa </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> German East Africa </Td> <Td> 1891--1918 </Td> <Td> 995,000 km2 </Td> <Td> Burundi Kenya Mozambique Rwanda Tanzania Uganda </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Total </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2,659,581 km2 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Territory </Th> <Th> Period </Th> <Th> Area (circa) </Th> <Th> Current countries </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> German West Africa </Td> <Td> 1896--1918 </Td> <Td> 582,200 km2 </Td> <Td> Cameroon Nigeria Chad Guinea Central African Republic Ghana Togo </Td> </Tr>

Who was given control of germanys african colonies