A Savage War of Peace is subtitled Algeria 1954-1962. The book is authored by Alistair Horne. It is almost obscene to say that you enjoyed a book that described a war which brought death to an estimated one million Muslims, displaced approximately one million French “settlers,” and drove almost all the Jews from the country either voluntarily or by coercion. French armed forces casualties were high as well. Yet “enjoy” is the only correct word. The book is good history and a good read.
The Algerian War was not the last colonial war. That honor probably goes to Portugal in Mozambique and Angola, but France’s War in Algeria was more fierce, more bloody and fought closer to the colonial power. Obviously, mother country would be totally improper as Algeria (or its predecessors) was a country before the French ever arrived in the 1800s.
The war largely took place in my formative high school and college years. In fact, I was in France in 1957. I remember that every French newspaper headlined nothing but. The times included, part of the Kennedy years, the Suez crisis and the years of the Arab world being dominated by Gamal Abdal-Nasir (the Arabic for Gamal Abdul Nasser as we knew him then). From 1956 to 1960, I was in pharmacy school. That fact is somewhat relevant to both the war and the book.
The book was not published until 1977 so that Alistair Horne had a chance to get several of the protagonists to reflect with the benefit of 15 years hindsight. Terrible wars (I hesitate to use the term great wars) have a tendency to produce remarkable (whether for good or evil) personalities. This war was no exception. The war caused the fall of six prime ministers and the actual collapse of the Fourth Republic. It brought de Gaulle out of retirement. It almost caused Civil War in France, and almost brought down de Gaulle and the Fifth Republic. On the French side, Massu and Salan were powerful generals. Jacques Souistelle, who was one of the few to obtain power in France after made his name in Algeria.
France was somewhat isolated as she was opposed by “the third world,” the communists, and all the Arab States. The Eisenhower administration was lukewarm at best. Eisenhower definitely opposed France, Britain. and Israel’s Suez invasion, and, in fact, sided with the U.S.S.R. to stop the invasion. Eden’s government fell in Britain. Kennedy was caustic in opposing the war.
The war was mainly fought as one of attrition with few pitched battles such as Dien-Bien-Phu in Indo-China. The French army coming off the loss of World War II and Indo-China felt that this had to be a last stand with no retreat. Yet it would be a mistake to believe that the army did not learn from its mistakes in Indo-China. Alistair Horne refers to French journalist/ novelist Jean Larteguy, who wrote two (at least two) significant novels (you must read, as well), The Centurions or The Praetorians. The titles refer to those Romans who shed their blood on foreign soil for the Empire, but warned Rome that if Rome did not support them, then woe be to Rome when their anger explodes. However, Larteguy’s theory is that the army understood, as France did not, that the only way to win the war was to integrate Algeria and its Muslim population in France. De Gaulle knew this meant the end of France as a Catholic-French country as he knew it and therefore he turned on the Army. He was just barely saved as was the republic by a few generals loyal to duty or to him.
The Battle of Algiers has been immortalized in Gilio Ponte-Corvo’s film of that name. This shows (part newsreel, part re-enactment) the guerrilla war in the capitol and France’s success in tracking down a terrorist (patriot from Algeria’s point of view) Ali la Pointe. Torture was practiced by the French, and mutilation was practiced by the guerrilla forces. Jean Paul Sartre and other French intellectuals condemned France for this.
Eventually, the tide of history just turned against France, and she had to leave. Getting back to pharmacy school, the Algerian leader, Ben Bella, was a pharmacist as were several of the other leaders. Alistair Horne mentions Algerians (two I believe) who spoke all over the “free world” and especially at the U.N. against France. Well, they came to Columbia Pharmacy School and spoke to us. I remember we gave ’em hell because we knew Algeria would be anti-Israel. That figures with Nassir providing much of the weapons. Today I just wish I had told them that they were fighting the war (possibly fighting the war for the Fundamentalists). These men (I am sure) wanted an independent progressive Algeria.
After the war Boumedienne and the Army deposed the Ben Bellas and ushered in “Arab socialism.” In a sense they still hold power or their descendants do, but history hands in the balance. Terrorists are once again killing Frenchmen, but for a different reason. Will the Fundamentalists (lslamasists, if you will) win? The jury is still out, but one thing is certain, Algeria has yet to try true democracy. Let us hope that neither side will use its power to destroy any chance of democracy.
The last thing the Mahgrib needs is another Iran or even a Libya.
As a last word, when one of the French generals was talked to after the war, he replied: “Je ne regrette rein, except for having failed.” “Je Ne Regrette Rain” is Edith Piaf’s song, meaning “I Regret Nothing.” Mankind should always regret a savage war of peace because there is no such thing.