Anthony Clayton
This suvery draws together into a single integrated account the two major wars of decolonization fought by France in Indochina (in the early 1950's) and Algeria (in the late 1950's), as well as the smaller but far from insignificant military operations that the French conducted in Madagascar, Tunisia and Morocco.,Fought at different times and in very different theatres, these conflicts - little explored in English-language scholarship as yet - have tended to be seen in isolation. By bringing them together within the covers of a single succinct analytical survey, and treating them as different manifestations of the same historical process, a major gap is filled in the literature about modern France, decolonization, and postwar military history alike.,The military operations are set in their widest context. Among the themes explored in detail are: ,- the traditional French attitudes to empire, and how these changed under the pressure of events;,- the French Army's counter-revolutionairy warfare school in the 1950's, and its politically dangerous doctrines;,- the collapse of the Fourth Republic and the return to power of de Gaulle;,- the final drama of withdrawal from Algeria, with its 'ethnic cleaning' of the European settler population.,A model of clear exposition, the study offers fascinating opportunities for comparison with the more familiar decolonization process in the British Empire (on the military aspects of which a volume will be published in the series in due course). The book includes a full Chronology, Biographical Notes and Notes on Further Reading.
History,Cultural,France,War,Military Fiction
The Wars Of French Decolonization