Algerian War: Independence Struggle or Civil Conflict?

Abstract

Student’s Name Professor’s name 29th April, 2021 In what ways is the Algerian War both a war for independence and a civil war? How are the French military and the FLN helping and hurting their respective causes? Introduction The film ‘Battle of Algiers’ provides a significant channel for the discussion of Algerian War in the perspective of independence and civil war. The major parties at play are the Guerrilla movement FLN (Front de Liberation Nationale), French Republic (Colonel Mathieu) and the innocent civilians. The objective of FLN is to gain their independence through terrorism acts and formation of revolutionary government while the French are aiming at gaining the territory by counterattacking and torturing terrorists. The actions of these two groups are either supporting or hurting their cause. It is the resistance that start the aggression by killing policemen. The outcome is a counterattack with the same aggression by the use of bomb to wipe out alleged resistance hiding place. In the middle of all these, there are civilians who are fated to die from all these fights. Take for instance the emotional moments with the three Arab women who targeted one of the random locations within the city. While planting the bombs, they pretend to be colonials but it is clear how they are reluctant to plant the bombs while staring at innocent civilians who are about to die for a cause. These actions are supporting the cause but at the same time hurting the same people who are living their normal routine. The terrorist acts in the film are justified as a way of getting the attention of the world. The FLN as a terrorist group declared certain rules such as prohibition of alcohol, and prostitution to the people of Kasbah. These people are constantly punished when they do not follow the rules. The resistance set up a revolutionary government and using these rules to compel the people to seek authority from them instead...