De Gaulle purged Algeria’s army of May 1958 activists

Evidence

Yet at the same time he appreciated that it cried out for a firm hand and, masochistically, for a restoration of discipline. In the last analysis, he reckoned, “the army would obey”. Thus “On this vast apparatus, effective in preventing the situation from worsening, but incapable of solving the insoluble, a wealth of ingenuity, conscientiousness and patience was expended.” Ruthlessly, but with caution, de Gaulle embarked on a major purge of the “activists” in the army of Algiers. The loyal Gaullist General Ely was brought back as Chief of the General Staff and given the task of scattering the ringleaders of May by posting them, in twos and threes, to units in France or Germany. By the following March only two of those officers were still left in Algeria, while some 1,500 others had either been transferred, or simply retired. — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 948 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

As de Gaulle arrived in his special Caravelle, the sky, recalls Lartéguy, was of “that evangelic blue depicted on certain pious faces”. But in that blue there were already clouds apparent. Those on the Committee of Public Safety who had brought about the advent of de Gaulle were not happy with his first cabinet list; there seemed to be too much concession to the Left (Guy Mollet had been appointed vice-premier); there were too many little-known functionaries among the new ministers (of the activists of May only Michel Debré, made Minister of Justice, had been rewarded). The faithful Delbecque received no post, having offended by openly criticising the first choices, while even Soustelle, as too-dedicated an apostle of Algérie française, had been appointed nothing more than “Minister-Delegate” (or “Minister-Relegate”, as the punsters muttered). — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 915 (#expands, via linked claim)

In a second purging of the military de Gaulle sent home three generals—Faure, Mirambeau and Gracieux—and Colonels Broizat, Argoud and Godard. The last, the most experienced of the senior officers of Algiers, left angrily, protesting his loyalty to Challe and Delouvrier (though not, pointedly, to the head of state). — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 1136 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The 13 May coup was widely foreknown yet nobody stopped it; The Algiers leaders planned a para airborne coup against Paris in May 1958.; De Gaulle purged the May 1958 army activists through scattered postings. — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 948 (+4 more)

Related

• De Gaulle purged the May 1958 army activists through scattered postings. (similarity 0.95)
• De Gaulle’s first cabinet deliberately sidelined the May activists. (similarity 0.92)
• The Algiers leaders planned a para airborne coup against Paris in May 1958. (similarity 0.92)
• De Gaulle purged senior officers who failed to obey during the crisis (similarity 0.84)
• De Gaulle took power in June 1958 offering no Algerian solution. (similarity 0.84)
• De Gaulle’s ambiguity to the army was deliberate deception for its own good. (similarity 0.81)
• De Gaulle let subordinates voice hard-line positions he would later disavow. (similarity 0.80)
• The Algerian army command openly threatened to replace de Gaulle over self-determination. (similarity 0.80)
• Massu publicly declared the army would not obey de Gaulle when still loyal (similarity 0.80)
• De Gaulle refused to repudiate the army’s force while denying dictatorial intent (similarity 0.80)
• Algeria’s top army commander publicly pledged to disobey de Gaulle (similarity 0.80)
• A coup plot against civil government in Algeria emerged in late 1956 (similarity 0.80)
• Mollet’s political-warfare policies propelled the French army into politics. (similarity 0.80)
• Dissident colonels threatened to replace de Gaulle with Challe. (similarity 0.80)
• De Gaulle symbolically asserted civilian control over the military in Algeria (similarity 0.80)

Broader Connections

• De Gaulle purged the May 1958 army activists through scattered postings. #corroborates (0.80) — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 948
• De Gaulle’s first cabinet deliberately sidelined the May activists. #expands (0.70) — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 915
• De Gaulle purged senior officers who failed to obey during the crisis #expands (0.60) — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 1136
• De Gaulle symbolically asserted civilian control over the military in Algeria #complicates (0.40) — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 953
• Senior French officers plotted an army takeover in Algeria in early 1957 #complicates (0.30) — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 540