Algeria wins independence

French conquest in the nineteenth century produced a colony in which European settlers held advantages in land and politics. Most Muslim inhabitants faced unequal rights, education, and resources. Nationalist organizations developed, and repression after the Second World War deepened conflict. The National Liberation Front began armed action in 1954. Fighting spread through rural and urban settings as independence claims confronted colonial interests during nearly eight years of struggle.

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France deployed large forces and used displacement, detention, and interrogation. Torture became a major controversy. The FLN organized guerrilla warfare, urban attacks, and diplomacy while competing with other Algerian movements. Civilians faced fighting and reprisals and lost homes or migrated. War destabilized French government, contributing to the crisis that returned de Gaulle to power in 1958. Acceptance of self-determination developed gradually against intense opposition from defenders of colonial rule.

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The Évian agreements established a ceasefire and transition in 1962, followed by a referendum confirming independence. Many European settlers departed, while Algerians associated with French forces faced severe danger. The new state took over administration, schools, and economic activity amid internal struggles. Housing, production, and personnel losses required extended reconstruction. Migration, diplomacy, and memories of the war continued connecting the societies of France and independent Algeria.

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