Pacification en Algérie: 1956-1958 (Mémoires de guerre)

by David Galula, Julia Malye (Translator)

« Je quittai Hong Kong en février 1956 (…) J’étais fatigué du monde des renseignements, j’avais raté la guerre en Indochine, je pensais en savoir assez sur les insur-rections et je voulais tester certaines de mes théories. » Dans Pacification en Algérie, ouvrage inédit en France, le lieutenant-colonel David Galula, théoricien majeur élevé au rang de « Clausewitz de la contre-insurrection » par les stratèges américains, raconte sa conquête, par petites touches, des populations de Kabylie, préalable indispensable à la destruction des organisations politico-administratives du FLN.
Un récit subtil et un témoignage indispensable sur ce conflit.

Genres: Military Fiction, War, Military History, Northern Africa, Algeria, History, Nonfiction

426 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 27, 2002

About the author

David Galula was a French military officer and scholar who was influential in developing the theory and practice of counterinsurgency warfare.

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the classic and definitive works in contemporary counterinsurgency theory. David Galula is regarded by many as the father of modern counterinsurgency, as is evident by his grasp of counterinsurgency theory, strategy, and tactics, which he successfully applied while serving with the French Army in Algeria. Must read for any practitioner or scholar of modern warfare.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are interested in reading about counterinsurgency or asymmetric warfare, consider this interesting work.

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. Galula had extensive experience in Indochina prior to his assignment in Algeria. One of his criticisms was that there was no overarching doctrine for success in Algeria. The high command and French government were out of touch on what was going on in sector. He had some very practical suggestions: commanders and staff should personally visit the AO and he favored using the carrot/stick approach to the population. This work was a major contributor to the new FM 3-24 Counterinsurgency. He had a good eye for what worked and what didn't.

[TS Allen · Rating 1 out of 5]

My review: http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/...

[Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dense and academic at times, but great and extremely well done.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

An French army captain writing his observations of analysis of the war in Algeria. He died in 1967, a decade after he wrote this, but his ideas would be rediscovered and reapplied in the counterinsurgencies of this century.

[ABona]

Another Col M recommendation

[Andreas Beger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and enjoyable to read.

"...under no circumstances could we afford to antagonize the population even if we had to take risks for ourselves in sparing it. (71)"

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the most exciting read, but a good lesson on running an effective COIN campaign.