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France invades Algeria
Lead by Marshall Bugeaud, the takeover of Algeria was violent. to loosen the control of the native rulers, the French massacred natives. -
Muslims can apply for French citizenship
Under the Second empire Muslims in Algeria were allowed to apply for full French citizenship. Few took up the opportunity due to having to give up many cultural ways of life. -
Algeria is a French military colony
Algeria was declared and military colony under French rule. In the French constitution of 1848 it was declared that Algeria was apart of France and was divided up into 3 parts (Alger, Oran and Constantine) -
The Sétif Incident
During the celebration of V-E day, Muslims protested and demanded Algerian independence. The parade became a massacre and European settlers were massacred. Armed French forces dissolved the conflict, resulting in the deaths of 1,000-45,000 Muslims. -
The FNL is Formed
The Comité Révolutionnaire d'Unité et d'Action (Revolutionary committee of unity and action, CRUA) announces the creation of the Front de Libération Nationale (FLN; National Liberation Front) -
Insurrections begin
The FNL proclaims Algeria as a sovereign state and launched the insurrection. French installments were attacked. Unimpressed, the French contained the insurrection in the winter. -
Red All-Saints' Day
Using guerilla tactics, Algerian rebels attacked key people and places throughout Algeria. -
The SAS is formed
The French formed the Special Administration Section (Section Administrative Spécialisée, SAS) to govern Algeria and to regain total control over Algeria. -
Philippeville Masacre
Many of the leaders of the CRUA thought that most Algerians and Europeans weren't taking the insurrections seriously. They decided to target European civilians in 26 locations in the east, 123 people were killed. The French government responded by killed between 1,200-12,000 Muslims. Outraged, people started participating in guerrilla warfare nationally in Algeria. The French began building up their army. -
The FLN becomes popular
Because of the outrage following the Philippecille massacre, Algerians from all social classes flocked to join the FLN. Messali Hadj was one of the only people who did not join the FLN. -
Battle of Algiers
Two FLN prisoners were executed by guillotine. Outraged, the FLN ordered Algerians to "shoot down any European, from 18 to 54. No women, no children, no elder." Three Algerian woman planted a bombs in European Algeirs, getting the attention on the French army. Conflict continued all the way into the spring. In the end most of the FLN leaders were either captured, fled to Tunisia or killed, the French had won. -
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A Clandestine Congress is Formed
To accommodate for the sudden increase in support of the revolution, a Clandestine Congress was formed. To serve as a Parliament the Conseil National de la Révolution Algérienne (CNRA) was formed, and to oversee the executive functions the Comité de Coordination et d'Éxécution (CCE; Committee of Coordination and Implementation). Their first decision was to launch a urban warfare strategy that became the Battle of Algiers. -
The French army gets called out
After the discovery of the French army using torture to get information out of suspected FLN members, the editor of the Le Monde, Hubert Beuve-Méry, wrote "From now on, Frenchman must know that they don't have the right to condemn in the same terms as ten years ago the destruction of Oradour and the torture by the Gestapo." -
Committee of Public Safety in Algeirs
The French military began to doubt the government due to poor solutions given to end the revolution. They announced The Committee of Public Safety in Algiers. This Proclamation brought down the 4th French Republic, putting De Gaulle in charge of the 5th republic. -
A Provisional government is made
De Gaulle made the offer of giving total integration to Algerians, economic renewal, and invited the revolutionists to join the French. The CCE and CNRA rejected the offer and created a Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic (GPRA) in Tunis with Ferhat Abbas as their leader. -
Week of Barricades
Some Europeans felt betrayed by De Gaulle. Led by Pierre Lagaillarde and Jean-Jacques Susini they launched and insurrection, they set up barricades and gained control of government buildings. In the end Algerian troops ended the conflict and 8 arrest warrants were issued for the leaders of the insurrection. -
Formation of the OAS
After being released from prison, Pierre Lagaillarde and Jean-Jacques Susini fled to Spain and formed the Organisation armée secrète (Secret Army Organization, OAS); A group that supported French Algeria and was against De Gaulle. They were well organized and well armed. They launched terrorist attacks against Algerians. -
First Referendum on the Self-Determination of Algeria
De Gaulle announced the Referendum on the Self-Determination of Algeria, it was met with 75% of votes showing support. De Gaulle began talking with the FLN. The FLN briefly backed out when De Gulle tried to include the small Mouvement national algérien (MNA). they rejoined in May in Évian. -
Major fighting ends
De Gaulle announces on TV that the fight between Algeria and France was "virtually finished". the OAS and the FLN engaged in civil wars throughout the summer. -
The Battle of Algiers
The battle of Algiers was urban warfare launched by the CNRA and the CCE. This battle was won by the French. After the defeat the FLN fled into Tunis, making communication with people inside of Algeria extremely hard. -
The Évian Accords
Finally, the French agreed to give Algeria freedom. Algerians could self govern and have Algerian citizenship, under the condition that France could establish military bases in Algeria and got most of the oil from the Sahara. The OAS launched terrorists attacks in hopes of sabotaging the Évian Accords. -
Ceasefire
During the first Referendum on the Self-Determination of Algeria French government decreed that the ceasefire would be put into effect on the 18th of March, 1962. -
Second Referendum on the Independence of Algeria
91% of the French electorate approved the Evian Accords. July 1st, Algerians were allowed to vote, the result was almost unanimous. -
Freedom at last!!
De Gaulle announced Algeria as a free nation.
