The Wars of French Decolonization

Modern Wars in Perspective

by Anthony Clayton

This ambitious survey draws together the two major wars of decolonization fought by France in Indochina and Algeria (as well as the lesser but far from insignificant military operations in Madagascar, Tunisia and Morocco) into a single integrated account. It examines traditional French attitudes to empire, and how these changed under the pressure of events; the military operations themselves; the collapse of the Fourth Republic and the return of de Gaulle; and the final drama of French withdrawal from Algeria and the 'ethnic cleansing' of its European settler population.

Genres: History, Africa, France, Military Fiction, Northern Africa

244 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Anthony Clayton was Senior Lecturer at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst from 1965 until 1994. One of Britain's leading military historians, he earned a Diploma in French from the University Paris in 1947, a Master of Arts in History from the University St. Andrews in 1951, and a Doctor of Philosophy in History from the University St. Andrews in 1970. He was made a Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Academiques in 1988 in recognition of his expertise in French military history.

Reviews

[Ron Nurmi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief look at how France handled the struggle of decolonization after WWII, looked at Indochina, Tunisia, Morocco, Madagascar, and Algeria with most of the coverage is on Indochina and Algeria. Also covers the struggle within France and within the two colonies. A good place to start if you are interested as it has a good biography if you want a more in-depth look.