Bonjour à Tous

Thank you both for the offer of help. I am studying the Algerian War as a military and political continuation of the Indochina War. For example, I could discuss paratroopers in Indochina versus paratroopers in Algeria, or I could compare the Navy's role in Algeria to its role in Indochina. It's interesting that you mentioned the Dinassaut, which Bernard Fall called the best unit to come from Indochina. Did you also discuss the Khmer river pirates? Let me know if you'd like more information, and thank you again.

It is these differences that define my thesis. I can say why Paris used only volunteers in Indochina but also draftees in Algeria. After all, the CEFEO had a shortage of (European) manpower, so the Army realized that it needed more soldiers, whom it could obtain by draft, in Algeria. I am tracking this improvement of ideas. I was aware of helicopter development (There were several dozen in Indochina and several hundred in Algeria, compared to America's twelve thousand in the Vietnam War), but there was riverine warfare in Algeria? Are you referring to the naval blockade of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, or did it penetrate rivers such as the Chelif? You are an expect on this subject, so I appreciate your advice.

As far as veterans, it's no problem that they speak no English. I have French-speaking friends who would be happy to help. By the way, I don't want to take advantage: you should no that I am a seventeen-year-old high-school student (versus a student in college), but I plan to continue this subject in the future because it interests me so much. Thank you for the help.

Counterinsurgency has interested me for several years, and Algeria became one of the most-successful examples of counterinsurgency, yet Indochina and its failures inspired the successes of Algeria. Plus, many veterans will have died when I am twenty or thirty. It's best to interview now, when there's time. Are the veterans whom you know comfortable speaking about their service? I don't know about men of the navy, but infantrymen and paratroopers who served in Indochina like to forget what they saw. Strange that veterans of Algeria feel most comfortable with their past—as far as the four whom I interviewed have told.

I have a basic familiarity with France's role in the European Theater. However, I know most about France's role in the Japanese occupation of Indochina; this information is new to me. France lacked enough able-bodied men beginning World War I and World War II, correct? This shortage extended to the Indochina War? In addition, Paris refused a draft on political ground. The French, who had little interest in the Indochina War, would have prevented a draft for the sake of a distant colony (however valuable it was).

At first, Paris tried to deny war in Indochina. It called the conflict another colonial rebellion. It only excepted that it was fighting a war, a massive one, when America began sending aid in the 1950s. Indochina went from a colonial rebellion to a war on communism in terms of propaganda. You mentioned that Algeria, on the other hand, was part of France. France could never say at the same time that Algeria was part of France but that there was war in Algeria, for France could never acknowledge war with itself. France's last civil war ended 1598 (excluding the War in the Vendée).

Yes, blockades by land and sea succeeded in Algeria beyond compare. A legionnaire told me of one incident where paras boarded a Dutch ship. I've heard of Dutch smugglers, never Dutch gunrunners.

Your English is much better than my French, which I should have learnt to speak. It would make research easier. I can't speak for most Americans, but a worldly education is important. Many Americans know too much American history and too little world history. Indochina and Algeria interest me because they show evolution of counterinsurgency and impacted later counterinsurgency. Some of the methods were brilliant. I attend school here.