Veteran Algerian soldiers from Indo-China defected en masse to the F.L.N.

Evidence

In his novel The Centurions Jean Lartéguy relates how, on killing a fellagha leader, Si Lahcen, French paras found in his pockets a médaille militaire and a mention in despatches from Indo-China. “There’s something wrong about this war,” one para officer remarks to another. There was indeed. At night on 9 February 1956 a platoon of the 46th Tirailleurs stationed near Tlemcen was called out on an alarm — to be mown down by one of their own number, a caporal-chef, who wounded six soldiers before running off with the attackers. Worse followed ten days later when fifty men of the 50th Tirailleurs defected under another caporal-chef, a returned veteran from Indo-China, in similar circumstances. — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 427

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the broader theme of veteran soldiers’ defection that foreshadows later African decolonization armies. — connects to: F.L.N. propaganda triggered mutinies within veteran Algerian army units.; Algeria’s war began in the same year France lost Indo-China; F.L.N. propaganda undermined the loyalty of Algerian army units. — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 427 (+4 more)

Related

• F.L.N. propaganda triggered mutinies within veteran Algerian army units. (similarity 0.91)
• F.L.N. propaganda caused mass defections within French-native army units (similarity 0.84)
• Algeria’s war began in the same year France lost Indo-China (similarity 0.81)
• F.L.N. propaganda undermined the loyalty of Algerian army units. (similarity 0.81)

Broader Connections

• F.L.N. propaganda undermined the loyalty of Algerian army units. #expands (0.70) — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 427
• F.L.N. propaganda caused mass defections within French-native army units #corroborates (0.65)
• Disillusioned war veterans radicalized into a new violent Algerian generation. #expands (0.60)
• French countermeasures such as ratissages and prison drove Algerians into the F.L.N. #complicates (0.50)
• France’s refusal to restrain settler fascism drove liberal Algerians to the F.L.N. #complicates (0.40)