The Algerian Problem: Comparison with the Chinese Struggle

THE ALGERIAN PROBLEM

130 years of occupation. The policy of France has been from Bugeaud to de Gaulle to make of Algeria a French territory and of Algerians, Frenchmen.

COMPARISON WITH THE CHINESE STRUGGLE

The Algerian struggle is much more difficult than that carried out by the Chinese people.

Suppose there were in China 65 million Americans (a number proportional to the number of Europeans in Algeria);

Suppose that America was 1 hour away by plane, approximately;  

Suppose that there was an army of 35 million soldiers;

Suppose that the losses suffered exceeded 40 million.

This is the Algerian war.

The situation is unique. No colonized people has known war, suffering, and worse conditions. No people has sustained alone, by its own means, [a struggle against] as many forces at the same time as the Algerian people have been doing over the last 6 years.

The Algerian revolution permanently conditions the revolution on the entire black continent. It stirs the hope of the African masses. It remains the engine that will embolden liberation movements, wherever they may exist, especially in Africa. Communists are especially interested [in our struggle]. More than all others they wish to see the West swept from Africa.

We are a young force in an ascending phase of our history. The enemy is a decrepit and old force. Our success rests upon two factors:

1) We above all rely on ourselves, on our people, which is a great force, rallied around a sole organ, the FLN. France has always tried to create divisions, dissensions, to create counter revolutionaries, [and resorted to] pre-determined elections and the appointment of puppet surrogates (Bao-Dai).

2) We rely on anti-colonial forces throughout the world; on their assistance, on their anti-imperialist international support. We rely on the socialist camp.

The Algerian people has immobilized on its territory 800,000 NATO troops. Arab countries, masses, and leaders, are with us.