Ex-service men were the Africans who participated in the Second World War alongside the allied powers leading to the defeat of the Axis powers. They fought in Europe, Asia and North Africa to defeat Germany Nazism and Italian fascism. Such men included General China from Kenya, Bokasa from Central African Republic, Ben Bella from Algeria and Kagia from Kenya.

Their role in the growth of Nationalism was manifested in the military skills, organization, experiences and techniques acquired from the second world war which were taught to the local population.

During their participation, they learnt new military and technical skills in operating modern weapons and driving military vehicles. Upon their return, they used this expertise to lead and guide the other African masses in their resistance against colonial forces.

Their participation also helped in the breaking of the white man's invisibility complex because the colonial whites had always claimed that Europeans would defeat non-Europeans and as such before the Second World War

A Gambian historian J, Ayodele Langley commenting about African experience said " the anti-Japanese war was to unleash a decade of nationalism and revolution in South-East Asia and Africa". This was a strong factor in motivating Africans to stage revolts.

The conditions under which the ex-servicemen served during the second world war fueled resistance at home after there return. Africans enjoyed good standards of living i.e. better payments but after the war, they were demobilized and had to return home. Unfortunately, they faced brutal suppression, unemployment and low standards of living. Therefore this contrast in the way of life convinced many ex-servicemen to Join political wings in order to uplift their standards for example Kaggia joined the Kenya African Union.

Their participation in the war enabled them to interact with fighters from other continents for example Indians. This interaction they adopted ideas about democracy justice and other strategies of fighting colonialism.

Ex-service men participation in the second world war to fight against Fascism and Nazism which had caused human suffering .Their colonial masters like Britain and France claimed that they where oppressive and dictatorial and therefore the need to pin them down .

The following is an extract portraying how the British officer was trying to convince a Zimbabwean to participate in the war "

Away with Hitler, Down with him! Said the British officer. ' What's wrong with Hitler?' asked the African. He wants to rule the whole world: said the British officer. What's wrong with that? He is a German, you see! Said the British officer trying to appeal subtly to African's tribal consciousness. What's wrong with his being a German? The British answered each tribe must rule it's self. French for French, Italy for Italy, etc." But what he forgot to say was that the British for British and Africans for Africans. This Just opened the minds of the Africans who came to equate Italian fascism and Germany Nazism to British, and French colonialism and therefore greatly demanded for its dismantling too.

The constitutional reforms in the economic, political and social sectors promised by the colonialists to the Africans if they participated in the war against fascism and Nazism. But after the war, the colonialists failed to respect the sweet-coated promises as they perpetuated their hegemony in Africa.

African soldiers who fought in Africa saw the Europeans fighting each other for example in the Maghreb there was a civil war between Frenchmen, i.e. the Vichy and "Free French". This white disunity was a powerful factor in helping a black soldier look at the colonial master race realistically.

African soldiers traveled widely in places like India, France, England, Morocco, Egypt, etc and they gained many new experiences ideas and perspectives because of the different land and people that they saw.

Many of the ex-servicemen learned to read and write and few received technical training such skills deepened their understanding as they welcomed the ideas of freedom consequently they wrote letters home to say so and they also contributed to African newspapers which greatly inspired the spirit of nationalism at home for example early in 1945, a Nigerian serviceman wrote from India to a prominent Nigerian nationalist leader Herbert Macaulay:

"We all overseas soldiers are coming back home with new ideas. We have been told what we fought for. That is 'freedom'. We want freedom, nothing but freedom