Editing History of Martinique (section)

===Return to normality===
A hurricane in 1903 killed 31 people and damaged the sugar crop and a strong earthquake off [[Saint Lucia]] in 1906 caused further damage in Martinique, but mercifully no deaths. As construction began on the [[Panama Canal]], more than 5,000 Martiniquans left to work on the project.

Resettlement of Saint Pierre began in 1908. Even so, two years later the City of Saint Pierre was removed from the map of France with jurisdiction over the ruins transferring to [[Le Carbet]]. Elsewhere, political opponents assassinated the [[Mayor (France)|mayor]] of [[Fort de France]], Antoine Seger in 1908.

With war with Germany looming, in 1913 France enacted compulsory military service in the colony, and called on Martinique to send 1,100 men per year to France for training. When World War I finally came, 18,000 Martiniquans took part, of whom 1,306 died. During the war, the French government requisitioned Martinique's rum production for the use of the [[French Army]]. Production doubled as sugar mills converted to distilleries, helping the recovery of the local economy.