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French Settlers Choose To Live In Algeria
Many French settlers- almost a million- had made their home in Algeria from 1900-1945. These French settlers were known as " Pieds Noirs"( black feet). The Fourth Republic had confirmed that Algeria was part of France -
The Fourth Republic Of France
In 1946 , emerging from the traumas of the Second World War, France settled on a new political system. The Fourth Republic was to last until 1958. One pf the main reasons for its collapse was the painful loss to France of Algeria and Tunisia -
Ahmed Ben Bella is Arrested
Ahmed Ben Bella was one of a number of FLN leaders during the long and vicious Algerian War of Independence. He was arrested in 1951 but escaped to Egypt -
FLN Launches Attacks
On the morning of 1st November 1954 , the main Algerian nationalist group " Front de Liberation Nationale" ( National Liberation Front), launched attacks in various pats of the country against military and civilian targets. This began the Algerian War of Independence. -
The French Prime Minister Talks To The National Assembly
The French Prime Minister ,Pierre Mendes-France , affirmed to the National Assembly in Paris ,eleven days after the start of the FLN attacks , that Algeria would always remain a part of France -
FLN Campaigns for Independence
Support for independence built through FLN military and political campaigns and was helped by brutal French response
FLN persuaded people to contribute and influenced labour unions, professional associations , students and women' groups.
They often targeted french settlers in isolated areas, and Muslims ( thought they were likely to compromise with French) , and Harkis- Algerians in French Army- Auxililary Police -
Pied Noirs Resist the FLN
Pied Noirs moved to cities - FLN targeted French in isolated areas
They demanded that France establish a State of Emergency in Algeria, restore capital punishment for political crimes, and denounce all those who worked for independence. Vigilante groups of Pieds-Noirs were formed in cities to hunt down those they identified as FLN sympathisers. These lawless vigilante activities were often ignored by the police and military. -
Turmoil In France- Loss of Indochina
There was turmoil back in France as a succession of Governor-Generals in Algeria despair at the lack of progress being made by military and security means. The humiliating defeat of France in Indochina ( Vietnam) in 1954 took place around this time and reflected very badly on the French Government -
Soustelle Plan
Governor-General of Algeria - Jacques Soustelle ,developed an ambitious plan - the Soustelle Plan to develop the economy and so improve living conditions for the Muslim population in Algeria, as well as bring administrative reforms. These plans still kept Algeria as a part of France , however so they weren't acceptable to the FLN -
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The Development of the FLN
Throughout 1956- 1957
The FLN developed from a few ill-organised fighters into a disciplined, well-armed and determined force of around 40,000. Guerrilla tactics were used- night attacks, ambushes, no conventional warfare or direct clashed with the French Army whose fire power would give them an advantage . Many hid out in Tunisia and Morocco, French soldiers deployed on borders to stop them from entering Algeria. Killed thousands. -
FLN Carry Out Attacks
In late summer 1956 the FLN carried out a series of violent actions in Algerian cities. On 30 September they exploded three bombs in the city centre , including at the Air France office -
Ahmed Ben Bella Is Arrested Again
Ahmed Ben Bella is arrested, again with fellow FLN leaders in October 1956 while on a FLN delegation in Morocco -
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The Battle of Algiers - FLN vs General Massu's French Paratroops
In the Spring of 1957 FLN carried out hundreds of bombings or shootings in Algerian cities.French paratroops commanded by General Jaques Massu crushed a well supported general strike called by the FLN and began a vicious campaign against the FLN called the Battle Of Algiers. Massu's paratroops destroyed most of the FLN structures in Algiers.There were allegations of brutality and torture.He then turned his attention to country areas and attacked villages suspected of giving shelter to the FLN -
French Army Generals Attempt A Coup- Cause Collapse Of French Government
The deepening crisis in Algeria led directly to an attempted coup in Algiers in My 1958, led by a number of French army Generals including Jacques Massu and Raoul Salan. Between them they commanded a significant number of French regular and reserve soldiers and sailors. The aim was to get the government to change its policies in favour to tough measures they believed necessary to keep Algeria a part of France and led to the collapse of the French Government. -
Charles de Gaulle Becomes President
Rebels demand that their wartime leader Charles de Gaulle become President Of France. On 29th of May 1958 , de Gaulle took power as the last President of France of the Fourth Republic. -
The GPRA Gains Recognition
With the possibility of losing support from Muslims who were tired of the war and stood to gain from de Gaulle's proposal the FLN established the :The Gouvernment Provisoire de la Republique Algerienne (GPRA) it was a government based in Tunis. Before the referendum proposed by de Gaulle,its head Ferhat Abbas had campaigned for international support for the GPRA.Morocco, Tunisia,the USSR,several other Arab,Asian , Eastern European countries and African states gave their recognition tot he GPRA -
