The OAS and the Gaullist State

This flow follows the political conflict from Algeria’s contested future through underground violence and an assassination attempt.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Return of de Gaulle

The Return of de Gaulle Hope for French Algeria Charles de Gaulle returns to power amid the Algerian crisis. Many officers and settlers believe his leadership will preserve Algeria as French territory and restore national authority. Expectations diverge The same return creates expectations that cannot all be fulfilled. Marc Rodin interprets early language as a promise, making later political change feel to him like betrayal rather than policy adjustment.

The Putsch Collapses

The Putsch Collapses Military revolt Marc Rodin and other officers join the Algiers putsch against the French Government’s negotiations with the Algerian nationalists. The revolt depends on the assumption that the army will follow its commanders. Radio defeats force Charles de Gaulle addresses the troops, and many conscripts remain loyal to the government. The failure fractures the officers’ confidence and pushes some rebels into the clandestine OAS.

The Underground War

The Underground War Terror and counterterror The OAS uses bombs, assassinations, and intimidation while French services infiltrate its networks and capture or kill its operatives. The conflict is conducted through hidden informants as much as through open attacks. A narrowing cause Violence does not restore French rule in Algeria. Instead, arrests, exile, and public exhaustion weaken the OAS and make its remaining leaders more desperate for a decisive act.

The Failed Plots

The Failed Plots Repeated attempts The OAS tries to kill Charles de Gaulle at Petit-Clamart and later plans a sniper attack at the École Militaire. Security failures and poor execution repeatedly frustrate the conspirators. Security tightens Each failed attempt teaches the French state that the threat persists. The OAS loses operatives and secrecy, while the President’s protection becomes more alert and more intrusive.

The Outsider Escalation

The Outsider Escalation A new kind of threat Marc Rodin hires The Jackal because familiar OAS operatives are known or compromised. The contract bypasses the usual political network and frustrates the state’s extensive files. The state adapts Once the plot is uncovered, France must coordinate police, intelligence, and security services without publicly alarming the country. The conflict shifts from an underground war against an organization to a race against one anonymous individual.

1958

April 1961

1961 to early 1963

1962 to February 1963

June to August 1963