The conquest :
1830-1857
July 1830 : an army of
37 000 French soldiers entered Algiers. The Dey’s defeat
marked the end of Algiers Sultanate. Several Arab tribes were then
opposed to replace the former Ottoman authority.
Facing this disorder, the new French king Louis-Philippe decided to
make an agreement with
Abd el-Kader, one of the bravest and most efficient tribe
chiefs. Abd el-Kader was
supported by French troups to unify all Arab tribes and he
recognized Louis-Philippe as his king.
1839 : the
name of Algeria is given to lands west of Morocco and east of
Tunisia.
First pioneers came to exploring inside lands and began to
settle.
Agreement with Abd el-Kader failed and a new war opposed Arab
tribes to French troups.
Headed by General Bugeaud, who will become a great governor, French
troups conquered all the littoral territories throughout sometimes
very hard battles.
1847 : Abd
el-Kader surrended.
1848 : Algeria
was considered as an extension of France, divided in three
departments (equivalent of a
county)
1857 : last
mountain territories still under Berber tribes control were
conquered.
Pax
Francia
In 1847, there were already 110 000 settlers, half of them
coming from other European countries such as Italy and Spain. Among
the French, many political exiled .
After 1870, when Germany will have occupied a part of the East of
France, many Alsatians will come in Algeria to founding towns
with exactly the same
names than in Alsace.
1865 :
Napoleon III ‘s decree offered Arabs the possibility to
become actual French citizens, providing they gave up their islamic
law, especially about female condition ( bigamy, repudiation,
law incapacity).
T
his is something very bad known even in France :
according to the anticolonialist intelligentsia, Arabs would have
been treated as underdog people, without any
right.
In fact, Arabs who wanted to become French citizens were
enabled to. If
only a few of them did this choice, the reason why they prefered to
keep their islamic law. But
gradually, more and more Arabs decided to choose our law to put
themselves under its protection.
Colonization developped
massively since 1870.
Settlers fertilized
desertic lands and Algeria became a land of agriculture prosperity.
Thousands kilometers of roads and railways were built, such as
modern cities, schools, hospitals. In 1900, streets
of biggest Algeria
cities ressembled exactly streets of Paris, Lyon or Marseille, with
the same style, the same big blocks of building, with tramways
etc. A new nation was
springing up.
1914-1918 :
The war took a heavy toll of the French youth of
Algeria.
1936-39 : last
Europeans to settle, were exiled Republican Spanish.
Most Spanish were inhabiting Oran, on west coast
(Nobel prize Albert
Camus’s city). Interesting to notice that this
working class pro-communist people provided
in
1960-62 the most combative supporters of “Algérie
française” (Algeria
remaining French
). A nation is the only thing a poor owns. These poor
people, recently French, recently Algerian had believed in the
civilizer mission of France...
1940 ; then 44-45 : After the
1st, WW2 took a heavy toll of the French Algerian
troops. (135 000
Europeans, 100 000 Muslims)
L’Armée d’Afrique was involved in Tunisia an Lybia
campaign (great contribution to Rommel’s defeat at Tobrouk),
then in Italy (strategic victory of
Monte Cassino that enabled allied troops to invading
Roma), then in
Normandy Provence and as far as Germany.
1954 : FLN rebellion
Nov 1 1954, several attempts were committed : the more symbolic and
awful is the murder of two young married teachers.
It’s
the beginning of a war based on terrrorism. Terrorism against
Europeans but also against Muslims : FLN goal is to get Muslims
support under duress. Most Mulsims didn’t want of an
independancy. They
were satisfied to belong to the French Empire.
What could they claim was better conditions of living and a bigger
equality of rights.
FLN was an extremist, fanatical organization founded upon arbo-
islamism, supported by USSR and Egyptian Prez Nasser. By
slaughtering (some villages have
been fully destroyed), by racketting their mulsim
brothers, by doing propaganda among young student etc. FLN
had grown enough to be present in all the territory.
Meanwhile FLN was
fighting too French troops in a relentless guerilla warfare.
Gradually French troops were more and more present in
Algeria. Thanks
to Vietnam experience, war wasn’t only managed through
classical means : it contained psychologic and intelligence sides
too.
But if on the battlefield, the rebellion was about to be defeated
after the Battle of Algiers (1956/57
), on the political
front, it was not the same thing.
In French metropole, because of marxist propaganda
(insiduously
supported by Moscow), more and more intellectuals then
ordinary folks were infected by the anticolonialist virus.
It’s mostly this
side of the Algerian war that caused FLN’s victory. Few by
few, Paris was less and less combative and motivated. There were
more and more people, books, newspapers to claim Ageria
independancy.
1958 : Operation “Resurrection”
Among the most convinced supporters of “Algérie
française”, were De Gaulle’s fans.
Since 1946 De Gaulle had left the power. But there was still a
gaullist party and many people, high civil servants, officers,
politicians, intellectuals, industry and finance big times were
composing a gaullist lobby. Their goal was to getting De Gaulle to power
again. This lobby was
very nationalist, still animated by Resistance (Underground
) mind. After have lost Vietnam, to abandon Algeria
was feared as a disaster
and a fatal dishonor for France.
Taking benefit of a political trouble in spring 1958
(there was no steady
majority at the Parliament), an actual coup was planned by the
gaullist lobby ; code name : Resurrection.
