This week’s assignment is worth double points. Please watch this famous movie “The Battle of Algiers” carefully. It’s in French, so you need to click “closed captions” and select “English” for subtitles. The film is incredible significant and depicts the Algerian people’s struggle to decolonize from the French after news of the famous battle of Dien Bien Phu and the success of Vietnamese freedom fighters.
As you watch the movie, pay careful attention to and take notes on the following:
Ali La Pointe (The main character, a simple, illiterate Algerian villager whose awakening and understanding of French oppression represents the awakening of the Algerian people)
The French General and his use of torture, violent intimidation, and brutal crackdowns
The role of terrorism
How the French broke the Algerian revolutionaries
The reasons for the ultimate success of the revolution
Role of women
Role of Islam as unification force, plus secular aspect of the revolutionaries
Role of the media/global fallout
Write a summary with specific personal reaction, details, and insight on these topics mentioned above. Tie it to the broader decolonization and liberation movements, like Vietnam.
Algeria was not a French “colony” in the sense that Vietnam was. It was considered a French “state” like Hawaii or Alaska is to the US. There were several million French people living in Algeria and exploiting the local population, using the land, resources, etc. Those people didn’t want France to leave Algeria and even threatened violence in France to stop the departure from Algeria. The Algerian revolutionaries were intellectuals (modern, sophisticated, understanding the global issues). They wanted a SECULAR Algeria, free and independent.
The French engaged in SEVERE torture of Algerians for many years.