ORDS:1000
DEADLINE:20SEP 7PM
Instructions
How are the French
arguments and actions aimed at keeping Algiers perceived by the Algerians?
Do Algerians (feel free to undermine this term if it is a problem), the French
Algerians (pieds-noir) and the French who identify primarily with European
France (mostly those who live on the continent, but not exclusively) see the
struggle for independence in similar terms?
Your paper should be
no less than 1000 words (excluding footnotes). It should engage a minimum of
evidence from 6 documents (see the attached documents. Each file may have more
than one more document inside). You are encouraged to use both Judt and
lecture to contextualize the documents assigned – lacking knowledge of the
context is bound to significantly weaken your arguments.
In reading the documents, consider how you
would “put these together” in creating your own history of
Europe since 1945. The lectures and course textbooks provide context; the
documents provide “data” that allows you to create your own narrative of
European history.
Reaction papers are graded on a numerical
scale from 1 to 30. There are several points I look at in grading your
responses to the various questions:
First, how do you engage the documents in a
meaningful manner driven by your thesis? The purpose is not to summarize
documents, and you want to avoid this. The purpose is to analyze the documents
– engage their content using it to drive forward your point. This means being
aware of the context in which they were produced, whose point of view they
represent, and being aware of evidence in the documents that contradicts as
well as supports your point.
Second, do you “closely read” the texts? Not
just the information in the text, but a “close reading” of the phrases, terms,
approaches of the author? What is the context of the authors of the texts? What
were their goals, assumptions, or strategies in writing it? What information
would be available to them? In short, how well do you engage the author?
Third, what’s “the point” of your reaction
paper? E.g., while this is a reaction to documents, it should be a focused reaction
that argues or attempts to advance a discrete point or thesis.
Fourth, does your writing service to
communicate your ideas effectively?
Finally, do you draw upon the text? This includes
the use of citation to argue and advance your points
Citation Guide:
Chicago Style
For Footnotes (please make sure you don’t have the whole page
range, but the actual page you’re getting information from):
First time you cite:
Ferhat Abbas, “The Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic
Demands Independence,” Marvin Perry et al (eds), Sources of
Twentieth-Century Europe, (Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2000), 328-331.
Ferhat Abbas, “How the Referendum is
Organized in Algeria,”
Albert Camus, “Letter to an Algerian
Militant,” Albert Camus, Algerian Chronicles, Arthur Goldhammer trans.
(Cambridge, London: Belknap Press, 2013), 113-116.
Jean-Paul Sartre “Colonialism is a System”
in Jean-Paul Sartre, Azzedine Haddour, Steve Brewer, Terry McWilliams trans.
(London and New York: Routledge, 2001), 9- 19.
Jean-Paul Sartre “We Are All Murderers” in
Jean-Paul Sartre, Azzedine Haddour, Steve Brewer, Terry McWilliams trans.
(London and New York: Routledge, 2001), 29- 30.
|
Gouvernement général de l'Algérie, Essential
Notions about Algeria, (Paris: Imp. Georges Lang, 1953), page numbers.
|
Documents in Shephard
Author Name, “Title” Todd Shepard trans.
(where appropriate, check the footnote whether he translated the text or not),
Todd Shepard ed., Voices of Decolonization: A Brief History with Documents, (Boston,
New York: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2015), page numbers.
Second time you cite the same document:
Author Last Name, Short title of piece, page
number.
Solution
Assignment
Submitted by:
How are the French arguments and
actions aimed at keeping Algiers perceived by the Algerians? Do Algerians (feel
free to undermine this term if it is a problem), the French Algerians
(pieds-noir) and the French who identify primarily with European France (mostly
those who live on the continent, but not exclusively) see the struggle for
independence in similar terms?
The Algerian war from 1954 to 62 wars led to
independence of Algeria from France. The French Algerians were against the
independence and some of them were a part of French army, but an agreement was
signed which made Algeria independent in 1962. The movement for Algerian
independence began in World War I. This movement gained impetus when the
promises of self rule were not fulfilled by the French after World War II.
There are many French arguments and actions which were aimed at keeping
Algiers. France imposed a three year blockade on Algiers in 1827. This blockade
was because of “fly whisk incident”. Dey Hussein was believed to be responsible
for the incident. He hit the French consul with a fly whisk for three times
when the consul did not reply to his question related t France’s terrific debt
to Algeria. This made the French furious and they imposed blockade of Algeria.
The prestige of French monarchy was declining
and the occupation of Algiers was a way to promote their rule. The bourbon
dynasty and the government were conquered by the revolution. This event took
place before the extension of French rule. The French continued their
occupation of the Algiers and planned a full fledge attack on the Algiers to
impose their rule on a greater scale. Within three weeks Algiers was captured
by the French and the rest area was occupied in 1834. The peasant farmers,
working class of Europe entered Algiers from southern areas of Europe like
Spain, Italy, France, and so on. The possession was taken by the French and the
tribes, villages and religious bodies used the land[1] (Sartre, 2005) .
