Background information of Algerian War
Background ● Started with conflict initiated by the Front de Liberation Nationale (FLN) in 1954
information ● Ended with establishment of Algeria as independent and sovereign state in 1962
Cause:
● War started by anti-colonial nationalism (rejection of rule from colonial powers)
● Since French colonised Algeria in 1848, they see Algeria as an extension of mainland France
Long term ideological causes
Algerian Civil War
Increasing Sparked by French colonial policy (socio-economic causes)
Algerian ● Assimilation: French civilisation was superior, colonies benefit from being integrated → colonies seen as
nationalism departments
Events Significance
14 Points, Woodrow Wilson 14 Points
● 5th point stated that there should be ● French made no adjustment in policy towards
adjustments of all colonial claims for equal Algeria -> disappoints Algerians, Algerians feel
rights supported by US to claim right
Historian Marnia Lazreg: “Islamism and colonialism are the most important mobilising ideologies of the Algerian
war.”
Historian Michael Brett: “key cause of the Algerian war was Arab nationalism; Algerians rose against colonialism,
oppression and racism”
Long term socio-economic causes
, Algerian Civil War
French Policy Significance
colonial
policy Racist French rule Pieds-noirs (black feet) + racist rule
● Muslim land expropriated, only 2% of the ● Socio-economic difference between native
population owned 25% of the land Algerians and pied-noirs → air of mistrust between
Pieds-noirs (black feet) two groups
● 1945, there were 1 million pieds-noirs ● 1936, France passed the Blum-Viollette proposal
● These Europeans were of a working-class which allowed some Muslims to gain full French
background, but enjoyed elevated status over citizenship and allow them to be subject to some
native Algerians. Muslim law on marriage and inheritance →
pied-noirs rose in violent demonstrations against
the policy → policy ended
Historian Arthur Girault: “Assimilation is not separation…The colonies are considered to be a simple extension of
the soil of the mother country”
Chinese Civil War
Wealth gap Policy Significance
and poor
living Poor living standards Increasing populations
● More than 80 percent of Chinese were ● Imbalance lead to more famines, peasants’ plots
peasants, most were extremely poor of land were reduced, meanwhile, landlords
Increasing population increase rents
● In the late 19th Century, Chinese population ● Some peasants pay 80% of their harvest
grew by 8%, but land cultivated only increased
by 1%
, Long term political causes
Algerian Civil War
Increasing Sparked by failure of moderate political groups
Algerian
nationalism Events Significance
Failure of moderate groups Failure of moderate groups
● 1937, Messali Hadj set up Algeria People’s ● French government refused to engage
Party which promoted greater autonomy rather meaningfully with Messali Hadj or Ferhat Abbas
than full independence Historian Martin Evans: “This is the tipping point towards
● 1938, Ferhat Abbas founded Algerian Popular conflict as the failure of more moderate groups allowed
Union, promoted equal rights and Algerian the nationalist ground to be occupied by those who
culture and language wanted ‘a violent confrontation with French rule’.”
Chinese Civil War
Political Influenced by humiliation from European imperialist powers that exploited China, and caused destabilisation of
weakness China’s ruling Manchu regime.
and
influence of Events Significance
foreign
UK in China Extensive foreign interference lead to unrest
powers
● After the UK defeated China in the Opium ● Resulted in the loss of power of the Chinese
Wars, it stepped into China’s economy to a government as they give imperialist powers
large extent. extraordinary control over Chinese trade and
● Protestant missions started to spread territory.
christianity in China, causing religion chaos ● 1850, Taiping Rebellion spread throughout
Background ● Started with conflict initiated by the Front de Liberation Nationale (FLN) in 1954
information ● Ended with establishment of Algeria as independent and sovereign state in 1962
Cause:
● War started by anti-colonial nationalism (rejection of rule from colonial powers)
● Since French colonised Algeria in 1848, they see Algeria as an extension of mainland France
Long term ideological causes
Algerian Civil War
Increasing Sparked by French colonial policy (socio-economic causes)
Algerian ● Assimilation: French civilisation was superior, colonies benefit from being integrated → colonies seen as
nationalism departments
Events Significance
14 Points, Woodrow Wilson 14 Points
● 5th point stated that there should be ● French made no adjustment in policy towards
adjustments of all colonial claims for equal Algeria -> disappoints Algerians, Algerians feel
rights supported by US to claim right
Historian Marnia Lazreg: “Islamism and colonialism are the most important mobilising ideologies of the Algerian
war.”
Historian Michael Brett: “key cause of the Algerian war was Arab nationalism; Algerians rose against colonialism,
oppression and racism”
Long term socio-economic causes
, Algerian Civil War
French Policy Significance
colonial
policy Racist French rule Pieds-noirs (black feet) + racist rule
● Muslim land expropriated, only 2% of the ● Socio-economic difference between native
population owned 25% of the land Algerians and pied-noirs → air of mistrust between
Pieds-noirs (black feet) two groups
● 1945, there were 1 million pieds-noirs ● 1936, France passed the Blum-Viollette proposal
● These Europeans were of a working-class which allowed some Muslims to gain full French
background, but enjoyed elevated status over citizenship and allow them to be subject to some
native Algerians. Muslim law on marriage and inheritance →
pied-noirs rose in violent demonstrations against
the policy → policy ended
Historian Arthur Girault: “Assimilation is not separation…The colonies are considered to be a simple extension of
the soil of the mother country”
Chinese Civil War
Wealth gap Policy Significance
and poor
living Poor living standards Increasing populations
● More than 80 percent of Chinese were ● Imbalance lead to more famines, peasants’ plots
peasants, most were extremely poor of land were reduced, meanwhile, landlords
Increasing population increase rents
● In the late 19th Century, Chinese population ● Some peasants pay 80% of their harvest
grew by 8%, but land cultivated only increased
by 1%
, Long term political causes
Algerian Civil War
Increasing Sparked by failure of moderate political groups
Algerian
nationalism Events Significance
Failure of moderate groups Failure of moderate groups
● 1937, Messali Hadj set up Algeria People’s ● French government refused to engage
Party which promoted greater autonomy rather meaningfully with Messali Hadj or Ferhat Abbas
than full independence Historian Martin Evans: “This is the tipping point towards
● 1938, Ferhat Abbas founded Algerian Popular conflict as the failure of more moderate groups allowed
Union, promoted equal rights and Algerian the nationalist ground to be occupied by those who
culture and language wanted ‘a violent confrontation with French rule’.”
Chinese Civil War
Political Influenced by humiliation from European imperialist powers that exploited China, and caused destabilisation of
weakness China’s ruling Manchu regime.
and
influence of Events Significance
foreign
UK in China Extensive foreign interference lead to unrest
powers
● After the UK defeated China in the Opium ● Resulted in the loss of power of the Chinese
Wars, it stepped into China’s economy to a government as they give imperialist powers
large extent. extraordinary control over Chinese trade and
● Protestant missions started to spread territory.
christianity in China, causing religion chaos ● 1850, Taiping Rebellion spread throughout