New Constitution and a Referendum
de Gaulle appointed a committee to draft a new constitution for France's Fifth Republic, which would be declared early next year. It declared that Algeria would be associated with France but wouldn't be an integral part of it. All Muslims including women were registered for the first time on electoral rolls to participate in a referendum to be held on the new constitution for France -
Opposition to the Algerian War Increases in France and the FLN gains Support
Opposition to the Algerian War was growing in France. Stories of torture and brutality by French soldiers were shocking.The deaths of soldiers and the return of the wounded had a strong effect on public opinion in France.FLN was gaining support from the UN and the tying down of half of France's army in Algeria was a concern for NATO. -
President de Gaulle Speaks of Independence ,Pleasing GPRA and FLN but Angering the Pied Noirs
Faced with the opposition to the Algerian War , de Gaulle changed his position and even spoke in September 1959 of self-determination for Algeria as an independent country associated with, but no longer part of France. In tunis Ferhat Abbas welcomed the initiative on behalf of the GPRA but its reception among the Pieds Noirs was a very different one, they felt betrayed. In Algiers some radical Pied Noirs went so far as to throw up barricades , claiming the support of General Massu. -
The OAS is Founded By Radical Pieds Noirs
In December 1960 radical Pieds Noirs and renegade generals such as Salan founded the OAS ( Secret Army Organisation) to oppose independence for Algeria -
Referendum For Independence
De Gaulle had arranged for a referendum on the independence of Algeria for January 1961. 75% of French voters approved independence though only 40% of Algerians voted in favour. -
Secret Talks With FLN
Secret talks with the Frontier Liberation Nationale ,began . They were interrupted in April 1961 by an attempted coup by some army generals, which was put down. The army was discredited. -
Talks With FLN Resume
De Gaulle was now prepared to abandon the Pied Noirs and talks with the FLN resumed in Evian in May 1961. -
The Evian Accords
The Evian Accords guaranteed
Equal rights for Pieds Noirs over 3 years with Algerians over property Participation in public affairs and all civil and cultural matters
At the end of 3 years,those Pieds Noirs that didn't choose to stay as citizens of an independent Algeria would be classified as aliens and lose many of these rights. In exchange France was given the right to military bases in Algeria and some preference over the exploitation of Algerian oil. -
Cease Fire With FLN
The French Government announced a cease-fire with the FLN for the 19th of March 1962 -
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OAS Campaign Against Independence
Between the cease-fire in March 1962 and the Second Referendum in June the OAS carried out a campaign of assassination, intimidating Muslims and French that supported independence. Everyday in March it bombed hundreds of targets including hospitals and schools. -
Cease-Fire with the OAS and French Leave Algeria
The OAS campaign against independence failed and they signed a cease-fire agreement with the FLN on the 17th June 1962. That month more that 350,000 Pieds Noirs left Algeria and went to France -
Independence for Algeria
The Second Referendum demonstrated that 91% of those voting were in favour of the Evian Accords . A similar vote held in Algeria in July was nearly unanimous. The FLN nominated the 5th July 1962, the 132nd anniversary of French entry into Algeria as National Independence Day for Algeria. The first President of Independent Algeria was Benyoucef Benkhedda . -
The French Withdraw From Algeria
The French withdrew because they couldn't sustain their efforts to keep Algeria a part of France.The costs were too high and both referendums on independence left no room for doubt about the will of the French.They withdrew with great reluctance,knowing that France would be unsettled because of the Algerian War.The threat of military unrest made the decision to withdraw even harder. However , France was under international pressure to end the Algerian War which tied up the French Military -
Ahmed Ben Bella Gains Popularity
After Algerian Independence in 1962 Ben Bella became much better known and his support increases, especially within the army. His war service with the FLN during the fight for independence ensured his popularity. -
Ahmed Ben Bella becomes Acting President and later President of aLGERIA
Ahmed Ben Bella became acting President of Algeria in September 1962 and was confirmed the following year in an uncontested election -
Sand War
Ben Bella's first achievement as President was to hold firm in the border dispute with Morocco , sometimes called the Sand War -
Ben Bella is made a Hero Of The Soviet Union due to Land Reforms
Ben Bella's attempts at land reform to benefit landless peasants in Algeria were popular but achieved mixed results. He was made a Hero of the Soviet Union, showing a closeness to Moscow that was not popular with the USA. -
Ben Bella Is Deposed As President
Ben Bella's increasingly arrogant and eccentric behaviour lost him support. He chose to concentrate on foreign rather than domestic concerns. He was deposed as President by his close friend Houarai Boumedienne, in 1965 and was put under house arrest.