The conspiracy was based on two things :
-
Algiers : taking benefit of Europeans’fear to be abandoned
and ready to revolt ;
-
Metropole : many accomplice regiments and armed partisans were
ready to invade Paris.
Reluctant to take office through such a coup, De Gaulle was waiting
the good opportunity. It
occured on May 13th 1958.
In Algiers a huge demonstration of Europeans (hundred thousands of
people) was
supported by Army. General Governor (representing French cabinet in Algeria)
has to quit and a kind of revolutionnary
Committee mixing officers and civilians was set.
Pressed by gaullist fans, the crowd was claiming De Gaulle.
Everybody was convinced he was the man of destiny, the only man
able to save Algeria and France together.
For France Prez Cotty, two options :
-
appointing De Gaulle at the head of a new Cabinet
;
-
refusing De Gaulle and facing Operation Resurrection.
Resurrection men waited until 11 pm on May 29.
There were about to
go in action when all
was canceled : Prez Cotty had appointed De Gaulle, approved then by
the Parliament.
Many of Resurrection men will find themselves four years
later, against De Gaulle this time.
June 1958 :
New government head, De Gaulle visits Algeria. Facing a huge mob in
Algier, he pronounces his famous Je Vous Ai
Compris speech :
“I know what happened here…I’ve understood
you.” City after city, De Gaulle confirms his will : Algeria
is and will ever be French, fully French. Muslims are
fraternizing with Europeans, through uncredible demonstrations of
union. Thousands of rebellion soldiers are joining France. I n
spite of its terrorist actions, the FLN cannot stop this huge
stream. A new hope, a new
confidence, this is what De Gaulle brings.
September 1958 : Referendum about a new
Constitution, conceived by De Gaulle and his mates.
In fact this election aimed to secure De Gaulle’s power with
a democratic legitimacy. In Algeria for
the
first time, all people were allowed to vote, even Muslim women
(in
contradiction with islamic law and for
the first time in History
).
To Vote Yes meant two things : Yes to De
Gaulle and Yes to French Algeria.
The new constitution was only interesting law
experts.
Yes to French Algeria : it was to be a disaster for the FLN :
it made
therefore an agressive propaganda against this referednum. Muslims
tempted to vote were threatened to death.
But the output was amazing : in Algeria, 90 % of electors voted and
Yes got 96,5% !
No greater victory could be hoped by supporters of French
Algeria.
Many FLN soldiers gave up the fight and joined French Army. We were
about the end of this awfull rebellion but ...
Sept 1959 : Become
Prez in the meantime, De Gaulle made in
a TV speech an amazing announce : the
possibility of Algeria secession.
Since this time, De Gaulle played an insiduous game based on
ambiguity : on one hand (to the officers, to
French Algeria supporters) he let believe, that “he
alive, never will the FLN flag fleat above Algiers” ; on
another hand, through secret meetings with FLN and through his
speeches at television, he was paving the way for
independancy.
Resistance against De Gaulle’s treason
January 1960 :
The very popular general Massu, trapped by a German reporter
probably bribed by De Gaulle’s entourage, is dismissed of his
duties and must leave Algeria. For Algiers population it’s a
formal signal that De Gaulle is now willing to lead Algeria to
secession. A huge demonstration is organized and head
officers are requested by loyalists to make a new 13 mai (May 13
1958) day. Though he disagrees with De Gaulle, new Algeria
Commander in chief Challe, doesn’t move …at the
time.
When he does, one year later, it will be too late.
Barricades week.
The
demonstration degenerates into a riot.
For the 1st time, police has shot
French supporters of French Algeria who responded :
dozens of dead and wounded men on
both sides..
During one week, in the streets and in the university of Algiers,
hundreds of armed “pieds noirs” (pejorative nick name
for European Algerians) faced riot police
detachments.
Eventually thanks venerable general officers mediation
(De Gaulle as for him
hoped a slaughter)
, the revolted pieds noirs surrended.
April 1961 :
Le Putsch des généraux
(General Officers
Coup)
Four top general officers (recently
retired by De Gaulle) took office in Algiers, supported by
five regiments including elite paratroopers of Foreign
Legion.
In Paris, it was panic. The
Cabinet was about to leave Paris for Switzerland. Everybody was
fearing conspiracy troops parachuting.
But the plotters were not quick enough and were reluctant to shoot
officers who didn’t accept to join them. This lack of determination contrasted with De
Gaulle’s confidence and pugnacity. He made the
best speech of his
career, aired on all the radio stations.
Quickly did the Putsch fail. Two of the
four conspirators heads let them be captured when two others
entered underground, taking the head of the OAS (Organization
Secret Army).
1961- 62 :
desperate OAS fight against De Gaulle and FLN.
March 26 1962 : Rue d’Isly slaughter : French
troops have machine-gunned a peacefull crowd of Europeans : 80 dead
and 200 wounded. (see Isly Heading = Rubrique)
It psychologically broke the Europeans. The
alternative was
now : to stay and be killed or to give up land and
properties.
Spring to summer 1962 : 1,2
million of Europeans were forced to quit Algeria : nothing was
organized to welcome them but insults and
humilations.
July 3 1962 :
Declaration of independancy ; beginning of a tyranic power still in
office in 2007.
