The Algerian War
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Transcript The Algerian War
A case study of violent decolonization
1954-1962
War between Algeria and
France resulting in Algerian
independence
Extremely violent: perhaps
300,000 killed
Terrorism, guerilla warfare,
torture, and atrocities on
both sides
Case study of independence
through violence
1830: France invades
Algeria
1848: Algeria becomes a
departement of France
French settlers (piedsnoirs or colons) migrate
in large numbers
Land
French government distributed prime land to pieds-
noirs
Economic inequality
Power
French citizens had more rights than Algerian Muslims
Settlers blocked moves to give Muslims more rights
Worldwide trend of decolonization, 1945-1960s
Founded November 1, 1954
Coalition of Algerian
nationalist groups
Became the major combatant
against the French in the
Algerian War
May 8, 1945: V-E Day
Activists demonstrated for
Algerian independence
Fight between protesters
and French police
Muslim protestors killed 103
Europeans that evening
French military cracked
down and took revenge,
killing thousands
March 13 – May 7, 1954
Battle in Vietnam resulting
in defeat of French army by
Vietnamese nationalists
Resulted in French
withdrawal from Vietnam
Sign of French military
weakness
November 1, 1954: FLN
launched coordinated
attacks across Algeria,
killing 7 people
FLN declared goal of
establishing an
independent Algeria
Sparked a series of attacks
and counter-attacks by
French and Algerian forces
Irregular combatants
Surprise attacks
High mobility
Sabotage
Avoidance of direct confrontation
Often used by weaker forces against more
conventionally powerful opponents
August 1955
FLN massacred 123
people in Philippeville,
including civilians – a
change in tactics
French army responded
with massive retaliation,
killing thousands
Terrorism succeeded –
generated tremendous
support for the FLN
“European mothers were
found with their throats slit
and their bellies dashed
open… infants in arms had
their brains dashed against
the wall.”
“There were so many [dead
Muslims] that they had to be
buried with bulldozers.”
September 30, 1956: women
bombed three sites in Algiers,
the capital
Started a year-long guerilla
campaign in Algiers
Civilian casualties; heavyhanded response
Bombings spread a sense of
insecurity – war was everywhere
FLN aimed to draw more
attention by attacking cities
French
Algerian
Torture
Torture
Illegal executions
Terrorism
Military rule – no
Targeting civilians –
democracy
Forced disappearances
Censorship
especially Muslims
Algeria and other crises
undermined faith in the
French government
May 1958: angry piedsnoirs demanded the
return of Charles de
Gaulle to keep Algeria
French
De Gaulle took over
France on June 2, 1958
Expense
Domestic opposition
International opposition
September 1959: de Gaulle offered Algeria a vote on its
future status after violence stopped
Possibility of independence angered pieds-noirs, led to
unrest
Fall 1961: France began secret
negotiations with FLN
March 1962: ceasefire signed
April 1962: 90% of French
voters endorsed Algerian
independence
July 1, 1962: Algerians voted
for independence, 6 million
versus 17,000
July 3, 1962: Algeria became
an independent state
Signed March 18, 1962
Provisions:
Ceasefire
France recognizes Algeria’s right to independence and
agrees to withdraw troops
Algeria guarantees political and economic rights to
pieds-noirs
Violently opposed by some radical settlers
Approved by French and Algerian voters by July 1962
Nearly 1 million Europeans left Algeria before
independence
Organization de l’Armee Secrete (OAS)
Founded December 3, 1960
Radical French settlers dedicated to keeping Algeria
French
Attempted to stop the progress of Algerian
independence
Assassination attempts against de Gaulle and Sartre
Reprisals against supporters of France
Algerian Muslims who fought
for or supported the French
Significant contribution to the
French war effort – roughly
236,000 by 1962
Many fled to France after the
end of the war
Between 50,000 and 150,000
Harkis and families killed
after independence