Module Four Final Project

France had led colonial subjects to believe in their promises, but throughout one can see how France weren’t able to keep them. Through the readings it can be seen that there were contradictions with France’s republican ideology. They promised assimilation and the idea that anyone can become French. Every step of the way the French will find a way to prevent any of the colonial subjects to really become part of the French nation, making it clear that they will never be the same. But historians and scholars weren’t the only ones who took notice in the tensions between French colonial rule and their conquered colonies. This was evident through the film Battle of Algiers, where France and the Algerians were suppose to live in peace, however there was no equality that was promised and there for becomes a power struggle within Algeria.

There were certain scenes in the film that revealed some of the tensions and problems within the French colonial rule that helped promote the anti-colonial cause. From the very beginning of the film we could already see that there was a separation between the French and the Algerians. There were barricades and checkpoints that were made where only Arabs that looked suspicious got stopped and questioned. Also the Arabs were made to carry documentations on them and when asked had to present them, they were also submitted to random body searches. Just from this scene alone it reminds me of events that occurred in Germany during World War II where everyone had to carry identifications and documentations around to prove who they are and what race they were. And considering how France fought Germany back in the World Wars with Algerians as well as other colonial subjects, it seems like they should have been past this point. Aside from barricades there was a clear distinguish that there was a separation between the French and the Algerians, it was evident because there were French quarters and Algerian quarters. In the French quarters you saw that the area looked very bright and nice looking while the Algerians quarters were dark and looked more like slums.

Then it became a point where the Algerians, who were in an organization known as the FNL, want to send a message to France. They had three Arab women disguise themselves as French women, passing through check points without getting detected, so that they can place bombs in populated areas in the French quarter. The operation was successful and further demonstrates how the French underestimated the Algerians. As mentioned by Fogarty, “…had learned the French language and adopted much of French culture, and used their education and status as minor civil servants in the colonial administration to demand greater political rights.” (Fogarty, 150) These Arab women knew how to act around the soldiers at the checkpoints, which allowed them to causally pass through without raising suspicion. Because of the thought of learning French and adapting the French culture was suppose to eventually lead to being France’s equals were in mind many educated themselves. This proved to be troubling for France because with them knowing the language and the culture there are chances for races to mix. And because when it came to interracial mingling “…these relationships revealed a demand to be recognized not as colonial subjects but as French, not as inferiors but as equals, not as ‘black but as white.’” (Fogarty, 203)

Though violence was evident from the Algerians, there was a point in the film where their side of violence ceased and was known to be them going on strike, which was to demonstrate the Algerians weren’t always violence and would gladly overcome their problems through non-violence. However, during this time they were subjected to France’s brutality. France bought in a special army force where they took all the Arab men from the Algerian quarter and tortured and interrogated them to find out who was in the FNL and who were the ones in charge of this organization. Through these tortures and interrogations many Algerians were either traumatized or died. France treated them as if they were the lowest of the low, while only caring about how the Algerians inflicted pain and lost to French citizens, even though the Algerians fought for France during the two World Wars. By getting conquered and treated as if they are so inferior it is understandable as to why the Algerians will choose to fight back for what they believe its right.

As if terrorizing the Arabs and tearing apart their families weren’t enough the French had to make an example out of the FNL. To do that they were able to find those that were on top and in charge and arrested them and killed them. The film compared the organization to tapeworms because if you do not cut off its head they will just keep growing and coming back, which was why the French army had to take out everyone that was affiliated with FNL so that they do not get a chance to bounce back and cause the damaged they inflicted to the French. This showed how France used military power to ensure their dominance over the colony. By showing the population what they are capable of they hoped that this tactic would scare the majority to not question the French and to stay submissive.

Consequently that tactic of scaring the Algerians to submission did not work for France, because just two years after the downfall of FNL, thousands of Algerians rose up and rebelled. Their dedication of wanting independence was able to drive out the French, which gain them their freedom from being under France. This all goes back to not treating those they conquered fairly, especially since these colonial subjects fought for a nation that conquered their own. And even after fighting for said nation these colonies didn’t really get any accommodation. When trying to become French citizens, France tries to find ways around it every step of the way. For instance, Fogarty mentioned, “…indigenes would have to choose between their religious practice and French citizenship.” (Fogarty, 246) France feared their loyalty might be in question because one of their biggest enemy during World War I time was Germany and the Ottoman Empire who were majority of Islamic faith were on the same side. Hence why those who wanted to become French citizens were force to choose between faith and citizenship. Along with this, there were requirements that the Algerians need to meet in order to become a citizen. These laws were known as the Jonnart Law, which had to be followed in order for Algerians to gain citizenships.

But evidently, fear was the most common factor that causes all these tensions and problems that lead to decolonization between European countries and the colonial subjects. In other places as well such as the colonies that the Dutch conquered. They were worried about “…children of mixed percentage would always remain natives in disguise, fictive Europeans, fabricated Dutchmen, affectively bound to the sentiments and cultural affiliations of their native mothers.” (Stoler, 114) The children are known to be influence the future considering they are the next generation however they could be taught European culture but depending of their exposure in their household they could secretly still affiliate themselves with their native mothers. Hence why countries such as France and Dutch are hesitant in granting citizenships to these colonial subjects because once they learned that they were not equal demands would be made for equality or like in the film, for independence.

Works Cited

Battle of Algiers. Dir. Pontecorvo. 1967.

Fogarty, Richard S. Race & War in France. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008.

Stoler, Ann Laura. Carnal Knowledge And Imperial Power. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2010.