de Gaulle and the Granting of Independence to Algeria

de Gaulle and the Granting of Independence to Algeria

Charles de Gaulle played a vital role in the decolonisation of

Algeria. There were a number of factors that lead up to independence

of Algeria for example the FLN.

The FLN were the foundation of the nationalist movement, after seeing

France occupied by Germany in the Second World War the Algerians

realised that the French were not unbeatable, and set about to over

throw the French and reclaim their country, which was occupied by both

colons and the French army.

In order to try and gain independence the FLN resorted to terrorism

starting in 1954, attacking European settlements, their tactics were

responded to with a massive show of force by the French Army. They had

previously been defeated in Indo-China in 1940, Vietnam in 1954 and

the Suez in 1956. They were determined to defeat the rising

opposition. Their actions were aggressive and overpowering. Whole

villages were arrested and their citizens tortured. The majority of

Algerians had previously kept out of the action and stayed quiet,

however the French Armies actions had a reverse effect, instead of

crushing the FLN as it had intended to, it in fact made them stronger,

as more and more Muslims flocked to join the FLN. The army were

becoming increasingly distant from the French Government and

increasingly weaker.

When the French army attacked a terrorist stronghold in Tunisia there

was massive media attention and the UN had to get involved. The attack

had been carried out without the permission or the knowledge of the

Government. The events unfolding in Algeria were also catching the eye

of other nations, the USA wa...

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...vitable, there was no way to reverse

the process. FLN support was diminishing as people saw that the French

were slowly giving in, and terror tactics were no longer necessary.

The Evian agreement was made on the 20th May 1961after many

negotiations, De Gaulle had stalled the process by trying to keep

possession of the Sahara, however after reaching a stalemate he gave

in to the FLN, abandoning French demand.

On March the 18th 1962 the Algerians had finally gained their

independence. General de Gaulle had acted as a catalyst in the

process. It is almost definite that without the stalemate of 1958

between the Army and the FLN, he would not have been involved in the

crisis. However as things turned out he was the main factor in the

granting of independence, he handed the Algerians their freedom after

a long fight.