It is believed that the entire villages were
raped, looted and killed by the French troops and many religious institutions
like mosques were destroyed. Similar incidents took place when the French
advanced to the southern rural areas from the coast during the “penetration
pacifique”[2] (Camus, 2013) .
The independent Berber republics of labylia were suppressed as a result of this
conquest in 1857. It was declared that Algeria is a fundamental part of French
territory and the citizens of France in Algeria can elect their deputy in the
assembly of Paris. This made Algerians subjects to French automatically and
their rights were not similar to pied noirs[3] (Shepard, 2015) .
This made the Algerians resistant against the French.
The Algerians had fought against invaders many times in the history. Abd al
qadir is considered as the first hero in the Algerian war of independence. He
had support from tribes of Algeria and controlled two thirds of Algeria from
1839. The French commander general
Bugeaud defeated him in 1847. There were many grievances of the Algerians like
scarcity of grains, extension of colon authority to self governing areas and
reserves of Algerians, extension of Cremieux authority, and so on which led to a
revolt in the eastern Algeria in the kabylie region in 1871[4] (Essential notions about
Algeria) .
Cremieux is
liable for Cremieux decree of 1870 which issued French citizenship to Jewish
minority in Algeria. The Muslims were in minority and they were treated as
subject. They had no right to get French citizenship. They were conditioned to
leave their culture and religion to get French citizenship. The French troops
crushed this revolt and enforced strict measures like further occupation of
tribal areas and this was meant to punish Muslims.
These events show
how French kept Algerians from independence. They tried to oppress them in
every possible way. The Algerians were crushed many times by the French troops
but they never gave up. They believed that they have a right to citizenship and
to have an independent government.
The economy of
Algeria was changed by French colonialism and they produced cash crops like
olives, tobacco, citrus fruits, and so on. The most important export of country
was wine. The mineral resources of Algeria were destroyed and Algerians did not
become industrialized. The majority of Algerians was forced to move to
mountains from fertile lands. The Algerians came back to right side of cities
when they faced scarcity of food. The political leader and structures of
Algerians were replaced by French government. The Algerians developed
inferiority complex because of French oppression.
These
are the events which caused deep rooted anger in Algerians towards the French
oppression. The Algerian war of independence led to turmoil in from 1954-62 and
France collapsed (unions, 1958) [5]. In 1958, a
constitutional referendum was held and the constitution of French fifth
republic was approved (The Algerian fornt of National
Liberation, 1958) [6]. In 1954, a guerilla
war against the French was started by the national liberation front. They were
determined to have recognition as a sovereign Algerian state in the United
Nations. The Algerian army fought in countryside and the country borders, but
the most severe incident of fighting took place around the Algiers. The FLN fighters
launched different urban attacks. These attacks are known as the battle of
Algiers from 1956-57[7] (Aussaresses, 2006) .
There were 500,000 troops in the French forces, and they tried to regain
oppression. They managed to get control through harsh steps and brutality. This
rage and anger frustrated the French and this aggravated the conflict. Charles
de Gaulle in 1959 declared that Algerians are free to choose their path. The
terrorist acts continued by the French Algerians. They were against the
independence. In spite of all these efforts, an agreement was signed and
Algeria became independent in 1962[8] (Abbas) .
Works Cited
Abbas, F. The Twilight of imperialism. In The
provisional government of the Algerian Republic demands independence (pp.
328-331).
Aussaresses,
P. (2006). The Battle of the Casbah: Terrorism and Counterterrorism in
Algeria 1955-1957. New York: Enigma Books.
Camus,
A. (2013). Algerian Chronicles. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of
Harvard University Press.
Essential
notions about Algeria.
Sartre,
J.-P. (2005). Colonialism and Neocolonialism. London and New York:
Routledge.
Shepard,
T. (2015). Voices of Decolonization. Boston/New York: Bedford/St.Martin.
The
Algerian fornt of National Liberation, L. D. (1958). How the referendum is
organized in Algeria.
unions,
i. C. (1958, April 4). Press Release.
[2] Camus, A. (2013). Algerian
Chronicles. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University
Press.
[6] The
Algerian fornt of National Liberation, L. D. (1958). How the referendum is
organized in Algeria.
[7] Aussaresses,
P. (2006). The Battle of the Casbah: Terrorism and Counterterrorism in
Algeria 1955-1957. New York: Enigma Books.
[8] Abbas,
F. The Twilight of imperialism. In The provisional government of the Algerian
Republic demands independence (pp. 328-331).
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