De Gaulle also knew that many army leaders were totally committed to the American alliance and viewed the struggle in Algeria as part of an international crusade against Communism.36 In their view, any moves towards anti-Atlanticism would jeopardize any prospect of America supporting France in Algeria in the spirit of anti-Communism. This only reveals how the army leaders were living in a fantasy world: the truth was that the American government, keen to increase its support in the Arab world, was coming under increasing international pressure to support the cause of Algerian independence.
