Algerian War for Independence

Overview

• Spanned from 1954 to 1962, known as "The War of One November"
• Marked by the Algerian freedom fighters’ attacks on government buildings
• Linked with the historical context of colonial oppression starting with the 19th-century French invasion
• Present-day Algeria was a diverse crossroads of civilizations even before French colonization

Colonial Context

• French invasion began in 1830 with the Battle of Algiers
• Colonization justified under correcting Mediterranean trade wrongs
• Over 825,000 Algerians killed by 1875, termed as potential genocide by some
• Colonial rule brought a significant influx of European settlers, the "pieds noirs"

Resistance and Oppression

• Notable resistance figures: Fatma N’Soumer, Abdul Qadir
• French colonial era marked by atrocities against Algerians: massacres, deportations, torture, and sexual violence
• French rhetoric: Total elimination of non-compliers (Colonel La Francois de Matarac)

Post-WWII Context

• WWII weakened France, leading to internal debates about maintaining colonies
• Anti-colonial sentiment grew in France and globally
• 1943: Ferhat Abbas's "Manifesto of the Algerian People" called for autonomy

Path to War

• 1945: Protest crackdowns, such as massacres in Setif and Guelma
• Rise of the National Liberation Front (FLN) in 1954
• FLN inspired by French defeat in Vietnam

Key Events and Tactics

• Battle of Algiers, guerrilla tactics, and counterinsurgency strategies
• FLN’s successful general strike and guerrilla warfare
• French countermeasures: Psychological warfare, helicopter attacks, concentration camps, and torture

International and Domestic Influences

• FLN leveraged international support (e.g., UN, Soviet Union, China)
• War seen as a war of attrition, gaining political and public relations victories
• French internal opposition and political instability led to the Fourth Republic's fall

End of the War

• 1959: France controlled most territory but faced rising opposition
• 1961: Failed coup against De Gaulle
• Peace talks at Evian in 1961, with violence persisting until resolution

Independence

• Agreements in 1962 leading to independence
• Resulted in a refugee crisis in France (pieds noirs and harkis)
• Celebrated independence on July 5, 1962

Conclusion

• The war strengthened future independence movements globally
• The war’s impact went beyond military success, triumphing in political and public relations arenas
• French political shifts and international pressures were crucial in the path to Algerian independence