Algerian War

    • Use of guerrilla tactics

    • Impact of guerrilla tactics on the outcome of the war

Background

  • A large number of people from mainland France had moved to Algeria, as it was close and had a favorable climate

  • This made up a small but considerable French minority among the Algerian majority, and these people were in favor of unity with France and were reluctant to accept majority rule

  • Algeria, unlike the rest of France’s colonies, was seen judicially as a part of the Metropole due to its proximity with the mainland and its population of French people

  • There were about 1 million settlers in Algeria out of a total population of about 10 million in 1954

  • French rule had been imposed in the 19th century, as France invaded Algeria in 1830 and established it as a colony for European settlement, a source of food supplies, and a market for manufactured goods

  • Algeria was integrated into Metropolitan France in 1881

  • Algerian nationalism began to spring up after World War I, but there was a division between those who wanted full independence and those who wanted autonomy under French rule

    • Nationalism resulted from African soldiers returning home and questioning the ideals of democracy that European powers fought for while subjugating Africa

    • Oil and natural gas deposits were discovered in the Algerian Sahara, leading France to continue pursuing colonial influence

  • The pieds noirs were the European settlers in Algeria and hindered many reforms

  • Colonial policy was designed to maintain significant economic inequality between the pieds noirs and Muslim Algerians, which contributed to the tensions

  • The Front de Libération Nationale (FLN) was an Algerian nationalist movement created in the face of repression by French authorities, which led to the escalation of tensions into violent resistance and eventual war beginning in 1954

Outcome of the war

  • Over 20,000 French and 1 million Algerians died

  • War ended in 1962

Practices of war

  • The FLN attacked civilian targets using guerrilla tactics, and the French army retaliated harshly

  • The 1957 Battle of Algiers was the most intense battle fought during the war, and as a result the French public became aware that the French army was using torture on their opponents

  • The pieds noirs and French army backed Charles De Gualle for president, as they believed he would help them win the war, and he became president in 1958. However, he recognized Algeria’s right to self-determination and negotiated with the FLN, leading to backlash from those who backed him

  • The French army had superior weapons, along with having naval and air power and more soldiers, and almost succeeded in destroying the FLN’s military capabilities entirely

Impact on the Outcome of the War

Suggesting the tactics were impactful

  • Algeria was one of the few African countries to achieve independence through violent revolution, but the war lasted 8 years

  • The Algerian nationalists were victorious against a well-resourced colonial army

Suggesting the tactics weren’t impactful

  • France was weakened following World War 2, both in terms of government and military. The economy was in shambles and the government was on the brink of collapse

Historiography

Suggest historiography using the link in the website footer!