American arms sales to Tunisia inflamed France’s wartime grievances
Evidence
In the wake of Suez both countries had become anxious to repair fences with the Arab world, were increasingly concerned at the incipient flood of Soviet-bloc arms into the Middle East. The United States in particular was showing sensitivity to Arab charges that equipment (notably helicopters) she had supplied France for N.A.T.O. purposes was being massively used to crush the F.L.N. Thus it was decided, by way of a counterbalance, to sell a limited quantity of small arms to the infant Tunisian army, rather than risk Bourguiba turning to the Russian market—as Nasser had done with the Aswan dam. — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 758
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: FLN cross-border raids from Tunisia provoked French bombing of Sakiet; N.A.T.O.-supplied American equipment empowered French heliborne tactics yet strained US-French relations. — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 1011; Foreign weapons flowed through Tunisia while the interior Wilayas asphyxiated without reinforcements. — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 815
Related
- N.A.T.O.-supplied American equipment empowered French heliborne tactics yet strained US-French relations. (similarity 0.82)
- US hoped its Tunisian mediation would open direct FLN-France talks (similarity 0.79)
- Suez delivered captured Western arms to the F.L.N. and bolstered its morale. (similarity 0.79)
- Anglo-American bons offices deepened French suspicion of foreign meddling. (similarity 0.78)
Broader Connections
- N.A.T.O.-supplied American equipment empowered French heliborne tactics yet strained US-French relations.
#expands(0.75) — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 1011 - Foreign weapons flowed through Tunisia while the interior Wilayas asphyxiated without reinforcements.
#expands(0.65) — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 815