A case study of violent decolonization. 1954-1962 War between Algeria and France resulting in...
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Transcript of A case study of violent decolonization. 1954-1962 War between Algeria and France resulting in...
The Algerian WarA case study of violent decolonization
Origins of the Algerian War
The Algerian War1954-1962War 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
French Colonialism1830: France
invades Algeria1848: Algeria
becomes a departement of France
French settlers (pieds-noirs or colons) migrate in large numbers
Why Revolt?Land
French government distributed prime land to pieds-noirs
Economic inequalityPower
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
The National Liberation Front (FLN)
The “Savage War of Peace”
May 8, 1945: V-E DayActivists 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
The Sétif Massacre
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
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu
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
Toussaint Rouge (Red All Saints’ Day)
Guerrilla War: An Interlude
Irregular combatantsSurprise attacksHigh mobilitySabotageAvoidance of direct confrontationOften used by weaker forces against more
conventionally powerful opponents
Guerrilla Warfare
And now, back to the war!
August 1955FLN 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
The Philippeville Massacre
“There were so many [dead Muslims] that they had to be buried with bulldozers.”
“European mothers were found with their throats slit and their bellies dashed open… infants in arms had their brains dashed against the wall.”
September 30, 1956: women bombed three sites in Algiers, the capital
Started a year-long guerilla campaign in Algiers
Civilian casualties; heavy-handed response
Bombings spread a sense of insecurity – war was everywhere
FLN aimed to draw more attention by attacking cities
The Battle of Algiers
FrenchTortureIllegal executionsMilitary rule – no
democracyForced
disappearancesCensorship
TortureTerrorismTargeting civilians –
especially Muslims
Atrocities (and other, less bad, things)
Algerian
Ending the War
The Return of De GaulleAlgeria and other
crises undermined faith in the French government
May 1958: angry pieds-noirs demanded the return of Charles de Gaulle to keep Algeria French
De Gaulle took over France on June 2, 1958
Why Give Up Algeria?ExpenseDomestic oppositionInternational 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
The End of the War
Signed March 18, 1962Provisions:
CeasefireFrance recognizes Algeria’s right to
independence and agrees to withdraw troopsAlgeria guarantees political and economic
rights to pieds-noirsViolently opposed by some radical settlersApproved by French and Algerian voters by
July 1962
The Evian Accords
Nearly 1 million Europeans left Algeria before independence
Organization de l’Armee Secrete (OAS)Founded December 3, 1960Radical French settlers dedicated to keeping
Algeria FrenchAttempted to stop the progress of Algerian
independenceAssassination attempts against de Gaulle and
SartreReprisals against supporters of France
The Aftermath
HarkisAlgerian 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